化身博士-第1节

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1　　The　mysterious　door

　　

Mr　Utterson　the　lawyer　was　a　quiet，　serious　man．　Hewas　shy　with　strangers　and　afraid　of　showing　his　feelings．　Among　friends，　however，　his　eyes　shone　with　kindnessand　goodness．And，　although　this　goodness　never　found　itsway　into　his　conversation，　it　showed　itself　in　his　way　of　life．He　did　not　allow　himself　many　enjoyable　things　in　life．　He　ateand　drank　simply　and，　although　he　enjoyed　the　theatre，hehad　not　been　to　a　play　for　twenty　years．　However，　he　wasgentler　towards　other　men’　s　weaknesses，and　was　alwaysready　to　help　rather　than　blame　them．　As　a　lawyer，　he　was　often　the　last　good　person　that　evil…doers　met　on　their　way　toprison，or　worse．　These　people　often　carried　with　them　memories　of　his　politeness　and　fairness．

Mr　Utterson's　best　friend　was　a　distant　cousin　calledRichard　Enfield，who　was　well　known　as　a　fun…loving　‘manabout　town’．Nobody　could　understand　why　they　werefriends，　as　they　were　different　from　each　other　in　every　way．They　often　took　long　walks　together，however，　marchingthrough　the　streets　of　London　in　companionable　silence．

One　of　these　walks　used　to　take　them　down　a　narrow　sidestreet　in　a　busy　part　of　London．　It　was　a　clean，　busy，　friendlystreet　with　bright　little　shops　and　shiny　doorknockers．　Nearthe　end　of　this　street，　however，　stood　a　dark，　mysterious，windowless　building．The　door　had　neither　bell　nor　knockerand　looked　dusty　and　uncared　for．　Dirty　children　played　fearlessly　on　the　doorstep，　and　nobody　ever　opened　the　door　todrive　them　away．

One　day，as　Mr　Enfield　and　his　friend　passed　the　building，Mr　Enfield　pointed　to　it．

‘Have　you　ever　noticed　that　place？’he　asked．‘It　remindsme　of　a　very　strange　story．’

‘Really？’said　Mr　Utterson．‘Tell　me．’

‘Well，’began　Enfield，‘I　was　coming　home　about　threeo’clock　on　a　black　winter　morning，when　suddenly　I　saw　twopeople．The　first　was　a　short　man　who　was　walking　along　thestreet，and　the　second　was　a　little　girl　who　was　running　as　fastas　she　could．　Well，the　two　bumped　into　each　other　and　thechild　fell　down．Then　a　terrible　thing　happened．The　mancalmly　walked　all　over　the　child's　body　with　his　heavy　boots，and　left　her　screaming　on　the　ground．It　was　an　inhuman　thingto　do．I　ran　after　the　man，　caught　him　and　fetched　him　back．There　was　already　a　small　crowd　around　the　screaming　child．The　man　was　perfectly　cool，　but　he　gave　me　a　very　evil　look，which　made　me　feel　sick　in　my　stomach．The　child's　familythen　arrived，　and　also　a　doctor．　The　child　had　been　sent　tofetch　the　doctor　for　a　sick　neighbour，and　was　on　her　wayhome　again．

‘“The　child　is　more　frightened　than　hurt，”said　thedoctor—and　that，　you　would　think，　was　the　end　of　the　story．But，　you　see，I　had　taken　a　violent　dislike　to　the　short　man．So　had　the　child's　family—that　was　only　natural．But　the　doctor，　who　seemed　a　quiet，　kindly　man，　was　also　looking　at　ourprisoner　with　murder　in　his　eyes．

‘The　doctor　and　I　understood　each　other　perfectly．Together　we　shouted　at　the　man，　and　told　him　we　would　tell　this　story　all　over　London　so　that　his　name　would　be　hated．

‘He　looked　back　at　us　with　a　proud，blach　look．“Nameyour　price，”he　said．

‘We　made　him　agree　to　a　hundred　pounds　for　the　child’　sfamily．　With　another　black　look，　the　man　led　us　to　that　doorover　there．He　took　out　a　key　and　let　himself　into　thebuilding．Presently　he　came　out　and　handed　us　ten　pounds　ingold　and　a　cheque　for　ninety　pounds　from　Coutts's　Bank．　Thename　on　the　cheque　was　a　well…known　one．

‘“See　here，”said　the　doctor　doubtfully，“it　isn't　usual　for　aman　to　walk　into　an　empty　house　at　four　in　the　morning　andcome　out　with　another　man's　cheque　for　nearly　a　hundredpounds．”

‘“Don't　worry，”said　the　man　with　an　ugly　look，“I'll　staywith　you　until　the　banks　open，and

change　the　chequemyself．”

‘So　we　all　went　off，　the　doctor　and　the　prisoner　and　myself，and　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　at　my　house．In　the　morningwe　went　together　to　the　bank．　Sure　enough，　the　cheque　wasgood，　and　the　money　was　passed　to　the　child's　family．’

‘Well，well，’said　Mr　Utterson．

‘Yes，’said　Enfield，‘it's　a　strange　story．My　prisoner　wasclearly　a　hard，　cruel　man．　But　the　man　whose　name　was　onthe　cheque　was　well　known　all　over　London　for　his　kind　andgenerous　acts．Why　would　a　man　like　that　give　his　cheque　to　acriminal？’

‘And　you　don't　know　if　the　writer　of　the　cheque　lives　inthat　building？’asked　Mr　Utterson．

