《象人》第3章

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