Elephant Man - Christine Sparks [61]
There was a chuckle round the table and Carlyle added, “I understand the kitchen ran out of hay this morning.”
The chuckle became a roar in which everyone joined except Treves and Fox. When the noise had died down Fox indicated to Stanley, who was still holding the Times.
“Do continue reading, Mr. Stanley, please …” he said in a quiet, sour voice.
Stanley found his place again. “It is a case of singular affliction brought about through no fault of himself. He can but hope for quiet and privacy during a life which Mr. Treves assured me is not likely to be long.”
There was a short, uncomfortable pause, as though someone had made a remark in bad taste. Carlyle tried to ease the atmosphere.
“The Elephant Man. Makes you sound rather more like a zoo keeper than a surgeon, Frederick.”
Amidst the genial rumble that shook the company Treves rose to his feet.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said coldly, “I seem to have lost my appetite. Good evening.”
He walked out without looking at any of them, leaving a chilly silence behind him. Again it was Carlyle who broke it, waving his cigar with an air of injured innocence.
“I say, what’s he on about?”
“He’s getting a bit of a swelled head, if you ask me,” said Atkins.
“Well no one did ask you, Atkins,” Fox snapped. “Frederick Treves is not only the most skillful surgical operator here, he’s also a humanitarian of the highest order. You sound like a pack of whining schoolboys with your petty jealousies.”
“Look here, Fox, I simply said …”
“Oh, shut up!”
Treves heard Fox’s speech on his behalf from outside in the corridor where he was shrugging on his coat, and was perversely ungrateful. He did not feel like a humanitarian of the highest order and it embarrassed him to be thought of as one. Between those who would applaud him and those who would criticize him he felt as if he had a pack of jackals at his heels, and he wasn’t sure which were the worst.
He slipped quietly up to the Isolation Ward. Now was the time to tell Merrick of the impending move, and also to perform the other task that had been on his mind all day.
The line of bright light coming from under the door made it clear that Merrick was still up and probably reading, as he read voraciously everything that was given to him. The day before, Treves had obtained for him some back copies of the Illustrated London News but Merrick, with nothing to do all day but read, had probably gone through them by now.
Treves knocked before entering, and waited for Merrick’s “Come in.” He was always meticulous in performing these small courtesies.
“Good evening,” he said when he had closed the door behind him. “How are you feeling?”
“Good evening. Very well, thank you. And you?” Merrick took pleasure in repeating this exchange of politeness between them. Gravely Treves replied as he now did every time.
“Very well, thank you.”
Merrick was sitting by the table with an Illustrated London News in front of him. It was open at a large picture of the Eddystone Lighthouse with a caption underneath that read, “A silent shaft of stone on a deserted promontory, the lonely Eddystone is a beacon of aid and comfort to mariners of all nations.” On the facing page was a long article on the history and uses of the Eddystone. Merrick followed his glance.
“It looks very lonely out there,” he said.
“Very,” Treves told him. “I believe sometimes the lighthousemen get no visitors for months.” He sat down by the table and opened his bag. “I have something for you, John. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. It’s very popular.”
He lifted out the Alice in Wonderland and laid it on the table. Merrick’s face did not change but he gave a sharp intake of breath.
“Thank you—so much,” he stammered. “Oh, it’s beautiful!”
His good hand began to caress the leather binding, enjoying its soft luxurious feel. He gazed at Treves with speechless gratitude.
“Open it,” Treves told him.
The book fell open at a colored picture depicting an early scene. Alice, having grown hugely, was trapped in a hallway far too big for her. She lay full length with her head jammed against the