第40部分(第3/8 頁)

hat　do　you　want？〃　I　asked　and　looked　in　the　can　to　see　if　there　was　anything　I　could　pull　out　for　him；　there　was　nothing　on　top　but　coffee…grounds；　dust　and　some　dead　flowers。

〃There　isn't　anything；　dog；〃　I　said。　The　dog　crossed　the　street。　I　went　up　the　stairs　in　the　hospital　to　the　floor　Catherine　was　on　and　down　the　hall　to　her　room。　I　knocked　on　the　door。　There　was　no　answer。　I　opened　the　door；　the　room　was　empty；　except　for　Catherine's　bag　on　a　chair　and　her　dressing…gown　hanging　on　a　hook　on　the　wall。　I　went　out　and　down　the　hall；　looking　for　somebody。　I　found　a　nurse。

〃Where　is　Madame　Henry？〃

〃A　lady　has　just　gone　to　the　delivery　room。〃

〃Where　is　it？〃

〃I　will　show　you。〃

She　took　me　down　to　the　end　of　the　hall。　The　door　of　the　room　was　partly　open。　I　could　see　Catherine　lying　on　a　table；　covered　by　a　sheet。　The　nurse　was　on　one　side　and　the　doctor　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　table　beside　some　cylinders。　The　doctor　held　a　rubber　mask　attached　to　a　tube　in　one　hand。

〃I　will　give　you　a　gown　and　you　can　go　in；〃　the　nurse　said。　〃e　in　here；　please。〃

She　put　a　white　gown　on　me　and　pinned　it　at　the　neck　in　back　with　a　safety　pin。

〃Now　you　can　go　in；〃　she　said。　I　went　into　the　room。

〃Hello；　darling；〃　Catherine　said　in　a　strained　voice。　〃I'm　not　doing　much。〃

〃You　are　Mr。　Henry？〃　the　doctor　asked。

〃Yes。　How　is　everything　going；　doctor？〃

〃Things　are　going　very　well；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃We　c