ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第70部分

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　The　mother；　Elizabeth　Alexander；　could；　of　course；　have　bee　sensitized　during　her　first　pregnancy。　David　Coleman　reasoned：　It　need　not　have　affected　their　first　child；　that　was　the　one　who　had　died　of…what　was　it　they　had　told　him？…oh　yes；　bronchitis。　It　was　much　more　mon　to　find　the　effect　of　Rh　sensitization　during　a　second　pregnancy。
　Another　possibility；　of　course；　was　that　Elizabeth　might　have　been　given　a　transfusion　of　Rh…positive　blood　at　some　time　or　other。　He　stopped；　at　the　back　of　his　mind　was　a　nagging；　unformed　thought；　an　uneasy　feeling　that　he　was　close　to　something　but　could　not　quite　reach　it。　He　concentrated；　frowning。　Then　suddenly　the　pieces　were　in　place；　what　he　had　been　groping　for　was　there…vivid　and　sharply　in　focus。　His　mind　registered：　Transfusions！　The　accident　at　New　Richmond！　The　railroad　crossing　at　which　Elizabeth's　father　had　been　killed；　where　she　herself　had　been　injured　but　had　survived。
　Once　more　Coleman　concentrated。　He　was　trying　to　remember　what　it　was　John　Alexander　had　said　about　Elizabeth　that　day。　The　words　came　back　to　him：　Elizabeth　almost　died。　But　they　gave　her　blood　transfusions　and　she　made　it。　I　think　that　was　the　first　time　I　was　ever　in　a　hospital。　I　almost　lived　there　for　a　week。
　It　could　never　be　proved；　of　course；　not　after　all　this　time；　but　he　was　willing　to　wager　everything　he　had　that　that　was　the　way　it　happened。　He　thought：　Existence　of　the　Rh　factor　only　became　known　to　medicine　in　the　1940s；　after　that　it　took　another　ten　years　before　Rh　testing　was　generally　adopted　by　all　hospitals　and　doctors。　In　the　meantime；　there　were　plenty　of　places　where　blood　transfusions　were　given　without　an　Rh　cross　match；　New　Richmond　was　probably　one。　The　time　fitted。　The　accident　involving　Elizabeth　would　have　been　in　1949；　he　remembered　his　father　telling　him　about　it　afterward。
　His　father！　A　new　thought　came　to　him：　it　was　his　own　father…Dr。　Byron　Coleman…who　had　taken　care　of　the　Alexander　family；　who　would　have　ordered　the　transfusions　Elizabeth　Alexander　had　received。　If　she　had　had　several　transfusions　they　would　have　e　from　more　than　one　donor；　the　chance　of　at　least　some　of　the　blood　being　Rh　positive　was　almost　inevitable。　That　was　the　occasion；　then；　when　Elizabeth　had　bee　sensitized；　he　was　sure　of　it　now。　At　the　time；　of　course；　there　would　have　been　no　apparent　effect。　None；　that　is；　except　that　her　own　blood　would　be　building　antibodies…antibodies　to　lurk　hidden　and　unsuspected　until；　nine　years　later；　they　rose　in　anger；　virulent　and　strong；　to　destroy　her　child。
　Naturally　David　Coleman's　father　could　not　be　blamed；　even　if　the　hypothesis　were　true。　He　would　have　prescribed　in　good　faith；　using　the　medical　standards　of　his　day。　It　was　true　that　at　the　time　the　Rh　factor　had　been　known　and　in　some　places　Rh　cross　matching　was　already　in　effect。　But　a　busy　country　G。P。　could　scarcely　be　expected　to　keep　up　with　everything　that　was　new。　Or　could　he？　Some　physicians　of　the　time…G。P。's　included…were　aware　of　the　new　horizons　opened　up　by　modern　blood　grouping。　They　had　acted　promptly　to　enforce　the　latest　standards。　But　possibly；　David　Coleman　reasoned；　these　were　younger　men。　His　father　at　that　time　was　growing　old；　he　worked　too　hard　and　long　to　do　much　reading。　But　was　that　an　adequate　excuse？　Was　it　an　excuse　that　he　himself…David　Coleman…would　accept　from　others？　Or　was　there　perhaps　a　double　standard…a　more　lenient　set　of　rules　when　it　came　to　judging　your　own　kin；　even　a　father　who　was　dead？　The　thought　troubled　him。　He　sensed　uneasily　that　a　feeling　of　personal　loyalty　was　obtruding　across　some　of　his　own　most　cherished　views。　David　Coleman　wished　he　had　not　thought　of　this。　It　gave　him　an　uneasy　feeling　of　doubt；　of　not　being　absolutely　sure　。　。　。　of　anything　at　all。
　Pearson　was　looking　across　at　him。　He　asked；　〃How　long　is　it　now？〃
　Coleman　checked　his　watch；　then　answered；　〃Just　over　an　hour。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　call　them。〃　Impetuously　Pearson　reached　for　the　telephone。　Then　he　hesitated　and　drew　his　hand　away。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　I'd　better　not。〃
