首页 >出版文学> DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE>第4章
  `Iamnotsurprisedatthat,'wasthereply。`SomedayUtterson,afterIamdead,youmayperhapscometolearntherightandwrongofthis。I
  cannottellyou。Andinthemeantime,ifyoucansitandtalkwithmeofotherthingsforGod'ssake,stayanddoso;butifyoucannotkeepclearofthisaccursedtopic,then,inGod'sname,go,forcannotbearit。'
  Assoonashegothome,UttersonsatdownandwrotetoJekyll,complainingofhisexclusionfromthehouseandaskingthecauseofthisunhappybreakwithLanyonandthenextdaybroughthimalonganswer,oftenyenpatheticallyworded,andsometimesdarklymysterious'indrift。ThequarrelwithLanyonwasincurable。`Idonoblameouroldfriend,'Jekyllwrote,`butIsharehisviewthatwemustnevermeet。Imeanfromhenceforthtoleadalifeofextremeseclusion;youmustnotbesurprised,nomustyoudoubtmyfriendship,ifmydoorisoftenshuteventoyou。YoumustsuffermetogomyowndarkwayIhavebroughtonmyselfapunishmentandadangerthatIcannotname。
  IfIamthechiefofsinners,Iamthechiefofsufferersalso。Icouldnotthinkthatthisearthcontainedaplaceforsufferingsandterrorssounmanningandyoucandobutonething,Utterson,tolightenthisdestiny,andthatistorespectmysilence。'Uttersonwasamazed;thedarkinfluenceofHydehadbeenwithdrawn,thedoctorhadreturnedtohisoldtasksandamities;aweekago,theprospecthadsmiledwitheverypromiseofacheerfulandanhonouredage;andnowinamoment,friendshipandpeaceofmindandthewholetenorofhislifewerewrecked。Sogreatandunpreparedachangepointedtomadness;butinviewofLanyon'smannerandwords,theremustlieforitsomedeeperground。
  AweekafterwardsDrLanyontooktohisbed,andinsomethinglessthanafortnighthewasdead。Thenightafterthefuneral,atwhichhehadbeensadlyaffected,Uttersonlockedthedoorofhisbusinessroom,andsittingtherebythelightofamelancholycandle,drewoutandsetbeforehimanenvelopeaddressedbythehandandsealedwiththesealofhisdeadfriend。`PRIVATE:forthehandsofJ。G。UttersonALONE,andincaseofhispredeceasetobedestroyedunread,'soitwasemphaticallysuperscribed;
  andthelawyerdreadedtobeholdthecontents。`Ihaveburiedonefriendto-day,'hethought:`whatifthisshouldcostmeanother?'Andthenhecondemnedthefearasadisloyalty,andbroketheseal。Withintherewasanotherenclosure,likewisesealed,andmarkeduponthecoveras`nottobeopenedtillthedeathordisappearanceofDrHenryJekyll'。Uttersoncouldnottrusthiseyes。Yes,itwasdisappearance;hereagain,asinthemadwill,whichhehadlongagorestoredtoitsauthor,hereagainweretheideaofadisappearanceandthenameofHenryJekyllbracketed。
  Butinthewill,thatideahadsprungfromthesinistersuggestionofthemanHyde;itwassettherewithapurposealltooplainandhorrible。WrittenbythehandofLanyon,whatshoulditmean?Agreatcuriositycametothetrustee,todisregardtheprohibitionanddiveatoncetothebottomofthesemysteries;butprofessionalhonourandfaithtohisdeadfriendwerestringentobligations;andthepacketsleptintheinmostcornerofhisprivatesafe。
  Itisonethingtomortifycuriosity,anothertoconquerit;anditmaybedoubtedif,fromthatdayforth,Uttersondesiredthesocietyofhissurvivingfriendwiththesameeagerness。Hethoughtofhimkindly;
  buthisthoughtsweredisquietedandfearful。Hewenttocallindeed;buthewasperhapsrelievedtobedeniedadmittance;perhaps,inhisheart,hepreferredtospeakwithPooleuponthedoorstep,andsurroundedbytheairandsoundsoftheopencity,ratherthantobeadmittedintothathouseofvoluntarybondage,andtositandspeakwithitsinscrutablerecluse。