‘I　don't　like　to　ask，’said　his　friend．‘In　my　experience，it's　not　a　good　idea　to　ask　too　many　questions，in　case　the　answers　are　ugly，violent　ones．But　I've　studied　the　place　alittle．It　doesn't　seem　like　a　house．　There's　no　other　door，and　the　only　person　who　uses　that　door　is　the　man　I've　just　described　to　you．There　are　three　windows　on　the　side　of　thehouse，which　look　down　onto　a　small　courtyard．The　windowsare　shut，but　they're　always　clean．There's　a　chimney　too，which　is　usually　smoking．So　somebody　must　live　there．’

The　two　men　continued　on　their　walk．　Then　Utterson　brokethe　silence．

‘Enfield，’he　said，‘you're　right　about　not　asking　toomany　questions．However，I　want　to　ask　the　name　of　the　manwho　walked　over　the　child．’

‘Very　well，’　said　Enfield．‘He　told　us　his　name　wasHyde．’

‘What　does　he　look　like？’

‘He's　not　easy　to　describe，　although　I　remember　him　perfectly．He's　a　strange…looking　man．He's　short，but　has　astrong，　heavy　body．There's　something　wrong　with　his　appearance，something　ugly　and　unpleasing—no，somethinghateful．I　disliked　him　at　once．’

Mr　Utterson　thought　deeply．‘Are　you　sure　he　used　a　key？’he　asked．

‘What　do　you　mean？’asked　Enfield　in　surprise．

‘I　know　it　must　seem　strange，’said　his　friend．‘But　yousee，　if　I　don't　ask　you　the　name　on　the　cheque，　it's　because　Iknow　it　already…’

‘Well，　why　didn't　you　tell　me？’said　his　friend　rathercrossly．‘Anyway，　he　did　have　a　key，　and　he　still　has　it．　Isaw　him　use　it　only　a　week　ago．’

Mr　Utterson　looked　at　him　thoughtfully，but　said　nothingmore．

　　



　
2　　In　search　of　Mr　Hyde

　　

After　dinner　that　evening　Mr　Utterson　went　into　his　office　and　unlocked　a　cupboard．　He　took　out　an　envelope．It　contained　the　will　of　Doctor　Henry　Jekyll，and　was　writtenin　the　doctor's　own　handwriting．

‘If　I　die，or　if　I　disappear　for　more　than　three　months，’thewill　began，‘I　wish　to　leave　everything　I　own　to　my　dearfriend　Edward　Hyde．’

This　will　had　both　worried　and　annoyed　Mr　Utterson．　To　alawyer　it　was　an　unusual　and　dangerous　kind　of　will．　It　wasbad　enough　when　Edward　Hyde　was　only　an　unknown　name，but　now　that　the　lawyer　knew　something　about　Hyde，　the　willworried　him　more　than　ever．　It　had　seemed　like　madness　before；now　it　began　to　seem　shameful．　With　a　heavy　heart　MrUtterson　replaced　the　envelope　in　the　cupboard，put　on　hiscoat　and　went　to　see　his　old　friend　Doctor　Lanyon．

Doctor　Lanyon　was　enjoying　his　after…dinner　coffee．‘Comein，old　friend！’　he　cried．　The　two　men　had　known　each　othersince　their　school　days．They　sat　for　several　minutes，drinkingcoffee　and　talking　companionably　of　this　and　that．　At　last　MrUtterson　mentioned　the　thoughts　that　were　worrying　him．

‘I　suppose，Lanyon，’he　said，‘that　you　and　I　are　HenryJekyll's　oldest　friends？’

‘I　suppose　so，’said　Doctor　Lanyon，‘but　I　don't　often　seehim　now．’

‘Really？’　said　Mr　Utterson　in　surprise．‘I　thought　you　andhe　were　interested　in　the　same　things．’

‘We　were　at　one　time，’said　Doctor　Lanyon．‘But　morethan　ten　years　ago　Henry　Jekyll　became　too—well，imaginativefor　me．　He　developed　some　strange，wild，　unscientific　ideas．　Itold　him　so，and　I've　seen　very　little　of　him　since　then．’

Mr　Utterson　looked　at　his　friend's　red，　angry　face．‘Only　adisagreement　about　some　scientific　question，’he　thought．‘It's　nothing　worse　than　that．’　Calmly　he　continued，‘Didyou　ever　meet　a　friend　of　Jekyll's　a　man　called　Hyde？’

‘Hyde？’repeated　Lanyon．‘No，　never．’

Soon　the　lawyer　said　goodnight　and　went　home　to　bed，where　he　lay　awake　for　a　long　time　thinking　about　Enfield's　description　of　Hyde，and　Doctor　Jekyll's　will．When　at　last　hefell　asleep，he　was　troubled　by　dreams．　In　his　mind's　eye　hesaw　a　faceless　man　marching　over　the　child's　body．Then　hesaw　his　old　friend　Jekyll　in　bed，while　the　same　faceless　figurestood　over　him．The　facelessness　of　that　figure　worried　himdeeply．

‘Very　well，Mr　Hyde，’said　the　lawyer　to　himself，‘I　willfind　you，and　I　will　see　your　face　for　myself．’

During　the　next　few　weeks　Mr　Utterson　spent　many　hoursin　the　narrow　street　where　Enfield　had　seen　Hyde．He　waitedpatiently　near　the　mysterious　door，　hoping　for　a　sight　of　MrHyde—and　one　dry，　clear　winter　night　he　was　successful．The　street　was　empty　and　silent　and　small　sounds　carried　along　way．The　lawyer　heard　footsteps．　He　stepped　back　intothe　shadows　and　waited．A　short　figure　turned　the　corner　andwalked　towards　the　mysterious　door．　Although　Mr　Uttersoncould　not　see　his　face，　he　felt　a　strong，　almost　violent，　dislike