Elephant Man by Christine Sparks

Author:Christine Sparks
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780307804501
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-09-21T10:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“Frederick, no! Please understand, once and for all that I absolutely refuse.”

“It would only be for one afternoon—for a few hours—”

“I refuse to have that—creature—in my house. That is final.”

Treves ran a hand distractedly through his hair. He had anticipated Anne’s objections to his plan, but not their violence. She had never opposed him with such persistence before. And since he had always allowed her to be the final authority in matters concerning their domestic life he found it hard to insist on having his own way now. He was reduced to pleading.

“Anne, he is not a creature, he is a man, a human being like you and me. He just happens to look different, but that isn’t his fault, it’s his misfortune …”

“Freddie, listen to me—I’ve had the problems of John Merrick brought into this house morning, night, and noon. I’ve heard about his deformity, his wonderful mind, his wicked owner … I’ve heard about Broadneck and the Committee and Mr. Carr-Gomm till I’m tired of all of them. And now you actually ask me to let him come here for a visit—what does he want to pay us a visit for? What good can it do him?”

“I told you, he wants to visit ‘a real house.’ That’s what he calls it. He’s never been in one in his life. He’s never known anything but workhouses, the hospital, and showmen’s carts. His only impression of the way people live is gained from the books I’ve been taking him—”

“I was going to ask where all my Alexandre Dumas books had gone, but I suppose I have the answer.”

“He likes lurid adventures,” Treves said apologetically. “The more romantic the better—beautiful heroines, dashing escapes—he lives them all as he reads them. We take it all for granted but it’s a new world to him. He actually cried over the ending of The Three Musketeers.”

“Good heavens, why?”

“I’m not sure, I’ve never read it. But he said something about the heroine dying. John prefers them to get married and live happily ever after. He’s a great romantic. I was going to ask you if you could get him some love stories …”

“I’ll get him all the love stories you want, Freddie, but I will not have him in my house. Have you forgotten that we have children?”

“I wasn’t thinking of the girls meeting him. Though actually Jenny would love to. She’s said so. She isn’t as squeamish as you.” He said this because he couldn’t resist annoying his wife, though in truth he had no intention of letting his daughters see the Elephant Man.

“Freddie, I said no.”

The argument ended there for a moment while they had dinner. Treves was wondering how he could bring up the subject again when Anne said, as she poured his coffee, “If John Merrick has formed his impressions of the way people live from reading Alexandre Dumas and the like, what sort of idea does he have of this house?”

“Rather unrealistic, I’m afraid. He dreams of a grand residence with huge rooms and easy chairs into which the hero can ‘fling himself.

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