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For a minute he stood by the door of the cab and said nothing。 Then he hit the cab with his stick。
‘STEPS！ ’he said loudly。 ‘Help me up the steps！ ’
Then I understood。 There were three steps up into the cab； and he could not get up them。
‘Yes； I see。 I'm sorry； ’I said。 ‘Let me help you。 ’
I took his left hand and began to help him。 My right hand was behind his back。 I felt very strange。 His left hand was like a young woman's； but his back under the coat； was horrible。 I could feel the bags of old skin on his back under the coat。
He put one enormous foot on the first step； and then he stopped。 After a minute； he moved his second foot slowly。 Then he stopped and waited again。
‘Hello； sir。 Can I help you？’
I looked behind me。 It was the postman。 And behind him； I could see three young boys。 One of the boys laughed。
The postman smiled。 ‘Is the gentleman ill？’he asked。
I thought quickly。 ‘Yes。 But this is a lady； not a gentle…man。 I'm a doctor； and she's ill。 Take her hand； so I can help her better。 ’
The postman took Merrick's left hand； and I helped him with two hands from behind。 Slowly； very slowly； Merrick went up the steps and into the cab。
One boy was very near the cab。 He called to his friends。
‘e and see this； boys！ A fat lady in a black coat！ And look at that enormous hat！ ’
The boys laughed。 They were very near the cab too； now。 I closed the door quickly。
‘Thank you； ’I said to the postman。
‘That's all right； sir； ’he said。 ‘She's a strange lady； sir； isn't she？’
‘She's ill； that's all； ’I said quickly。 ‘We're going to the hospital。 Goodbye； and thank you。 ’
The cab drove down the road to the hospital。 I locked at Merrick。 ‘That was difficult； wasn't it？’I said。
At first he said nothing； but then he spoke。 His voice was very strange； but I listened to him carefully； and I could understand him。
‘The steps were very difficult； ’he said。 ‘But most things are difficult for me。 ’
‘Yes； ’I said。 ‘ Nothing is easy for you； is it？’
‘No； ’he said。 He inute。 Then he said； ‘Who are you； sir？’
‘Who am I？Oh； I'm sorry； My name is Dr Treves。 Here； this is my card。 ’
I gave him a card with my name on。 Then I thought； ‘That was no good。 This man can't read。 ’But Merrick took the card and looked at it very carefully。 Then he put it in his trousers pocket。
I did not talk to him very much at the hospital。 I looked at his head and arms and legs and body very carefully。 Then I wrote the important things about him in a little book。 A nurse helped me。 Merrick looked at her sometimes； but she did not smile at him or talk to him。 I think she was afraid of him。 I think Merrick was afraid too； because he was very quiet。
At four o’clock I took him back to the shop in a cab。 The next day I looked in the shop window again； but the picture was not there。
Chapter 3
A Letter to‘The Times’
I did not see Merrick again for two years。 Then； one day； the police found him。 He had my card in his hand； so they brought him to the London 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 a