化身博士-第4节

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emembered　DoctorLanyon's　words．‘There　is　something　more，’he　said　to　himself，‘something　mysterious，　but　I　have　no　idea　what　it　is．’

A　week　later　Doctor　Lanyon　was　too　ill　to　leave　his　bed．Two　weeks　after　that　he　was　dead．　After　his　friend's　burial，Mr　Utterson　went　home　and　into　his　office．From　his　lockedcupboard　he　took　out　an　envelope，　which　he　had　received　soonafter　his　friend’　s　death．

In　Doctor　Lanyon's　handwriting　he　read　‘G．J．Utterson．Private．’The　lawyer　turned　the　envelope　over　and　over　in　hishands　before　he　opened　it．What　terrible　news　could　itcontain？　With　trembling　hands　Mr　Utterson　opened　the　envelope．　Inside　was　another　envelope，　with　the　words‘Not　to　beopened　until　the　death　or　disappearance　of　Doctor　HenryJekyll．’

The　lawyer　could　not　believe　his　eyes．‘Death　or　disappearance’—　the　words　were　the　same　as　in　Doctor　Jekyll's　will．‘Iunderstand　why　Jekyll　wrote　those　words，’said　Mr　Uttersonto　himself．‘But　why　did　Lanyon　write　them　too？’For　a　moment　he　wanted　to　open　the　envelope　and　uncover　the　mysterythere　and　then．　But　Mr　Utterson　was　too　honest　a　man　and　alawyer　to　do　that．　He　knew　he　must　obey　his　friend's　andclient's　last　wish．　He　locked　the　envelope　away　in　his　cupboard　beside　Doctor　Jekyll's　will．

The　lawyer　was　desperately　worried　about　his　friend　DoctorJekyll．　He　was　afraid　for　him　too．　He　called　at　the　house　butthe　doctor　always　refused　to　see　him．

‘How　is　he，Poole？’Mr　Utterson　asked　the　old　servant　oneday．

‘Not　very　well，sir．He　spends　all　his　time　in　the　studyabove　his　laboratory．He　sleeps　there　as　well．　He　seems　verysilent　and　uneasy．　Something　is　worrying　him，　sir，

but　hewon't　tell　anyone．’

For　a　long　time　the　lawyer　called　almost　every　day．　Little　bylittle，however，　he　became　tired　of　his　friend's　refusal　to　seehim，　and　his　visits　became　less　frequent．

　　



　


6　　The　face　at　the　window

　　

One　Sunday　soon　afterwards　Mr　Utterson　was　walkingwith　his　friend　Enfield　when　they　happened　to　passthrough　the　narrow　side…street　again．　Enfleld　pointed　to　themysterious　door．

‘Well，’he　said，‘that　story　is　finished．We　shall　never　seeMr　Hyde　again．’

‘I　hope　you're　right，’said　the　lawyer．‘Did　I　tell　you？　Ionce　saw　Hyde　too　and　had　the　same　strong　feelings　of　dislikefor　him　as　you　did．What　an　evil　man！’

‘I　agree，’said　his　friend．‘By　the　way，　why　didn't　you　tellme　that　our　mysterious　door　led　to　the　laboratory　at　the　back　ofDoctor　Jekyll's　house？I　didn't　know　then，but　I　know　now．’

‘Well，now　that　you　know，let's　go　into　the　courtyard　andlook　up　at　his　window．I　must　tell　you，‘I'm　worried　aboutpoor　Jekyll．Perhaps　the　sight　of　a　friendly　face　will　do　himgood．’

Overhead　the　evening　sky　was　bright，but　the　courtyard　wascool　and　dark．At　an　open　window　of　the　study　above　the　laboratory，　Doctor　Jekyll　sat，　like　a　prisoner　staring　at　the　worldoutside．

‘I　hope　you　are　better，Jekyll，’the　lawyer　called　up　to　him．

The　doctor　shook　his　head　sadly．‘I'm　not　well，Utterson，’he　said．‘I　shall　not　be　here　much　longer－thankGod．’

