按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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； and I am going to come to the hospital again in the New Year。
Happy Christmas！
Your friend
Alexandra
The present was a picture of Queen Alexandra； with her name on it。 Merrick cried over it； and put it carefully by the bed in his room。 Then he sat down and wrote a letter to the Queen。 It was the first letter of his life。
The London Hospital
23rd December 1888
My dear Queen；
Thank you very； very； much for your wonderful card and the beautiful picture。 It is the best thing in my room； the very best； the most beautiful thing I have。 This is the first Christmas in my life； and my first Christmas present。 Perhaps I had a Christmas with my mother once； but I do not remember it。 I have my mother's picture too； and she is beautiful； like you。 But now I know many famous ladies and kind people like Dr Treves； and I am a very happy man。 I am happy too because I am going to see you in the New Year。
Happy Christmas to you； my dear friend；
With all my love；
Joseph Merrick
Chapter 6
Outside the Hospital
Merrick had a lo of friends now； but he was more like a child than a man。 He could read about things； and talk to his visitors； but he could not go out of the hospital by himself。 He thought and played like a child。
After Christmas； he wanted to go to the theatre。 This was very difficult； because I did not want the people in the theatre to see him。 But a kind lady from the theatre—Mrs Kendal—helped us。 We bought tickets for a box at the side of the theatre We went to the theatre in a cab with dark windows； and we went into the theatre by a door at the back—the Queen's door。 Nobody saw us。
Three nurses sat at the front of the box； and Merrick and I sat in the dark behind them。 Nobody in the theatre could see us； but we could see the play。
It was a children's Christmas play。 Merrick loved it。 It was a most wonderful； exciting story。 Often he laughed； and sometimes he tried to sing like the children in the theatre。 He was like a child。 For him； everything in the story was true。
Once he was very afraid； because the bad man in the play was angry and had a knife。 At first Merrick wanted to leave the theatre； but I stopped him。 Then he was very angry with this bad man in the play。 He hit his hand on his chair； and stood up and talked to the man。 But nobody heard him。 When 42the bad man went to prison； Merrick laughed。
Merrick thought the beautiful young lady in the play was wonderful。 He wanted to talk to her too。 At the end of the play he was very happy because she married a good young man。
He remembered this play for a long time； and he talked a lot about the people in it。 ‘What do you think they did after we left？’he asked me。 ‘Where do the young lady and the young man live？ What are they doing now？’
‘I don't know； I said。 ‘Perhaps they live in the country。 ’
Merrick thought about this for a long time。 Then he said：‘Dr Treves； can I go to the country； please？I saw the country once from a train； but I never went there。 I often read about it in books。 It's very beautiful； isn't it？I would like to see it。 ’
The visit to the theatre was difficult but a visit to the country was more difficult。 But again； one of his new friends helped us。 She had a small house in the country； and Merrick could stay in it for the summer； she said。
I took Merrick to the country in a train with dark windows； so nobody could see him。 Then we went in a cab to the country house。
There were a lot of trees near the house； but no people lived near it。 A countryman brought food to the house everyday； but no people came near it。
I stayed with him that night。 At night； it was very dark 44and quiet。 In the morning； hundreds of birds sang in the trees； and everything outside the house was green。 Merrick walked under the big trees； looking at things happily； and singing his strange song。
I went back to London； but Merrick stayed there for six weeks。 He was wonderfully happy。 Every week； he wrote me a letter。
Apple Tree House；
West Wickham；
Berkshire。
21st July 1889
Dear Dr Treves；
I had a wonderful day again today； It was very warm； so I walked under the trees and sat by a stream。 The water in the stream made a beautiful noise； like singing。 Did you know that？I listened to it for two hours。
Lots of little birds came near me 。 One had a red body in front； and a brown back。 I gave it some bread； and it sat on my hand。 A lot of birds are my friends； now。
I watched the fish in the stream； too。 They were very exciting； because they move very fast。 One minute they were there； and the next minute I couldn't see them。 But I waited quietly； and they always came back。 I put my hand in the water； but I couldn't touch them。
I met a big dog yesterday。 It made a very loud noise； but I was not afraid。 I sat down quietly and looked it； and it came and smelt my hand。 I saw it again today； and gave it some bread。 It likes me now。
I am going to put some flowers from the country in this letter。 There are hundreds of flowers here。 Did you know that？I like the little blue ones best； but they are all beautiful。 I have lots of them in my room。 I give them water every morning。 Little flowers are very thirsty； you know！
I am very happy here； doctor； but I want to see you again soon； too。
With love from your friend；
Joseph Merrick
At the end of the summer he came back to London。 He was very well； and his skin looked much better。 He talked about the country a lot； but he was happy to see his friends and his books again；
Chapter 7
The Last Letter
Six months later； in April 1890； I found him dead inbed。 He was on his back in bed； so at first I thought he was asleep。 I talked to him； but he did not move。 Then I saw that the skin on his face was blue； so I knew he was dead。
He did not usually sleep on his back。 His enormous head was very heavy； so he usually sat up in bed with his arms round his legs； and his head on his knees。 He could sleep well like this。
But he wanted to sleep on his back like you and me。 Hetried to sleep on his back that night； but his heavy head came off the bed； and he broke his neck。 He died very quickly。
Next day； the Chairman of the London Hospital； Mr Carr Gomm； wrote to the editor of The Times again。
The Times； April 16th； 1890
Dear Sir；
Three and a half years ago I wrote to you about a man called Joseph Merrick。 This man was called‘The Elephant Man' because he aws born with a very ugly body。 Merrick was not ill； but he could not work； and he had no money。
The readers of The Times felt sorry for him； and they gave me a lot of money for Merrick。 Because of this money； we could giveMerrick a home in the Lon…don Hospital。 It was his first good home； and for three and a half years he lived here happily。 The doctors and nurses of the hospital helped him； and many important people visited him。 He read many books； he went to the the atre； and in the summer he stayed in the country