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In which it's about time our protagonists decide to do something:
It was dusk, and the day of Lizzie Watts' death. The hard frosts had come, and noone ventured outdoors after dark without a purpose, save Cochran and Jennings, who shared a common craving for the quiet found in the bitterly clear night. They were walking between the road and the College when the shorter figure stopped in his tracks and swore hard at the ground with his fists clenched. Jennings stood waiting in silence a few paces ahead; he watched his colleague until the latter's burst of emotion had quieted, then placed a hand on his shoulder. Cochran's head snapped up and his blue eyes blazed into those of the older man:
"They should autopsy. We should autopsy, if the damn fools haven't the sense. We've got to know - -"
"Perhaps," Jennings began miserably, "the poor child should have some peace at last--"
"She has it now, devil take you!' barked Cochran, "Has it, if there be any. No exam, no test we perform now can do her any harm. Ain't you the man who told me it's our sworn duty to protect life? What of our duty to others who suffer the same condition? Jennings - if you have any regard at all for her memory --"
"The girl has family."
"Who will be unable to bury her for some months, now that the ground has frozen. Till then she lies bundled on a table in the morgue, and you know as well as I they won't be looking any too close come spring when they coffin her."
"It's too horrible - too arrogant. We were both fond of her, but that must not change our course of action - "
"Arrogant? Ashton was arrogant when he let her die because he didn't investigate close enough. How can men of our profession be so weak-livered as to look away from anything? No matter the patient." The student was close to tears now. Jennings took his hand and clasped it fervently.
"You have convinced me. Forgive me a moment's weakness, lad." Cochran swallowed and nodded at his mentor, his store of words used up. "Which tests," Jennings continued, "do you think will we be able to perform, given the unofficial nature of the circumstances?" They turned their steps towards the College entrance.
It was dusk, and the day of Lizzie Watts' death. The hard frosts had come, and noone ventured outdoors after dark without a purpose, save Cochran and Jennings, who shared a common craving for the quiet found in the bitterly clear night. They were walking between the road and the College when the shorter figure stopped in his tracks and swore hard at the ground with his fists clenched. Jennings stood waiting in silence a few paces ahead; he watched his colleague until the latter's burst of emotion had quieted, then placed a hand on his shoulder. Cochran's head snapped up and his blue eyes blazed into those of the older man:
"They should autopsy. We should autopsy, if the damn fools haven't the sense. We've got to know - -"
"Perhaps," Jennings began miserably, "the poor child should have some peace at last--"
"She has it now, devil take you!' barked Cochran, "Has it, if there be any. No exam, no test we perform now can do her any harm. Ain't you the man who told me it's our sworn duty to protect life? What of our duty to others who suffer the same condition? Jennings - if you have any regard at all for her memory --"
"The girl has family."
"Who will be unable to bury her for some months, now that the ground has frozen. Till then she lies bundled on a table in the morgue, and you know as well as I they won't be looking any too close come spring when they coffin her."
"It's too horrible - too arrogant. We were both fond of her, but that must not change our course of action - "
"Arrogant? Ashton was arrogant when he let her die because he didn't investigate close enough. How can men of our profession be so weak-livered as to look away from anything? No matter the patient." The student was close to tears now. Jennings took his hand and clasped it fervently.
"You have convinced me. Forgive me a moment's weakness, lad." Cochran swallowed and nodded at his mentor, his store of words used up. "Which tests," Jennings continued, "do you think will we be able to perform, given the unofficial nature of the circumstances?" They turned their steps towards the College entrance.