  Poolehad,indeed,noverypleasantnewstocommunicate。Thedoctor,itappeared,nowmorethaneverconfinedhimselftothecabinetoverthelaboratory,wherehewouldsometimesevensleep;hewasoutofspirits,hehadgrownverysilent,hedidnotread;itseemedasifhehadsomethingonhismind。
  Uttersonbecamesousedtotheunvaryingcharacterofthesereports,thathefellofflittlebylittleinthefrequencyofhisvisits。
  INCIDENTATTHEWINDOW
  ItchancedonSunday,whenMrUttersonwasonhisusualwalkwithMrEnfield,thattheirwaylayonceagainthroughthebystreet;andthatwhentheycameinfrontofthedoor,bothstoppedtogazeonit。
  `Well,'saidEnfield,`thatstory'satanend,atleast。WeshallneverseemoreofMrHyde。'
  `Ihopenot,'saidUtterson。`DidIevertellyouthatIoncesawhim,andsharedyourfeelingofrepulsion?'
  `Itwasimpossibletodotheonewithouttheother,'returnedEnfield。
  `And,bytheway,whatanassyoumusthavethoughtme,nottoknowthatthiswasabackwaytoDrJekyll's!ItwaspartlyyourownfaultthatI
  founditout,evenwhenIdid。'
  `Soyoufounditout,didyou?'saidUtterson。`Butifthatbeso,wemaystepintothecourtandtakealookatthewindows。Totellyouthetruth,IamuneasyaboutpoorJekyll;andevenoutside,Ifeelasifthepresenceofafriendmightdohimgood。'
  Thecourtwasverycoolandalittledamp,andfullofprematuretwilight,althoughthesky,highupoverhead,wasstillbrightwithsunset。Themiddleoneofthethreewindowswashalfwayopen;andsittingclosebesideit,takingtheairwithaninfinitesadnessofmien,likesomedisconsolateprisoner,UttersonsawDrJekyll。
  `What!Jekyll!'hecried。`Itrustyouarebetter。'
  `Iamverylow,Utterson,'repliedthedoctordrearily;`verylow。Itwillnotlastlong,thankGod。'
  `Youstaytoomuchindoors,'saidthelawyer。`Youshouldbeout,whippingupthecirculationlikeMrEnfieldandme。(Thisismycousin-MrEnfield-DrJekyll。)Come,now;getyourhatandtakeaquickturnwithus。'
  `Youareverygood,'sighedtheother。`Ishouldliketoverymuch;
  butno,no,no,itisquiteimpossible;Idarenot。Butindeed,Utterson,Iamverygladtoseeyou;thisisreallyagreatpleasure。IwouldaskyouandMrEnfieldup,buttheplaceisreallynotfit。'
  `Whythen,'saidthelawyer,good-naturedly,`thebestthingwecandoistostaydownhere,andspeakwithyoufromwhereweare。'
  `ThatisjustwhatIwasabouttoventuretopropose,'returnedthedoctor,withasmile。Butthewordswerehardlyuttered,beforethesmilewasstruckoutofhisfaceandsucceededbyanexpressionofsuchabjecttenoranddespair,asfrozetheverybloodofthetwogentlemenbelow。
  Theysawitbutforaglimpse,forthewindowwasinstantlythrustdown;
  butthatglimpsehadbeensufficient,andtheyturnedandleftthecourtwithoutaword。Insilence,too,theytraversedthebystreet;anditwasnotuntiltheyhadcomeintoaneighbouringthoroughfare,whereevenuponaSundaytherewerestillsomestirringsoflife,thatMrUttersonatlastturnedandlookedathiscompanion。Theywerebothpale;andtherewasanansweringhorrorintheireyes。
  `Godforgiveus!Godforgiveus!'saidMrUtterson。
  ButMrEnfieldonlynoddedhisheadveryseriously,andwalkedononcemoreinsilence。
  THELASTNIGHT
  MrUttersonwassittingbyhisfiresideoneeveningafterdinner,whenhewassurprisedtoreceiveavisitfromPoole。
  `Blessme,Poole,whatbringsyouhere?'hecried;andthen,takingasecondlookathim,`Whatailsyou?'headded;`isthedoctorill?'
