化身博士-第3节

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‘Have　you　heard　the　news？’said　Mr　Utterson　after　the　oldservant　had　left．

‘The　newsboys　were　shouting　about　it　in　the　street，’DoctorJekyll　said．‘A　terrible　business．’

‘Let　me　ask　you　something，’said　the　lawyer．‘Sir　DanversCarew　was　my　client，　but　you　are　my　client　too，and　I　want　toknow　what　I'm　doing．You　haven't　tried　to　hide　the　murderer，　have　you？’

‘Utterson，I　promise　you，’cried　the　doctor，‘I　promise　youI'll　never　see　him　again．　I've　finished　with　him　for　ever．　Andnow，　indeed，　he　no　longer　needs　my　help．You　don't　knowhim　like　I　do．　He’s　safe，　quite　safe．Believe　me，nobody　willever　hear　of　Hyde　again．’

The　lawyer　listened　with　a　serious　face．　He　did　not　like　hisfriend’s　feverish，　excited　look．

‘You　seem　very　sure　of　him，’he　replied．‘I　hope　you’reright．If　he　is　caught　and　comes　to　trial，your　name　may　bementioned．’

‘I'm　absolutely　sure　of　him，’　answered　Jekyll．‘　I　can't　tellyou　how　I　know，

but　I'm　certain．　But　can　you　please　adviseme　about　one　thing？I've　received　a　letter　and　I　don't　knowwhether　to　show　it　to　the　police．May　I　leave　it　in　your　hands，Utterson？’

‘You're　afraid，I　suppose，　that　the　letter　will　lead　the　police　to　Hyde？’asked　the　lawyer．

‘No，’said　Doctor　Jekyll．‘I　don't　care　what　happens　toHyde．I　was　thinking　of　my　own　reputation…　Anyway，here　is　the　letter．’

It　was　written　in　a　strange，pointed　handwriting　and　signed‘Edward　Hyde’．‘I　am　sorry　that　I　have　been　so　ungrateful　inthe　past　for　your　many　generous　acts，’it　began．‘Please　don't　worry　about　me．I　am　quite　safe　and　I　am　certain　that　I　can　escape　unharmed　whenever　I　wish．’

‘Did　this　letter　come　by　post？’asked　the　lawyer．

‘No，’replied　Doctor　Jekyll．‘There　was　no　postmark　on　theenvelope．The　letter　came　by　hand．’

‘Shall　I　keep　the　letter　and　think　about　it？’asked　Mr　Utterson．

‘I　want　you　to　decide　for　me，’answered　his　client．‘I’　mnot　sure　of　anything　any　more．’

‘Very　well，’said　the　lawyer．‘Now　tell　me—the　part　inyour　will　about　disappearing　for　three　months　or　more．　Wasthat　Hyde’s　idea？’

‘It　was，’whispered　Doctor　Jekyll．

‘He　was　planning　to　murder　you，’said　the　lawyer．‘You've　had　a　lucky　escape．’

‘I've　had　a　lesson　too，’said　his　client，　in　pain　and　sadness．‘Oh，　what　a　lesson！’　And　he　covered　his　face　with　his　hands．

On　his　way　ont　of　the　house，　the　lawyer　stopped　and　spoketo　Poole．

‘By　the　way，’he　said，　‘a　letter　was　handed　in　today　foryour　master．　Who　brought　it，　and　what　did　he　look　like？’

‘Nobody　came　except　the　postman，　sir，’said　the　servant　insurprise．

‘That　worries　me，’thought　Mr　Utterson　as　he　walkedhome．‘Clearly　the　letter　arrived　by　the　laboratory　door；　perhaps　it　was　even　written　in　the　study．　I　must　think　about　thiscarefully．’

In　the　street　the　newsboys　were　still　shouting，‘Read　allabout　it！Terrible　murder！’

