[ti:] | |
[ar:] | |
[al:] | |
[00:01.45] | Chapter 5 An Important Visitor |
[00:06.52] | I did not want Merrick to live by himself, |
[00:09.96] | like a man in a lighthouse. |
[00:13.08] | He read his books, and talked to me, |
[00:16.50] | but I wanted him to talk to more people. |
[00:19.90] | And I wanted him to talk to women. |
[00:24.21] | Merrick read about women in his books, |
[00:28.21] | but he did not often talk to women. |
[00:31.60] | He met the nurses every day, |
[00:34.33] | but they did not talk to him very much. |
[00:37.48] | For them, he was always a creature, not a man. |
[00:43.11] | One day, one of my friends, |
[00:46.88] | a beautiful young woman, came to the hospital. |
[00:51.39] | I told her about Merrick, and took her to his room. |
[00:56.68] | She opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[01:01.53] | 'Good morning, Mr Merrick, 'she said. |
[01:05.11] | Then she shook his hand. |
[01:08.05] | Merrick looked at her for a minute with his mouth open. |
[01:13.36] | Then he sat down on his bed, |
[01:15.90] | with his head in his hand, and cried. |
[01:20.36] | He cried for nearly five minutes. |
[01:23.72] | The tears ran down his face, |
[01:26.73] | between his fingers, and onto the floor. |
[01:31.10] | My friend sat on the bed beside him |
[01:34.71] | and put her hand on his arm. |
[01:37.86] | She said nothing, but she smiled at him |
[01:42.19] | and shookhis hand again before she left. |
[01:46.85] | 'Dr Treves, 'he said to me that night. |
[01:52.62] | 'That lady was wonderful! |
[01:57.08] | My mother smiled at me once, |
[02:00.74] | many years ago, but no women smile at me now. |
[02:08.28] | But this lady smiled at me too, |
[02:12.93] | and she shook my hand! |
[02:16.57] | A beautiful lady smiled at me and shook my hand! ' |
[02:24.99] | My young lady friend came again the next week, |
[02:29.68] | and talked to Merrick for half an hour. |
[02:34.34] | The week after that, she came again with a friend. |
[02:40.10] | They gave him some books, and had a cup of tea with him. |
[02:45.39] | It was wonderful for him. |
[02:48.20] | For the first time in his life, |
[02:50.49] | he had some friends. He was a very happy man. |
[02:55.99] | He sat in his room, and read his books, |
[02:59.53] | and said no more about living on a lighthouse. |
[03:05.60] | People began to read about Merrick in the newspapers, |
[03:09.69] | So he had a lot of visitors. |
[03:12.74] | Everybody wanted to see him. |
[03:16.00] | A lot of important ladies and gentlemen visited him. |
[03:20.51] | They smiled at him, shook his hand, and gave him books. |
[03:26.63] | Merrick liked talking to these people, |
[03:29.98] | and he began to forget about his ugly body. |
[03:34.01] | His visitors never laughed at him. |
[03:37.61] | He began to feel like a man, not a creature. |
[03:43.18] | One wonderful day, |
[03:45.25] | a very important lady came to the hospital to visit him. |
[03:51.15] | I met the lady, and took her to his room. |
[03:55.38] | Then I opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[04:00.68] | 'Good morning, Joseph, 'I said. |
[04:04.56] | 'There is a new visitor to see you today. |
[04:07.96] | A very famous lady. ' |
[04:11.58] | Merrick stood up beside his table. |
[04:15.33] | He did not smile, because his face could not smile, |
[04:19.82] | but his eyes looked happy. |
[04:22.84] | 'That's good, 'he said. 'Who is it?' |