  `MrUtterson,'saidtheman,`thereissomethingwrong。'
  `Takeaseat,andhereisaglassofwineforyou,'saidthelawyer。
  `Now,takeyourtime,andtellmeplainlywhatyouwant。'
  `Youknowthedoctor'sways,sir,'repliedPoole,`andhowheshutshimselfup。Well,he'sshutupagaininthecabinet;andIdon'tlikeit,sir-IwishImaydieifIlikeit。MrUtterson,sir,I'mafraid。'
  `Now,mygoodman,'saidthelawyer,`beexplicit。Whatareyouafraidof?'
  `I'vebeenafraidforaboutaweek,'returnedPoole,doggedlydisregardingthequestion,`andIcanbearitnomore。'
  Theman'sappearanceamplyboreouthiswords;hismannerwasalteredfortheworse;andexceptforthemomentwhenhehadfirstannouncedhisterror,hehadnotoncelookedthelawyerintheface。Evennow,hesatwiththeglassofwineuntastedonhisknee,andhiseyesdirectedtoacornerofthefloor。`Icanbearitnomore,'herepeated。
  `Come,'saidthelawyer,`Iseeyouhavesomegoodreason,Poole;I
  seethereissomethingseriouslyamiss。Trytotellmewhatitis。'
  `Ithinkthere'sbeenfoulplay,'saidPoole,hoarsely。
  `Foulplay!'criedthelawyer,agooddealfrightened,andratherinclinedtobeirritatedinconsequence。`Whatfoulplay?Whatdoesthemanmean?'
  `Idaren'tsay,sir,'wastheanswer;`butwillyoucomealongwithmeandseeforyourself?'
  MrUtterson'sonlyanswerwastoriseandgethishatandgreatcoat;
  butheobservedwithwonderthegreatnessofthereliefthatappeareduponthebutler'sface,andperhapswithnoless,thatthewinewasstilluntastedwhenhesetitdowntofollow。
  Itwasawild,cold,seasonablenightofMarch,withapalemoon,lyingonherbackasthoughthewindhadtiltedher,andaflyingwrackofthemostdiaphanousandlawnytexture。Thewindmadetalkingdifficult,andfleckedthebloodintotheface。Itseemedtohavesweptthestreetsunusuallybareofpassengers,besides;forMrUttersonthoughthehadneverseenthatpartofLondonsodeserted。Hecouldhavewisheditotherwise;neverinhislifehadhebeenconsciousofsosharpawishtoseeandtouchhisfellow-creatures;for,struggleashemight,therewasborneinuponhismindacrushinganticipationofcalamity。Thesquare,whentheygotthere,wasallfullofwindanddust,andthethintreesinthegardenwerelashingthemselvesalongtherailing。Poole,whohadkeptallthewayapaceortwoahead,nowpulledupinthemiddleofthepavement,andinspiteofthebitingweather,tookoffhishatandmoppedhisbrowwitharedpocket-handkerchief。
  Butforallthehurryofhiscoming,thesewerenotthedewsofexertionthathewipedaway,butthemoistureofsomestranglinganguish;forhisfacewaswhite,andhisvoice,whenhespoke,harshandbroken。
  `Well,sir,'hesaid,`hereweare,andGodgranttherebenothingwrong。'
  `Amen,Poole,'saidthelawyer。
  Thereupontheservantknockedinaveryguardedmanner;thedoorwasopenedonthechain;andavoiceaskedfromwithin,`Isthatyou,Poole?'