The　lawyer’s　thoughts　were　sad．　One　of　his　clients　wasdead，and　the　life　and　reputation　of　another　were　in　danger．Mr　Utterson　did　not

usually　ask　anyone　for　advice．　Today，however，was　different．

That　evening　he　sat　by　his　fireside　with　his　chief　clerk，　MrGuest，beside　him．The　lawyer　and　his　clerk　had　worked　together　for　many　years，　and　knew　and　understood　each　other，Also，　Mr　Guest　had　been　involved　in　business　with　DoctorJekyll　and　knew　him　well．

Outside　it　was　foggy　and　dark，but　the　room　was　bright　andwarm　and　there　was　a　bottle　of　good　whisky　on　the　table，

‘This　is　a　sad　business　about　Sir　Danvers　Carew，’said　MrUtterson．

‘Yes　indeed，sir．The　murderer　was　a　madman，of　course．’

‘I　would　like　your　opinion　about　that，’replied　the　lawyer．‘I　have　a　letter　from　the　murderer　here．’

Mr　Guest　was　interested　in　the　study　of　handwriting．　Hiseyes　brightened　at　once．‘A　murderer’s　letter！’　he　said．‘That　will　be　interesting．’He　looked　carefully　at　the　writing．‘Not　a　madman，　I　think，’he　said．‘But　what　unusual　handwriting！’

Just　then　a　servant　entered　with　a　note．

‘Is　that　note　from　Doctor　Jekyll？’　asked　Mr　Guest．‘Ithought　I　recognized　the　handwriting．Is　it　anything　private，Mr　Utterson？’

‘Only　an　invitation　to　dinner．Why？Do　you　want　to　seethe　letter？’

‘Just　for　a　moment，please，sir．’The　clerk　put　the　two　letters　side　by　side　and　studied　them　carefully．‘Thank　you，sir，’he　said．‘Very　interesting．’

For　a　moment　Mr　Utterson　hesitated，wondering　and　worrying．At　last　he　put　his　thoughts　into　words．‘Why　did　youlook　at　the　two　letters　together？’he　asked．

‘Well，sir，in　many　ways　the　two　are　surprisingly　similar．’

‘How　strange！…Mr　Guest，I　must　ask　you　not　to　speakof　this　business　to　anyone．’

‘Of　course　not，sir，’said　the　clerk．‘You　can　depend　onme．’Shortly　afterwards　he　said　good　night　to　his　master　andmade　his　way　home．

When　he　was　alone，Mr　Utterson　locked　the　two　letters　inhis　cupboard．‘Well！’he　thought．‘So　Henry　Jekyll　wrotethat　letter　for　a　murderer！’His　face　was　as　calm　and　expressionless　as　usual，but　his　heart　was　filled　with　fear　for　his　oldfriend．

　　



　



5　　The　death　of　a　friend

　　

Time　passed．The　search　for　Mr　Hyde　continued．SirDanvers　Carew　was　an　important　and　popular　man　andthe　police　tried　desperately　to　arrest　the　murderer　and　bringhim　to　trial．But　there　was　no　sign　of　Mr　Hyde　himself，　although　the　police　and　the　newspapers　discovered　a　lot　about　hispast　life．Nobody，it　seemed，could　say　one　good　word　aboutthe　wanted　man．　He　was　a　cruel，　violent　man，　who　had　livedan　evil　life　full　of　hate　and　jealousy．None　of　this，　however，was　any　help　to　the　police．　Mr　Hyde　had　just　disappeared．

As　time　went　by，　Mr　Utterson　became　calmer　and　more　atpeace　with　himself．　He　was　truly　sorry　that　his　client，　SirDanvers　Carew，　was　dead，　but　he　was　also　very　glad　that　MrHyde　had　disappeared．　As　for　Doctor　Jekyll，　he　too　appearedcalmer　and　happier．He　came　out　into　the　world　again．He　invited　friends　to　his　house　and　accepted　invitations　to　theirs．　Hehad　always　been　a　good　and　generous　man．Now，however，hebecame　a　churchgoer　too．　He　was　busy，　he　spent　a　lot　of　timein　the　fresh　air　and　he　looked　happy　and　carefree．For　morethan　two　months　he　was　at　peace　with　himself　and　the　world．