[04:29.55] | I moved away from the door, |
[04:32.11] | and the visitor walked in. |
[04:35.32] | 'Your Majesty, this is Joseph Merrick, 'I said. |
[04:41.17] | 'Joseph, this is Her Majesty, Queen Alexandra, the Queen of England. ' |
[04:50.04] | Queen Alexandra smiled at him. |
[04:54.52] | 'How do you do, Mr Merrick, 'She said. |
[04:58.52] | 'I'm very pleased to meet you. ' |
[05:01.73] | Then she shook his hand. |
[05:04.92] | Merrick did not move. |
[05:08.35] | For nearly half a minute he stood |
[05:11.30] | and looked at her with his mouth open. |
[05:14.86] | Then he spoke, in his strange, slow voice. |
[05:20.14] | 'How… how do you do, Your Majesty, 'he said. |
[05:30.14] | But I don't think the Queen understood him, |
[05:33.45] | because he tried to get down on his knees at the same time. |
[05:38.81] | It was very difficult for him, |
[05:41.42] | because of his enormous legs. |
[05:45.17] | 'No, please, Mr Merrick, do get up, 'said the Queen. |
[05:50.70] | 'I would like to talk to you. |
[05:54.17] | Can we sit at your table?' |
[05:57.56] | 'Yes…yes, of course, 'he said. |
[06:03.81] | They sat at the table. |
[06:06.80] | She took his left hand, the good hand, in hers. |
[06:11.97] | She looked at the hand carefully, |
[06:14.74] | and then smiled at Merrick again. |
[06:19.21] | 'I often read about you in the newspapers, ' |
[06:22.49] | she said. 'You are a very interesting man, |
[06:26.79] | Mr Merrick. You have a very difficult life, |
[06:31.76] | but people say you're happy. Is it true? |
[06:36.63] | Are you happy now?' |
[06:39.52] | 'Oh, yes, Your Majesty, yes! 'said Merrick. |
[06:46.10] | 'I'm a very happy man! |
[06:49.92] | I have a home here now, and friends, and my books. |
[06:57.08] | I'm happy every hour of the day! ' |
[07:03.26] | 'What a wonderful story! 'she said. |
[07:07.42] | 'I'm very pleasedto hear it Now, tell me about your reading. |
[07:14.92] | I see you have a lot of books here. ' |
[07:18.43] | 'Oh, yes, Your Majesty. I love my books, 'said Merrick. |
[07:28.32] | And for nearly half an hour they sat and talked about books. |
[07:35.23] | The Queen gave him a little book, |
[07:40.57] | and some red flowers, before she left. |
[07:45.61] | After her visit, Merrick began to sing. |
[07:50.98] | He could not sing easily, |
[07:52.70] | of course, because of his mouth, |
[07:55.56] | but all that day there was a strange, |
[07:59.23] | happy noise in his room. |
[08:03.19] | He looked at the flowers carefully, |
[08:06.18] | and put them on his table. |
[08:10.11] | He had many visits from the Queen, |
[08:13.27] | and at Christmas she sent him a Christmas card. |
[08:19.42] | Windsor Castle |
[08:21.65] | 20th December 1888 |
[08:26.78] | Dear Joseph, |
[08:29.32] | Here is a small Christmas present for you. |
[08:33.85] | I think it looks like me, doesn't it? |
[08:37.69] | I do like visiting you very much, |
[08:41.79] | and I am going to come to the hospital again in the New Year. |
[08:47.08] | Happy Christmas! |
[08:49.16] | Your friend |
[08:50.78] | Alexandra |
[08:54.41] | The present was a picture of Queen Alexandra, |
[08:57.85] | with her name on it. |
[09:00.30] | Merrick cried over it, |
[09:02.97] | and put it carefully by the bed in his room. |
[09:07.85] | Then he sat down and wrote a letter to the Queen. |
[09:12.77] | It was the first letter of his life. |
[09:18.51] | The London Hospital |
