化身博士-第6节

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we　were　not　inthe　habit　of　writing　to　each　other，　and　I　had　had　dinner　withhim　the　night　before．　When　I　came　to　read　the　letter，　I　waseven　more　surprised．　The　letter　said：

　　

Dear　Lanyon，

You　are　one　of　my　oldest　friends．　Although　we　havesometimes　disagreed　on　scientific　matters，I　have　alwaysremained　your　friend．　I　would　do　anything　for　you，　Lanyon…please　will　you　do　something　for　me　now？

Please，　old　friend，come　to　my　house　at　once　wth　thisletter　in　your　hand　Poole，my　servant，　has　his　orders．　Hewill　be　here　with　a　locksmith．Break　the　lock　of　my　studydoor，　and　then　you　must　go　in　there　alone．Open　the　glassfronted　cupboard　on　the　left－hand　side　and　look　on　the　fourthshelf　from　the　top．On　it　you　will　find　some　pacKets　of　chemical　powders，　a　small　bottle　and　a　book．Please　take　everything　back　to　your　house．

If　you　leave　as　soon　as　you　receve　this　letter，　you　shouldbe　back　home　before　midnight．At　that　time　you　will　recevea　visit　from　a　man．Please　give　him　the　bottle，　the　powdersand　the　book，　and　I　shall　aways　be　grateful　to　you．

Do　not　fail　me，　Lanyon．　Believe　me，　my　life　and　mypeace　of　mind　depend　on　you．I　am　in　fearful　danger　and　only　you　can　save　me．

Your　friend，

Henry　Jekyll

After　reading　this　letter，　I　was　sure　that　Doctor　Jekyll　wasmad．　But　a　friend　is　a　friend，　and　so　I　went　at　once　to　hishouse．Jekyll's　servant　had　received　by　the　same　post　a　letter　similar　to　mine，　and　he　was　waiting　for　me　with　the　locksmith．Together　we　went　through　the　old　laboratory　andclimbed　the　stairs　to　the　doctor's　private　study．The　doorwas　very　strong，　with　an　excellent　lock，　but　the　locksmithknew　his　job．Soon　the　door　stood　open　and　I　entered　thestudy．I　opened　the　cupboard　and　found　the　shelf．Sureenough，the　powders，the　bottle　and　the　book　were　there，and　I　took　them　home　with　me．

At　home　I　lcoked　at　everything　more　carefully．There　wereseveral　packets　of　white　powder　and　a　bottle　of　red，strong－smelling　liquid．The　book　contained　nothing　except　alist　of　dates，　going　back　several　years．The　last　date　wasnearly　a　year　ago．Here　and　there　the　doctor　had　added　afew　words．The　word‘donble’appeared　very　early　in　thelist，　followed　by　the　word‘Failed！！’．‘Double’appeared　inthe　list　several　more　times…What　was　Jekyll　doing？Thebook　looked　like　a　list　of　unsuccessful　experiments．Howcould　I，by　taking　these　things　to　my　house，save　my　friend's　life　and　peace　of　mind？And　what　was　the　reason　for　thismidnight　visitor？　I　put　my　old　gun　in　my　pocket，　then　I　putevery　thing　in　a　box　for　my　midnight　visitor　to　collect．

At　midnight　exactly　there　was　a　knock　on　my　door．　A　shortman　was　standing　in　the　shadows．

‘Are　you　from　Doctor　Jekyll？’I　asked．He　bent　his　head．

Although　I　could　not　see　his　face，there　was　something　unpleasing　about　him　and　I　was　glad　I　had　a　weapon．I　invitedhim　into　the　house　and　there，　in　the　bright　light，　I　took　a　closer　look　at　him．

His　appearance　was　extremely　strange．　His　clothes　werewell　made　and　expensive，　but　they　were　far　too　large　forhim．　He　looked　like　a　child　wearing　his　father's　clothes，　butthere　was　nothing　childlike　about　this　man．　He　was　short，　asI　have　said，　but　very　strong　At　the　same　time　there　was　alook　of　sickness　and　horror　about　him，and　his　face　was　amask　of　pain，　violence　and　hate．As　a　doctor　I　could　pernapsfeel　sorry　for　him；as　a　mau　I　felt　only　fear　and　dislike．

‘you　got　it？’said　the　stranger　impatiently，reachingout　his　hand　and　touching　my　arm．　His　touch　made　my　bloodrun　cold．I　shook　off　his　hand．‘Come，　sir，’　I　said　calmly．‘Sit　down　and　introduce　yourself．’

‘I　apologize，　Doctor　Lanyon，’the　stranger　said　more　politely．‘Doctor　Henry　Jekyll　sent　me　here　on　an　importantmatter．I　have　to　collect　something　from　you．’

I　gave　him　the　box．He　took　it　with　trembling　hands．‘　Atlast！’he　cried．He　turned　to　me．His　face　was　deathly　pale．‘Have　you　a　medicine　glass？’he　asked．

I　gave　it　to　him．He　put　a　little　of　the　red　liquid　in　the　glassand　added　a　packet　of　powder．A　small　cloud　of　smoke　rosefrom　the　glass　and　the　colour　of　the　liquid　changed　from　redto　purple，　and　from　purple　to　a　watery　green．The　strangerput　the　glass　down　on　the　table　and　looked　sharply　at　me．

‘And　now，’he　said，‘choose　carefully．You　can　leave　theroom　now　．Or　you　can　stay　and　experience　something　new，something　unknown　to　science．　You　can　be　rich，famous　andsuccessful，if　only　you　will　believe’

‘Sir，’I　said，trying　to　remain　calm，‘I　don't　understandwhat　you're　trying　to　say，and　I　think　you　are　probably　madBut　I　will　stay．’