　
　In　the　serology　lab　John　Alexander；　too；　was　conscious　of　the　time。　An　hour　ago　he　had　e　back　from　visiting　Elizabeth；　and　since　then　he　had　made　several　halfhearted　attempts　to　work。　But　it　was　obvious　to　himself　that　his　mind　was　far　removed　from　what　he　was　doing　and　he　had　desisted；　rather　than　risk　mistakes。　Now；　taking　up　a　test　tube；　he　prepared　to　begin　again；　but　Bannister　came　over　and　took　it　from　him。
　Looking　at　the　requisition　sheet；　the　older　technician　said　kindly；　〃I'll　do　that。〃
　He　protested　halfheartedly；　then　Bannister　said；　〃Go　on；　kid；　leave　it　to　me。　Why　don't　you　go　up　with　your　wife？〃
　〃Thanks　all　the　same；　but　I　think　I'll　stay。　Dr。　Coleman　said　as　soon　as　he　heard　。　。　。　he'd　e　and　tell　me。〃　Alexander's　eyes　turned　to　the　wall　clock　again。　He　said；　his　voice　strained；　〃They　can't　be　much　longer　now。〃
　Bannister　turned　away。　〃No；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I　guess　not。〃
　
　Elizabeth　Alexander　was　in　her　hospital　room　alone。　She　was　lying　still；　head　back　on　the　pillows；　her　eyes　open；　when　Nurse　Wilding　came　in。　Elizabeth　asked；　〃Is　there　any　news？〃
　The　elderly；　gray…haired　nurse　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　tell　you　just　as　soon　as　we　hear。〃　Putting　down　the　glass　of　orange　juice　she　had　brought；　she　said；　〃I　can　stay　with　you　for　a　few　minutes　if　you　like。〃
　〃Yes；　please。〃　Elizabeth　smiled　faintly；　and　the　nurse　pulled　a　chair　near　the　bed　and　sat　down。　Wilding　felt　relieved　to　rest　her　feet；　just　lately　they　had　been　giving　her　a　good　deal　of　pain；　and　she　suspected　they　would　probably　force　her　to　quit　nursing　soon；　whether　she　wanted　to　or　not。　Well；　she　had　a　feeling　she　was　pretty　close　to　being　ready　to　go。
　Wilding　wished；　though；　that　she　could　do　something　for　these　two　young　people。　She　had　taken　a　fancy　to　them　from　the　beginning；　to　her　the　two　of　them…husband　and　wife…seemed　almost　children。　In　a　way；　taking　care　of　this　girl；　who；　it　seemed　now；　was　likely　to　lose　her　baby；　had　been　almost　like　caring　for　the　daughter　that　long　ago　Wilding　had　wanted　but　never　had。　Wasn't　that　silly　now？…she；　with　all　her　years　of　nursing；　getting　sentimental　at　this　late　day。　She　asked　Elizabeth；　〃What　were　you　thinking　about…when　I　came　in　just　then？〃
　〃I　was　thinking　about　children…fat；　roly…poly　children　scrambling　on　green　grass　in　afternoon　sunshine。〃　Elizabeth's　voice　had　a　dreamlike　quality。　〃It　was　like　that　in　Indiana　when　I　was　a　little　girl…in　the　summers。　Even　then　I　used　to　think　that　someday　I　would　have　children　and　that　I　would　sit　beside　them　while　they　rolled　on　the　grass　in　the　sunshine；　just　as　I　had。〃
　〃It's　a　funny　thing　about　children；〃　Wilding　said。　〃Sometimes　things　turn　out　so　different　from　the　way　you　thought　they　would。　I　had　a　son；　you　know。　He's　a　man　now。〃
　〃No；〃　Elizabeth　said；　〃I　didn't　know。〃
　〃Don't　misunderstand　me；〃　Wilding　said。　〃He's　a　fine　man…a　naval　officer。　He　got　married　a　month　or　two　ago；　I　had　a　letter　from　him　telling　me。〃
　Elizabeth　found　herself　wondering…what　it　would　be　like　to　bear　a　son　and　then　have　a　letter；　telling　about　his　getting　married。
　〃I　never　did　feel　we　got　to　know　one　another　very　well；〃　Wilding　was　saying。　〃I　expect　that　was　my　fault　in　a　way…getting　divorced　and　never　giving　him　a　real　home。〃
　〃But　you'll　go　and　see　him　sometimes？〃　Elizabeth　said。　〃And　there'll　be　grandchildren；　I　expect。〃
　〃I've　thought　a　lot　about　that；〃　Wilding　said。　〃I　used　to　think　it　would　be　fun。　You　know…having　grandchildren；　living　somewhere　near；　then　going　in　the　evenings　to　baby…sit；　and　all　the　rest。〃
　Elizabeth　asked；　〃But　won't　you…now？〃
　Wilding　shook　her　head。　〃I　have　a　feeling　that　when　I　go　it'll　be　like　visiting　strangers。　And　it　won't　be　often　either。　You　see；　my　son　is　stationed　in　Hawaii；　they　left　last　week。〃　She　added　with　a　touch　of　defiant　loyalty；　〃He　was　ing　to　see　me　and　bring　his　wife。　Then　something　came　up　at　the　last　minute；　so　they　couldn't　make　it。〃
　There　was　a　silence；　then　Wilding　said；　〃Well；　I'll　have　to　be　getting　on　now。〃　She　eased　to　her　feet；　then　added　from　the　doorway；　〃Drink　your　juice；　Mrs。　Alexander。　I'll　e　and　tell　you…just　as　soon　as　we　hear　anything　at　al