[09:21.11] | 23rd December 1888 |
[09:26.99] | My dear Queen, |
[09:30.07] | Thank you very, very, much for your wonderful card |
[09:35.54] | and the beautiful picture. |
[09:39.15] | It is the best thing in my room, the very best, |
[09:44.37] | the most beautiful thing I have. |
[09:49.10] | This is the first Christmas in my life, |
[09:53.41] | and my first Christmas present. |
[09:57.62] | Perhaps I had a Christmas with my mother once, |
[10:02.21] | but I do not remember it. |
[10:06.18] | I have my mother's picture too, |
[10:09.93] | and she is beautiful, like you. |
[10:14.23] | But now I know many famous ladies and kind people like Dr Treves, |
[10:21.47] | and I am a very happy man. |
[10:25.84] | I am happy too because I am going to see you in the New Year. |
[10:33.80] | Happy Christmas to you, my dear friend, |
[10:39.43] | With all my love, |
[10:42.71] | Joseph Merrick |
ti: | |
ar: | |
al: | |
[00:01.45] | Chapter 5 An Important Visitor |
[00:06.52] | I did not want Merrick to live by himself, |
[00:09.96] | like a man in a lighthouse. |
[00:13.08] | He read his books, and talked to me, |
[00:16.50] | but I wanted him to talk to more people. |
[00:19.90] | And I wanted him to talk to women. |
[00:24.21] | Merrick read about women in his books, |
[00:28.21] | but he did not often talk to women. |
[00:31.60] | He met the nurses every day, |
[00:34.33] | but they did not talk to him very much. |
[00:37.48] | For them, he was always a creature, not a man. |
[00:43.11] | One day, one of my friends, |
[00:46.88] | a beautiful young woman, came to the hospital. |
[00:51.39] | I told her about Merrick, and took her to his room. |
[00:56.68] | She opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[01:01.53] | ' Good morning, Mr Merrick, ' she said. |
[01:05.11] | Then she shook his hand. |
[01:08.05] | Merrick looked at her for a minute with his mouth open. |
[01:13.36] | Then he sat down on his bed, |
[01:15.90] | with his head in his hand, and cried. |
[01:20.36] | He cried for nearly five minutes. |
[01:23.72] | The tears ran down his face, |
[01:26.73] | between his fingers, and onto the floor. |
[01:31.10] | My friend sat on the bed beside him |
[01:34.71] | and put her hand on his arm. |
[01:37.86] | She said nothing, but she smiled at him |
[01:42.19] | and shookhis hand again before she left. |
[01:46.85] | ' Dr Treves, ' he said to me that night. |
[01:52.62] | ' That lady was wonderful! |
[01:57.08] | My mother smiled at me once, |
[02:00.74] | many years ago, but no women smile at me now. |
[02:08.28] | But this lady smiled at me too, |
[02:12.93] | and she shook my hand! |
[02:16.57] | A beautiful lady smiled at me and shook my hand! ' |
[02:24.99] | My young lady friend came again the next week, |
[02:29.68] | and talked to Merrick for half an hour. |
[02:34.34] | The week after that, she came again with a friend. |
[02:40.10] | They gave him some books, and had a cup of tea with him. |
[02:45.39] | It was wonderful for him. |
[02:48.20] | For the first time in his life, |
[02:50.49] | he had some friends. He was a very happy man. |
[02:55.99] | He sat in his room, and read his books, |
[02:59.53] | and said no more about living on a lighthouse. |
[03:05.60] | People began to read about Merrick in the newspapers, |
[03:09.69] | So he had a lot of visitors. |
[03:12.74] | Everybody wanted to see him. |
[03:16.00] | A lot of important ladies and gentlemen visited him. |