‘Very　well，’said　the　stranger．‘Now　remember　yourpromise．　You've　been　an　unbeliever　all　your　life．Youlaughed　at　Doctor　Jekyll's　ideas　and　called　them　unscientificrubbish…now　see　for　yourself！’

He　put　the　glass　to　his　lips　and　drank　the　liquid．His　wholebody　shook　and　jumped　and　he　almost　fell．He　held　onto　theedge　of　the　table，　breathing　fast　through　his　open　mouth．　AsI　watched，his　whole　body　seemed　to　change．He　seemed　tobecome　taller，　fatter…his　face　turned　black　and　its　shapebegan　to　change…The　next　moment　I　jumped　back　againstthe　wall，trembling　with　fear　and　horror．There　before　myeyes，　pale　and　shaken　and　sick，　stood　Henry　Jekyll！

I　cannot　make　myself　write　down　the　things　that　Jekyll，with　tears　in　his　eyes，　confessed　to　me　that　night

Now　fear　and　horror　are　my　only　companions．Sleep　has　left　me　and　I　feel　that　I　have　not　long　to　live．　As　I　write，　Iwonder．　Did　I　imagine　it　all？As　a　scientist　I　cannot　believeit…but　I　saw　it　happen　with　my　own　eyes．

I　will　say　just　one　thing　more，Utterson．The　evil　thing　thatcame　into　my　house　that　night…as　Jekyll　told　me…wasknown　by　the　name　of　Hyde，　and　was　wanted　by　the　policefor　the　murder　of　Sir　Danvers　Carew．

Hastie　Lanyon

With　fear　in　his　heart，Mr　Utterson　put　away　Doctor　Lanyon's　letter，　and　then　opened　the　confession　of　Doctor　Henry　Jekyll．

　　



　
　



9　　Doctor　Jekyll's　confession

　　

I　was　born　in　the　year　18…．　I　inherited　a　large　fortune，a　strong　healthy　body　and　an　excellent　mind．　I　wasnaturally　hard－working　and　soon　I　was　extremely　successful　inmy　chosen　work　as　a　scientist．Although　I　was　still　young，important　people　came　to　me　for　advice．At　an　age　when　mostyoung　men　are　going　out　and　having　fun，　I　was　behaving　like　agrey－haired　old　man．

This　was　not　easy　for　me．The　outside　world　saw　a　serious，hard－working　doctor．　Behind　this　quiet　character，　however，was　an　active，　fun…loving　young　man…about…town．　This，　ofcourse，　was　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of，　but　I　did　not　realizethat　at　the　time．　I　was　ashamed，　and　I　soon　learned　to　keepmy　two　lives　separate．

I　was　not　dishonest　in　any　way．Both　these　people　were　me．The　serious，　successful　young　doctor　was　me，　and　the　wild，fun…loving，irresponsible　young　man　was　me　too．I　thought　about　this　for　a　long　time　and　slowly　I　realized　that　I　was　notextraordinary　in　this．　Every　man　has　two　sides　to　hischaracter．　He　is　two　people．They　live　together…often　uncomfortably　in　the　same　body．

‘How　fantastic，’I　thought，　if　I　could　separate　these　twocharacters　and　give　my　fun－loving　side　his　freedom．　Then　hecould　go　out　and　enjoy　himself　unashamedly　and　leave　serious，studious　Doctor　Jekyll　to　get　on　with　his　important，　life…savingwork．’

‘Was　it　possible，’　I　wondered，‘to　find　a　drug　that　couldgive　each　side　of　my　characier　its　own　separate　face　and　body？’

After　much　thought　and　careful　study　I　believed　I　had　foundthe　answer．I　had　read　many　scientific　books　and　spent　manyhours　in　my　laboratory，searching　for　the　right　mixture　ofchemicals　to　make　my　drug．At　last　I　had　everything　I　neededexcept　a　special　kind　of　salt．　I　bought　some　from　a　chemist，and　then　I　was　ready．

I　hesitated　for　a　long　time　before　I　began　my　experiment．Only　a　small　mistake　in　the　mixture　of　the　drug　could　meanimmediate　death．But　in　the　end，my　wish　to　know　wasstronger　than　my　fear．And　so，　late　one　disastrous　night，　Imixed　everything　together　and　prepared　my　drug．I　watchedthe　smoke　rising　from　the　liquid　as　it　changed　colour　from　redto　purple　and　at　last　to　green．Then，　bravely，I　drank　everybitter　drop．

I　felt　a　violent　sickness　in　my　stomach　and　a　terrible　pain　inall　my　bones．The　room　seemed　to　turn　round　and　round　and　Itrembled　with　fear．Then　the　fear　and　pain　disappeared　and　astrange，　sweet　feeling　took　its　place．　Wild　thoughts　dancedthrough　my　mind．　They　were　not　good，serious　thoughtsThey　were　the　wild　passions　of　an　evil　and　cruel　stranger．　Butinside　myself　I　felt　younger，　lighter，　more　carefree　than　everbefore．‘If　this　is　pure　evil，’I　thought，‘I　like　it．’

I　stood　there．　enjoying　these　strange　new　thoughts　and　passions…and　suddenly　realized　that　I　was　shorter．At　that　timethere　was　no　mirror　in　my　stidy．　Later　I　put　one　on　the　wallof　my　study　so　that　I　could　watch　these　changes　in　my　appearance　Now，however，it　was　three　o’clock　in　the　morning　andall　the　servants　were　asleep．I　decided　it　was　safe　to　go　to　mybedroom　in　my　new　body　and　take　a　look　at　myself　in　the　mirror　there．I　crossed　the　garden　and　entered　my　house　like　astranger．　As　I　came　into