化身博士-第4章

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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　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