Magnificent Obsession Page #8

- Yeah, strange.

What are your plans?

I don't know. I guess I'll...

go up to Brightwood for a while.

The marshal gets on his white horse

and rides off with Wise Eagle.

The marshal says, "Wise Eagle, ya reckon

them varmints'll head through the pass?"

- Wise Eagle says...

- "Ug"

- Mr Merrick?

- Yes.

Mr Randolph had to leave

Brightwood for a few months.

Will you excuse me? I just came

over to close up the house.

Yes, certainly.

Once you go into it, you're bound.

You'll never give it up.

You'll find it'll furnish your motive

power. It will obsess you.

But, believe me, it'll be

a magnificent obsession.

- Chris, here's Doctor.

- Dr Merrick!

- All ready to leave us, Chris?

- All set.

- Good!

- I wanna show you something.

Oh. All right.

Look at me.

Not dizzy or anything. You

sure know how to operate!

Dr Barnes had more to

do with it than I did.

Now I can go to that new school out in

the country. They got horses and dogs.

That's just fine. Goodbye, Chris.

Just a minute, Doctor. Chris,

I want to talk to Doctor a minute.

Dr Merrick, you've

been wonderful to us.

Not just here in the hospital.

You arranged that school for Chris,

and my husband's job at the plant.

- You haven't told him that I?

- No. That's just between us, like you said.

But in a few years, when Chris

understands about money...

No, Mrs Miller. I told you

there's nothing to repay.

In a few years it'll

be all used up anyway.

- All used up?

- That's right, Mrs Miller. Goodbye.

I had quite an experience at the golf club.

After 20 years I almost got a hole in one.

I took her to a beautiful French restaurant,

but all she wanted was spaghetti.

Bob Merrick!

Dr Giraud! For heaven's sake!

How are you?

- You're underweight, but you look fine.

- I feel fine.

Doctors, please! This

is a very tense moment.

Check.

Say, what are you doing here?

Just been seeing your chief. He told me

you did a nice job on that trephining.

I told him I taught you all you know.

You'll be a real neurosurgeon after all.

That's the idea, Doctor.

Never hurts to take time off

to build up the batteries.

I took a week off. Went to Joyce

and Tom Masterson's wedding.

- When was that?

- Well, let's see.

She's in Maternity now with her first baby.

It must have been a year ago.

Maybe work is the best answer.

You... never heard anything again?

No. I never heard from her. Supposedly

she and Nancy came back to the States.

Dr Merrick, please.

You're being paged. Must be

an important man, Doctor.

Don't stay away so long, Doctor.

We need critics around here. Goodbye.

The book says if they don't

gain it back in five days...

Book, shmook. There ought to be a law

new fathers couldn't read anything.

Come in.

- Hello, Doctor.

- Tom.

- How's the little mother?

- A lot littler.

I have a formal complaint. Some nurse

came and took my baby away.

All you can supply is psychological

nourishment, which she doesn't need yet.

- Everything all right?

- Fine. I go home Monday.

Good. I'll look in on you tomorrow.

- Give little Helen an extra hug for me.

- Sure.

Goodbye, Doctor.

He's doing his life

over the hard way.

I imagine any other way

would be the hard way now.

- Good evening, Doctor.

- Good evening, Williams. Thank you.

- Hello, Bob.

- Edward Randolph. Good to see you.

How long have you been here?

I phoned the hospital. They

said you were on your way home.

And...

What is it?

Helen.

- Do you know where she is?

- Nancy called.

Said she was breaking her word...

thank goodness she did.

- Helen must be desperately ill, Bob.

- What?!

They're afraid of pneumonia,

other complications.

- Where are they?

- In a little hospital in New Mexico.

Shadow Mountain.

I've already called about tickets.

- How soon can we leave?

- The 9:
00 plane. We'll get there at dawn.

Doctor, that's their car.

- At last you're here.

- Finally.

- I've only done what she asked me.

- I know. How is she?

In a coma. No change since

you called from the airport.

- Dr Allan, Dr Merrick, Mr Randolph.

- How do you do? This way, Doctor.

Nancy...

She was admitted a month ago.

May I see the history, please?

It's the pneumonococcus now.

When she was admitted,

headaches, nausea,

not connected with her

blindness at all.

It's pressure. Have you

done a spinal puncture?

One. Starting yesterday, she

deteriorated so fast, we had to.

Another odd thing. This apparent paralysis

of the left arm and the respiratory centre.

Couldn't be a stroke.

The onset was so gradual.

No. But it could be a fibroma.

Her old injury.

I know something about it.

It might have caused a clot

which became organised

and fibrotic.

I...

always dance...

with my eyes closed.

Well, Doctor? What do you suggest?

If we could only get Henry

Giraud to fly out here.

There isn't time for that.

Is there?

No, there's no time for that.

I agree. We should operate

as soon as possible.

Let's have a look at Surgery.

- Doctor...

- This way?

Doctor, I couldn't do it.

I've never used a Hudson Burr.

- Isn't there anyone else?

- Here? This is just a private sanatorium.

Four of us on the staff. Not one of

us could take that responsibility.

- Do you want it?

- I?

I don't have enough experience.

- You can't expect me to...

- Bob.

A chance in a thousand.

A chance in a million.

You've got to give it to her.

Edward, I can't.

You're not gonna let everything you've

lived for all these years slip away?

You've gone so far, Bob. So far.

I'd give my life to save her.

You just give your skill.

You're ready for it.

Now you're gonna repay that old, old

debt in a way that you never imagined.

Nancy, will you help scrub?

I'll be glad to, Doctor.

Remove the dressing.

2cc of Pentothal sodium.

We're almost ready, Doctor.

Dr Merrick?

- What's the trouble?

- Doctor, you begin. I'll stand by.

Just a moment, please, Doctor.

You can't let that girl down.

You just can't!

Nancy, I'm not up to it.

I just won't be able to...

Nancy, let's start.

- Ready?

- Go ahead.

All right, Doctor.

It was the longest and

roughest operation I ever saw.

Pretty feathery there

for a while, wasn't it?

It's going to be feathery

until she comes to.

- You'd better get some rest now.

- No.

Thank you, Nancy,

but I couldn't sleep.

- I'll make some coffee for you.

- All right.

Doctor.

Nancy?

Nancy's here. I'm here.

- Doctor?

- Yes.

You must be quiet.

It doesn't hurt so much.

You're going to get better.

Who is it?

Who's here?

It's Bob.

Bob?

Oh, Bob, I'm so glad you're here.

Hold me.

Hold me close.

I didn't know.

You didn't tell me.

Lie still. Please.

What is that?

Helen, you've got to be quiet.

But I think I see some light.

Are you sure?

You mustn't talk. Just rest.

But I'm going to see! I know I am!

Am I?

Yes, my darling.

You are going to see.

I can see you.

Please lie still. You must.

Don't get excited. Not today.

May I... May I get excited tomorrow?

Yes.

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