ALBACORA 51 



"I'm going to get Sirvasi," Walt said. 



Getting the right doctor at night can be a problem 

 for someone in the heart of New York City. In Iquique, 

 Chile, I imagine it's impossible. Dr. Sirvasi was a very- 

 pleasant man. He looked at my hip and my leg, moved 

 my leg a little, hurt me a lot, and probed and prodded 

 with real interest for a considerable time. Then, he said 

 sadly that he could not make the diagnosis. For one 

 thing, he said, he had no X-ray. For another, he was a 

 pathologist. But tomorrow morning. Dr. Sirvasi said, 

 he would have just the man for me. Dr. Lombardy, the 

 great surgeon. 



"Surgery?" I said. 



"Dr. Lombardy," said Dr. Sirvasi, stiffly, "is the 

 foremost surgeon in all Iquique." 



"Oh," I said. When Sirvasi had gone I shuddered, 

 but not violently. Any sort of motion seemed to hurt. 



