ALBACORA 61 



Then there was a buzzing sound, not unlike the buzz I 

 had heard come out of other X-ray machines, but then 

 again not exactly the same. This buzz seemed fainter 

 and more distant. The machine buzzed perhaps four 

 or five more times, still in that strangely feeble way, 

 and then while I dressed as best I could Dr. Lombardy 

 and the technician began developing the X-ray plates. 



I don't know precisely how long it was that I lay 

 there before I heard Dr. Lombardy cry out, but when 

 he did I could not help but cry out myself. "Oh," I 

 shouted. "It's broken. I could tell it was, from all that 

 pain." 



"Mrs. Marron," Dr. Lombardy said, "I am sorry. I 

 cannot tell." 



"What? Can't you read the X-ray?" 



"It is not that, Mrs. Marron. I am embarrassed to 

 say that there is nothing for me to read." 



I felt a quick touch of terror which must have been 

 evident on my face. 



"It is nothing wrong with you," Dr. Lombardy said 

 at once. "No, Mrs. Marron, it is not you at all. You 

 see, Iquique is not New York. We have trouble here 

 with electricity, with the power plant. The way the 

 power plant is and the lines are, sometimes the hospital 

 has enough electricity and sometimes it does not. Today 

 I am afraid that it does not. The X-ray cannot take a 

 deep picture and so I cannot tell if you have broken 

 your hip." 



Terror must have shown quite clearly in my face 



