ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第57部分

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　〃All　righty。　Let's　get　to　work。〃　The　technician　motioned　to　the　nurse；　and　together　they　eased　Vivian　from　the　stretcher　to　the　X…ray　table。　After　the　stretcher's　parative　softness　the　black　ebonite　table　felt　hard　and　unyielding。
　〃Not　so　fortable；　eh？〃　Firban　was　moving　Vivian　carefully　into　the　position　he　wanted；　leaving　her　left　knee　exposed。　As　she　shook　her　head　he　went　on；　〃You　get　used　to　it。　I've　slept　on　this　table　plenty　of　times　when　I've　been　on　night　duty　and　things　have　been　quiet。〃　He　nodded　to　the　nurse；　and　the　girl　went　to　wait　behind　the　glassed…in　section。
　With　Vivian　watching；　the　technician　went　through　the　routine　movements　of　an　X…ray　series。　Still　with　the　same　swift　jerkiness；　he　took　a　film　casette　from　an　upright　container　built　into　the　wall；　inserting　it　deftly　in　a　tray　beneath　the　X…ray　table。　Next　he　positioned　the　tray　below　the　area　of　Vivian's　knee。　Then；　using　press…button　controls　suspended　from　the　ceiling　by　a　heavy　electrical　cord；　he　maneuvered　the　heavy　X…ray　tube　along　its　rollers　and　downward；　until　it　was　immediately　above　the　knee；　the　arrow　on　the　machine's　calibrated　height　scale　pointing　to　forty　inches。
　In　contrast　to　so　much　else　in　the　hospital；　Vivian　thought；　this　room　appeared　almost　unearthlike　and　remote。　The　shining　black　and　chrome　machinery　seemed　monstrous　as　it　slid　slowly　and　in　massive　murmur。　There　was　an　aura　of　science　and　neutrality　in　this　place；　in　a　way　as　remote　from　medicine　as　a　great　ship's　engine　room　might　seem　from　a　sunlit　bridge　deck　far　above。　And　yet　here；　with　these　ominous；　ponderous　instruments；　so　much　of　medicine's　real　detective　work　was　done。　The　thought　for　a　moment　frightened　her。　There　was　a　dreadful　impersonality　in　it　all；　so　little　of　people　in　these　machines。　Whatever　they　might　discover　was　relayed　and　reported　without　warmth　or　pleasure；　without　sadness　or　regret。　Good；　bad…it　was　all　the　same。　For　a　moment　she　fancied　the　picture　tube　suspended　above　her　to　be　an　eye　of　judgment；　inflexible；　dispassionate。　What　was　its　judgment　now？　Would　there　be　hope；　or　even　reprieve　。　。　。　or　a　solemn　sentence　from　which　there　could　be　no　appeal？　Again　she　found　herself　wishing　for　Mike；　she　would　call　him　as　soon　as　she　returned　to　the　hospital　room。
　The　technician　had　finished　his　preparation。　〃I　think　that　will　do。〃　He　took　a　final　look　around。　〃I'll　tell　you　when　to　keep　perfectly　still。　This　is　the　only　place　in　the　hospital；　you　know；　where　we　can　say　you　won't　feel　a　thing　and　really　mean　it。〃
　Now　he　moved　behind　the　inch…thick　glass　screen　which　protected　the　X…ray　operator　from　radiation。　Out　of　the　periphery　of　her　vision　Vivian　could　see　him　moving；　holding　a　check　list；　setting　switches。
　At　the　master　control　panel　Firban　was　thinking：　A　pretty　kid。　Wonder　what's　wrong。　Must　be　something　serious　for　Bell　to　take　all　that　interest；　usually　the　chief　doesn't　pay　attention　to　patients　until　after　the　films　are　made。　He　double…checked　the　panel　controls；　in　this　work　you　acquired　the　habit　of　taking　no　chances。　Settings　were　okay…84　kilovolts；　200　milliamps；　exposure　time　fifteen　hundredths　of　a　second。　He　pressed　a　button　which　set　the　rotating　anode　of　the　picture　tube　in　motion。　Then　calling　out　the　familiar　formula；　〃Don't　move！　Keep　still！〃　he　thumbed　the　second　button　and　knew　that　whatever　was　to　be　seen　by　the　osmotic　eye　of　X…ray　was　recorded　now　for　others　to　evaluate。
　
　In　the　X…O…Mat　room　of　Radiology；　the　Venetian　blinds　lowered　to　cut　off　the　light　from　outside；　Drs。　Bell　and　Lucy　Grainger　were　waiting。　In　a　few　minutes　the　films　which　Firban　had　taken　would　be　ready　for　parison　with　those　of　two　weeks　before。　The　technician　had　already　fed　his　undeveloped　negatives　into　the　autodeveloping　machine；　and　at　this　moment；　looking　somewhat　like　an　oversized　oil　furnace；　its　interior　was　humming。　Now；　one　by　one；　the　developed　films　began　to　fall　too　a　slot　at　the　front　of　the　machine。
　As　each　film　appeared　Bell　placed　it　under　the　clip　of　a　viewing　box；　lighted　by　fluorescent　tubes　behind。　On　a　second　viewing　box；　immediately　above；　he　had　already　put　in　position　the　earlier　films。