[03:20.51] | They smiled at him, shook his hand, and gave him books. |
[03:26.63] | Merrick liked talking to these people, |
[03:29.98] | and he began to forget about his ugly body. |
[03:34.01] | His visitors never laughed at him. |
[03:37.61] | He began to feel like a man, not a creature. |
[03:43.18] | One wonderful day, |
[03:45.25] | a very important lady came to the hospital to visit him. |
[03:51.15] | I met the lady, and took her to his room. |
[03:55.38] | Then I opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[04:00.68] | ' Good morning, Joseph, ' I said. |
[04:04.56] | ' There is a new visitor to see you today. |
[04:07.96] | A very famous lady. ' |
[04:11.58] | Merrick stood up beside his table. |
[04:15.33] | He did not smile, because his face could not smile, |
[04:19.82] | but his eyes looked happy. |
[04:22.84] | ' That' s good, ' he said. ' Who is it?' |
[04:29.55] | I moved away from the door, |
[04:32.11] | and the visitor walked in. |
[04:35.32] | ' Your Majesty, this is Joseph Merrick, ' I said. |
[04:41.17] | ' Joseph, this is Her Majesty, Queen Alexandra, the Queen of England. ' |
[04:50.04] | Queen Alexandra smiled at him. |
[04:54.52] | ' How do you do, Mr Merrick, ' She said. |
[04:58.52] | ' I' m very pleased to meet you. ' |
[05:01.73] | Then she shook his hand. |
[05:04.92] | Merrick did not move. |
[05:08.35] | For nearly half a minute he stood |
[05:11.30] | and looked at her with his mouth open. |
[05:14.86] | Then he spoke, in his strange, slow voice. |
[05:20.14] | ' How how do you do, Your Majesty, ' he said. |
[05:30.14] | But I don' t think the Queen understood him, |
[05:33.45] | because he tried to get down on his knees at the same time. |
[05:38.81] | It was very difficult for him, |
[05:41.42] | because of his enormous legs. |
[05:45.17] | ' No, please, Mr Merrick, do get up, ' said the Queen. |
[05:50.70] | ' I would like to talk to you. |
[05:54.17] | Can we sit at your table?' |
[05:57.56] | ' Yes yes, of course, ' he said. |
[06:03.81] | They sat at the table. |
[06:06.80] | She took his left hand, the good hand, in hers. |
[06:11.97] | She looked at the hand carefully, |
[06:14.74] | and then smiled at Merrick again. |
[06:19.21] | ' I often read about you in the newspapers, ' |
[06:22.49] | she said. ' You are a very interesting man, |
[06:26.79] | Mr Merrick. You have a very difficult life, |
[06:31.76] | but people say you' re happy. Is it true? |
[06:36.63] | Are you happy now?' |
[06:39.52] | ' Oh, yes, Your Majesty, yes! ' said Merrick. |
[06:46.10] | ' I' m a very happy man! |
[06:49.92] | I have a home here now, and friends, and my books. |
[06:57.08] | I' m happy every hour of the day! ' |
[07:03.26] | ' What a wonderful story! ' she said. |
[07:07.42] | ' I' m very pleasedto hear it Now, tell me about your reading. |
[07:14.92] | I see you have a lot of books here. ' |
[07:18.43] | ' Oh, yes, Your Majesty. I love my books, ' said Merrick. |
[07:28.32] | And for nearly half an hour they sat and talked about books. |
[07:35.23] | The Queen gave him a little book, |
[07:40.57] | and some red flowers, before she left. |
[07:45.61] | After her visit, Merrick began to sing. |
[07:50.98] | He could not sing easily, |
[07:52.70] | of course, because of his mouth, |
[07:55.56] | but all that day there was a strange, |
[07:59.23] | happy noise in his room. |
[08:03.19] | He looked at the flowers carefully, |
