暗黑小说

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE（第1页）

storyofthedoor

mr。edcountenance，thatwasneverlightedbyasmile;cold，scantyandembarrassedindiscourse;backwardinsentiment;lean，long，dusty，dreary，andyetsomehowlovable。atfriendlymees，andwhenthewinewastohistaste，somethingeminentlyhumanbeaconedfromhiseye;somethingindeedwhichneverfounditswayintohistalk，butwhichspokenotonlyinthesesilentsymbolsoftheafter-dinnerface，butreoftenandloudlyintheactsofhislife。hewasausterewithhimself;drankginwhenhewasalone，tortifyatasteforvintages;andthoughheenjoyedthetheatre，hadnotcrossedthedoorsofonefortwentyyears。buthehadanapprovedtoleranceforothers;sometimeswondering，alstwithenvy，atthehighpressureofspiritsinvolvedintheirmisdeeds;andinanyextremityinclinedtohelpratherthantoreprove。

"iincliocainsheresy，"heusedtosayquaintly:"iletmybrothergotothedevilinhisownway。"inthischaracter，itwasfrequentlyhisfortuobethelastreputableacquaintanceandthelastgoodinf露enceinthelivesofdown-goingmen。andtosuchasthese，solongastheycameabouthischambers，henevermarkedashadeofchangeinhisdemeanour。

nodoubtthefeatwaseasytomr。utterson;forhewasundenstrativeatthebest，andevenhisfriendshipseemedtobefoundedinasimilarcatholicityofgood-nature。epthisfriendlycircleready-madefromthehandsofopportunity;andthatwasthelawyersway。hisfriendswerethoseofhisownbloodorthosewhomhehadknownthelongest;hisaffections，likeivy，werethegrowthoftime，theyimpliednoaptnessintheobject。hence，nodoubt，thebondthatunitedhimtomr。richardenfield，hisdistantkinsman，thewell-knownmanabouttown。itwasanuttocrackformany，whatthesetwocouldseeineachother，orwhatsubjecttheycouldfindinn。itwasreportedbythosewhoencounteredthemintheirsundaywalks，thattheysaidnothing，lookedsingularlydull，andwouldhailwithobviousrelieftheappearanceofafriend。forallthat，thetwomenputthegreateststorebytheseexcursions，countedthemthechiefjewelofeachweek，asionsofpleasure，butevenresistedthecallsofbusiness，thattheymightenjoythemuninterrupted。

itchancedononeoftheseramblesthattheirwayledthemdownaby-streetinabusyquarteroflondon。thestreetwassmallandwhatiscalledquiet，butitdroveathrivingtradeontheweek-days。theinhabitantswerealldoingwell，itseemed，andallemulouslyhopingtodobetterstill，andlayingoutthesurp露softheirgainsincoquetry;sothattheshopfrontsstoodalongthatthoroughfarewithanairofinvitation，likerowsofsmilingsaleswomen。evenonsunday，whenitveileditsrefloridcharmsandlayparativelyemptyofpassage，thestreetshoneoutincontrasttoitsdingyneighbourhood，likeafireinaforest;andwithitsfreshlypaintedshutters，wellpolishedbrasses，andgeneralcleanlinessandgaietyofnote，instantlycaughtandpleasedtheeyeofthepassenger。

twodoorsfronecorner，onthelefthandgoingeast，thelinewasbrokenbytheentryofacourt;andjustatthatpoint，acertainsinisterblockofbuildingthrustforwarditsgableonthestreet。itwastwostorieshigh;showednowindow，nothingbutadooronthelowerstoryandablindforeheadofdiscolouredwallontheupper;andboreineveryfeature，themarksofprolongedandsordidnegligence。thedoor，whichwasequippedwithneitherbellnorknocker，wasblisteredanddistained。trampsslouchedintotherecessandstruckmatchesonthepanels;childrenkeptshopuponthesteps;theschoolboyhadtriedhisknifeontheuldings;andforcloseonageneration，noonehadappearedtodriveawaytheserandomvisitorsortorepairtheirravages。

mr。enfieldandthelawyerwereontheothersideoftheby-street;butwhentheycameabreastoftheentry，theformerlifteduphiscaneandpointed。

"didyoueverremarkthatdoor?"heasked;andwhenhispanionhadrepliedintheaffirmative，"itisconnectedinmymind，"addedhe，"withaveryoddstory。"

"indeed?"saidmr。utterson，withaslightchangeofvoice，"andwhatwasthat?"