  `It'sallright,'saidPoole。`Openthedoor。'
  Thehall,whentheyenteredit,wasbrightlylightedup;thefirewasbuilthigh;andaboutthehearththewholeoftheservants,menandwomen,stoodhuddledtogetherlikeaflockofsheep。AtthesightofMrUtterson,thehousemaidbrokeintohystericalwhimpering;andthecook,cryingout,`BlessGod!it'sMrUtterson,'ranforwardasiftotakehiminherarms。
  `What,what?Areyouallhere?'saidthelawyer,peevishly。`Veryirregular,veryunseemly:yourmasterwouldbefarfrompleased。'
  `They'reallafraid,'saidPoole。
  Blanksilencefollowed,nooneprotesting;onlythemaidlifteduphervoiceandnowweptloudly。
  `Holdyourtongue!'Poolesaidtoher,withaferocityofaccentthattestifiedtohisownjanglednerves;andindeedwhenthegirlhadsosuddenlyraisedthenoteofherlamentation,theyhadallstartedandturnedtowardstheinnerdoorwithfacesofdreadfulexpectation。`Andnow,'continuedthebutler,addressingtheknife-boy,reachmeacandle,andwe'llgetthisthroughhandsatonce。'AndthenhebeggedMrUttersontofollowhim,andledthewaytothebackgarden。
  `Now,sir,'saidhe,`youcomeasgentlyasyoucan。Iwantyoutohear,andIdon'twantyoutobeheard。Andseehere,sir,ifbyanychancehewastoaskyouin,don'tgo。'
  MrUtterson'snerves,atthisunlooked-fortermination,gaveajerkthatnearlythrewhimfromhisbalance;butherecollectedhiscourage,andfollowedthebutlerintothelaboratorybuildingandthroughthesurgicaltheatre,withitslumberofcratesandbottles,tothefootofthestair。
  HerePoolemotionedhimtostandononesideandlisten;whilehehimself,settingdownthecandleandmakingagreatandobviouscallonhisresolution,mountedthesteps,andknockedwithasomewhatuncertainhandontheredbaizeofthecabinetdoor。
  `MrUtterson,sir,askingtoseeyou,'hecalled;andevenashedidso,oncemoreviolentlysignedtothelawyertogiveear。
  Avoiceansweredfromwithin:`TellhimIcannotseeanyone,'itsaid,complainingly。
  `Thankyou,sir,'saidPoole,withanoteofsomethingliketriumphinhisvoice;andtakinguphiscandle,heledMrUttersonbackacrosstheyardandintothegreatkitchen,wherethefirewasoutandthebeetleswereleapingonthefloor。
  `Sir,'hesaid,lookingMrUttersonintheeyes,`wasthatmymaster'svoice?'
  `Itseemsmuchchanged,'repliedthelawyer,verypale,butgivinglookforlook。
  `Changed?Well,yes,Ithinkso,'saidthebutler。`HaveIbeentwentyyearsthisman'shouse,tobedeceivedabouthisvoice?No,sir;master'smadeawaywith;hewasmadeawaywitheightdaysago,whenweheardhimcryoutuponthenameofGod;andwho'sinthereinsteadofhim,andwhyitstaysthere,isathingthatcriestoHeaven,MrUtterson!'
