象人-第2部分

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don　Hospital。　He　was　very　tired；　hungry；　and　dirty；　so　I　put　him　to　bed　in　a　quiet　little　room。　But　he　could　not　stay　at　the　hospital。　He　was　not　ill；　and　of　course　the　beds　in　the　hospital　are　for　ill　people。　We　have　no　beds　for　hungry　people；　or　ugly　people。　

I　told　the　Hospital　Chairman；　Mr　Cars　Gomm；　about　Merrick。　He　listened　carefully；　and　then　he　wrote　a　letter　to　the　editor　of　The　Times　newspaper。　

　　

From　The　Times；　December　4th；　1886

A　Letter　to　the　Editor。　

　　　

Dear　Sir；　

I　am　writing　to　you　about　a　man　in　our　hospital。　He　needs　your　help。　His　name　is　Joseph　Merrick；　and　he　is　27　years　old。　He　is　not　ill；　but　he　cannot　go　out　of　the　hospital　because　he　is　very；　very　ugly。　Nobody　likes　to　look　at　him；　and　some　people　are　afraid　him。　We　call　him　‘The　Elephant　Man’。　

Two　years　ago；　Merrick　lived　in　a　shop　near　the　London　Hospital。　For　two　pence；　people　could　see　him　and　laugh　at　him。　One　day　Dr　Frederick　Treves—a　hospital　doctor——sawMerrick；　brought　him　to　this　hospital；　and　looked　at　him　carefully。　Dr　Treves　could　not　help　Merrick；　but　he　gave　him　his　card。　

Then　the　shopkeeper；　Silcock；　took　merrick　to　Belgium。　A　lot　of　people　in　Belgium　wanted　to　see　him；　and　so　after　a　year　Merrick　had　￡50。　But　then　Silcock　took　Merrick's　￡50；　left　Merrick　in　Belgium；　and　went　back　to　London。　

Merrick　came　back　to　London　by　himself。　Everyone　on　the　train　and　the　ship　looked　at　him；　and　laughed　at　him。　In　London；　the　police　put　him　in　prison。　But　then　they　saw　DrTreves's　card；　and　brought　Merrick　to　the　London　Hospital。　

This　man　has　no　money；　and　he　cannot　work。　His　face　and　body　are　very；　very　ugly；　so　of　course　many　people　are　afraid　of　him。　But　he　is　a　very　interesting　man。　He　can　read　and　write；　and　he　thinks　a　lot。　He　is　a　good；　quiet　man。　Sometimes　he　makes　things　with　his　hands　and　gives　them　to　the　nurses；　because　they　are　kind　to　him。　

He　remembers　his　mother；　and　he　has　a　picture　of　her。　She　was　beautiful　and　kind；　he　says。　But　he　never　sees　her　now。　She　gave　him　to　Silcock　a　long　time　ago。　

Can　the　readers　of　The　Times　help　us？　This　man　is　not　ill；　but　he　needs　a　home。　We　can　give　him　a　room　at　the　hospital；　but　we　need　some　money。　Please　write　to　me　at　the　London　Hospital。　

　　

Yours　faithfully；　

F。　C。　Carr　Gomm。　

Chairman　of　the　London　Hospital

　　

The　readers　of　The　Times　are　very　kind　people。　They　gave　us　a　lot　of　money。　After　one　week；　we　had　￡50；　000；　so　Merrick　could　live　in　the　Hospital　for　all　his　life。　We　could　give　him　a　home。　


Chapter　4

　　

Merrick's　First　Home

　　

We　gave　Merrick　two　rooms　at　the　back　of　the　hospital。　One　room　was　a　bathroom；　so　he　could　have　a　bath　every　day。　Soon　his　skin　was　much　better；　and　there　was　no　horrible　smell。　

The　second　room　had　a　bed；　table　；　and　chairs。　I　visited　him　every　day；　and　talked　to　him。　He　loved　reading；　and　talking　about　books。　At　first　he　did　not　know　many　books：the　Bible；　and　one　or　two　newspapers；　that's　all。　But　I　gave　him　some　books　of　love　stories；　and　he　liked　them　very　much。　He　read　them　again　and　again；　and　talked　about　them　often。　For　him；　the　men　and　women　in　these　books　were　alive；　like　you　and　me。　He　was　very　happy。　

But　sometimes　it　was　difficult　for　him。　At　first；　one　or　two　people　in　the　hospital　laughed　at　Merrick　because　he　was　ugly。　Sometimes；　they　brought　their　friends　to　look　at　him。　One　day　a　new　nurse　came　to　the　hospital；　and　nobody　told　her　about　Merrick。　She　took　his　food　to　his　room；　and　opened　the　door。　Then　she　saw　him。　She　screamed；　dropped　the　food　on　the　floor；　and　ran　out　of　the　room。　

