江苏省响水中学高中英语美文阅读 The elephant manWord格式.docx
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Theshop'
sclosingnow.Youcancomebacktomorrow.'
msorry,'
Isaid.'
ButIwouldliketoseehimnow.Ihavenotimetomorrow—Ihavealotofworktodo.ButIcangiveyoumorethan2pence.'
Themanlookedatmecarefully.Thenhetookthecigaretteoutofhismouthandsmiledwithhisyellowteeth.
Allright,sir,'
hesaid.'
Givemetwelvepencethen.'
Igavehimthemoneyandheopenedadooratthebackoftheshop.Wewentintoalittleroom.Theroomwascoldanddark,andtherewasahorriblesmell
init.
Acreaturesatonachairbehindatable.Isayacreature,becauseitwasnotamanorawoman,likeyouorme.Thecreaturedidnotmoveorlookatus.Itsatveryquietlyonthechairinthecold,dark,dirtyroom,andlookedatthetable.Thecreaturehadaclothoveritshead,becauseofthecold.Onthetableinfrontofit,therewasadeadflower.
Standup!
'
saidtheshopkeeper,loudly.
Thecreaturestoodupslowly.Ittooktheoldclothoffitshead,andputitonthechair.
Ilookedatthecreatureandfeltsad.Iamadoctor,soIknowalotaboutaccidentsandillpeople.Iseehorrible,uglythingseveryday.Butthiscreature,thisthing,wastheworstofall.Therewerenomenorwomeninthehospitallikehim.
Heworesomeoldtrousers,butnoshirt,coat,orshoes,soIcouldseehisbodyverywell.Hisheadwasthemostinterestingthing.Itwasvery,verybig—likeanenormousbagwithalotofbooksinit.Theheaddidnothavemuchhair,andtherewasanotherbagofbrown,dirtyskinatthebackofit.Thisskincamedownbelowhisneck.Icouldnotseeoneofhiseyesverywell,becausealotofskincamedowninfrontofhisface,too.
Anenormousredtoothcameoutofhismouth,underhisnose.Itlookedlikeanelephant'
stooth.Themouthandnosewerelikeholesintheface.Thefacecouldnotsmileorlaughorlookangryorsad,becausetheskincouldnotmove.Itwasdead,likeanelephant'
sface.
Thereweremorebagsofdirtyskinonthefrontandbackofthecreature'
sbody.Thesebagscamedowntohislegs.Therightarmwasenormous,andtherewerebagsofskinonit,too.Therighthandwaslikeaman'
sfoot.
Buttheleftarmandthelefthandwerebeautiful!
Theleftarmhadwonderfulskin,andthefingersofthelefthandwerelongandbeautiful.Itwaslikeayoungwoman'
shand!
Walk,Merrick!
saidtheshopkeeperangrily.'
Comeon,quickly,move!
Hehitthecreaturewithhishand.
Slowly,thecreaturewalkedacrosstheroom.Buthecouldnotwalkwell.Hislegswereverybigandfat,andhehadabadback.Hecouldnotwalkfarwithoutastick.
Allright,thankyou,'
Lethimsitdown.Idon'
twanttoseeanymore.'
Ifeltill,andthesmellintheroomwasverybad.
Yes,sir,'
saidtheshopkeeper.'
Sitdown,Merrick.'
Wewentoutoftheroomandclosedthedoor.Theshop-keepersmiledatmewithhisyellowteeth.
Wonderful,sir,isn'
tit?
ThebestElephantManinEngland!
Hundredsofpeoplecometoseehim,youknow,hundreds!
Itakehimalloverthecountry,Ido!
Yes,veryinteresting,'
CanIsitdown?
Yes,sir,ofcourse.Here'
sachair.'
Helookedatme,smiling.'
Wouldyoulikeaglassofwater,sir?
Yes,please,'
ThenIlookedatthethingsinthedirtyshop.Thereweretwoorthreebadapplesandsomeoldblackbananas:
thatwasall.'
Er,no…no,thankyou.I'
mallright,'
Didyou…didyoucallthecreatureMerrick?
That'
sright,sir.JosephMerrick.ThebestElephantManinEngland!
Itakehimalloverthecountry,youknow.Lotsofpeoplewanttoseehim.'
Yes,Isee.Doyougetalotofmoney?
Well,sometimeswedo,sir,yes.Butit'
sdifficult,yousee,sir,becauseofthepolice.Thepolicedon'
tlikeus,yousee,sir.Sowecan'
tstayinatownverylong.Weusuallymoveeveryweek.'
Yes,Isee.Well,a
nyway,Mr.…er?
Silcock,sir.SimonSilcock.'
Yes,well,Mr.Silcock,I'
madoctorattheLondonHospital.MynameisDrTreves.Ithinkthis…er…thismanJosephMerrickisveryinteresting,andIwouldliketoseehimatthehospital.Iwanttolookathimmorecarefully,yousee.
Yessir,Isee.Buthowcanhegettothehospital?
It'
sgoingtobedifficult.'
Why,man?
