第3章
加入书架 A- A+
点击下载App,搜索"DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE",免费读到尾

  `Yes,\'saidhe,`Irecognizehim。IamsorrytosaythatthisisSirDanversCarew。\'

  `GoodGod,sir!\'exclaimedtheofficer,`isitpossible?\'Andthenextmomenthiseyelightedupwithprofessionalambition。`Thiswillmakeadealofnoise,\'hesaid。`Andperhapsyoucanhelpustotheman。\'Andhebrieflynarratedwhatthemaidhadseen,andshowedthebrokenstick。

  MrUttersonhadalreadyquailedatthenameofHyde;butwhenthestickwaslaidbeforehim,hecoulddoubtnolonger:brokenandbatteredasitwas,herecognizeditforonethathehadhimselfpresentedmanyyearsbeforetoHenryJekyll。

  `IsthisMrHydeapersonofsmallstature?\'heinquired。

  `Particularlysmallandparticularlywicked-looking,iswhatthemaidcallshim,\'saidtheother。

  MrUttersonreflected;andthen,raisinghishead,`Ifyouwillcomewithmeinmycab,\'hesaid,`IthinkIcantakeyoutohishouse。

  Itwasbythistimeaboutnineinthemorning,andthefirstfogoftheseason。Agreatchocolate-colouredpallloweredoverheaven,butthewindwascontinuallychargingandroutingtheseembattledvapours;sothatasthecabcrawledfromstreettostreet,MrUttersonbeheldamarvellousnumberofdegreesandhuesoftwilight;forhereitwouldbedarkliketheback-endofevening;andtherewouldbeaglowofarich,luridbrown,likethelightofsomestrangeconflagration;andhere,foramoment,thefogwouldbequitebrokenup,andahaggardshaftofdaylightwouldglanceinbetweentheswirlingwreaths。ThedismalquarterofSohoseenunderthesechangingglimpses,withitsmuddyways,andslatternlypassengers,anditslamps,whichhadneverbeenextinguishedorhadbeenkindledafreshtocombatthismournfulreinvasionofdarkness,seemed,inthelawyer\'seyes,likeadistrictofsomecityinanightmare。Thethoughtsofhismind,besides,wereofthegloomiestdye;andwhenheglancedatthecompanionofhisdrive,hewasconsciousofsometouchofthatterrorofthelawandthelaw\'sofficerswhichmayattimesassailthemosthonest。

  Asthecabdrewupbeforetheaddressindicated,thefogliftedalittleandshowedhimadingystreet,aginpalace,alowFrencheating-house,ashopfortheretailofpennynumbersandtwo-pennysalads,manyraggedchildrenhuddledinthedoorways,andmanywomenofmanydifferentnationalitiespassingout,keyinhand,tohaveamorningglass;andthenextmomentthefogsettleddownagainuponthatpart,asbrownasumber,andcuthimofffromhisblackguardlysurroundings。ThiswasthehomeofHenryJekyll\'sfavourite;ofamanwhowasheirtoaquarterofamillionsterling。

  Anivory-facedandsilvery-hairedoldwomanopenedthedoor。Shehadanevilface,smoothedbyhypocrisy;buthermannerswereexcellent。Yes,shesaid,thiswasMrHyde\'s,buthewasnotathome;hehadbeeninthatnightverylate,buthadgoneawayagaininlessthananhour:therewasnothingstrangeinthat;hishabitswereveryirregular,andhewasoftenabsent;forinstance,itwasnearlytwomonthssinceshehadseenhimtillyesterday。

  `Verywellthen,wewishtoseehisrooms,\'saidthelawyer;andwhenthewomanbegantodeclareitwasimpossible,`Ihadbettertellyouwhothispersonis,\'headded。`ThisisInspectorNewcomenofScotlandYard。\'

  Aflashofodiousjoyappeareduponthewoman\'sface。`Ah!\'saidshe,`heisintrouble!Whathashedone?\'

  MrUttersonandtheinspectorexchangedglances。`Hedon\'tseemaverypopularcharacter,\'observedthelatter。`Andnow,mygoodwoman,justletmeandthisgentlemanhavealookaboutus。\'

