化身博士-第5章

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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？’　asked　MrUtterson．

‘Of　course，sir，’said　Poole．‘But　what　does　handwritingmatter？　I've　seen　my　master's　murderer！’

‘Seen　him？’repeated　Mr　Utterson．

‘Yes！It　was　like　this．I　came　suddenly　into　the　laboratoryfrom　the　garden．I　think　he　had　left　the　study　to　look　forsomething．The　study　door　was　open　and　there　he　was　at　thefar　end　of　the　laboratory．He　was　searching　among　some　oldboxes．He　looked　up　when　I　came　in，　gave　a　kind　of　cry　andran　upstairs　and　into　the　study．I　only　saw　him　for　a　moment，but　my　blood　seemed　to　freeze．Sir，if　that　was　my　master，why　was　he　wearing　a　mask　over　his　face？　If　it　was　my　master，　why　did　he　cry　out　like　a　trapped　animal　and　run　awayfrom　me？　I've　been　his　servant　for　twenty　years．And　then　…’Poole　paused，and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands，tooupset　to　speak．

‘This　is　all　very　mysterious，’said　Mr　Utterson，‘　but　I　thinkI　begin　to　understand．Your　master，　Poole，is　ill．And　the　illness　has　changed　his　appearance．Perhaps　that　also　explainsthe　change　in　his　voice．It　certainly　explains　the　mask　and　theway　he　has　been　avoiding　his　friends．And　of　course，he's　searching　for　these　chemicals　he　cause　he　believes　they　willmake　him　well　again．Dear　God，I　hope　he's　right！PoorJekyll…thst　is　my　explanation．It's　sad　enough，Poole，butit's　normal　and　natural，and　there's　nothing　to　be　alarmedabout．’

‘Sir，’said　the　servant，‘that…thing　was　not　my　master．My　master　is　a　tall，fine，well－built　man．The　stranger　wasmuch　shorter…　Sir，I　have　been　with　my　master　for　twentyyears　and　I　know　his　appearance　as　well　as　I　know　my　own．No，sir，that　thing　in　the　mask　was　never　Doctor　Jekyll，　and　Ibelieve　that　he…it…murdered　my　master！’

‘Poole，’said　the　lawyer，if　you　say　that，　I　must　makesure．　We　must　break　down　the　study　door．’

‘You're　right，　Mr　Utterson！’cried　the　old　servant．

‘Very　well．　Will　you　help　me？　If　we　are　wrong，　I'll　makesure　that　you're　not　blamed　for　it．’

‘There's　an　axe　in　the　laboratory，　suggested　Poole．

‘You　realize，　Poole，’said　Mr　Utterson，‘that　this　may　bedangerous　for　us　both？　Let　us　now　be　honest　with　each　other．This　masked　figure　that　you　saw…you're　certain　that　it　wasnot　your　master·’

‘That's　right，　sir．’

‘Did　you　in　fact　recognize　it？’

‘Well，sir，it　was　all　so　quick　that　I'm　not　really　sure．But－well，I　think　it　was　Mr　Hyde．It　was　short，like　MrHyde，　and　it　moved　in　the　same　light，　quick，　active　way．　Andwho　else　could　come　in　by　the　laboratory　door　from　the　street？You　must　remember，sir，that　at　the　time　of　the　Carew　murder　Mr　Hyde　still　had　the　laboratory　key　with　him．　But　that's　not　all．Mr　Utterson，　did　you　ever　meet　Mr　Hyde？’

‘Yes，’replied　the　lawyer．‘I　once　spoke　with　him．’

‘Then　you　will　know，　sir，that　there　is　something　strangeabout　Mr　Hyde，something　evil．’

‘I　agree　with　you，’said　Mr　Utterson．‘I　felt　something　likethst，　too．’

‘Yes，sir．Well，when　that　thing　in　the　mask　jumped　outfrom　behind　the　boxes　and　ran　up　the　stairs，I　had　exactly　thesame　feeling．That　thing　behind　the　mask　was　Mr　Hydee！’

‘I　understand，Poole，and　I　believe　you，’said　the　lawyerslowly．‘And　I　believe　poor　Henry　Jekyll　has　been　murdered．I　believe　too　that　his　murderer　is　still　hiding　in　the　study．Now，　Poole，　let's　go　and　make　an　end　of　it．’

Together　they　went　out　into　the　back　garden．The　cloudshad　covered　the　moon　and　it　was　now　quite　dark．　As　theypassed　silently　by　the　wall　of　the　laboratory，　they　stopped　andlistened．Further　away　they　could　hear　the　everyday　noises　of　aLondon　evening．　From　the　study　above　them，　however，camethe　sound　of　footsteps　moving　backwards　and　forwards　acrossthe　floor．

‘It　walks　like　that　all　day，sir，’whisperedPoole，‘yes，andmost　of　the　night　too．It　only　stops　when　some　more　chemicalsarrive　from　the　chemist．Ah，　sir，listen　to　that…do　you　thinkthose　are　my　master's　footsteps？’

The　short，light　steps　were　indeed　ve