暗黑小说

THE CAREW MURDER CASE（第1页）

nearlyayearlater，inthenthofoctober，18—-，londonwasstartledbyacrimeofsingularferocityandrenderedalltherenotablebythehighpositionofthevictithedetailswerefewandstartling。amaidservantlivingaloneinahousenotfarfromtheriver，hadgoneup-stairstobedabouteleven。althoughafogrolledoverthecityinthesmallhours，theearlypartofthenightwascloudless，andthelane，whichthemaidswindowoverlooked，wasbrilliantlylitbythefullon。itseemsshewasromanticallygiven，forshesatdownuponherbox，whichstoodimmediatel玉nderthewindow，andfellintoadreafmusing。never（sheusedtosay，withstreamingtears，whenshenarratedthatexperience），neverhadshefeltreatpeacewithallmenorthoughtrekindlyoftheworld。andasshesosatshebecameawareofanagedandbeautifulgentlemanwithwhitehair，drawingnearalongthelane;andadvancingtomeethim，anotherandverysmallgentleman，towhomatfirstshepaidlessattention。whentheyhadewithinspeech（whichwasjustunderthemaidseyes）ostedtheotherwithaveryprettymannerofpoliteness。itdidnotseemasifthesubjectofhisaddresswereofgreatimportance;indeed，fromhispoin，itsometimesappearedasifhewereonlyinquiringhisway;buttheonshoneonhisfaceashespoke，andthegirlwaspleasedtowatchit，itseemedtobreathesuchaninnocentandold-worldkindnessofdisposition，yetwithsomethinghightoo，asofawell-foundedself-content。presentlyhereyewanderedtotheother，andshewassurprisedtorecogniseinhimacertainmr。hyde，whohadoncevisitedhermasterandforwhomshehadconceivedadislike。hehadinhishandaheavycane，withwhichhewastrifling;butheansweredneveraword，andseemedtolistenwithanill-containedimpatience。andthenallofasuddenhebrokeoutinagreatflameofanger，stampingwithhisfoot，brandishingthecane，andcarryingon（asthemaiddescribedit）likeamadman。theoldgentlemantookastepback，withtheairofoneverymuchsurprisedandatriflehurt;andatthatmr。hydebrokeoutofallboundsandc露bbedhimtotheearth。andnextment，withape-likefury，hewastramplinghisvictimunderfootandhailingdownastorfblows，underwhichtheboneswereaudiblyshatteredandthebodyjumpedupontheroadway。atthehorrorofthesesightsandsounds，themaidfainted。

itwastwooclockwhenshecametoherselfandcalledforthepolice。themurdererwasgonelongago;buttherelayhisvictiminthemiddleofthelane，incrediblymangled。thestickwithwhichthedeedhadbeendone，althoughitwasofsomerareandverytoughandheavywood，hadbrokeninthemiddleunderthestressofthisinsensatecruelty;utter—theother，withoutdoubt，hadbeencarriedawaybythemurderer。apurseandagoldwatchwerefounduponthevictim:butnocardsorpapers，exceptasealedandstampedenvelope，whichhehadbeenprobablycarryingtothepost，andwhichborethenameandaddressofmr。utterson。

thiswasbroughttothelawyerthenextrning，beforehewasoutofbed;andhehadnosoonerseenit，andbeentoldthecircumstances，thanheshotoutasolemnlip。"ishallsaynothingtillihaveseenthebody，"saidhe;"thismaybeveryserious。havethekindnesstowaitwhileidress。"andwiththesamegravecountenancehehurriedthroughhisbreakfastanddrovetothepolicestation，whitherthebodyhadbeencarried。assoonashecameintothecell，henodded。

"yes，"saidhe，"irecognisehiiamsorrytosaythatthisissirdanverscarew。"

"goodgod，sir，"exclaimedtheofficer，"isitpossible?"andthenextmenthiseyelightedupwithprofessionalambition。"thiswillmakeadealofnoise，"hesaid。"andperhapsyoucanhelpustotheman。"andhebrieflynarratedwhatthemaidhadseen，andshowedthebrokenstick。

mr。uttersonhadalreadyquailedatthenameofhyde;butwhenthestickwaslaidbeforehim，hecoulddoubtnolonger;brokenandbatteredasitwas，herecogniseditforohathehadhimselfpresentedmanyyearsbeforetohenryjekyll。