‘You　spend　too　much　time　indoors！You　ought　to　get　outinto　the　fresh　air　like　Enfield　and　me…　By　the　way，　this　ismy　cousin，　Mr　Enfield…　COme　now…get　your　hat　and　join　usfor　a　quick　walk．’

‘You　're　very　kind，’said　the　doctor．‘But　no，　it's　quiteimpossible．　I　would　like　to　invite　you　and　Mr　Enfield　inside，but　the　place　is　not　very　tidy…’

‘Well　then，’said　the　lawyer　gently，‘we　can　talk　to　youfrom　here．’

‘That's　an　excellent　idea…’began　the　doctor，with　asmile．But　suddenly　the　smile　left　his　face　and　was　replaced　byan　expression　of　hopelessness，　fear　and　horror．　The　two　menbelow　saw　it，but　only　for　a　second，　as　the　window　was　shutwith　a　bang．　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other，　then　turnedand　left　the　courtyard　without　a　word．In　silence　they　crossedthe　narrow　side…street．They　did　not　speak　until　they　came　outinto　a　busy，　noisy　street．　Then　Mr　Utterson　at　last　turned　andlooked　at　his　companion，　whose　face　was　as　pale　as　his　own．The　expression　on　Doctor　Jekyll's　face　had　upset　them　bothdeeply．

‘God　help　him！’whispered　Mr　Utterson．‘God　help　thepoor　man！’

But　Mr　Enfield　only　nodded　his　head　very　seriously　andwalked　on　without　a　word．

　　



　

7　　The　last　night

　　

It　was　now　March，　and　Mr　Utterson　was　sitting　by　thefire　after　dinner，when　he　was　surprised　to　receive　avisitfrom　Doctor　Jekyll's　servant，Poole．The　old　man　looked　paleand　frightened．

‘Mr　Utterson，he　said，‘something　is　wrong．’

‘Sit　down　by　the　fire　and　tell　me　all　abut　it．’

‘The　doctor's　locked　himself　up　in　his　study，　sir．’

‘That's　quite　usual，　surely，’　said　the　lawyer．　‘You　knowyour　master's　habits　as　well　as　I　do．He　often　shuts　himselfaway　from　the　world．’

‘Yes，but　this　time　it's　different．　It　frightens　me，　sirI've　been　frightened　for　more　than　a　week　now，　and　I　justcan't　go　on　any　longer．

He　stopped　and　stared　down　at　the　floor．

‘Try　and　tell　me，　Poole，’said　Mr　Utterson　gently．　‘Something　terrible　is　happening　to　my　master．I　can't　explain．　But…　please，sir，can　you　come　with　me　and　see　foryourself？’

At　once　Mr　Utterson　fetched　his　coat　and　hat．

‘Thank　you，　sir，’whispered　Poole　gratefully．

Together　they　made　their　way　to　Doctor　Jekyll's　house．　Itwas　a　wild，stormy　night．To　Mr　Utterson　the　streets　seemedstrangely　empty　and　lonely．　The　square，　when　they　reachedit，　was　full　of　wind　and　flying　dust．　The　thin　trees　were　blowing　wildly，　and　untidy　grey　clouds　were　sailing　past　a　pale，sickly　moon．

‘Well，sir，’said　Poole，‘　here　we　are，　and　I　hope　that　nothing　is　wrong．’He　knocked　softly　at　the　front　door．　The　doorwas　opened　just　a　little　and　a　voice　from　inside　asked，‘Is　thatyou，Poole？’

‘Yes…open　the　door．’

The　hall，when　they　entered，was　brightly　lit．A　good　firewas　burning．The　room　was　full　of　people…every　servant　inthe　house　was　there．They　looked　like　a　crowd　of　frightenedchildren．

‘What's　all　this？’said　the　lawyer．‘What　are　you　all　doinghere？　Your　master　would　not　be　pleased．’

