双语阅读《象人》节选

《象人》的主人公约翰•梅力因为脑袋硕大无比，身体畸形酷似大象而被人称为“象人”，不过这个人物并不是剧作家杜撰出来的，而是真实存在于19世纪的伦敦。1923年，以他为研究对象的医生弗瑞迪•崔佛士出版了《象人和他的回忆》的手记。1973年，另一位作家Ashley Montagu又出版了《象人——人的尊严的研究》一书。被这两本书深深打动的剧作家以此为蓝本写成了剧本《象人》。这部作品在1979年伦敦公演时备受好评，之后在百老汇也是长演不衰的剧目。获得1979年托尼奖最佳戏剧奖。

　　《象人》The Elephant Man

　　The Last Letter

Six months later, in April 1890, I found him dead inbed. He was on his back in bed, so at first I thought he was asleep. I talked to him, but he did not move. Then I saw that the skin on his face was blue, so I knew he was dead.

He did not usually sleep on his back. His enormous head was very heavy, so he usually sat up in bed with his arms round his legs, and his head on his knees. He could sleep well like this.

But he wanted to sleep on his back like you and me. Hetried to sleep on his back that night, but his heavy head came off the bed, and he broke his neck. He died very quickly.

Next day, the Chairman of the London Hospital, Mr Carr Gomm, wrote to the editor of The Times again.

The Times, April 16th, 1890

Dear Sir,

Three and a half years ago I wrote to you about a man called Joseph Merrick. This man was called‘The Elephant Man' because he aws born with a very ugly body. Merrick was not ill, but he could not work, and he had no money.

The readers of The Times felt sorry for him, and they gave me a lot of money for Merrick. Because of this money, we could giveMerrick a home in the Lon-don Hospital. It was his first good home, and for three and a half years he lived here happily. The doctors and nurses of the hospital helped him, and many important people visited him. He read many books, he went to the the atre, and in the summer he stayed in the country for six weeks. Because of your readers’ money, we couldgive him a happy life.

Last night Joseph Merrick died quietly in his bed. He was a man with a very ugly body, but he was a good, kind man, and he had a lot of friends. We liked to talk to him, and we are all very sorry because he is dead. A lot of people are going to remember him for a longtime.

There is some money left, so I am going to give it to the hospital. Thank you, sir, for your help.

Yours faithfully

F. C. Carr Gomm

Chairman of The London

Hospital

　　最后一封信

过了六个月，也就是1890年4月，我发现他死在床上。他仰面朝天，开始我以为他睡着了，我朝他说话他不动，后来我见他脸上的皮肤发青，才知道他死了。

他通常不能躺着睡觉，因为他的脑袋又大又重，所以他常常坐在床上，用手抱着腿，把头放在膝盖上，这样他能睡得很好。

可是他也想像你我这样躺着睡觉。那天晚上他试着躺下来睡，结果他那个庞大的`头跌下床，折断了脖子。他很快就死了。

第二天伦敦医院院长卡尔.戈蒙又给《泰晤士报》的编辑写了一封信：

摘自1890年4月16日的《泰晤士报》

亲爱的先生：

三年半以前我写信给你介绍了一个名叫约瑟夫.麦里克的男人，这个人被叫做“象人”，他天生有一个像大象一样的丑陋身躯。麦里克没有病，但他不能工作，也没有钱。

《泰晤士报》的读者们很同情他，给了他许多钱。有了这些钱，我们可以在伦敦医院里给他安个家，这是他的第一个家。三年半以来他一直生活得很幸福，医院里的医生和护士都帮助他，许多要人来拜访他。他读了许多书，去看过戏，在乡间避暑待了六个星期。有了读者们给的钱，我们把他的生活安排得很幸福。

昨天晚上约瑟夫.麦里克在床上静静死去。他是一个很丑的人，但是很好、很善良，他有许多朋友。我们都喜欢与他交谈，我们都很遗憾，他死了。许多人会永远记着他的。

现在还剩下一些钱，我准备把这些钱捐给医院。感谢你的帮助。

谨致

伦敦医院院长F.C.卡尔.戈蒙

1890年4月16日