I　was　very　angry　with　the　nurse；　and　went　to　see　Merrick。　He　was　not　happy　about　it；　but　he　was　not　very　angry。　I　think　he　felt　sorry　for　the　girl。　

‘People　don't　like　looking　at　me。　I　know　that；　Dr　26Treves；　’he　said。　‘They　usually　laugh　or　scream。　’

‘Well；　I　don't　want　nurses　to　laugh　at　you；　Joseph；　’　I　said　angrily。　‘I　want　them　to　help　you。　’

‘Thank　you；　doctor；　’he　said；　in　his　strange　slow　voice。　‘But　it's　not　important。　Everyone　laughs　at　me。　I　understand　that。　’

I　looked　at　him　sadly。　In　his　one　good　hand；　his　left　hand；　he　had　the　little　picture　of　his　mother。　He　looked　at　the　picture　for　a　minute；　and　then　put　it　by　a　flower　on　the　table。　A　tear　ran　out　of　his　eye　and　down　the　skin　of　his　enormous；　ugly　face。　

‘Dr　Treves；　’he　said；　slowly。　‘You　and　the　nurses　arevery　kind；　and　I'm　very　happy　here。　Thank　you　very　much。　But…I　know　I　can't　stay　here　long；　and…I　would　like　to　live　in　a　lighthouse；　after　the　hospital；　please。　A　lighthouse；　or　a　home　for　blind　people。　I　think　those　are　the　best　places　for　me。　

‘What　do　you　mean？’I　ashed。　‘Why？’

He　did　not　look　at　me。　He　put　the　flower　on　the　picture　and　looked　at　it　carefully。　

‘Lighthouses　have　sea　all　round　them；　don't　they？　’he　said。　‘　Nobody　could　look　at　me　in　a　lighthouse；　so　I　would　be　happy　there。　And　blind　people　can　see　nothing；　so　they　couldn't　see　me；　could　they？’

‘But　Joseph；　’I　said。　‘This　is　your　home。　You　live　here　now。　You　aren't　going　to　leave　the　hospital。　’　28‘Not　todsy；　perhaps；　’he　said。　But　soon。　You　are　a　kind　man；　Dr　Treves。　But　I　can't　stay　here　very　long。　I　have　no　money。　’

I　smiled。　‘Joseph；　I　said。　‘This　is　your　home　now。　Don't　you　understand？You　can　stay　here　all　your　life。　’　Very　carefully；　I　told　him　about　the　letter　to　The　Times；　and　the　money。　

I　don't　think　he　understood　at　first；　so　I　told　him　again。　He　inute。　Then　he　stood　up；　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room　very　quickly。　A　strange　sound　came　from　him；　like　laughing。　

　　
Chapter　5

　　

An　Important　Visitor

　　

I　did　not　want　Merrick　to　live　by　himself；　like　a　man　in　a　lighthouse。　He　read　his　books；　and　talked　to　me；　but　I　wanted　him　to　talk　to　more　people。　And　I　wanted　him　to　talk　to　women。　

Merrick　read　about　women　in　his　books；　but　he　did　not　often　talk　to　women。　He　met　the　nurses　every　day；　but　they　did　not　talk　to　him　very　much。　For　them；　he　was　always　a　creature；　not　a　man。　

One　day；　one　of　my　friends；　a　beautiful　young　woman；　came　to　the　hospital。　I　told　her　about　Merrick；　and　took　her　to　his　room。　She　opened　the　door；　and　smiled　at　him。　

‘Good　morning；　Mr　Merrick；　’she　said。　Then　she　shook　his　hand。　

Merrick　looked　at　her　for　a　minute　with　his　mouth　open。　Then　he　sat　down　on　his　bed；　with　his　head　in　his　hand；　and　cried。　He　cried　for　nearly　five　minutes。　The　tears　ran　down　his　face；　between　his　fingers；　and　onto　the　floor。　

My　friend　sat　on　the　bed　beside　him　and　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。　She　said　nothing；　but　she　smiled　at　him　and　shookhis　hand　again　before　she　left。　

‘Dr　Treves；　’he　said　to　me　that　night。　‘That　lady　was　wonderful！　My　mother　smiled　at　me　once；　many　years　ago；　but　no　women　smile　at　me　now。　But　this　lady　smiled　at　me　too；　and　she　shook　my　hand！　A　beautiful　lady　smiled　at　me　and　shook　my　hand！　’