  `Thisisaverystrangetale,Poole;thisisratherawildtale,myman,'saidMrUtterson,bitinghisfinger。`Supposeitwereasyousuppose,supposingDrJekylltohavebeen-well,murdered,whatcouldinducethemurderertostay?Thatwon'tholdwater;itdoesn'tcommenditselftoreason。
  `Well,MrUtterson,youareahardmantosatisfy,butI'lldoityet,'
  saidPoole。`Allthislastweek(youmustknow)him,orit,orwhateveritisthatlivesinthatcabinet,hasbeencryingnightanddayforsomesortofmedicineandcannotgetittohismind。Itwassometimeshisway-themaster's,thatis-towritehisordersonasheetofpaperandthrowitonthestair。We'vehadnothingelsethisweekback;nothingbutpapers,andacloseddoor,andtheverymealslefttheretobesmuggledinwhennobodywaslooking。Well,sir,everyday,ay,andtwiceandthriceinthesameday,therehavebeenordersandcomplaints,andIhavebeensentflyingtoallthewholesalechemistsintown。EverytimeIbroughtthestuffback,therewouldbeanotherpapertellingmetoreturnit,becauseitwasnotpure,andanotherordertoadifferentfirm。Thisdrugiswantedbitterbad,sir,whateverfor。'
  `Haveyouanyofthesepapers?'askedMrUtterson。
  Poolefeltinhispocketandhandedoutacrumplednote,whichthelawyer,bendingnearertothecandle,carefullyexamined。Itscontentsranthus:
  `DrJekyllpresentshiscomplimentstoMessrsMaw。Heassuresthemthattheirlastsampleisimpureandquiteuselessforhispresentpurpose。
  Intheyear18-,DrJ。purchasedasomewhatlargequantityfromMessrsM。Henowbegsthemtosearchwiththemostsedulouscare,andshouldanyofthesamequalitybeleft,toforwardittohimatonce。Expenseisnoconsideration。TheimportanceofthistoDrJ。canhardlybeexaggerated。'
  Sofartheletterhadruncomposedlyenough;buthere,withasuddensplutterofthepen,thewriter'semotionhadbrokenloose。`ForGod'ssake,'hehadadded,`findmesomeoftheold。'
  `Thisisastrangenote,'saidMrUtterson;andthensharply,`Howdoyoucometohaveitopen?'
  `ThemanatMaw'swasmainangry,sir,andhethrewitbacktomelikesomuchdirt,'returnedPoole。
  `Thisisunquestionablythedoctor'shand,doyouknow?'resumedthelawyer。
  `Ithoughtitlookedlikeit,'saidtheservant,rathersulkily;andthen,withanothervoice,`Butwhatmattershandofwrite?'hesaid。`I'veseenhim!'
  `Seenhim?'repeatedMrUtterson。`Well?'
  `That'sit!'saidPoole。`Itwasthisway。Icamesuddenlyintothetheatrefromthegarden。Itseemshehadslippedouttolookforthisdrug,orwhateveritis;forthecabinetdoorwasopen,andtherehewasatthefarendoftheroomdiggingamongthecrates。HelookedupwhenIcamein,gaveakindofcry,andwhippedupstairsintothecabinet。ItwasbutforoneminutethatIsawhim,butthehairstooduponmyheadlikequills。
  Sir,ifthatwasmymaster,whyhadheamaskuponhisface?Ifitwasmymaster,whydidhecryoutlikearatandrunfromme?Ihaveservedhimlongenough。Andthenthemanpausedandpassedhishandoverhisface。
  `Theseareallverystrangecircumstances,'saidMrUtterson,`butI
  thinkIbegintoseedaylight。Yourmaster,Poole,isplainlyseizedwithoneofthosemaladiesthatbothtortureanddeformthesufferer;hence,foraughtIknow,thealterationofhisvoice;hencethemaskandhisavoidanceofhisfriends;hencehiseagernesstofindthisdrug,bymeansofwhichthepoorsoulretainssomehopeofultimaterecovery-Godgrantthathebenotdeceived!Thereismyexplanation;itissadenough,Poole,ay,andappallingtoconsider;butitisplainandnatural,hangswelltogetheranddeliversusfromallexorbitantalarms。'
  `Sir,'saidthebutler,turningtoasortofmottledpallor,`thatthingwasnotmymaster,andthere'sthetruth。Mymaster'-herehelookedroundhim,andbegantowhisper-`isatallfinebuildofaman,andthiswasmoreofadwarf。'Uttersonattemptedtoprotest。`O,sir,'criedPoole,`doyouthinkIdonotknowmymasteraftertwentyyears?doyouthinkIdonotknowwherehisheadcomestointhecabinetdoor,whereIsawhimeverymorningofmylife?No,sir,thatthinginthemaskwasneverDrJekyllGodknowswhatitwas,butitwasneverDrJekyll;anditisthebeliefofmyheartthattherewasmurderdone。'