按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
operation？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then this way； please。 This is Rutherford's historic bar。 A glass of
sherry； please； for this gentleman。 You are rather sensitive； are you not？〃
〃My nerves are not very strong； I am afraid。〃
〃Hum！ Another glass of sherry for this gentleman。 We are going to
an operation now； you know。〃
The novice squared his shoulders and made a gallant attempt to look
unconcerned。
〃Nothing very badeh？〃
〃Well； yespretty bad。〃
〃Anan amputation？〃
〃No； it's a bigger affair than that。〃
〃I thinkI think they must be expecting me at home。〃
〃There's no sense in funking。 If you don't go to…day； you must to…
morrow。 Better get it over at once。 Feel pretty fit？〃
〃Oh； yes； all right！〃 The smile was not a success。
〃One more glass of sherry； then。 Now come on or we shall be late。
I want you to be well in front。〃
〃Surely that is not necessary。〃
〃Oh； it is far better！ What a drove of students！ There are plenty of
new men among them。 You can tell them easily enough； can't you？ If
they were going down to be operated upon themselves； they could not
look whiter。〃
〃I don't think I should look as white。〃
〃Well； I was just the same myself。 But the feeling soon wears off。
You see a fellow with a face like plaster； and before the week is out he is
eating his lunch in the dissecting rooms。 I'll tell you all about the case
8
… Page 9…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
when we get to the theatre。〃
The students were pouring down the sloping street which led to the
infirmaryeach with his little sheaf of note…books in his hand。 There
were pale； frightened lads； fresh from the high schools； and callous old
chronics； whose generation had passed on and left them。 They swept in
an unbroken； tumultuous stream from the university gate to the hospital。
The figures and gait of the men were young； but there was little youth in
most of their faces。 Some looked as if they ate too littlea few as if they
drank too much。 Tall and short； tweed… coated and black； round…
shouldered； bespectacled； and slim； they crowded with clatter of feet and
rattle of sticks through the hospital gate。 Now and again they thickened
into two lines； as the carriage of a surgeon of the staff rolled over the
cobblestones between。
〃There's going to be a crowd at Archer's；〃 whispered the senior man
with suppressed excitement。 〃It is grand to see him at work。 I've seen
him jab all round the aorta until it made me jumpy to watch him。 This
way； and mind the whitewash。〃
They passed under an archway and down a long； stone…flagged
corridor； with drab…coloured doors on either side； each marked with a
number。 Some of them were ajar； and the novice glanced into them with
tingling nerves。 He was reassured to catch a glimpse of cheery fires；
lines of white…counterpaned beds； and a profusion of coloured texts upon
the wall。 The corridor opened upon a small hall； with a fringe of poorly
clad people seated all round upon benches。 A young man； with a pair of
scissors stuck like a flower in his buttonhole and a note…book in his hand；
was passing from one to the other； whispering and writing。
〃Anything good？〃 asked the third year's man。
〃You should have been here yesterday；〃 said the out…patient clerk；
glancing up。 〃We had a regular field day。 A popliteal aneurism； a
Colles' fracture； a spina bifida； a tropical abscess； and an elephantiasis。
How's that for a single haul？〃
〃I'm sorry I missed it。 But they'll come again； I suppose。 What's up
with the old gentleman？〃
A broken workman was sitting in the shadow； rocking himself slowly
9
… Page 10…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
to and fro； and groaning。 A woman beside him was trying to console him；
patting his shoulder with a hand which was spotted over with curious little
white blisters。
〃It's a fine carbuncle；〃 said the clerk； with the air of a connoisseur who
describes his orchids to one who can appreciate them。 〃It's on his back
and the passage is draughty； so we must not look at it； must we； daddy？
Pemphigus；〃 he added carelessly； pointing to the woman's disfigured
hands。 〃Would you care to stop and take out a metacarpal？〃
〃No； thank you。 We are due at Archer's。 Come on！〃 and they
rejoined the throng which was hurrying to the theatre of the famous
surgeon。
The tiers of horseshoe benches rising from the floor to the ceiling were
already packed； and the novice as he entered saw vague curving lines of
faces in front of him； and heard the deep buzz of a hundred voices； and
sounds of laughter from somewhere up above him。 His companion spied
an opening on the second bench； and they both squeezed into it。
〃This is grand！〃 the senior man whispered。 〃You'll have a rare view
of it all。〃
Only a single row of heads intervened between them and the operating
table。 It was of unpainted deal； plain； strong； and scrupulously clean。 A
sheet of brown water…proofing covered half of it； and beneath stood a large
tin tray full of sawdust。 On the further side； in front of the window； there
was a board which was strewed with glittering instruments forceps；
tenacula； saws； canulas； and trocars。 A line of knives； with long； thin；
delicate blades； lay at one side。 Two young men lounged in front of this；
one threading needles； the other doing something to a brass coffee…pot…like
thing which hissed out puffs of steam。
〃That's Peterson；〃 whispered the senior； 〃the big； bald man in the front
row。 He's the skin… grafting man； you know。 And that's Anthony
Browne； who took a larynx out successfully last winter。 And there's
Murphy； the pathologist； and Stoddart； the eye…man。 You'll come to
know them all soon。〃
〃Who are the two men at the table？〃
〃Nobodydressers。 One has charge of the instruments and the other
10
… Page 11…