My　young　lady　friend　came　again　the　next　week；　and　talked　to　Merrick　for　half　an　hour。　The　week　after　that；　she　came　again　with　a　friend。　They　gave　him　some　books；　and　had　a　cup　of　tea　with　him。　It　was　wonderful　for　him。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　he　had　some　friends。　He　was　a　very　happy　man。　He　sat　in　his　room；　and　read　his　books；　and　said　no　more　about　living　on　a　lighthouse。　

People　began　to　read　about　Merrick　in　the　newspapers；　sohe　had　a　lot　of　visitors。　Everybody　wanted　to　see　him。　A　lot　of　important　ladies　and　gentlemen　visited　him。　They　smiled　at　him；　shook　his　hand；　and　gave　him　books。　Merrick　liked　talk…ing　to　these　people；　and　he　began　to　forget　about　his　uglybody。　His　visitors　never　laughed　at　him。　He　began　to　feel　like　a　man；　not　a　creature。　

One　wonderful　day；　a　very　important　lady　came　to　the　hospital　to　visit　him。　I　met　the　lady；　and　took　her　to　his　room。　Then　I　opened　the　door；　and　smiled　at　him。　

‘Good　morning；　Joseph；　’I　said。　‘There　is　a　new　visitor　to　see　you　today。　A　very　famous　lady。　’

Merrick　stood　up　beside　his　table。　He　did　not　smile；　because　his　face　could　not　smile；　but　his　eyes　looked　happy。　

‘That's　good；　’he　said。　‘Who　is　it？’

I　moved　away　from　the　door；　and　the　visitor　walked　in。　‘Your　Majesty；　this　is　Joseph　Merrick；　’I　said。　‘Joseph；　this　is　Her　Majesty；　Queen　Alexandra；　the　Queen　of　England。　’

Queen　Alexandra　smiled　at　him。　‘How　do　you　do；　Mr　Merrick；　’She　said。　‘I'm　very　pleased　to　meet　you。　’Then　she　shook　his　hand。　

Merrick　did　not　move。　For　nearly　half　a　minute　he　stood　and　looked　at　her　with　his　mouth　open。　Then　he　spoke；　in　his　strange；　slow　voice。　

‘How…　how　do　you　do；　Your　Majesty；　’he　said。　But　I　don't　think　the　Queen　understood　him；　because　he　tried　to　get　down　on　his　knees　at　the　same　time。　It　was　very　difficult　for　him；　because　of　his　enormous　legs。　

‘No；　please；　Mr　Merrick；　do　get　up；　’said　the　Queen。　‘I　would　like　to　talk　to　you。　Can　we　sit　at　your　table？’

‘Yes…yes；　of　course；　’he　said。　They　sat　at　the　table。　She　took　his　left　hand；　the　good　hand；　in　hers。　She　looked　at　the　hand　carefully；　and　then　smiled　at　Merrick　again。　

‘I　often　read　about　you　in　the　newspapers；　’she　said。　‘You　are　a　very　interesting　man；　Mr　Merrick。　You　have　a　very　difficult　life；　but　people　say　you're　happy。　Is　it　true？　Are　you　happy　now？’

‘Oh；　yes；　Your　Majesty；　yes！　’said　Merrick。　‘I'm　a　very　happy　man！　I　have　a　home　here　now；　and　friends；　and　my　books。　I'm　happy　every　hour　of　the　day！　’

‘What　a　wonderful　story！　’she　said。　‘I'm　very　pleasedto　hear　it　Now；　tell　me　about　your　reading。　I　see　you　have　a　lot　of　books　here。　’

‘Oh；　yes；　Your　Majesty。　I　love　my　books；　’said　Merrick。　And　for　nearly　half　an　hour　they　sat　and　talked　about　books。　The　Queen　gave　him　a　little　book；　and　some　red　flowers；　before　she　left。　

After　her　visit；　Merrick　began　to　sing。　He　could　not　sing　easily；　of　course；　because　of　his　mouth；　but　all　that　day　there　was　a　strange；　happy　noise　in　his　room。　He　looked　at　the　flowers　carefully；　and　put　them　on　his　table。　

He　had　many　visits　from　the　Queen；　and　at　Christmas　she　sent　him　a　Christmas　card。　

　　

Windsor　Castle

20th　December　1888

　　

Dear　Joseph；　

Here　is　a　small　Christmas　present　for　you。　I　think　it　looks　like　me；　doesn't　it？I　do　like　visiting　you　very　much；