  Inthewholeextentofthehouse,whichbutfortheoldwomanremainedotherwiseempty,MrHydehadonlyusedacoupleofrooms;butthesewerefurnishedwithluxuryandgoodtaste。Aclosetwasfilledwithwine;theplatewasofsilver,thenaperyelegant;agoodpicturehunguponthewalls,agift(asUttersonsupposed)fromHenryJekyll,whowasmuchofaconnoisseur;

  andthecarpetswereofmanypliesandagreeableincolour。Atthismoment,however,theroomsboreeverymarkofhavingbeenrecentlyandhurriedlyransacked;clotheslayaboutthefloor,withtheirpocketsinsideout;

  lock-fastdrawersstoodopen;andonthehearththerelayapileofgreyashes,asthoughmanypapershadbeenburned。Fromtheseemberstheinspectordisinterredthebuttendofagreenchequebook,whichhadresistedtheactionofthefire;theotherhalfofthestickwasfoundbehindthedoor;

  andasthisclinchedhissuspicions,theofficerdeclaredhimselfdelighted。

  Avisittothebank,whereseveralthousandpoundswerefoundtobelyingtothemurderer\'scredit,completedhisgratification。

  `Youmaydependuponit,sir,\'hetoldMrUtterson。`Ihavehiminmyhand。Hemusthavelosthishead,orheneverwouldhaveleftthestickor,aboveall,burnedthe。Chequebook。Why,moneyslifetotheman。Wehavenothingtodobutwaitforhimatthebank,andgetoutthehandbills。\'

  Thislast,however,wasnotsoeasyofaccomplishment;forMrHydehadnumberedfewfamiliars-eventhemasteroftheservant-maidhadonlyseenhimtwice;hisfamilycouldnowherebetraced;hehadneverbeenphotographed;

  andthefewwhocoulddescribehimdifferedwidely,asCommonobserverswill。Onlyononepointweretheyagreed;andthatwasthehauntingsenseofunexpresseddeformitywithwhichthefugitiveimpressedhisbeholders。

  INCIDENTOFTHELETTER

  ItwaslateintheafternoonwhenMrUttersonfoundhiswaytoDrJekyll\'sdoor,wherehewasatonceadmittedbyPoole,andcarrieddownbythekitchenofficesandacrossayardwhichhadoncebeenagarden,tothebuildingwhichwasindifferentlyknownasthelaboratoryorthedissecting-rooms。

  Thedoctorhadboughtthehousefromtheheirsofacelebratedsurgeon;

  andhisowntastesbeingratherchemicalthananatomical,hadchangedthedestinationoftheblockatthebottomofthegarden。Itwasthefirsttimethatthelawyerhadbeenreceivedinthatpartofhisfriend\'squarters;

  andheeyedthedingywindowlessstructurewithcuriosity,andgazedroundwithadistastefulsenseofstrangenessashecrossedthetheatre,oncecrowdedwitheagerstudentsandnowlyinggauntandsilent,thetablesladenwithchemicalapparatus,thefloorstrewnwithcratesandlitteredwithpackingstraw,andthelightfallingdimlythroughthefoggycupola。

  Atthefurtherend,aflightofstairsmountedtoadoorcoveredwithredbaize;andthroughthisMrUttersonwasatlastreceivedintothedoctor\'scabinet。Itwasalargeroom,fittedroundwithglasspresses,furnished,amongotherthings,withacheval-glassandabusinesstable,andlookingoutuponthecourtbythreedustywindowsbarredwithiron。Thefireburnedinthegrate;alampwassetlightedonthechimney-shelf,foreveninthehousesthefogbegantoliethickly;andthere,closeuptothewarmth,satDrJekyll,lookingdeadlysick。Hedidnotrisetomeethisvisitor,butheldoutacoldhandandbadehimwelcomeinachangedvoice。

  `Andnow,\'saidMrUtterson,assoonasPoolehadleftthem,`youhaveheardthenews?\'

  Thedoctorshuddered。`Theywerecryingitinthesquare,\'hesaid。

  `Iheardtheminmydining-room。\'