　〃Did　we　get　good　pictures？〃　There　was　a　touch　of　pride　in　the　technician's　question。
　〃Very　good　indeed。〃　It　was　a　reflex　answer；　Bell　was　already　studying　the　new　negatives　intently；　then　paring　the　corresponding　areas　in　the　two　sets　of　films。　He　used　a　pencil　point　to　aid　his　own　thought　process　and　so　that　Lucy　could　follow　him。
　When　they　had　gone　over　both　sets　pletely；　Lucy　asked；　〃Do　you　see　any　difference？　I　can't；　I'm　afraid。〃
　The　radiologist　shook　his　head。　〃There's　a　little　periosteal　reaction　here。〃　He　pointed　with　the　pencil　to　a　slight　difference　in　gray　shading　at　two　points。　〃But　that's　probably　the　result　of　your　own　biopsy。　Otherwise　there's　been　no　conclusive　change。〃　Bell　removed　his　heavy　glasses　and　rubbed　his　right　eye。　He　said；　almost　apologetically；　〃I'm　sorry；　Lucy；　I　guess　I　have　to　throw　the　ball　back　at　Pathology。　Will　you　tell　Joe　Pearson；　or　shall　I？〃　He　began　to　take　down　the　two　sets　of　films。
　〃I'll　tell　him；〃　Lucy　said　thoughtfully。　〃I'll　go　and　tell　Joe　now。〃
　
　Seventeen
　
　Staff　Nurse　Mrs。　Wilding　pushed　back　a　wisp　of　gray　hair　that　seemed　forever　to　be　falling　out　from　under　her　starched　cap　and　walked　briskly　down　the　fourth…floor　corridor　of　Obstetrics　a　little　ahead　of　John　Alexander。　At　the　fifth　door　they　came　to　she　stopped　and　looked　inside。　Then　she　announced　cheerfully；　〃A　visitor　for　you；　Mrs。　Alexander；〃　and　ushered　John　into　the　small　semi…private　room。
　〃Johnny　darling！〃　Elizabeth　held　out　her　arms；　wincing　slightly　as　the　movement　caused　her　to　change　position　in　the　bed；　and　he　went　to　her；　kissing　her　tenderly。　For　a　moment　she　held　him　tightly。　He　felt　her　warmth　and　under　his　hand　the　crisp；　clean　coarseness　of　the　hospital　nightgown　she　had　on。　There　was　a　smell　in　her　hair　that　resembled　a　bination　of　sweat　and　ether；　it　seemed　a　reminder　of　something　he　had　been　unable　to　share；　as　if　she　had　been　to　a　distant　place　and　was　now　returned；　a　touch　of　strangeness　with　her。　For　a　moment　he　sensed　a　constraint　between　them；　as　if；　after　separation；　there　was　the　need　to　find　and　to　know　each　other　again。　Then　gently　Elizabeth　drew　back。
　〃I　must　look　a　mess。〃
　〃You　look　beautiful；〃　he　told　her。
　〃There　wasn't　time　to　bring　anything。〃　She　looked　down　at　the　shapeless　hospital　garment。　〃Not　even　a　nightgown　or　a　lipstick。〃
　He　said　sympathetically；　〃I　know。〃
　〃I'll　make　a　list。　Then　you　can　bring　the　things　in。〃
　Behind　them　Mrs。　Wilding　had　drawn　the　overhead　curtain　that　separated　them　from　the　other　bed　in　the　tiny　room。
　〃There　you　are。　Now　you're　as　private　as　can　be。〃　She　took　a　tumbler　that　was　on　a　bed　table　beside　Elizabeth　and　refilled　it　from　a　jug　of　ice　water。　〃I'll　e　back　in　a　little　while；　Mr。　Alexander；　then　you　can　see　your　baby。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　They　both　smiled　gratefully　as　the　nurse　went　out。
　As　the　door　closed　Elizabeth　turned　to　face　John　again。　Her　expression　was　strained；　her　eyes　searching。
　〃Johnny　dear；　I　want　to　know。　What　are　the　baby's　chances？〃
　〃Well；　honey　。　。　。〃　He　hesitated。
　She　reached　out　and　covered　his　hand。　〃Johnny；　I　want　the　truth。　The　nurses　won't　tell　me。　I've　got　to　hear　it　from　you。〃　Her　voice　wavered。　He　sensed　that　tears　were　not　far　distant。
　He　answered　softly；　〃It　could　go　either　way。〃　He　went　on；　choosing　the　words　carefully。　〃I　saw　Dr。　Dornberger。　He　said　the　chances　are　just　fair。　The　baby　might　live；　or　。　。　。〃　John　stopped；　the　sentence　unfinished。
　Elizabeth　had　let　her　head　fall　back　into　the　pillows　behind　her。　Looking　at　the　ceiling；　the　words　little　more　than　a　whisper；　she　asked；　〃There　really　isn't　much　hope；　is　there？〃
　John　weighed　the　impact　of　what　he　might　say　next。　Perhaps；　if　the　baby　were　going　to　die；　it　was　better　for　them　both　to　face　it　now；　better　than　to　buoy　up　Elizabeth's　hopes　and　then　in　a　day　or　two　have　them　cruelly　destroyed。　Gently　he　said；　〃He's　。　。　。　awfully　small；　you　see。　He　was　born　two　months　too　soon。　If　there's　any　kind　of　infection　。　。　。　even　the　smallest　thing　。　。　。　He　doesn't　have　much　strength。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Elizabeth　was　qu