ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第67部分

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〃
　The　old　man　paused。　He　gave　the　impression　that　his　thoughts　were　far　away。　〃I'm　glad　I　didn't　make　a　mistake；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃about　that　anyway。〃
　He　picked　up　a　topcoat　and　moved　to　the　door。　He　seemed　about　to　go；　then　turned　back。　Almost　diffidently　he　asked；　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　give　you　some　advice？〃
　Coleman　shook　his　head。　〃Please　do。〃
　〃You're　young；〃　Pearson　said。　〃You're　full　of　spice　and　vinegar…that's　good。　You　know　your　stuff　too。　You're　up　to　date…you　know　things　that　I　never　did；　never　will　now。　Take　my　advice　and　try　to　keep　it　that　way。　It'll　be　tough　to　do；　make　no　mistake　about　it。〃　He　waved　toward　the　desk　he　had　just　vacated。　〃You'll　sit　ha　that　chair　and　the　phone　will　ring；　and　it'll　be　the　administrator…talking　about　budgets。　Next　minute　one　of　the　lab　staff　will　want　to　quit；　and　you'll　have　to　smooth　that　out。　And　the　doctors　will　e　in；　and　they'll　want　this　bit　of　information　and　that。〃　The　old　man　smiled　thinly。　〃Then　you'll　get　the　salesman…the　man　with　the　unbreakable　test　tube　and　the　burner　that　never　goes　out。　And　when　you're　through　seeing　him　there'll　be　another　and　another　and　another。　Until　at　the　end　of　a　day　you'll　wonder　what　happened　to　it　and　what　you've　acplished；　what　you've　achieved。〃
　Pearson　stopped　and　Coleman　waited。　He　sensed　that　in　his　words　the　old　pathologist　was　reliving　a　part　of　his　own　past。　He　went　on；　〃That's　the　way　the　next　day　can　go；　and　the　next；　and　the　one　after　that。　Until　you　find　a　year　has　slipped　by；　and　another；　and　another。　And　while　you're　doing　all　this　you'll　send　other　people　on　courses　to　hear　about　the　new　things　in　medicine…because　you　can't　take　time　out　to　go　yourself。　And　you'll　quit　investigation　and　research；　and　because　you　work　so　hard；　you'll　be　tired　at　night；　and　you　won't　feel　like　reading　textbooks。　And　then　suddenly；　one　day；　you'll　find　everything　you　knew　is　out　of　date。　That's　when　it's　too　late　to　change。〃
　Emotion…charged；　the　voice　faltered。　Pearson　put　a　hand　on　Coleman's　arm。　He　said　imploringly；　〃Listen　to　an　old　man　who's　been　through　it　all；　who　made　the　mistake　of　falling　behind。　Don't　let　it　happen　to　you！　Lock　yourself　in　a　closet　if　you　have　to！　Get　away　from　the　phone　and　the　files　and　paper；　and　read　and　learn　and　listen　and　keep　up　to　date！　Then　they　can　never　touch　you；　never　say；　'He's　finished；　all　washed　up；　he　belongs　to　yesterday。'　Because　you'll　know　as　much　as　they　do…and　more。　Because　you'll　have　experience　to　go　with　it　。　。　。〃
　The　voice　trailed　off　and　Pearson　turned　away。
　〃I　shall　try　to　remember；〃　Coleman　said。　He　added　gently；　〃I'll　e　with　you　to　the　door。〃
　They　climbed　the　stairs　from　Pathology；　and　on　the　hospital's　main　floor　the　bustle　of　early…evening　activity　was　just　beginning。　A　nurse　passed　them　hurriedly；　she　carried　a　diet　tray；　her　starched　uniform　swishing。　They　moved　aside　to　let　a　wheel　chair　by；　in　it　was　a　middle…aged　man；　one　leg　in　a　cast；　holding　a　pair　of　crutches　like　oars　withdrawn　into　a　boat。　A　trio　of　student　nurses　went　past　laughing。　A　Women's　Auxiliary　worker　propelled　a　cart　with　magazines。　A　man　clutching　a　bouquet　of　flowers　headed　for　the　elevators。　Somewhere　out　of　sight　a　child　was　crying。　It　was　the　hospital　world：　a　living　organism；　a　mirror　of　the　greater　world　outside。
　Pearson　was　looking　around　him。　Coleman　thought：　Thirty…two　years；　and　he's　seeing　it　all；　perhaps　for　the　last　time。　He　wondered：　How　will　it　be　when　my　own　time　es？　Shall　I　remember　this　moment　thirty　years　from　now？　Will　I　understand　it　better　then？
　On　the　public…address　system　a　voice　announced；　〃Dr。　David　Coleman。　Dr。　Coleman　to　the　surgical　floor。〃
　〃It's　started；〃　Pearson　said。　〃It'll　be　a　frozen　section…you'd　better　go。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Good　luck。〃
　Coleman　found　it　hard　to　speak。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。
　The　old　man　nodded　and　turned　away。
　〃Good　night；　Dr。　Pearson。〃　It　was　one　of　the　senior　nurses。
　〃Good　night；〃　Pearson　said。　Then；　on　the　way　out；　he　stopped　under　a　〃No　Smoking〃　sign　to　light　a　cigar。
　



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