[08:06.18] | and put them on his table. |
[08:10.11] | He had many visits from the Queen, |
[08:13.27] | and at Christmas she sent him a Christmas card. |
[08:19.42] | Windsor Castle |
[08:21.65] | 20th December 1888 |
[08:26.78] | Dear Joseph, |
[08:29.32] | Here is a small Christmas present for you. |
[08:33.85] | I think it looks like me, doesn' t it? |
[08:37.69] | I do like visiting you very much, |
[08:41.79] | and I am going to come to the hospital again in the New Year. |
[08:47.08] | Happy Christmas! |
[08:49.16] | Your friend |
[08:50.78] | Alexandra |
[08:54.41] | The present was a picture of Queen Alexandra, |
[08:57.85] | with her name on it. |
[09:00.30] | Merrick cried over it, |
[09:02.97] | and put it carefully by the bed in his room. |
[09:07.85] | Then he sat down and wrote a letter to the Queen. |
[09:12.77] | It was the first letter of his life. |
[09:18.51] | The London Hospital |
[09:21.11] | 23rd December 1888 |
[09:26.99] | My dear Queen, |
[09:30.07] | Thank you very, very, much for your wonderful card |
[09:35.54] | and the beautiful picture. |
[09:39.15] | It is the best thing in my room, the very best, |
[09:44.37] | the most beautiful thing I have. |
[09:49.10] | This is the first Christmas in my life, |
[09:53.41] | and my first Christmas present. |
[09:57.62] | Perhaps I had a Christmas with my mother once, |
[10:02.21] | but I do not remember it. |
[10:06.18] | I have my mother' s picture too, |
[10:09.93] | and she is beautiful, like you. |
[10:14.23] | But now I know many famous ladies and kind people like Dr Treves, |
[10:21.47] | and I am a very happy man. |
[10:25.84] | I am happy too because I am going to see you in the New Year. |
[10:33.80] | Happy Christmas to you, my dear friend, |
[10:39.43] | With all my love, |
[10:42.71] | Joseph Merrick |
ti: | |
ar: | |
al: | |
[00:01.45] | Chapter 5 An Important Visitor |
[00:06.52] | I did not want Merrick to live by himself, |
[00:09.96] | like a man in a lighthouse. |
[00:13.08] | He read his books, and talked to me, |
[00:16.50] | but I wanted him to talk to more people. |
[00:19.90] | And I wanted him to talk to women. |
[00:24.21] | Merrick read about women in his books, |
[00:28.21] | but he did not often talk to women. |
[00:31.60] | He met the nurses every day, |
[00:34.33] | but they did not talk to him very much. |
[00:37.48] | For them, he was always a creature, not a man. |
[00:43.11] | One day, one of my friends, |
[00:46.88] | a beautiful young woman, came to the hospital. |
[00:51.39] | I told her about Merrick, and took her to his room. |
[00:56.68] | She opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[01:01.53] | ' Good morning, Mr Merrick, ' she said. |
[01:05.11] | Then she shook his hand. |
[01:08.05] | Merrick looked at her for a minute with his mouth open. |
[01:13.36] | Then he sat down on his bed, |
[01:15.90] | with his head in his hand, and cried. |
[01:20.36] | He cried for nearly five minutes. |
[01:23.72] | The tears ran down his face, |
[01:26.73] | between his fingers, and onto the floor. |
[01:31.10] | My friend sat on the bed beside him |
[01:34.71] | and put her hand on his arm. |
[01:37.86] | She said nothing, but she smiled at him |
[01:42.19] | and shookhis hand again before she left. |
[01:46.85] | ' Dr Treves, ' he said to me that night. |
[01:52.62] | ' That lady was wonderful! |
[01:57.08] | My mother smiled at me once, |