"well，itwasthisway，"returnedmr。enfield:"iwasinghomefromsomeplaceattheendoftheworld，aboutthreeoclockofablackwinterrning，andmywaylaythroughapartoftownwheretherewasliterallynothingtobeseenbutlamps。streetafterstreet，andallthefolksasleep—streetafterstreet，alllightedupasifforaprocessionandallasemptyasachurch—tillatlastigotintothatstateofmindwhenamanlistensandlistensandbeginstolongforthesightofapoliceman。allatonce，isawtwofigures:onealittlemanwhowasstumpingalongeastwardatagoodwalk，andtheotheragirlofmaybeeightortenwhowasrunningashardasshewasabledownacrossstreet。well，sir，thetworanintooneanothernaturallyenoughatthecorner;andthencamethehorriblepartofthething;forthemantrampledcalmlyoverthechildsbodyandleftherscreamingontheground。itsoundsnothingtohear，butitwashellishtosee。itwasntlikeaman;ernaut。igaveaview-halloa，tooktomyheels，collaredmygentleman，andbroughthimbacktowheretherewasalreadyquiteagroupaboutthescreamingchild。hewasperfectlycoolandmadenoresistance，butgavemeonelook，souglythatitbroughtoutthesweatonmelikerunning。thepeoplewhohadturnedoutwerethegirlsownfamily;andprettysoon，thedoctor，forwhomshehadbeensent，putinhisappearance。well，thechildwasnotmuchtheworse，refrightened，aordingtothesawbones;andthereyoumighthavesupposedwouldbeanendtoit。buttherewasonecuriouscircumstance。ihadtakenaloathingtomygentlemanatfirstsight。sohadthechildsfamily，whichwasonlynatural。butthedoctorscasewaswhatstruckme。hewastheusualcut-anddryapothecary，ofnoparticularageandcolour，ent，andaboutasetionalasabagpipe。well，sir，hewasliketherestofus;everytimehelookedatmyprisoner，isawthatsawbonesturnsickandwhitewiththedesiretokillhiiknewwhatwasinhismind，justasheknewwhatwasinmine;andkillingbeingoutofthequestion，wedidthenextbest。wetoldthemanwecouldandwouldmakesuchascandaloutofthis，asshouldmakehisnamestinkfroneendoflondontotheother。ifhehadanyfriendsoranycredit，weundertookthatheshouldlosetheandallthetime，aswewerepitchingitinredhot，wewerekeepingthewomenoffhimasbestwecould，fortheywereaswildasharpies。ineversawacircleofsuchhatefulfaces;andtherewasthemaninthemiddle，withakindofblack，sneeringcoolness—frightenedtoo，icouldseethat—butcarryingitoff，sir，reallylikesatan。ident，saidhe，iamnaturallyhelpless。nogentlemanbutwishestoavoidascene，sayshe。nameyourfigure。well，wescrewedhimuptoa混dredpoundsforthechildsfamily;hewouldhaveclearlylikedtostickout;buttherewassomethingaboutthelotofusthatmeantmischief，andatlasthestruck。thenextthingwastogettheney;andwheredoyouthinkhecarriedusbuttothatplacewiththedoor?—whippedoutakey，wentin，andpresentlycamebackwiththematteroftenpoundsingoldandachequeforthebalanceoncouttss，drawnpayabletobearerandsignedwithanamethaticantmention，thoughitsoneofthepointsofmystory，butitwasanameatleastverywellknownandoftenprinted。thefigurewasstiff;butthesignaturewasgoodforrethanthat，ifitwasonlygenuine。itookthelibertyofpoinouttomygentlemanthatthewholebusinesslookedapocryphal，andthatamandoesnot，inreallife，walkintoacellardooratfourintherningandeoutofitwithanothermanschequeforcloseupona混dredpounds。buthewasquiteeasyandsneering。setyourmindatrest，sayshe，iwillstaywithyoutillthebanksopenandcashthechequemyself。soweallsetoff，thedoctor，andthechildsfather，andourfriendandmyself，andpassedtherestofthenightinmychambers;andnextday，whenwehadbreakfasted，wentinabodytothebank。igaveinthecheckmyself，andsaidihadeveryreasontobelieveitwasaforgery。notabitofit。thechequewasgenuine。"

