化身博士-第3章

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‘Ah！’　said　the　servant，looking　unnaturally　pleased　aboutit，‘　Mr　Hyde’s　in　trouble！What’s　he　done？’

Mr　Utterson　and　the　inspector　looked　at　each　other．‘Hedoesn't　seem　a　very　popular　person，’said　the　inspector．Heturned　to　the　servant．‘Now　please　let　us　in　and　we'll　have　alook　around．’

Mr　Hyde　had　only　two　rooms　in　the　house．These　were　extremely　comfortable　and　in　excellent　taste，with　beautiful　pictures　on　the　walls　and　rich　carpets　on　the　floor．Everythingwas　wildly　untidy，however，and　the　fireplace　was　full　of　halfburnt　papers．　Among　these　the　detective　found　part　of　acheque　book．He　also　found　the　other　half　of　the　murderweapon．

‘Excellent！’he　said．‘Now　let’s　visit　the　bank　and　see　ifthey　recognize　this　cheque　book．’

Sure　enough，　the　bank　held　several　thousand　pounds　in　anaccount　in　the　name　of　Edward　Hyde．

‘We've　got　him　now，　sir，’said　the　inspector．‘We've　gotthe　murder　weapon，and　we've　got　his　cheque　book．　Now　weonly　need　his　description　on　the“Wanted”notices．’

This　was　not　so　easy．　There　were　no　photographs　of　thewanted　man　and　no　two　people　could　agree　about　his　appearance．They　all　agreed　on　one　thing，　however．‘An　evil　man，sir，’the　servant　girl　said．‘You　could　see　it　in　his　face．’

　　
4　　Doctor　Jekyll　receives　a　letter

　　

Later　that　same　afternoon　Mr　Utterson　found　his　way　toDoctor　Jekyll’s　house．Jekyll’s　servant，　Poole，　let　himin　at　once　and　took　him　through　the　kitchen　and　across　theback　garden　to　the　laboratory　behind　the　house．It　was　thefirst　time　that　Mr　Utterson　had　seen　his　friend’s　laboratory，and　he　looked　around　curiously．

The　old　servant　led　Mr　Utterson　through　the　laboratory　andup　some　stairs　to　the　doctor’s　private　study　above．This　was　alarge　room　with　tall，　glass－fronted　cupboards，　a　large　mirrorand　a　big，businesslike　table．A　good　fire　burned　in　the　fireplace　and　beside　it　sat　Doctor　Jekyll，　looking　white　and　ill．　Ina　thin，　tired　voice　he　welcomed　his　friend．

‘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