[02:00.74] | many years ago, but no women smile at me now. |
[02:08.28] | But this lady smiled at me too, |
[02:12.93] | and she shook my hand! |
[02:16.57] | A beautiful lady smiled at me and shook my hand! ' |
[02:24.99] | My young lady friend came again the next week, |
[02:29.68] | and talked to Merrick for half an hour. |
[02:34.34] | The week after that, she came again with a friend. |
[02:40.10] | They gave him some books, and had a cup of tea with him. |
[02:45.39] | It was wonderful for him. |
[02:48.20] | For the first time in his life, |
[02:50.49] | he had some friends. He was a very happy man. |
[02:55.99] | He sat in his room, and read his books, |
[02:59.53] | and said no more about living on a lighthouse. |
[03:05.60] | People began to read about Merrick in the newspapers, |
[03:09.69] | So he had a lot of visitors. |
[03:12.74] | Everybody wanted to see him. |
[03:16.00] | A lot of important ladies and gentlemen visited him. |
[03:20.51] | They smiled at him, shook his hand, and gave him books. |
[03:26.63] | Merrick liked talking to these people, |
[03:29.98] | and he began to forget about his ugly body. |
[03:34.01] | His visitors never laughed at him. |
[03:37.61] | He began to feel like a man, not a creature. |
[03:43.18] | One wonderful day, |
[03:45.25] | a very important lady came to the hospital to visit him. |
[03:51.15] | I met the lady, and took her to his room. |
[03:55.38] | Then I opened the door, and smiled at him. |
[04:00.68] | ' Good morning, Joseph, ' I said. |
[04:04.56] | ' There is a new visitor to see you today. |
[04:07.96] | A very famous lady. ' |
[04:11.58] | Merrick stood up beside his table. |
[04:15.33] | He did not smile, because his face could not smile, |
[04:19.82] | but his eyes looked happy. |
[04:22.84] | ' That' s good, ' he said. ' Who is it?' |
[04:29.55] | I moved away from the door, |
[04:32.11] | and the visitor walked in. |
[04:35.32] | ' Your Majesty, this is Joseph Merrick, ' I said. |
[04:41.17] | ' Joseph, this is Her Majesty, Queen Alexandra, the Queen of England. ' |
[04:50.04] | Queen Alexandra smiled at him. |
[04:54.52] | ' How do you do, Mr Merrick, ' She said. |
[04:58.52] | ' I' m very pleased to meet you. ' |
[05:01.73] | Then she shook his hand. |
[05:04.92] | Merrick did not move. |
[05:08.35] | For nearly half a minute he stood |
[05:11.30] | and looked at her with his mouth open. |
[05:14.86] | Then he spoke, in his strange, slow voice. |
[05:20.14] | ' How how do you do, Your Majesty, ' he said. |
[05:30.14] | But I don' t think the Queen understood him, |
[05:33.45] | because he tried to get down on his knees at the same time. |
[05:38.81] | It was very difficult for him, |
[05:41.42] | because of his enormous legs. |
[05:45.17] | ' No, please, Mr Merrick, do get up, ' said the Queen. |
[05:50.70] | ' I would like to talk to you. |
[05:54.17] | Can we sit at your table?' |
[05:57.56] | ' Yes yes, of course, ' he said. |
[06:03.81] | They sat at the table. |
[06:06.80] | She took his left hand, the good hand, in hers. |
[06:11.97] | She looked at the hand carefully, |
[06:14.74] | and then smiled at Merrick again. |
[06:19.21] | ' I often read about you in the newspapers, ' |
[06:22.49] | she said. ' You are a very interesting man, |
[06:26.79] | Mr Merrick. You have a very difficult life, |
[06:31.76] | but people say you' re happy. Is it true? |
[06:36.63] | Are you happy now?' |
[06:39.52] | ' Oh, yes, Your Majesty, yes! ' said Merrick. |
