Free Green for Danger by Christianna Brand

a last resort.”
    Barnes found a vein and thrust the needle in. “It’s no use, I’m afraid.…”
    Moon took no notice. It was horrible to see him working so rhythmically, working with that air of panic-stricken calm, on a body now beyond all help. After five whole minutes more of it, he straightened himself and stood erect, his hands on his aching back. “It’s no use.… We can’t do any more.…”
    Esther stood frozen with horror at the foot of the table. “There isn’t any danger, nurse? I’m going to be all right?” and she had promised him: “Of course you are, Higgins; there’s nothing to be frightened of.” “You’ll tell the missis, my dear, will you? Tell her I’m going to be O.K.” “Yes, Higgins, I’ll tell her as soon as you’ve gone off to sleep.” “Thank you, my dear,” he had said. “God bless you, my dear.…” Those were the last words he had spoken; and he had smiled at her and turned his head on the pillow, satisfied to give himself up to the unknown since she had promised him that he would come through ‘all right’. “Thank you, my dear. God bless you, my dear.” The last words he had spoken. Joseph Higgins was dead.

CHAPTER IV

    1
    N ot many surgeons remain unmoved by a death ‘on the table’. The patient may die on his feet if he will, or in his bed, or even on the trolley bringing him up to the theatre; but to die in that shining little room, with the hot, bright lights beating down upon him, is to cast a gloom over a group of comparative strangers; to clutch icily at hearts that will not be warm again until a succession of straightforward, everyday cases has brought back reassurance and strength. Major Moon said sadly: “First time this has happened since I’ve been here,” and pulled up a blanket over the dead man’s face.
    They stood round in stricken silence, gazing helplessly at the quiet form. Eden’s thin, grey face looked more grey than ever. Barney was white and miserable, Sister Bates’ blue eyes round with horror over the green mask; there was a small black speck on the bosom of Woody’s gown, and she picked at it with nervous fingers. Moon, who was a Catholic, crossed himself with unobtrusive simplicity and said a little prayer. Two big tears gathered in Esther’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “Thank you, my dear. God bless you, my dear.…” She could not forget the little smile.
    Major Moon pulled himself together. “Eden, perhaps you and Barnes would get him on to the trolley for the girls, would you? Will you be all right, nurse, after that?”
    â€œI’ll take him,” said Woods, glancing at Esther’s face. She added perfunctorily: “If that’s all right with you, Sister?”
    Bates pulled the mask up over her face and head; she looked very pretty with her ruffled fair hair. “Yes, very well. Sanson can stay and clear up in here.” Her tone boded ill for V.A.D.s who were too squeamish to wheel a dead man down to the mortuary.
    â€œWe’ll close the theatre for to-day,” said Moon abruptly. “If there’s anything else urgent we can take it to emergency. I—I hope there won’t be.” He looked very old and shaken.
    Woods wheeled the body away without a backward glance. As Bates and Esther went out to the washrooms, the men gathered about the anæsthetic-trolley. Barney said desperately: “I checked up on everything.… There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong; and yet—the old boy was all right .…”
    â€œHe was pretty badly shocked when they brought him in last night,” said Eden.
    â€œYes, but he was quite over that. I went over him this morning with the stethoscope and he was as sound as a bell. He should have taken the anæsthetic without turning a hair.” He said again, wretchedly: