化身博士-第6章

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The　short，light　steps　were　indeed　very　different　from　Henry　Jekyll's　long，heavy　ones．

‘Have　you　anything　else　to　tell　me，Poole？’asked　thelawyer　heavily．

‘Once，’said　Poole，‘I　heard　it　weeping．’

‘Weeping？’repeated　Mr　Utterson　in　horror．

‘Weeping　like　a　lost　child，’said　the　old　servant．‘It　tore　myheart．　I　felt　like　weeping　too．’

‘well，’said　the　lawyer，‘we　have　a　job　to　do．’

They　went　into　the　laboratory　and　climbed　the　stairs　to　thestudy．‘Jekyll，’called　the　lawyer　in　a　loud　voice，‘I　must　seeyou．’He　paused　for　a　moment，but　there　was　no　reply．‘Ifyou　refuse　to　let　me　in，　then　I'll　break　dowu　the　door！’

‘Utterson，’said　a　voice　from　inside　the　study，‘I　beg　you　toleave　me　alone！’

‘That's　not　Jekyll's　voice！’　shied　Mr　Utterson．　‘It's　Hyde's！Break　the　door　down，　Poole　！’

The　axe　rose　and　fell．The　door　shook　and　a　scream　of　purefear，like　a　trapped　animal，rang　from　the　study．　Again　theaxe　crashed　against　the　door．But　the　wood　was　strong　and　thelock　was　well　made．At　last，　however，　the　door　fell　inwardsupon　the　carpet．

The　two　men　stared　into　the　study．They　saw　a　warm，comfortable　room　with　a　good　fire　burning　in　the　fireplace　anda　few　papers　on　the　big　table．　A　friendly，　homely　room．　Butface　down　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　there　lay　the　body　of　aman．The　lawyer　turned　it　over　on　its　back　and　saw　the　face　ofEdward　Hyde．　He　was　dressed　in　clothes　that　were　much　toolarge　for　him，　and　in　his　hand　he　held　a　small　bottle．

The　lawyer　shook　his　head．‘He's　taken　poison，　Poole，　hesaid．‘I　fear　we've　come　too　late　to　save　Doctor　Jekyll，　andtoo　late　to　punish　his　murderer　too．　Now　we　must　find　yourmaster's　body．’

They　searched　everywhere，but　there　was　no　sign　of　HenryJekyll，　dead　or　alive．

‘Perhaps　your　master　has　escaped，’said　Mr　Utterson　hopefully．　He　went　to　check　the　door　from　the　laboratory　into　thenarrow　side－street．It　was　locked，and　covered　with　dust．Onthe　floor　nearby　he　found　a　broken　key．

‘It's　a　long　time　since　anyone　opened　this　door！’　said　MrUtterson．

‘Yes，’said　Poole，picking　up　the　broken　key．‘So　how　didHyde　get　in？’

‘This　is　too　difficult　for　me，Pooh，’said　the　lawyer．‘Let'sgo　back　to　the　study．’

They　searched　the　study　again．‘Look，sir，’said　Poole，Pointing　to　a　small　bable　in　the　corner．There　were　bottles　ofliquid　and　some　white　powders　lying　in　saucers．‘He　was　testing　his　chemicals　here．’

One　of　the　doctor's　books　was　lying　on　the　floor．　Its　coverwas　torn　off．The　lawyer　picked　it　up．Doctor　Jekyll　loved　hisbooks　and　always　took　great　care　of　them．　But　he　had　writtenall　over　this　one…the　handwriting　was　unmistakable…beforetearing　it　and　throwing　it　on　the　floor．

Then　the　lawyer　noticed　the　tall　mirror　on　the　wall　betweenthe　glass…fronted　bookshelves．

‘How　strange，’said　Mr　Utterson．‘Why　did　Jekyll　want　amirror　in　his　study？’

Next　they　turned　to　the　desk　and　found　a　large　packet　addressed　to　Mr　Utterson．　The　handwriting　was　DoctorJekyll's．The　lawyer　opened　the　packet　and　three　envelopesfell　out　on　to　the　floor．The　first　contained　a　will．　It　was　likeDoctor　Jekyll's　first　win　in　every　way…　except　one．The　doctor　had　left　all　his　money，not　to　Edward　Hyde，but　to　GabrielJohn　Utterson．

The　lawyer　looked　at　the　will，then　at　Poole，and　finally　atthe　dead　man　on　the　floor．

‘I　just　don't　understand，’he　whispered．‘Hyde　has　beenhere　all　this　time…why　didn't　he　destroy　this　will？’

He　picked　up　the　next　envelope．It　contained　a　short　note　inthe　doctor's　handwriting．Mr　Utterson　saw　the　date．‘Poole！’he　cried，‘this　is　today's　date　on　the　letter．　Jekyllwas　alive　here　today．　He　can't　be　dead…he　has　run　away　or　ishiding　somewhere．And　if　so，　why？If　he's　alive，can　we　besure　that　Hyde　killed　himself？　We　must　be　careful，　Poole，orwe　may　involve　your　master　in　some　terrible　danger．

‘Why　don't　you　read　the　note，　sir？asked　the　servant．

‘Because　I'm　afraid，said　the　lawyer，in　a　worried　voice．Slowly，he　lifted　the　letter，and　read：

My　dear　Utterson，

If　you　are　reading　this，it　means　that　I　have　disappeared．Please　go　home　and　read　Lanyon's　letter．Afterwards，pleaseread　the　confessicn　of

Your　unfortunate　and　unhappy　friend，

Henry　Jekyll

‘This　must　be　the　confession，　said　Mr　Utterson　to　himself，picking　up　the　third　and　largest　envelope．He　put　it　in　hispocket．‘say　nothing　about　these　papers，　Poole，’he　said．‘　Ifyour　master　has　died　or　disappeared，this　paper　may　save　hisreputation．It's　now　ten　o’clock．I　must　go　home　and　studythese　papers　in　peace　and　quiet　But　I　shall　come　back　here　before　midnight，and　then　we　shall　send　fof　the　police．

They　went　out，locking　the　laboratory　door　behind　them．With　a　heavy　heart　Mr　Utterson　walked　home　to　read　his　letters．

　　



　


8　　Doctor　Lanyon's　letter

　　

Dear　Utterson，

Four　days　ago，on　the　9th　of　January，I　received　a　letterby　the　evening　post　it　was　in　the　handwriting　of　my　oldfriend　Henry　Jekyll．I　was　rather　surprised，as　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，　butt