ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第51部分

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o；　I　know；　but　try　to　think　of　other　things　as　much　as　you　can。〃
　The　girl　smiled　faintly。　〃It　isn't　easy。〃
　Lucy　was　at　the　door　now。　She　said；　〃Perhaps　a　visitor　will　help。　You　have　an　early　one。〃　She　opened　the　door　and　beckoned。　Mike　Seddons　came　in　as　Lucy　left。
　Seddons　was　wearing　his　hospital　whites。　He　said；　〃I　stole　ten　minutes。　You　can　have　them　all。〃
　He　crossed　to　the　chair　and　kissed　her。　For　a　moment　she　closed　her　eyes　and　held　on　to　him　tightly。　He　ran　his　hands　through　her　hair。　His　voice　in　her　ear　was　gentle。　〃It's　been　hard；　hasn't　it？…just　waiting。〃
　〃Oh；　Mike；　if　only　I　knew　what　was　going　to　happen！　I　don't　think　I'd　mind　so　much。　It's　。　。　。　wondering　。　。　。　not　knowing。〃
　He　drew　slightly　away；　looking　into　her　face。　〃Vivian　darling；　I　wish　there　were　something；　just　something　I　could　do。〃
　〃You've　done　a　lot　already。〃　Vivian　was　smiling　now。　〃Just　being　you…and　being　here。　I　don't　know　what　it　would　have　been　like　without　。　。　。〃　She　stopped　as　he　reached　out　and　put　a　finger　across　her　lips。
　〃Don't　say　it！　I　had　to　be　here。　It　was　preordained…all　worked　out　by　cosmic　coincidence。〃　He　gave　her　his　bright；　broad　grin。　Only　he　knew　there　was　a　sense　of　hollowness　behind　it。　Mike　Seddons；　like　Lucy；　was　aware　of　the　implications　of　the　delayed　report　from　Pathology。
　He　had　succeeded　in　making　Vivian　laugh　though。　〃Rubbish！〃　she　said。　〃If　I　hadn't　gone　to　that　old　autopsy；　and　if　some　other　student　nurse　had　got　to　you　first　。　。　。〃
　〃Uh；　uh！〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　might　look　that　way；　but　you　can't　escape　predestination。　Ever　since　our　great…great　ancestors　were　swinging　from　trees；　scratching　their　underarms；　our　genes　have　been　moving　together　across　the　dusty　sands　of　Time；　Life；　and　Fortune。〃　He　was　talking　now　for　the　sake　of　it；　using　the　first　words　which　came　into　his　head；　but　it　was　having　the　effect　he　wanted。
　Vivian　said；　〃Oh；　Mike；　you　talk　such　wonderful　nonsense。　And　I　do　love　you　very　much。〃
　〃I　can　understand　that。〃　He　kissed　her　again；　lightly。　〃I　think　your　mother　likes　me　too。〃
　She　put　a　hand　to　her　mouth。　〃You　see　what　you　do　to　me！　I　should　have　asked　first。　Was　everything　all　right…after　you　all　left　here　last　night？〃
　〃Sure　it　was。　I　went　back　with　them　to　the　hotel。　We　sat　around　and　talked　for　a　bit。　Your　mother　didn't　say　much；　but　I　could　see　your　father　summing　me　up；　thinking　to　himself：　What　kind　of　a　man　is　this　who　presumes　to　marry　my　beautiful　daughter？〃
　Vivian　said；　〃I'll　tell　him　today。〃
　〃What　will　you　say？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。〃　She　reached　out　and　held　Seddons　by　the　ears；　turning　his　head　from　side　to　side；　inspecting　it。　〃I　might　say；　'He　has　the　nicest　red　hair　which　is　always　untidy；　but　you　can　put　your　fingers　through　it　and　it's　very　soft。'　〃　She　matched　the　action　to　her　words。
　〃Well；　that　should　be　a　big　help。　No　marriage　is　plete　without　it。　What　else？〃
　〃I'll　say；　'Of　course；　he　isn't　much　to　look　at。　But　he　has　a　heart　of　gold　and　he's　going　to　be　a　brilliant　surgeon。'　〃
　Seddons　frowned。　〃Couldn't　you　make　it　'exceptionally　brilliant'？〃
　〃I　might；　if　。　。　。〃
　〃If　what？〃
　〃If　you　kiss　me　again…now。〃
　
　On　the　second　floor　of　the　hospital　Lucy　Grainger　knocked　lightly　on　the　chief　of　surgery's　office　door　and　went　inside。
　Looking　up　from　a　sheaf　of　reports；　Kent　O'Donnell　said；　〃Hullo；　Lucy…rest　your　weary　bones。〃
　〃Now　you　mention　it；　they　are　a　little　weary。〃　She　dropped　into　the　big　leather　chair　which　faced　O'Donnell's　desk。
　〃I　had　Mr。　Loburton　in　to　see　me　first　thing　this　morning。〃　O'Donnell　came　around　the　desk　and　perched　informally　on　the　corner　nearest　Lucy。　〃Cigarette？〃　He　held　out　an　embossed　gold　case。
　〃Thank　you。〃　She　took　a　cigarette。　〃Yes…Vivian's　father。〃　Lucy　accepted　the　light　which　O'Donnell　offered　and　inhaled　deeply；　the　smoke　was　cool；　relaxing。　She　said；　〃Both　parents　got　here　yesterday。　Naturally　they're　very　concerned；　and　they　know　nothing　about　me；　of　course。　I　suggested　Mr。　Loburton　have　a　talk　with　you。〃
