228.英文正文（228）

theyhadgivenhimawhiteslatewithastumpofpenciltiedtothecorner。atfirsthemadenouseofit。evenwhenhewasawakehewascompletelytorpid。oftenhewouldliefromonemealtothenextalmostwithoutstirring，sometimesasleep，sometimeswakingintovaguereveriesinwhichitwastoomuchtroubletoopenhiseyes。hehadlonggrownusedtosleepingwithastronglightonhisface。itseemedtomakenodifference，exceptthatone』sdreamsweremorecoherent。hedreamedagreatdealallthroughthistime，andtheywerealwayshappydreams。hewasinthegoldencountry，orhewassittingamongenormousglorious，sunlitruins，withhismother，withjulia，witho』brien—notdoinganything，merelysittinginthesun，talkingofpeacefulthings。suchthoughtsashehadwhenhewasawakeweremostlyabouthisdreams。heseemedtohavelostthepowerofintellectualeffort，nowthatthestimulusofpainhadbeenremoved。hewasnotbored，hehadnodesireforconversationordistraction。merelytobealone，nottobebeatenorquestioned，tohaveenoughtoeat，andtobecleanallover，wascompletelysatisfying。

bydegreeshecametospendlesstimeinsleep，buthestillfeltnoimpulsetogetoffthebed。allhecaredforwastoliequietandfeelthestrengthgatheringinhisbody。hewouldfingerhimselfhereandthere，tryingtomakesurethatitwasnotanillusionthathismusclesweregrowingrounderandhisskintauter。finallyitwasestablishedbeyondadoubtthathewasgrowingfatter；histhighswerenowdefinitelythickerthanhisknees。afterthat，reluctantlyatfirst，hebeganexercisinghimselfregularly。inalittlewhilehecouldwalkthreekilometres，measuredbypacingthecell，andhisbowedshouldersweregrowingstraighter。heattemptedmoreelaborateexercises，andwasastonishedandhumiliatedtofindwhatthingshecouldnotdo。hecouldnotmoveoutofawalk，hecouldnotholdhisstooloutatarm』slength，hecouldnotstandononelegwithoutfallingover。hesquatteddownonhisheels，andfoundthatwithagonizingpainsinthighandcalfhecouldjustlifthimselftoastandingposition。helayflatonhisbellyandtriedtolifthisweightbyhishands。itwashopeless，hecouldnotraisehimselfacentimetre。butafterafewmoredays—afewmoremealtimes—eventhatfeatwasaccomplished。atimecamewhenhecoulddoitsixtimesrunning。hebegantogrowactuallyproudofhisbody，andtocherishanintermittentbeliefthathisfacealsowasgrowingbacktonormal。onlywhenhechancedtoputhishandonhisbaldscalpdidheremembertheseamed，ruinedfacethathadlookedbackathimoutofthemirror。