On　the　8th　of　January　Mr　Utterson　was　invited　to　dinner　atDoctor　Jekyll’s　house．Doctor　Lanyon　was　there　too．‘This　isquite　like　old　times，’thought　the　lawyer　as　he　watched　DoctorJekyll　smiling　at　Doctor　Lanyon．

On　January　12th，however，and　again　on　the　14th，　DoctorJekyll　refused　to　see　visitors．

‘The　doctor　is　not　well，’explained　Poole．‘He　hopes　youwill　forgive　him，but　he　cannot　see　anyone．’

Mr　Utterson　called　again　next　day，　and　again　the　day　afterthat．After　two　months　of　almost　daily　meetings　with　his　oldfriend，the　lawyer　felt　rather　lonely．On　the　sixth　evening　heinvited　his　clerk，Mr　Guest，to　dinner　with　him，　and　on　theseventh　night　he　went　to　visit　Doctor　Lanyon．

Doctor　Lanyon　made　him　welcome，but　Mr　Utterson　wasshocked　by　the　change　in　the　doctor’s　appearance．His　face，which　was　usually　pink　and　healthy，　was　grey　and　thin，　andthere　was　a　frightened　look　in　his　eyes．　He　was　suddenly　anold，sick　man．

‘He　looks，’said　Mr　Utterson　to　himself，‘like　a　man　whoknows　he’s　dying．’

‘How　are　you，Lanyon？’he　said．‘You　don't　look　well．’

‘I've　had　a　shock，Utterson，’replied　Doctor　Lanyon．‘Andit　will　cause　my　death．I　have　only　a　few　weeks　to　live．’Hepaused．‘Well，it　comes　to　us　all　sooner　or　later．　I've　had　agood　life，　on　the　whole．’

‘Jekyll　is　ill　too，’said　the　lawyer．‘Have　you　seen　him？’

At　the　name　of　Jekyll　the　look　on　Doctor　Lanyon’s　face　changed．‘Please，’he　said，　holding　up　a　trembling　hand，‘don't　speak　that　name　in　this　house．’

‘Oh　dear，’said　Mr　Utterson．He　hesitated　for　a　moment．‘The　three　of　us　have　been　friends　all　our　lives，Lanyon．Weare　too　old　now　to　make　new　friends．Can't　you　forgive　andforget？Perhaps　I　can　help？’

‘Nothing　can　be　done，’replied　Doctor　Lanyon．‘Ask　himyourself．’

‘He　won't　let　me　into　the　house．’

‘That　doesn't　surprise　me，　One　day，Utterson，　after　I　amdead，you　will　perhaps　learn　the　full　story．　Meanwhile，　if　youcan　sit　and　talk　to　me　of　other　things，　please　stay．　Just　don't　mention　that　person，　as　it　hurts　me　to　think　about　him．’

As　soon　as　he　got　home，　Mr　Utterson　wrote　to　DoctorJekyll．In　his　letter　he　asked　why　Jekyll　refused　to　let　him　intohis　house，and　why　he　and　Doctor　Lanyon　were　no　longerfriendly．The　reply　was　long　and　not　always　easy　to　understand．

‘I'm　not　angry　with　our　old　friend，’Doctor　Jekyll　wrote，‘but　I　agree　with　him　that　the　two　of　us　must　never　meetagain．Meanwhile，you　must　forgive　me　if　from　now　on　I　livea　very　quiet　life．　If　you　find　my　door　closed　to　you，it's　because　I　must　travel　this　dark，dangerous　road　alone．　I　havedone　wrong　and　I'm　being　punished　for　it，and　nobody　canhelp　me．’

‘What　is　this？’thought　Mr　Utterson．‘Hyde　has　disappeared．Jekyll　is　his　normal　self　again—at　least，he　was　untillast　week．　Has　he　gone　mad？’Then　he　remembered　DoctorLanyon's　word