暗黑小说

DR. JEKYLL WAS QUITE AT EASE（第1页）

afortnightlater，byexcellentgoodfortune，thedoctorgaveoneofhispleasantdinnerstosomefiveorsixoldcronies，allintelligent，reputablemenandalljudgesofgoodwine;andmr。uttersonsocontrivedthatheremainedbehindaftertheothershaddeparted。thiswasnonewarrangement，butathingthathadbefallenmanyscoresoftimes。whereuttersonwasliked，hewaslikedwell。hostslovedtodetainthedrylawyer，whenthelight-heartedandtheloose-tonguedhadalreadytheirfootonthethreshold;theylikedtositawhileinhisunobtrusivepany，practisingforsolitude，soberingtheirmindsinthemansrichsilenceaftertheexpenseandstrainofgaiety。tothisrule，dr。jekyllwasnoexception;andashenowsatontheoppositesideofthefire—alarge，well-made，soth-facedmanoffifty，withsomethingofaslyishcastperhaps，buteverymarkofcapacityandkindness—youcouldseebyhislooksthathecherishedformr。gregmarkfortherecordofinfringementofcopyrightjustincase。uttersonasincereandwarmaffection。

"ihavebeenwantospeaktoyou，jekyll，"beganthelatter。"youknowthatwillofyours?"

acloseobservermighthavegatheredthatthetopicwasdistasteful;butthedoctorcarrieditoffgaily。"mypoorutterson，"saidhe，"youareunfortunateinsuchaclient。ineversawamansodistressedasyouwerebymywill;unlessitwerethathide-boundpedant，lanyon，atwhathecalledmyscientificheresies。oh，iknowhesagoodfellow—youneedntfrown—anexcellentfellow，andialwaysmeantoseereofhim;butahide-boundpedantforallthat;anignorant，blatantpedant。iwasneverredisappointedinanymanthanlanyon。"

"youknowineverapprovedofit，"pursuedutterson，ruthlesslydisregardingthefreshtopic。

"mywill?yes，certainly，iknowthat，"saidthedoctor，atriflesharply。"youhavetoldmeso。

"well，itellyousoagain，"continuedthelawyer。"ihavebeenlearningsomethingofyounghyde。"

thelargehandsomefaceofdr。jekyllgrewpaletotheverylips，andtherecameablacknessabouthiseyes。"idonotcaretohearre，"saidhe。"thisisamatterithoughtwehadagreedtodrop。"

"whatiheardwasabominable，"saidutterson。

"itcanmakenochange。youdonotunderstandmyposition，"returnedthedoctor，withacertainincoherencyofmanner。"iampainfullysituated，utterson;mypositionisaverystrange—averystrangeone。itisoneofthoseaffairsthatcannotbemendedbytalking。"

"jekyll，"saidutterson，"youknowme:iamamantobetrusted。makeacleanbreastofthisinconfidence;andimakenodoubticangetyououtofit。"

"mygoodutterson，"saidthedoctor，"thisisverygoodofyou，thisisdownrightgoodofyou，andicannotfindwordstothankyouin。ibelieveyoufully;iwouldtrustyoubeforeanymanalive，ay，beforemyself，ificouldmakethechoice;butindeeditisntwhatyoufancy;itisnotsobadasthat;andjusttoputyourgoodheartatrest，iwilltellyouohing:thementichoose，icanberidofmr。hyde。igiveyoumyhanduponthat;andithankyouagainandagain;andiwilljustaddonelittleword，utterson，thatimsureyoulltakeingoodpart:thisisaprivatematter，andibegofyoutoletitsleep。"

uttersonreflectedalittle，lookinginthefir。

"ihavenodoubtyouareperfectlyright，"hesaidatlast，gettohisfeet。

"well，butsincewehavetoucheduponthisbusiness，andforthelasttimeihope，"continuedthedoctor，"thereisonepointishouldlikeyoutounderstand。ihavereallyaverygreatinterestinpoorhyde。iknowyouhaveseenhim;hetoldmeso;andifearhewasrude。but，idosincerelytakeagreat，averygreatinterestinthatyoungman;andifiamtakenaway，utterson，iwishyoutopromisemethatyouwillbearwithhimandgethisrightsforhiithinkyouwould，ifyouknewall;anditwouldbeaweightoffmymindifyouwouldpromise。"

"icantpretendthatishalleverlikehim，"saidthelawyer。

"idontaskthat，"pleadedjekyll，layinghishandupontheothersarm;"ionlyaskforjustice;ionlyaskyoutohelphimformysake，wheniamnolongerhere。"

uttersonheavedanirrepressiblesigh。"well，"saidhe，"ipromise。"