第40部分(第3/7 頁)

re　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　came　in　here　where　it　is　easy　to　give　gas　for　the　pains。〃

〃I　want　it　now；〃　Catherine　said。　The　doctor　placed　the　rubber　mask　over　her　face　and　turned　a　dial　and　I　watched　Catherine　breathing　deeply　and　rapidly。　Then　she　pushed　the　mask　away。　The　doctor　shut　off　the　petcock。

〃That　wasn't　a　very　big　one。　I　had　a　very　big　one　a　while　ago。　The　doctor　made　me　go　clear　out；　didn't　you；　doctor？〃　Her　voice　was　strange。　It　rose　on　the　word　doctor。

The　doctor　smiled。

〃I　want　it　again；〃　Catherine　said。　She　held　the　rubber　tight　to　her　face　and　breathed　fast。　I　heard　her　moaning　a　little。　Then　she　pulled　the　mask　away　and　smiled。

〃That　was　a　big　one；〃　she　said。　〃That　was　a　very　big　one。　Don't　you　worry；　darling。　You　go　away。　Go　have　another　breakfast。〃

〃I'll　stay；〃　I　said。

We　had　gone　to　the　hospital　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　At　noon　Catherin