"tut-tut，"saidmr。utterson。

"iseeyoufeelasido，"saidmr。enfield。"yes，itsabadstory。formymanwasafellowthatnobodycouldhavetodowith，areallydamnableman;andthepersonthatdrewthechequeistheverypinkoftheproprieties，celebratedtoo，and（whatmakesitworse）oneofyourfellowswhodowhattheycallgood。black-mail，isuppose;anhonestmanpayingthroughthenoseforsomeofthecapersofhisyouth。blackmailhouseiswhaticallthatplacewiththedoor，inconsequence。thougheventhat，youknow，isfarfromexplainingall，"headded，andwiththewordsfellintoaveinofmusing。

fromthishewasrecalledbymr。uttersonaskingrathersuddenly:"andyoudontknowifthedrawerofthechequelivesthere?""alikelyplace，isntit?"returnedmr。enfield。"butihappentohavenoticedhisaddress;helivesinsomesquareorother。""andyouneveraskedaboutthe—placewiththedoor?"saidmr。utterson。

"no，sir:ihadadelicacy，"wasthereply。"ifeelverystronglyaboutputquestions;itpartakestoomuchofthestyleofthedayofjudgment。youstartaquestion，anditslikestarastone。yousitquietlyonthetopofahill;andawaythestonegoes，starothers;andpresentlysomeblandoldbird（thelastyouwouldhavethoughtof）isknockedontheheadinhisownback-gardenandthefamilyhavetochangetheirname。no，sir，imakeitaruleofmine:thereitlookslikequeerstreet，thelessiask。"

"averygoodrule，too，"saidthelawyer。

"butihavestudiedtheplaceformyself，"continuedmr。enfield。"itseemsscarcelyahouse。thereisnootherdoor，andnobodygoesinoroutofthatonebut，onceinagreatwhile，thegentlemanofmyadventure。therearethreewindowslookingonthecourtonthefirstfloor;nonebelow;thewindowsarealwaysshutbuttheyreclean。andthenthereisachimneywhichisgenerallysking;sosomebodymustlivethere。andyetitsnotsosure;forthebuildingsaresopackedtogetheraboutthatcourt，thatitshardtosaywhereoneendsandanotherbegins。"

thepairwalkedonagainforawhileinsilence;andthen，"enfield，"saidmr。utterson，"thatsagoodruleofyours。"

"yes，ithinkitis，"returnedenfield。

"butforallthat，"continuedthelawyer，"theresonepointiwanttoask:iwanttoaskthenameofthatmanwhowalkedoverthechild。"

"well，"saidmr。enfield，"icantseewhatharmitwoulddo。itwasamanofthenameofhyde。"

"hm，"saidmr。utterson。"whatsortofamanishetosee?"

"heisnoteasytodescribe。thereissomethingwrongwithhisappearance;somethingdispleasing，somethingdownrightdetestable。ineversawamanisodisliked，andyetiscarceknowwhy。hemustbedeformedsomewhere;hegivesastrongfeelingofdeformity，althoughicouldntspecifythepoint。hesanextraordinary-lookingman，andyetireallycannamenothingoutoftheway。no，sir;icanmakenohandofit;icantdescribehianditsnotwantofmery;forideclareicanseehimthisment。"

mr。uttersonagainwalkedsomewayinsilenceandobviousl玉nderaweightofconsideration。

"youaresureheusedakey?"heinquiredatlast。

"mydearsir…"beganenfield，surprisedoutofhimself。

"yes，iknow，"saidutterson;"iknowitmustseemstrange。thefactis，ifidonotaskyouthenameoftheotherparty，itisbecauseiknowitalready。yousee，richard，yourtalehasgonehome。ifyouhavebeeninexactinanypoint，youhadbettercorrectit。"

"ithinkyoumighthavewarnedme，"returnedtheother，withatouchofsullenness。"butihavebeenpedanticallyexact，asyoucallit。thefellowhadakey;andwhatsre，hehasitstill。isawhimuseit，notaweekago。"

mr。uttersonsigheddeeplybutsaidneveraword;andtheyoungmanpresentlyresumed。"hereisanotherlessontosaynothing，"saidhe。"iamashamedofmylongtongue。letusmakeabargainnevertorefertothisagain。"

"withallmyheart，"saidthelawyer。"ishakehandsonthat，richard。"