第2部分(第3/8 頁)

‘Thank　you；　doctor；　’he　said；　in　his　strange　slow　voice。　‘But　it's　not　important。　Everyone　laughs　at　me。　I　understand　that。　’

I　looked　at　him　sadly。　In　his　one　good　hand；　his　left　hand；　he　had　the　little　picture　of　his　mother。　He　looked　at　the　picture　for　a　minute；　and　then　put　it　by　a　flower　on　the　table。　A　tear　ran　out　of　his　eye　and　down　the　skin　of　his　enormous；　ugly　face。

‘Dr　Treves；　’he　said；　slowly。　‘You　and　the　nurses　arevery　kind；　and　I'm　very　happy　here。　Thank　you　very　much。　But…I　know　I　can't　stay　here　long；　and…I　would　like　to　live　in　a　lighthouse；　after　the　hospital；　please。　A　lighthouse；　or　a　home　for　blind　people。　I　think　those　are　the　best　places　for　me。

‘What　do　you　mean？’I　ashed。　‘Why？’

He　did　not　look　at　me。　He　put　the　flower　on　the　picture　and　looked　at　it　carefully。

‘Lighthouses　have　sea　all　round　them；　don't　they？　’he　said。　‘　Nobody　could　look　at　me　in　a　lighthouse；　so　I　would　be　happy　there。　And　blind　people　can　see　nothing；　so　they　couldn't　see　me；　could　they？’

‘But　Joseph；　’I　said。　‘This　is　your　home。　You　live　here　now。　You　aren't　going　to　leave　the　hospital。　’　28‘Not　todsy；　perhaps；　’he　said。　But　soon。　You　are　a　kind　man；　Dr　Treves。　But　I　can't　stay　here　very　long。　I　have　no　money。　’

I　smiled。　‘Joseph；　I　said。　‘This　is　your　home　now。　Don't　you　understand？You　can　stay　here　all　your　life。　’　Very　carefully；　I　told　him　about　the　letter　to　The　Times；　and　the　money。

I　don't　think　he　understood　at　fi