So next day, at seven o’clock, I came to the shop in a cab. There were not very many people in the road, be－cause it was early in the morning. In November it is dark at seven o’clock in the morning, and I could not see the shop very well. I waited five minutes. A postman walked past. Then the door of the shop opened, and the creature, Merrick , came out.

I could not see his face or his body. He had an enormous black hat on his head, like a big box. A grey cloth came down from the hat, in front of his face. There was a hole in the cloth in front of his eyes. He could see out of the hole but I could not see in. He wore a long black coat, too. The coat began at his neck, and ended at his feet, so I could not see his arms, his body, or his legs. On his feet he wore big shoes, like old bags.

He had a stick in his left hand, and he walked very slowly. I opened the door of the cab, and got out.

‘Good morning, Mr Merrick, ’I said. ‘Can you get in？’

‘Elpmyupasteps, ’he said.

‘I'm sorry, ’I said. ‘I don't understand. ’

For a minute he stood by the door of the cab and said nothing. Then he hit the cab with his stick.

‘STEPS! ’he said loudly. ‘Help me up the steps! ’

Then I understood. There were three steps up into the cab, and he could not get up them.

‘Yes, I see. I'm sorry, ’I said. ‘Let me help you. ’

I took his left hand and began to help him. My right hand was behind his back. I felt very strange. His left hand was like a young woman's, but his back under the coat, was horrible. I could feel the bags of old skin on his back under the coat.

He put one enormous foot on the first step, and then he stopped. After a minute, he moved his second foot slowly. Then he stopped and waited again.

‘Hello, sir. Can I help you？’

I looked behind me. It was the postman. And behind him, I could see three young boys. One of the boys laughed.

The postman smiled. ‘Is the gentleman ill？’he asked.

I thought quickly. ‘Yes. Bu............