暗黑小说

INCIDENT OF THE LETTER（第2页）

thisnewssentoffthevisitorwithhisfearsrenewed。plainlytheletterhadebythelaboratorydoor;possibly，indeed，ithadbeenwritteninthecabi;andifthatwereso，itmustbedifferentlyjudged，andhandledwiththerecaution。thenewsboys，ashewent，werecryingthemselveshoarsealongthefootways:"specialedition。shockingmurderofanm。p。"thatwasthefuneralorationofonefriendandclient;andhecouldnothelpacertainapprehensionlestthegoodnameofanothershouldbesuckeddownintheeddyofthescandal。itwas，atleast，aticklishdecisionthathehadtomake;andself-reliantashewasbyhabit，hebegantocherishalongingforadvice。itwasnottobehaddirectly;butperhaps，hethought，itmightbefishedfor。

presentlyafter，hesatononesideofhisownhearth，withmr。guest，hisheadclerk，upontheother，andmidwaybetween，atanicelycalculateddistancefromthefire，abottleofaparticularoldwihathadlongdweltunsunnedinthefoundationsofhishouse。thefogstillsleptonthewingabovethedrownedcity，wherethelampsglimmeredlikecarbuncles;andthroughthemuffleandstherofthesefallenclouds，theprocessionofthetownslifewasstillrollinginthroughthegreatarterieswithasoundasofamightywind。buttheroomwasgaywithfirelight。inthebottletheacidswerelongagoresolved;theimperialdyehadsoftenedwithtime，asthecolourgrowsricherinstainedwindows;andtheglowofhotautumnafternoonsonhillsidevineyardswasreadytobesetfreeandtodispersethefogsoflondon。insensiblythelawyermelted。therewasnomanfromwhomhekeptfewersecretsthanmr。guest;andhewasnotalwayssurethathekeptasmanyashemeant。guesthadoftenbeenonbusinesstothedoctors;heknewpoole;hecouldscarcehavefailedtohearofmr。hydesfamiliarityaboutthehouse;hemightdrawconc露sions:wasitnotaswell，then，thatheshouldseealetterwhichputthatmysterytorights?andaboveallsinceguest，beingagreatstudentandcriticofhandwri，wouldconsiderthestepnaturalandobliging?theclerk，besides，wasamanofcounsel;hewouldscarcereadsostrangeadocumentwithoutdroppingaremark;andbythatremarkmr。uttersonmightshapehisfuturecourse。

"thisisasadbusinessaboutsirdanvers，"hesaid。

"yes，sir，indeed。ithaselicitedagreatdealofpublicfeeling，"returnedguest。"theman，ofcourse，wasmad。"

"ishouldliketohearyourviewsonthat，"repliedutterson。"ihaveadocumenthereinhishandwri;itisbetweenourselves，foriscarceknowwhattodoaboutit;itisanuglybusinessatthebest。butthereitis;quiteinyourwayamurderersautograph。"

guestseyesbrightened，andhesatdownatonceandstudieditwithpassion。"no，sir，"hesaid:"notmad;butitisanoddhand。"

"ountsaveryoddwriter，"addedthelawyer。

justthentheservantenteredwithanote。

"isthatfromdr。jekyll，sir?"inquiredtheclerk。"ithoughtiknewthewri。anythingprivate，mr。

utterson?"

"onlyaninvitationtodinner。why?doyouwanttoseeit?"

"onement。ithankyou，sir";andtheclerklaidthetwosheetsofpaperalongsideandsedulouslyparedtheircontents。"thankyou，sir，"hesaidatlast，returningboth;"itsaveryinteresautograph。"

therewasapause，duringwhichmr。ledwithhimself。"whydidyouparethem，guest?"heinquiredsuddenly。

"well，sir，"returnedtheclerk，"theresarathersingularresemblance;thetwohandsareinmanypointsidentical:onlydifferentlysloped。"

"ratherquaint，"saidutterson。

"itis，asyousay，ratherquaint，"returnedguest。

"iwouldntspeakofthisnote，youknow，"saidthemaster。

"no，sir，"saidtheclerk。"iunderstand。"

butnosoonerwasmr。uttersonalohatnightthanhelockedthenoteintohissafe，whereitreposedfromthattimeforward。"what!"hethought。"henryjekyllforgeforamurderer!"andhisbloodrancoldinhisveins。