  `Oneword,\'saidthelawyer。`Carewwasmyclient,butsoareyou;andIwanttoknowwhatIamdoing。Youhavenotbeenmadenoughtohidethisfellow?\'

  `Utterson,IsweartoGod,\'criedthedoctor,`IsweartoGodIwillneverseteyesonhimagain。IbindmyhonourtoyouthatIamdonewithhiminthisworld。Itisallatanend。Andindeedhedoesnotwantmyhelp;youdonotknowhimasIdo;heissafe,heisquitesafe;markmywords,hewillnevermorebeheardof。\'

  Thelawyerlistenedgloomily;hedidnotlikehisfriend\'sfeverishmanner。`Youseemprettysureofhim,\'saidhe;`andforyoursake,Ihopeyoumayberight。Ifitcametoatrial,yournamemightappear。

  `Iamquitesureofhim,\'repliedJekyll;`IhavegroundsforcertaintythatIcannotsharewithanyone。Butthereisonethingonwhichyoumayadviseme。IhaveIhavereceivedaletter;andIamatalosswhetherIshouldshowittothepolice。Ishouldliketoleaveitinyourhands,Utterson;youwouldjudgewisely,Iamsure;Ihavesogreatatrustinyou。

  `Youfear,Isuppose,thatitmightleadtohisdetection?\'askedthelawyer。

  `No,\'saidtheother。`IcannotsaythatIcarewhatbecomesofHyde;

  Iamquitedonewithhim。Iwasthinkingofmyowncharacter,whichthishatefulbusinesshadratherexposed。\'

  Uttersonruminatedawhile;hewassurprisedathisfriend\'sselfishness,andyetrelievedbyit。`Well,\'saidhe,atlast,`letmeseetheletter。\'

  Theletterwaswritteninanodd,uprighthand,andsigned`EdwardHyde\':

  anditsignified,brieflyenough,thatthewriter\'sbenefactor,DrJekyll,whomhehadlongsounworthilyrepaidforathousandgenerosities,needlabourundernoalarmforhissafetyashehadmeansofescapeonwhichheplacedasuredependence。Thelawyerlikedthisletterwellenough;

  itputabettercolourontheintimacythanhehadlookedfor,andheblamedhimselfforsomeofhispastsuspicions。

  `Haveyoutheenvelope?\'heasked。

  `Iburnedit,\'repliedJekyll,`beforeIthoughtwhatIwasabout。Butitborenopostmark。Thenotewashandedin。

  `ShallIkeepthisandsleepuponit?\'askedUtterson。

  `Iwishyoutojudgeformeentirely,\'wasthereply。`Ihavelostconfidenceinmyself。\'

  `Well,Ishallconsider,\'returnedthelawyer。`Andnowonewordmore:

  itwasHydewhodictatedthetermsinyourwillaboutthatdisappearance?\'

  Thedoctorseemedseizedwithaqualmoffaintness;heshuthismouthtightandnodded。

  `Iknewit,\'saidUtterson。`Hemeanttomurderyou。Youhavehadafineescape。

  `Ihavehadwhatisfarmoretothepurpose,\'returnedthedoctorsolemnly:

  `Ihavehadalesson-OGod,Utterson,whatalessonIhavehad!\'Andhecoveredhisfaceforamomentwithhishands。

  Onhiswayout,thelawyerstoppedandhadawordortwowithPoole。

  `Bytheby,\'saidhe,`therewasaletterhandedintoday:whatwasthemessengerlike?\'ButPoolewaspositivenothinghadcomeexceptbypost;

  `andonlycircularsbythat,\'headded。

  Thisnewssentoffthevisitorwithhisfearsrenewed。Plainlytheletterhadcomebythelaboratorydoor;possibly,indeed,ithadbeenwritteninthecabinet;and,ifthatwereso,itmustbedifferentlyjudged,andhandledwiththemorecaution。Thenewsboys,ashewent,werecryingthemselveshoarsealongthefootways:`Specialedition。ShockingmurderofanMP。\'

  Thatwasthefuneralorationofonefriendandclient;andhecouldnothelpacertainapprehensionlestthegoodnameofanothershouldbesuckeddownintheeddyofthescandal。Itwas,atleast,aticklishdecisionthathehadtomake;and,self-reliantashewasbyhabit,hebegantocherishalongingforadvice。Itwasnottobehaddirectly;butperhaps,hethought,itmightbefishedfor。

