[ti:]
[ar:]
[al:]
[00:01.44]Chapter 4 Merrick's First Home
[00:07.31]We gave Merrick two rooms at the back of the hospital.
[00:11.89]One room was a bathroom,
[00:14.10]so he could have a bath every day.
[00:17.79]Soon his skin was much better,
[00:20.40]and there was no horrible smell.
[00:24.62]The second room had a bed, table , and chairs.
[00:30.86]I visited him every day, and talked to him.
[00:35.85]He loved reading, and talking about books.
[00:40.29]At first he did not know many books：
[00:44.62]the Bible, and one or two newspapers, that's all.
[00:49.69]But I gave him some books of love stories,
[00:52.91]and he liked them very much.
[00:55.83]He read them again and again,
[00:58.37]and talked about them often.
[01:01.32]For him, the men and women in these books were alive,
[01:05.86]like you and me. He was very happy.
[01:11.17]But sometimes it was difficult for him.
[01:15.60]At first, one or two people in the hospital laughed
[01:19.81]at Merrick because he was ugly.
[01:22.89]Sometimes, they brought their friends to look at him.
[01:28.51]One day a new nurse came to the hospital,
[01:32.76]and nobody told her about Merrick.
[01:36.72]She took his food to his room,
[01:39.42]and opened the door.
[01:41.30]Then she saw him.
[01:43.53]She screamed, dropped the food on the floor,
[01:47.49]and ran out of the room.
[01:50.28]I was very angry with the nurse,
[01:52.76]and went to see Merrick.
[01:55.67]He was not happy about it, but he was not very angry.
[02:00.69]I think he felt sorry for the girl.
[02:05.10]'People don't like looking at me.
[02:09.63]I know that, Dr 26Treves, 'he said.
[02:14.49]'They usually laugh or scream. '
[02:19.57]'Well, I don't want nurses to laugh at you, Joseph, '
[02:24.47]I said angrily. 'I want them to help you. '
[02:29.20]'Thank you, doctor, 'he said, in his strange slow voice.
[02:38.22]'But it's not important.
[02:41.75]Everyone laughs at me.
[02:45.34]I understand that. '
[02:49.34]I looked at him sadly.
[02:52.39]In his one good hand, his left hand,
[02:56.45]he had the little picture of his mother.
[03:00.26]He looked at the picture for a minute,
[03:03.26]and then put it by a flower on the table.
[03:07.41]A tear ran out of his eye and down the skin of his enormous, ugly face.
[03:16.25]'Dr Treves, 'he said, slowly.
[03:22.04]'You and the nurses arevery kind,
[03:28.32]and I'm very happy here.
[03:32.13]Thank you very much.
[03:35.68]But…I know I can't stay here long,
[03:41.90]and…I would like to live in a lighthouse,
[03:48.11]after the hospital, please.
[03:51.97]A lighthouse, or a home for blind people.
[03:57.75]I think those are the best places for me.
[04:03.93]'What do you mean?'I ashed. 'Why?'
[04:09.66]He did not look at me.
[04:12.30]He put the flower on the picture and looked at it carefully.
[04:18.55]'Lighthouses have sea all round them, don't they? '
[04:24.96]he said. ' Nobody could look at me in a lighthouse,
[04:31.40]so I would be happy there.
[04:35.40]And blind people can see nothing,
[04:40.65]so they couldn't see me, could they?'
[04:46.02]'But Joseph, 'I said. 'This is your home.
[04:51.75]You live here now.
[04:54.59]You aren't going to leave the hospital. '
[04:58.48]28'Not today, perhaps, 'he said. But soon.
[05:06.86]You are a kind man, Dr Treves.
[05:11.98]But I can't stay here very long. I have no money. '
[05:20.65]I smiled. 'Joseph, I said.
[05:25.44]'This is your home now. Don't you understand?
[05:31.04]You can stay here all your life. '
[05:35.96]Very carefully, I told him about the letter to The Times, and the money.
[05:44.09]I don't think he understood at first,
[05:47.52]so I told him again.
[05:50.76]He was very quiet for a minute.
[05:53.94]Then he stood up, and walked up and down the room very quickly.
[06:00.17]A strange sound came from him, like laughing.