　〃He　did。〃　O'Donnell　spoke　quietly。　〃I　told　him　that　in　my　opinion　his　daughter　couldn't　possibly　be　in　better　hands；　that　there　was　no　one　on　the　hospital's　staff　in　whom　I　would　have　greater　confidence。　I　may　tell　you　he　seemed　quite　reassured。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Lucy　found　herself　intensely　gratified　by　O'Donnell's　words。
　The　chief　of　surgery　smiled。　〃Don't　thank　me；　it's　an　honest　appraisal。〃　He　paused。　〃What　about　the　girl；　Lucy？　What's　the　story　so　far？〃
　In　a　few　words　she　summed　up　the　case　history；　her　tentative　diagnosis；　and　the　biopsy。
　O'Donnell　nodded。　He　asked；　〃Is　there　any　problem　with　Pathology？　Has　Joe　Pearson　e　through　promptly？〃
　Lucy　told　him　of　the　delay　and　the　reasons　for　it。　He　thought　briefly；　then　said；　〃Well；　I　guess　that's　reasonable。　I　don't　believe　we　can　plain　about　that。　But　keep　after　Joe；　I　don't　think　you　should　let　it　go　beyond　today。〃
　〃I　won't。〃　Lucy　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃I　plan　to　see　Joe　again　after　lunch。　He　expected　to　know　something　definite　by　then。〃
　O'Donnell　made　a　wry　face。　〃As　definite　as　anything　like　that　can　ever　be。〃　He　mused。　〃Poor　kid。　How　old　did　you　say　she　is？〃
　〃Nineteen。〃　Lucy　was　watching　Kent　O'Donnell's　face。　To　her　eyes　it　seemed　to　mirror　thought；　character；　and　understanding。　She　reflected：　He　has　greatness　and　he　wears　it　easily　because　it　belongs　to　him。　It　made　what　he　had　said　a　few　moments　ago　about　her　own　ability　seem　warmer　and　more　significant。　Then　suddenly；　explosively；　as　if　in　a　burst　of　revelation；　Lucy　knew　what　she　had　denied　herself　knowing　these　past　months：　that　she　loved　this　man…profoundly　and　ardently。　She　became　aware；　with　startling　clarity；　that　she　had　shielded　herself　from　the　knowledge；　perhaps　from　an　instinctive　fear　of　being　hurt。　But　now；　whatever　happened；　she　could　shield　herself　no　longer。　For　a　moment　the　thought　made　her　weak；　she　wondered　if　she　had　betrayed　it　on　her　face。
　O'Donnell　said　apologetically；　〃I'll　have　to　leave　you；　Lucy。　It's　another　full　day。〃　He　smiled。　〃Aren't　they　all？〃
　Her　heartbeat　faster；　her　emotions　surging；　she　had　risen　and　gone　to　the　door。　As　he　opened　it　O'Donnell　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders。　It　was　a　casual；　friendly　gesture　that　any　other　of　her　colleagues　might　have　made。　But　at　this　moment　the　effect　seemed　electric；　it　left　her　breathless　and　confused。
　O'Donnell　said；　〃Let　me　know；　Lucy；　if　there's　any　problem。　And　if　you　don't　mind；　I　might　drop　in　today　and　see　your　patient。〃
　Collecting　her　thoughts；　she　told　him；　〃I'm　sure　she'd　like　it；　and　so　would　I。〃　Then；　as　the　door　closed　behind　her；　Lucy　shut　her　eyes　for　a　moment　to　control　her　racing　mind。
　
　The　ordeal　of　waiting　for　the　diagnosis　concerning　Vivian　had　had　a　profound　effect　on　Mike　Seddons。　By　nature　a　genial　and　outgoing　personality；　in　normal　times　he　was　noted　for　being　one　of　the　livelier　spirits　on　Three　Counties'　house　staff；　and　it　was　not　unusual　to　find　him　the　focus　of　a　noisy；　boisterous　group　in　the　residents'　quarters。　For　the　past　several　days；　however；　most　of　the　time　he　had　avoided　the　pany　of　others；　his　spirits　dampened　by　the　knowledge　of　what　an　adverse　verdict　from　Pathology　could　mean　to　Vivian　and　himself。
　His　feelings　about　Vivian　had　not　wavered；　if　anything；　they　had　bee　more　intense。　He　hoped　he　had　conveyed　this　in　the　time　he　had　spent　last　evening　with　Vivian's　parents　after　their　initial　meeting　at　the　hospital。　At　first；　as　was　to　be　expected；　all　of　them…Mr。　and　Mrs。　Loburton；　Vivian；　and　himself…had　been　constrained；　their　talk　awkward　and　at　times　formal。　Even　afterward　it　had　seemed　that　the　Loburtons'　meeting　with　a　prospective　son…in…law；　which　in　other　circumstances　might　have　been　an　important　occasion；　had　taken　second　place　to　their　concern　with　the　immediate　problem　of　Vivian's　health。　In　a　sense　Mike　Seddons　felt　he　had　bee　accepted　because　there　was　no　time　for　anything　else。
　Back　at　the　Loburtons'　hotel；　though；　they　had　talked　briefly　about　himself　and　Vivian。　Henry　Loburton；　his　big　frame　spilling　from　an　overstuffed　chair　in　the　sitting　room　of　their　hotel　suite；　had　asked　Mike　Seddons　about　his　future；　more；　Seddons　suspected；　from　courtesy　than　from　any　real　concern。　He　had　resp