[06:46.10] | ' I' m a very happy man! |
[06:49.92] | I have a home here now, and friends, and my books. |
[06:57.08] | I' m happy every hour of the day! ' |
[07:03.26] | ' What a wonderful story! ' she said. |
[07:07.42] | ' I' m very pleasedto hear it Now, tell me about your reading. |
[07:14.92] | I see you have a lot of books here. ' |
[07:18.43] | ' Oh, yes, Your Majesty. I love my books, ' said Merrick. |
[07:28.32] | And for nearly half an hour they sat and talked about books. |
[07:35.23] | The Queen gave him a little book, |
[07:40.57] | and some red flowers, before she left. |
[07:45.61] | After her visit, Merrick began to sing. |
[07:50.98] | He could not sing easily, |
[07:52.70] | of course, because of his mouth, |
[07:55.56] | but all that day there was a strange, |
[07:59.23] | happy noise in his room. |
[08:03.19] | He looked at the flowers carefully, |
[08:06.18] | and put them on his table. |
[08:10.11] | He had many visits from the Queen, |
[08:13.27] | and at Christmas she sent him a Christmas card. |
[08:19.42] | Windsor Castle |
[08:21.65] | 20th December 1888 |
[08:26.78] | Dear Joseph, |
[08:29.32] | Here is a small Christmas present for you. |
[08:33.85] | I think it looks like me, doesn' t it? |
[08:37.69] | I do like visiting you very much, |
[08:41.79] | and I am going to come to the hospital again in the New Year. |
[08:47.08] | Happy Christmas! |
[08:49.16] | Your friend |
[08:50.78] | Alexandra |
[08:54.41] | The present was a picture of Queen Alexandra, |
[08:57.85] | with her name on it. |
[09:00.30] | Merrick cried over it, |
[09:02.97] | and put it carefully by the bed in his room. |
[09:07.85] | Then he sat down and wrote a letter to the Queen. |
[09:12.77] | It was the first letter of his life. |
[09:18.51] | The London Hospital |
[09:21.11] | 23rd December 1888 |
[09:26.99] | My dear Queen, |
[09:30.07] | Thank you very, very, much for your wonderful card |
[09:35.54] | and the beautiful picture. |
[09:39.15] | It is the best thing in my room, the very best, |
[09:44.37] | the most beautiful thing I have. |
[09:49.10] | This is the first Christmas in my life, |
[09:53.41] | and my first Christmas present. |
[09:57.62] | Perhaps I had a Christmas with my mother once, |
[10:02.21] | but I do not remember it. |
[10:06.18] | I have my mother' s picture too, |
[10:09.93] | and she is beautiful, like you. |
[10:14.23] | But now I know many famous ladies and kind people like Dr Treves, |
[10:21.47] | and I am a very happy man. |
[10:25.84] | I am happy too because I am going to see you in the New Year. |
[10:33.80] | Happy Christmas to you, my dear friend, |
[10:39.43] | With all my love, |
[10:42.71] | Joseph Merrick |
[00:01.45] | 5 一位重要的来访者 |
[00:06.52] | 我不愿麦里克独自居住, |
[00:09.96] | 就像一个灯塔守望人那样。 |
[00:13.08] | 他看书,也和我聊天, |
[00:16.50] | 但我却想让他与更多的人 |
[00:19.90] | 甚至妇女们交谈。 |
[00:24.21] | 麦里克在书中读到过有关妇女的事, |
[00:28.21] | 可他不常与妇女们说话。 |
[00:31.60] | 他每天都与护士接触, |
[00:34.33] | 可她们不常与他说话, |
[00:37.48] | 在她们的眼里,他始终是一个怪物而不是一个男人。 |
[00:43.11] | 有一天,我的一位朋友, |
[00:46.88] | 一位年轻漂亮的女子来到了医院, |
[00:51.39] | 我告诉她有关麦里克的全部情况,并把她领到他的房间。 |
[00:56.68] | 她朝他微笑着问候: |
[01:01.53] | “早上好,麦里克先生。” |
[01:05.11] | 她走上前握住他的手。 |
[01:08.05] | 麦里克张着嘴朝她看着, |
[01:13.36] | 然后坐到床上 |
[01:15.90] | 捂着头哭了起来。 |
[01:20.36] | 他哭了近五分钟时间, |
[01:23.72] | 泪水从指缝里 |
[01:26.73] | 滚落到地上。 |
[01:31.10] | 我的这位朋友靠近他坐在他的床上, |
[01:34.71] | 把手放在他的手臂上, |
[01:37.86] | 什么也没说,只是朝他微笑, |