‘They're　frightened，’said　Poole　simply．No　one　elsespoke．A　little　servant　girl　began　to　cry．

‘Quiet！’said　Poole　sharply，trying　to　control　his　own　fear．‘Now…fetch　me　a　light　and　we'll　finish　this　business　at　once．Mr　Utterson，　sir，　please　follow　me．’He　led　the　way　across　theback　garden　towards　the　laboratory．

‘Come　as　quietly　as　you　can，　sir．I　want　you　to　hear，　but　Idon't　want　him　to　hear　you．And　sin－if　he　asks　you　to　go　inside…don't　go！’

Mr　Utterson's　heart　gave　a　little　jump　of　fear，　but　hebravely　followed　the　servant　into　the　laboratory　to　the　bottomof　the　stairs．

‘Wait　here，　sir…and　listen　carefully，whispered　Poole．　Hehimself，again　controlling　his　fear，　climbed　the　stairs　andknocked　on　the　study　door．

‘Mr　Utterson　would　like　to　see　you，　sir，’he　called．

‘Tell　him　I　cannot　see　anyone，’　said　a　voice　from　inside　theStudy．

‘Thank　you，sir，’said　Poole．He　led　Mr　Utterson　backacross　the　garden　and　into　the　house．　‘Sir，’he　said，　‘was　thatmy　master's　voice？’

The　lawyer's　face　was　pale．　‘It　has　changed，’he　said．

‘Changed？　You're　right，’said　Poole．‘I've　worked　forDoctof　Jekyll　for　twenty　years．That　was　not　my　master's　voice．Someone　has　murdered　my　master．　Eight　days　ago　weheard　his　voice　for　the　last　time．“Dear　God！”he　cried…thenno　more．The　voice　you　heard　just　now　was　the　voice　of　hismuderer！’

‘This　is　an　extraordinary　story，　my　good　man，’said　Mr　Utterson．　He　tried　hard　to　appear　calm．‘If　Dr　Jekyll　has　beenmurdered…why　is　his　murderer　still　there？　What　reason　couldhe　possibly　have　for　staying？’

‘Perhaps　you　don't　believe　me，　sir，　but　I　know　what　Iheard．For　a　week　now　the　person…or　thing…in　that　studyhas　been　crying　night　and　day　for　some　special　chemical　powders．My　master　was　in　the　habit，when　he　was　particularlybusy　with　his　scientific　work，of　writing　orders　on　pieces　ofpaper　and　leaving　them　on　the　stairs．‘We've　had　nothing　elsethis　week，　nothing　except　written　orders　and　a　locked　door．I've　been　to　every　chemist　in　town　in　search　of　these　chemicalsof　his，but　they　were　never　right．They　weren't　pure　enough，he　said．　I　had　to　take　them　back　to　the　shop，and　try　anotherchemist．I　don't　know　what　these　chemicals　are，but　the　person　in　that　study　wants　them　terribly　badly．’

‘Did　you　keep　any　of　these　written　orders？’asked　Mr　Utterson．

Poole　reached　in　his　pocket　and　brought　out　a　note．Thelawyer　read　it　carefully．It　said：‘I　am　returning　your　chemicals，as　they　are　impure　and　therefore　useless．In　the　year18…you　made　up　a　mixture　of　chemical　powders　for　DoctorHenry　Jekyll．　Please　search　your　cupboards　for　some　more　ofthe　same　mixture　and　send　it　to　Doctor　Jekyll　AT　ONCE．Thisis　VERY　IMPORTANT．’

‘This　is　a　strange　note，’said　Mr　Utterson．

‘The　chemist　thought　so　too，’　sir，’said　Poole．‘When　I　tookhim　this　note，he　cried，“All　my　chemicals　are　pure，and　youcan　tell　your　master　so！”and　he　threw　the　note　back　at　me．’

‘Are　you　sure　this　is　your　master's　handwriting？’