  Presentlyafter,hesatononesideofhisownhearth,withMrGuest,hisheadclerk,upontheother,andmidwaybetween,atanicelycalculateddistancefromthefire,abottleofaparticularoldwinethathadlongdweltunsunnedinthefoundationsofhishouse。Thefogstillsleptonthewingabovethedrownedcity,wherethelampsglimmeredlikecarbuncles;

  andthroughthemuffleandsmotherofthesefallenclouds,theprocessionofthetown\'slifewasstillrollinginthroughthegreatarterieswithasoundasofamightywind。Buttheroomwasgaywithfirelight。Inthebottletheacidswerelongagoresolved;theimperialdyehadsoftenedwithtime,asthecolourgrowsricherinstainedwindows;andtheglowofhotautumnafternoonsonhillsidevineyardswasreadytobesetfreeandtodispersethefogsofLondon。Insensiblythelawyermelted。TherewasnomanfromwhomhekeptfewersecretsthanMrGuest;andhewasnotalwayssurethathekeptasmanyashemeant。Guesthadoftenbeenonbusinesstothedoctor\'s;heknewPoole;hecouldscarcehavefailedtohearofMrHyde\'sfamiliarityaboutthehouse;hemightdrawconclusions:wasitnotaswell,then,thatheshouldseealetterwhichputthatmysterytorights?andaboveall,sinceGuest,beingagreatstudentandcriticofhandwriting,wouldconsiderthestepnaturalandobliging?Theclerk,besides,wasamanofcounsel;hewouldscarcereadsostrangeadocumentwithoutdroppingaremark;andbythatremarkMrUttersonmightshapehisfuturecourse。

  `ThisisasadbusinessaboutSirDanvers,\'hesaid。

  `Yes,sir,indeed。Ithaselicitedagreatdealofpublicfeeling,\'

  returnedGuest。`Theman,ofcourse,wasmad。\'

  `Ishouldliketohearyourviewsonthat,\'repliedUtterson。`Ihaveadocumenthereinhishandwriting;itisbetweenourselves,forIscarceknowwhattodoaboutit;itisanuglybusinessatthebest。Butthereitis;quiteinyourway:amurderer\'sautograph。\'

  Guest\'seyesbrightened,andhesatdownatonceandstudieditwithpassion。`No,sir,\'hesaid;`notmad;butitisanoddhand。\'

  `Andbyallaccountsaveryoddwriter,\'addedthelawyer。

  Justthentheservantenteredwithanote。

  `IsthatfromDrJekyll,sir?\'inquiredtheclerk。`IthoughtIknewthewriting。Anythingprivate,MrUtterson?\'

  `Onlyaninvitationtodinner。Why?Doyouwanttoseeit?\'

  `Onemoment。Ithankyou,sir\',andtheclerklaidthetwosheetsofpaperalongsideandsedulouslycomparedtheircontents。`Thankyou,sir,\'

  hesaidatlast,returningboth;`it\'saveryinterestingautograph。\'

  Therewasapause,duringwhichMrUttersonstruggledwithhimself。

  `Whydidyoucomparethem,Guest?\'heinquiredsuddenly。

  `Well,sir,\'returnedtheclerk,`there\'sarathersingularresemblance;

  thetwohandsareinmanypointsidentical;onlydifferentlysloped。\'

  `Ratherquaint,\'saidUtterson。

  `Itis,asyousay,ratherquaint,\'returnedGuest。

  `Iwouldn\'tspeakofthisnote,youknow,\'saidthemaster。

  `No,sir,\'saidtheclerk。`Iunderstand。\'

  ButnosoonerwasMrUttersonalonethatnightthanhelockedthenoteintohissafe,whereitreposedfromthattimeforward。`What!\'hethought。