[01:42.19] | 离开前又与他握手道别。 |
[01:46.85] | 那天晚上他对我说:“特里维斯博士, |
[01:52.62] | 那位女士漂亮极了, |
[01:57.08] | 我的母亲曾经朝我微笑过, |
[02:00.74] | 那是很多年以前的事了。直到现在没有一个女人朝我笑过, |
[02:08.28] | 可是这位女士朝我微笑, |
[02:12.93] | 还握了我的手! |
[02:16.57] | 一个漂亮的女士朝我微笑,握着我的手! |
[02:24.99] | 第二个星期,我的那位年轻的朋友又来了, |
[02:29.68] | 与麦里克谈了半个小时。 |
[02:34.34] | 在这个星期以后她又与另一个朋友一道来, |
[02:40.10] | 她们送给他一些书,和他一起喝了茶。 |
[02:45.39] | 对他来说这比什么都好, |
[02:48.20] | 人生中第一次 |
[02:50.49] | 有了一些朋友。他很高兴, |
[02:55.99] | 坐在屋子里看书, |
[02:59.53] | 再也不提诸如生活在灯塔里之类的事了。 |
[03:05.60] | 人们开始从报纸上看到有关麦里克的报道, |
[03:09.69] | 所以他有许多来访者。 |
[03:12.74] | 每个人都想去看他, |
[03:16.00] | 许多有身份的女士和绅士们访问了他, |
[03:20.51] | 他们朝他微笑,和他握手,送给他许多书。 |
[03:26.63] | 麦里克喜欢与这些人交谈, |
[03:29.98] | 渐渐忘了自己那丑陋的样子。 |
[03:34.01] | 他的来访者从不嘲笑他, |
[03:37.61] | 他开始觉得自己像个男人了。 |
[03:43.18] | 一天,天气非常宜人, |
[03:45.25] | 一位很有身份的女士来到医院拜访他。 |
[03:51.15] | 我遇到这位女士,把她带到他的房间。 |
[03:55.38] | 我打开门,冲他笑着说: |
[04:00.68] | “约瑟夫,早上好! |
[04:04.56] | 今天有一位新客人来拜访你, |
[04:07.96] | 是一位名人!” |
[04:11.58] | 麦里克从桌子旁站了起来。 |
[04:15.33] | 他没有笑,因为他的脸不会笑, |
[04:19.82] | 但从他的眼睛里能看出他很高兴。 |
[04:22.84] | 他说:“太好了,是谁?” |
[04:29.55] | 我将来访者 |
[04:32.11] | 引进来给他们介绍 |
[04:35.32] | 说:“陛下,这是约瑟夫·麦里克。 |
[04:41.17] | 约瑟夫,这是陛下,亚历山德拉王后,当今英国女王。” |
[04:50.04] | 亚历山德拉王后朝他笑着 |
[04:54.52] | 说:“麦里克先生,你好。 |
[04:58.52] | 见到你非常高兴。” |
[05:01.73] | 然后同他握手。 |
[05:04.92] | 麦里克没有移动, |
[05:08.35] | 站在那里张着嘴 |
[05:11.30] | 朝她看了约半分钟之久, |
[05:14.86] | 然后用一种奇怪的声音缓缓说道 |
[05:20.14] | “噢……陛下,您好!” |
[05:30.14] | 也不知王后是否听清了他的话, |
[05:33.45] | 因为与此同时他想要跪下,给王后请安, |
[05:38.81] | 他很难跪下, |
[05:41.42] | 由于他过于粗大的腿。 |
[05:45.17] | 王后说:“麦里克先生,请不必这样,起来吧。 |
[05:50.70] | 我想与你说说话, |
[05:54.17] | 我们可以在你的桌旁坐坐吗?” |
[05:57.56] | 他回答着:“好的,当然可以。” |
[06:03.81] | 他们都在桌子旁坐下, |
[06:06.80] | 她拉着他的左手——那只好手放在她的手里。 |
[06:11.97] | 她仔细看了看他的手 |
[06:14.74] | 后又朝麦里克笑笑说 |
[06:19.21] | “我常在报纸上看到有关你的情况, |
[06:22.49] | 你是一个很有趣的人, |
[06:26.79] | 你生活虽难以自理, |
[06:31.76] | 但人们说你很幸福,是真的吗? |
[06:36.63] | 你现在很幸福吗?” |
[06:39.52] | 麦里克回答说:“嗯,陛下,是的, |
[06:46.10] | 我是一个很幸福的人, |
[06:49.92] | 现在我有一个家,有许多朋友,还有许多书。 |
[06:57.08] | 我每时每刻都很愉快。” |
[07:03.26] | 她说:“多么精彩的故事, |
[07:07.42] | 我非常想听,请把你读到的讲给我听, |
[07:14.92] | 我发现你这儿有许多书。” |
[07:18.43] | 他说:“哦,陛下,是的,我喜欢这些书。” |
[07:28.32] | 他们在那儿就书上的事谈了近半个小时。 |
[07:35.23] | 王后离开时送给了他一本小书 |
[07:40.57] | 和一些红花。 |
[07:45.61] | 在她来访以后,麦里克开始唱歌。 |
[07:50.98] | 他不能自如地歌唱, |
[07:52.70] | 当然,因为他的嘴, |
[07:55.56] | 但那些日子里他的房间里总是回荡着一种奇怪、 |
[07:59.23] | 幸福的歌声。 |
[08:03.19] | 他仔细看了看这些花, |
[08:06.18] | 将它们摆在桌子上。 |
[08:10.11] | 王后多次拜访他, |
[08:13.27] | 圣诞节那天她送给他一张圣诞卡片: |
[08:19.42] | 于温莎城堡 |
[08:21.65] | 1888年12月20日 |
[08:26.78] | 亲爱的约瑟夫: |
[08:29.32] | 给你一个小小的圣诞礼物, |
[08:33.85] | 我想你见到这就如同见到我一样,是吗? |
[08:37.69] | 我很喜欢拜访你, |
[08:41.79] | 我将在新年那天去医院看你。 |
[08:47.08] | 祝圣诞快乐! |
[08:49.16] | 你的朋友 |
[08:50.78] | 亚历山德拉 |
[08:54.41] | 这份礼物是亚历山德拉王后的一张照片, |
[08:57.85] | 上面有她的名字。 |
[09:00.30] | 麦里克喜不自禁, |
[09:02.97] | 把它放在房间里他的床边, |
[09:07.85] | 然后坐下来给王后写信。 |
[09:12.77] | 这是他有生以来写的第一封信: |
[09:18.51] | 于伦敦医院 |
[09:21.11] | 1888年12月23日 |
[09:26.99] | 亲爱的王后: |
[09:30.07] | 非常感谢您给我精美的卡片 |
[09:35.54] | 和漂亮的照片, |
[09:39.15] | 这是我房间里最好的东西, |
[09:44.37] | 也是我所拥有的最好最漂亮的东西。 |
[09:49.10] | 我有生以来过第一个圣诞节, |
[09:53.41] | 这是我的第一个圣诞节礼物。 |
[09:57.62] | 也许我曾与母亲一起度过一个圣诞节, |
[10:02.21] | 但我已记不住了。 |
[10:06.18] | 我也有一张母亲的照片, |
[10:09.93] | 她很漂亮,像你一样。 |
[10:14.23] | 现在我认识许多有名望的女士和好心肠的人们,他们都像特里维斯博士一样, |
[10:21.47] | 我是一个很幸福的人。 |
[10:25.84] | 我很高兴将在新年里再次见到你。 |
[10:33.80] | 祝我亲爱的朋友圣诞节愉快! |
[10:39.43] | 你的朋友 |
[10:42.71] | 约瑟夫·麦里克 |