_FOURTH INTERLUDE_
"You understand, Mrs. Stanton," said the psychiatrist, "that a greatpart of Martin's trouble is mental as well as physical. Because of thenature of his ailment, he has withdrawn, pulled himself away fromcommunication with others. If these symptoms had been brought to myattention earlier, the mental disturbance might have been more easilyanalyzed and treated."
"I suppose so. I'm sorry, Doctor," said Mrs. Stanton. Her mannerbetrayed weariness and pain. "It was so ... so difficult. Martin couldnever talk very well, you know, and he just talked less and less as theyears went by. It was so slow and so gradual that I never really noticedit."
_Poor woman_, the doctor thought. _She's not well, herself. She shouldhave married again, years ago, rather than force herself to carry thewhole burden alone. Her role as a doting mother hasn't helped either ofthe boys to overcome the handicaps that were already present._
"I've honestly tried to do my very best with Martin," Mrs. Stanton wenton unhappily. "And so has Bart, I know. When they were younger, Bartused to take him out all the time. They went everywhere together. Ofcourse, I don't expect Bart to do that so much any more. He has his ownlife to live. He can't take Martin out on dates or things like that. Hehas interests outside the home now, like other boys his age. That's onlynormal. But when he's at home, Bart helps me with Martin all the time."
"I understand," said the psychiatrist. _This is no time to tell her thatBartholomew's tests indicate that he has subconsciously resentedMartin's presence for a long time_, he thought. _She has enough to worryabout._
"_I_ don't understand," said Mrs. Stanton, breaking into sudden tears."I just don't understand why Martin should behave this way! Why shouldhe just sit there with his eyes closed and ignore everybody? Why shouldhe ignore his mother and his brother? Why?"
The doctor comforted her in a warmly professional manner, then, as hertears subsided, he said, "We don't understand all the factors ourselves,Mrs. Stanton. At first glance, Martin's reactions appear to be those onewould expect of schizophrenic withdrawal. But there are certain aspectsof the case that make it unusual. His behavior doesn't quite follow thepattern we usually expect from such cases as this. His extreme physicaldisability has drastically modified the course of his mentaldevelopment, and, at the same time, made it difficult for us to make anyanalysis of his mental state." _If only_, he added to himself, _she hadfollowed the advice of her family physician, years ago. If she had onlyput the boy under the proper care, none of this would have happened._
"Is there _any_thing we can do, Doctor?" she asked.
"We don't know yet," he said gently. He considered for a moment, thensaid: "Mrs. Stanton, I'd like for you to leave both of the boys herefor a few days, so that we can perform further tests. That will help usa great deal in evaluating the circumstances, and help us get at theroot of Martin's trouble."
She looked at him with a little surprise. "Why, yes, of course--if youthink it's necessary. But ... why should Bart stay?"
The doctor weighed his words carefully before he spoke.
"Bart will be what we call a 'control', Mrs. Stanton. Since the boys aregenetically identical, they should have been a great deal alike, inpersonality as well as in body, if it hadn't been for Martin's accident.In other words, our tests of Bart will tell us what Martin _should_ belike. That way, we can tell just how much and in what way Martindeviates from what he should ideally be. Do you understand?"
"Yes. Yes, I see. All right, Doctor--whatever you say."
After Mrs. Stanton had left, the psychiatrist sat quietly in his chairand stared thoughtfully at his desk top for several minutes. Then,making his decision, he picked up a small book that lay on his desk andlooked up a number in Arlington, Virginia. He punched out the number onhis phone, and when the face appeared on his screen he said, "Hello,Sidney. Busy right now?"
"Not particularly. Not for a few minutes. What's up?"
"I have a very interesting case out here that I'd like to talk to youabout. Do you happen to have a telepath who's strong enough to take ameshing with an insane mind? If my suspicions are correct, I will need aman with an absolutely impregnable sense of identity, because he's goingto get into the weirdest situation I've ever come across."