  `HenryJekyllforgeforamurderer!\'Andhisbloodrancoldinhisveins。

  REMARKABLEINCIDENTOFDRLANYON

  Timeranon;thousandsofpoundswereofferedinreward,forthedeathofSirDanverswasresentedasapublicinjury;butMrHydehaddisappearedoutofthekenofthepoliceasthoughhehadneverexisted。Muchofhispastwasunearthed,indeed,andalldisreputable:talescameoutoftheman\'scruelty,atoncesocallousandviolent,ofhisvilelife,ofhisstrangeassociates,ofthehatredthatseemedtohavesurroundedhiscareer;

  butofhispresentwhereabouts,notawhisper。FromthetimehehadleftthehouseinSohoonthemorningofthemurder,hewassimplyblottedout;

  andgradually,astimedrewon,MrUttersonbegantorecoverfromthehotnessofhisalarm,andtogrowmoreatquietwithhimself。ThedeathofSirDanverswas,tohiswayofthinking,morethanpaidforbythedisappearanceofMrHyde。Nowthatthatevilinfluencehadbeenwithdrawn,anewlifebeganforDrJekyll。Hecameoutofhisseclusion,renewedrelationswithhisfriends,becameoncemoretheirfamiliarguestandentertainer;andwhilsthehadalwaysbeenknownforcharities,hewasnownolessdistinguishedforreligion。Hewasbusy,hewasmuchintheopenair,hedidgood;hisfaceseemedtoopenandbrighten,asifwithaninwardconsciousnessofservice;andformorethantwomonthsthedoctorwasatpeace。

  Onthe8thofJanuaryUttersonhaddinedatthedoctor\'swithasmallparty;Lanyonhadbeenthere;andthefaceofthehosthadlookedfromonetotheotherasintheolddayswhenthetriowereinseparablefriends。

  Onthe12th,andagainonthe14th,thedoorwasshutagainstthelawyer。

  `Thedoctorwasconfinedtothehouse,\'Poolesaid,`andsawnoone。\'Onthe14thhetriedagain,andwasagainrefused;andhavingnowbeenusedforthelasttwomonthstoseehisfriendalmostdaily,hefoundthisreturnofsolitudetoweighuponhisspirits。ThefifthnighthehadinGuesttodinewithhim;andthesixthhebetookhimselftoDrLanyon\'s。

  Thereatleasthewasnotdeniedadmittance;butwhenhecamein,hewasshockedatthechangewhichhadtakenplaceinthedoctor\'sappearance。

  Hehadhisdeath-warrantwrittenlegiblyuponhisface。Therosymanhadgrownpale;hisfleshhadfallenaway;hewasvisiblybalderandolder;

  andyetitwasnotsomuchthesetokensofaswiftphysicaldecaythatarrestedthelawyer\'snotice,asalookintheeyeandqualityofmannerthatseemedtotestifytosomedeep-seatedterrorofthemind。Itwasunlikelythatthedoctorshouldfeardeath;andyetthatwaswhatUttersonwastemptedtosuspect。`Yes,\'hethought;`heisadoctor,hemustknowhisownstateandthathisdaysarecounted;andtheknowledgeismorethanhecanbear。\'

  AndyetwhenUttersonremarkedonhisilllooks,itwaswithanairofgreatfirmnessthatLanyondeclaredhimselfadoomedman。

  `Ihavehadashock,\'hesaid,`andIshallneverrecover。Itisaquestionofweeks。Well,lifehasbeenpleasant;Ilikedit;yes,sir,Iusedtolikeit。Isometimesthinkifweknewall,weshouldbemoregladtogetaway。

  `Jekyllisill,too,\'observedUtterson。`Haveyouseenhim?\'

  ButLanyon\'sfacechanged,andheheldupatremblinghand。`IwishtoseeorhearnomoreofDrJekyll,\'hesaid,inaloud,unsteadyvoice。

  `Iamquitedonewiththeperson;andIbegthatyouwillsparemeanyallusiontoonewhomIregardasdead。\'

  `Tut,tut,\'saidMrUtterson;andthen,afteraconsiderablepause,`Can\'tIdoanything?\'heinquired。`Wearethreeveryoldfriends,Lanyon;

  weshallnotlivetomakeothers。\'

  `Nothingcanbedone,\'returnedLanyon;`askhimself。`Hewillnotseeme,\'saidthelawyer。

点击下载App,搜索"DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE",免费读到尾