Thehospital'
snotfarfrom
here.'
Well,yes,sir.Iknow.But,yousee,Merrickcan'
twalkverywell.Heneedshelp.'
Youcancomewithhim.Doyouwantmoremoney?
Isthatit?
Well,yes,sir,Ido.But,yousee,peopleareafraidofhimtoo…Intheroad,littleboysalwaysrunafterhimandhithim.Thenthepolicegetangrybecausepeopleareafraid.Sometimestheytakeustoprison.'
Isee,'
Well,howcanhecometothehospital,then?
Bringacab,sir,'
saidSilcock.'
Youcantakehimtothehospitalinacab.'
Chapter2TheCard
Sonextday,atseveno'
clock,Icametotheshopinacab.Therewerenotverymanypeopleintheroad,becauseitwasearlyinthemorning.InNovemberitisdarkatseveno'
clockinthemorning,andIcouldnotseetheshopverywell.Iwaitedfiveminutes.Apostmanwalkedpast.Thenthedooroftheshopopened,andthecreature,Merrick,cameout.
Icouldnotseehisfaceorhisbody.Hehadanenormousblackhatonhishead,likeabigbox.Agreyclothcamedownfromthehat,infrontofhisface.Therewasaholeintheclothinfrontofhiseyes.HecouldseeoutoftheholebutIcouldnotseein.Heworealongblackcoat,too.Thecoatbeganathisneck,andendedathisfeet,soIcouldnotseehisarms,hisbody,orhislegs.Onhisfeetheworebigshoes,likeoldbags.
Hehadastickinhislefthand,andhewalkedveryslowly.Iopenedthedoorofthecab,andgotout.
Goodmorning,Mr.Merrick,'
Canyougetin?
Elpmyupasteps,'
hesaid.
msorr
y,'
Idon'
tunderstand.'
Foraminutehestoodbythedoorofthecabandsaidnothing.Thenhehitthecabwithhisstick.
STEPS!
hesaidloudly.'
Helpmeupthesteps!
ThenIunderstood.Therewerethreestepsupintothecab,andhecouldnotgetupthem.
Yes,Isee.I'
Letmehelpyou.'
Itookhislefthandandbegantohelphim.Myrighthandwasbehindhisback.Ifeltverystrange.Hislefthandwaslikeayoungwoman'
s,buthisbackunderthecoat,washorrible.Icouldfeelthebagsofoldskinonhisbackunderthecoat.
Heputoneenormousfootonthefirststep,andthenhestopped.Afteraminute,hemovedhissecondfootslowly.Thenhestoppedandwaitedagain.
Hello,sir.CanIhelpyou?
Ilookedbehindme.Itwasthepostman.Andbehindhim,Icouldseethreeyoungboys.O
neoftheboyslaughed.
Thepostmansmiled.'
Isthegentlemanill?
Ithoughtquickly.'
Yes.Butthisisalady,notagentle-man.I'
madoctor,andshe'
sill.Takeherhand,soIcanhelpherbetter.'
ThepostmantookMerrick'
slefthand,andIhelpedhimwithtwohandsfrombehind.Slowly,veryslowly,Merrickwentupthestepsandintothecab.
Oneboywasverynearthecab.Hecalledtohisfriends.'
Comeandseethis,boys!
Afatladyinablackcoat!
Andlookatthatenormoushat!
Theboyslaughed.Theywereverynearthecabtoo,now.Iclosedthedoorquickly.'
Thankyou,'
Isaidtothepostman.
sallright,sir,'
She'
sastrangelady,sir,isn'
tshe?
sill,that'
sall,'
Isaidquickly.'
We'
regoingtothehospital.Goodbye,andthankyou.'
Thecabdrovedowntheroadtothehospital.IlockedatMerrick.'
Thatwasdifficult,wasn'
Atfirsthesaidnothing,butthenhespoke.Hisvoicewasverystrange,butIlistenedtohimcarefully,andIcouldunderstandhim.
Thestepswereverydifficult,'
Butmostthingsaredifficultforme.'
Yes,'
Nothingiseasyforyou,isit?
No,'
hesaid.Hewasveryquietforaminute.Thenhesaid,'
Whoareyou,sir?
WhoamI?
Oh,I'
msorry,MynameisDrTreves.Here,thisismycard.'
Igavehimacardwithmynameon.ThenIthought,'
Thatwasnogood.Thismancan'
tread.'
ButMerricktookthecardandlookedatitverycarefully.Thenhep
utitinhistrouserspocket.
Ididnottalktohimverymuchatthehospital.Ilookedathisheadandarmsandlegsandbodyverycarefully.ThenIwrotetheimportantthingsabouthiminalittlebook.Anursehelpedme.Merricklookedathersometimes,butshedidnotsmileathimortalktohim.Ithinkshewasafraidofhim.IthinkMerrickwasafraidtoo,becausehewasveryquiet.
Atfouro'
clockItookhimbacktotheshopinacab.ThenextdayIlookedintheshopwindowagain,butthepicturewasnotthere.
Chapter3ALetter