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en streets at twenty kilometers per hour。
Yes； Zhou decided； he had to do it。 He turned the steering tiller gently； pulled up to the loading dock designed more for delivery trucks than ambulances； and stopped。
It took Quon a few seconds to realize that they'd stopped。 He looked around； ready to help his wife off the cart； until he saw that they weren't at the apartment plex。 Disoriented by the previous thirty minutes of unexpected emergency and chaos； he didn't understand； didn't grasp where they were； until he saw someone in a uniform emerge from the door。 She wore a white bandanna…hat on her head…a nurse？ Were they at the hospital？ No； he couldn't allow that。
Yang Quon stood off the cart and turned to Zhou。 He started to object that they'd e to the wrong place； that he didn't want to be here； but the hospital workers had an unaccustomed sense of industry at the moment…the emergency room was perversely idle at the moment…and a wheeled gurney emerged from the door with two men in attendance。 Yang Quon tried to object； but he was merely pushed aside by the burly attendants as Lien…Hua was loaded on the gurney and wheeled inside before he could do much more than flap his mouth open and closed。 He took a breath and rushed in； only to be intercepted by a pair of clerks asking for the information they needed to fill out their admitting forms； stopping him dead in his tracks as surely as a man with a loaded rifle； but far more ignominiously。
In the emergency room itself； a physician and a nurse watched as the orderlies loaded Lien…Hua onto an examining table。 It didn't take more than a few seconds for their trained eyes to make the first guess； which they shared with a look。 Only a few seconds more and her work clothes had been removed； and the pregnant belly was as obvious as a sunrise。 It was similarly obvious that Yang Lien…Hua was in frank labor； and that this was no emergency。 She could be wheeled to the elevator and taken to the second floor； where there was a sizable obstetrics staff。 The physician； a woman； beckoned to the orderlies and told them where to move the patient。 Then she walked to the phone to call upstairs and tell them that a delivery was on the way up。 With that 〃work〃 done； the doctor went back to the physicians' lounge for a smoke and a magazine。
〃rade Yang？〃 another clerk； a more senior one； said。 〃Yes？〃 the worried husband replied； still stuck in the waiting room； held prisoner by clerks。
〃Your wife is being taken upstairs to obstetrics。 But；〃 the clerk added； 〃there's one problem。〃
〃What is that？〃 Quon asked； knowing the answer； but hoping for a miracle； and utterly trapped by the bureaucratic necessities of the moment。
〃We have no record of your wife's pregnancy in our files。 You are in our health district…we show you at Number Seventy…two Great Long March Flats。 Is that correct？〃
〃Yes； that's where we live；〃 Quon sputtered out； trying to find a way out of this trap； but not seeing one anywhere。
〃Ah。〃 The clerk nodded。 〃I see。 Thank you。 I must now make a telephone call。〃
It was the way the last statement was delivered that frightened Quon： Ah； yes； I have to see that the trash is removed properly。 Ah； yes； the glass is broken； and I'll try to find a repairman。 Ah； yes； an unauthorized pregnancy； I'll call upstairs so that they'll know to kill the baby when it crowns。
Upstairs； Lien…Hua could see the difference in their eyes。 When Lu…Long had been on his way； there'd been joy and anticipation in the eyes of the nurses who oversaw her labor。 You could see their eyes crinkle with smiles at the corners of their masks。。； but not this time。 Someone had e over to where she was in labor room #3 and said something to the nurse； and her head had turned rapidly to where Lien…Hua lay； and her eyes had turned from passionate to 。 。 。 something else； and while Mrs。 Yang didn't know what other thing it was； she knew the import。 It might not be something the nurse particularly liked； but it was something she would assist in doing； because she had to。 China was a place where people did the things they had to do； whether they approved it or liked it or not。 Lien…Hua felt the next contraction。 The baby in her uterus was trying to be born； not knowing that it was racing to its own destruction at the hands of the State。 But the hospital staffers knew。 Before； with Ju…Long； they'd been close by； not quite hovering； but close enough to watch and see that things were going well。 Not now。 Now they withdrew； desiring not to hear the sounds of a mother struggling to bring forth death in a small package。
On the first floor； it was equally plain to Yang Quon。 What came back to him now was his firstborn son； JuLong； the feel of his small body in his arms； the little noises he made； the first smile； sitting up； crawling； the first step in their small apartment； the first words he'd spoken 。 。 。 but their little Large Dragon was dead now； never to be seen again； crushed by the wheel of a passenger bus。 An uncaring fate had ripped that child from his arms and cast him aside like a piece of blowing trash on the street…and now the State was going to slay his second child。 And it would all happen upstairs； less than ten meters away； and he couldn't do a thing about it。 。 。 。 It was a feeling not unknown to citizens of the People's Republic； where rule from above was the rule； but opposed to it now was the most fundamental of human drives。 The two forces battled within the mind of factory worker Yang Quon。 His hands shook at his sides as his mind struggled with the dilemma。 His eyes strained； staring at nothing closer than the room's wall； but straining even so。。。 something； there had to be something。。。
There was a pay telephone； and he did have the proper coins； and he did remember the number； and so Yang Quon lifted the receiver and dialed the number； unable to find the ability within himself to change fate； but hoping to find that ability in another。
〃I'll get it；〃 Reverend Yu said in English； rising and walking to where it was ringing。
〃A remarkable guy； isn't he？〃 Wise asked the two Catholics。
〃A fine man；' Cardinal DiMilo agreed。 〃A good shepherd for his flock； and that is all a man can hope to be。〃
Monsignor's Schepke's head turned when he caught the tone of Yu's voice。 Something was wrong here； and by the sound； something serious。 When the minister returned to the sitting room； his face told the tale。
〃What is amiss？〃 Schepke asked in his perfect Mandarin。 Perhaps this was not something for the American reporters。
〃One of my congregation〃 Yu replied； as he reached for his jacket。 〃She is pregnant； in labor even now…but her pregnancy is unauthorized； and her husband fears the hospital will try to kill it。 I must go to help。〃
〃Franz； was gibt's hier？〃 DiMilo asked in German。 The Jesuit then replied in Attic Greek to make damned sure the Americans wouldn't get it。
〃You've been told about this； Eminence；〃 Monsignor Schepke explained in the language of Aristotle。 〃The abortionists here mit what is virtually murder in any civilized country in the world； and the decision to do so； in this case； is purely political and ideological。 Yu wishes to go and help the