Elephant Man - Christine Sparks [45]
“I’m feeling much better now,” he recited mechanically.
Carr-Gomm turned a level gaze on Treves, then looked back to Merrick.
“Tell me, how do you like Mr. Treves?” he asked quietly. “As a teacher?”
Treves ground his nails into his palm and cursed himself for an idiot. How could he have imagined for a moment that this child’s deception would fool a man as subtle as Carr-Gomm?
“I—everyone has been very kind to me …” Merrick floundered.
“Of course. How long did you and Mr. Treves prepare for this interview?”
Merrick looked frantically to Treves for guidance, but his mentor could no longer look him in the eye.
“—Everyone has been very kind—” His voice died away.
“Yes of course,” said Carr-Gomm smoothly. “Well, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Merrick. Good day.”
Treves recovered his wits sufficiently to say, “Thank you, John. You did very well.” He moved to the door to open it for the Chairman.
Merrick watched them go, conscious that his one chance was going with them. He began to talk loudly in a frantic effort to recapture their attention.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures …”
He continued, his voice growing in strength as the two other men left the room. On the small landing outside the Isolation Ward Carr-Gomm confronted Treves.
“It was a nice try, Treves, but the man is obviously mouthing your words.”
“He leadeth me beside still waters; he restoreth my soul.”
“Yes,” Treves said, too dispirited to attempt to fight back.
“I’m very sorry to have wasted your time, sir. I just felt I had to do anything I could to protect him.”
“He guideth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake.”
“I’m sorry, too. He simply doesn’t belong here. He’ll be much happier somewhere else, where he could be constantly looked after.” His voice became kinder. “Believe me, Frederick, it’s better that it worked out this way. Good day.”
Carr-Gomm began to descend the stairs. Treves watched him go. At the back of his mind he was still registering the sound of Merrick’s voice, uselessly reciting what he had been taught, to an empty room. And then something caught his ear, something very strange.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” Merrick’s husky voice floated out to the landing. “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me …”
Glancing back at Treves, Carr-Gomm was astonished and irritated to see him standing with his mouth open, gaping for all the world (Carr-Gomm thought) like an imbecile himself.
“What is it, Treves?”
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies …”
Annoyed, Carr-Gomm returned up the stairs to attract Treves’ attention, but the younger man was oblivious to everything but the voice coming through the open door.
“Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
“I didn’t teach him that part,” Treves whispered.
He dashed suddenly into the room, leaving Carr-Gomm with nothing to do but follow. In the cramped Isolation Ward they stood and listened as Merrick finished the psalm.
“Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The three men stared at each other. When Treves spoke his voice was almost violent.
“How did you know the rest? I never taught you the rest of it.”
“I don’t understand,” said Carr-Gomm plaintively.
Treves forced himself to speak more calmly. He had wrecked Merrick’s chances once today. If he frightened him now he would wreck his life for good.
“Tell me, John, how did you know the rest of the twenty-third psalm?”
Merrick spoke hesitantly, as though confessing to a crime.
“I—I used to read the Bible every day. I know it very well, the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. The twenty-third psalm is very beautiful. It is my favorite.”
“It is mine also,” said Carr-Gomm in a quiet voice. “Who taught you to read, Mr. Merrick?”
“I was in a place—like this—many