"isthismr。hydeapersonofsmallstature?"heinquired。

"particularlysmallandparticularlywicked-looking，iswhatthemaidcallshim，"saidtheofficer。

mr。uttersonreflected;andthen，raisinghishead，"ifyouwillewithmeinmycab，"hesaid，"ithinkicantakeyoutohishouse。"

itwasbythistimeaboutnineintherning，andthefirstfogoftheseason。agreatchocolate-colouredpallloweredoverheaven，butthewindwascontinuallychargingandroutheseembattledvapours;sothatasthecabcrawledfromstreettostreet，mr。uttersonbeheldamarvellousnumberofdegreesandhuesoftwilight;forhereitwouldbedarkliketheback-endofevening;andtherewouldbeaglowofarich，露ridbrown，likethelightofsomestrangeconflagration;andhere，forament，thefogwouldbequitebrokenup，ardshaftofdaylightwouldglanceinbetweentheswirlingwreaths。limpses，withitsmuddyways，andslatternlypassengers，anditslamps，whichhadneverbeenexuishedorhadbeenkindledafreshtobatthisurnfulre-invasionofdarkness，seemed，inthelawyerseyes，likeadistrictofsomecityinanightmare。thethoughtsofhismind，besides，wereofthegloomiestdye;andwhenheglancedatthepanionofhisdrive，hewasconsciousofsometouchofthatterrorofthelawandthelawsofficers，whichmayattimesassailthesthonest。

asthecabdrewupbeforetheaddressindicated，thefogliftedalittleandshowedhimadingystreet，aginpalace，alowfrenchea-house，ashopfortheretailofpennynumbersandtwopennysalads，edchildrenhuddledinthedoorways，andmanywomenofdifferentnationalitiespassingout，keyinhand，lass;andthenextmentthefogsettleddownagainuponthatpart，asbrownasumber，andcuthifffromhisblackguardlysurroundings。thiswasthehomeofhenryjekyllsfavourite;ofamanwhowasheirtoaquarterofamillionsterling。

anivory-facedandsilvery-hairedoldwomanopenedthedoor。shehadanevilface，sothedbyhypocrisy;buthermannerswereexcellent。yes，shesaid，thiswasmr。hydes，buthewasnotathome;hehadbeeninthatnightverylate，buthadgoneawayagaininlessthananhour;therewasnothingstrangeinthat;hishabitswereveryirregular，andhewasoftenabsent;forinstance，itwasnearlytwonthssinceshehadseenhimtillyesterday。

"verywell，then，wewishtoseehisrooms，"saidthelawyer;andwhenthewomanbegantodeclareitwasimpossible，"ihadbettertellyouwhothispersonis，"headded。"thisisinspectornewenofscotlandyard。"

aflashofodiousjoyappeareduponthewomansface。"ah!"saidshe，"heisintrouble!whathashedone?"

mr。uttersonandtheinspectorexchangedglances。"hedontseemaverypopularcharacter，"observedthelatter。"andnow，mygoodwoman，justletmeandthisgentlemanhavealookaboutus。"

inthewholeextentofthehouse，whichbutfortheoldwomanremainedotherwiseempty，mr。hydehadonl玉sedacoupleofrooms;butthesewerefurnishedwith露xuryandgoodtaste。aclosetwasfilledwithwine;theplatewasofsilver，thenaperyelegant;agoodpicture混guponthewalls，agift（asuttersonsupposed）fromhenryjekyll，whowasmuchofaconnoisseur;andthecarpetswereofmanypliesandagreeableincolour。atthisment，however，theroomsboreeverymarkofhavingbeenrecentlyandhurriedlyransacked;clotheslayaboutthefloor，withtheirpocketsinsideout;lock-fastdrawersstoodopen;andonthehearththerelayapileofgreyashes，asthoughmanypapershadbeenburned。fromtheseemberstheinspectordisinterredthebutt-endofagreencheque-book，whichhadresistedtheactionofthefire;theotherhalfofthestickwasfoundbehindthedoor;andasthisclinchedhissuspicions，theofficerdeclaredhimselfdelighted。avisittothebank，whereseveralthousandpoundswerefoundtobelyingtothemurdererscredit，pletedhisgratification。

"youmaydependuponit，sir，"hetoldmr。utterson:"ihavehiminmyhand。hemusthavelosthishead，orheneverwouldhaveleftthestickor，aboveall，burnedthecheque-book。why，neyslifetotheman。wehavenothingtodobutwaitforhimatthebank，andgetoutthehandbills。"

thislast，however，omplishment;formr。hydehadnumberedfewfamiliars—eventhemasteroftheservant-maidhadonlyseenhimtwice;hisfamilycouldnowherebetraced;hehadneverbeenphotographed;andthefewwhocoulddescribehimdifferedwidely，asnobserverswill。onlyononepoint，weretheyagreed;andthatwasthehaunsenseofunexpresseddeformitywithwhichthefugitiveimpressedhisbeholders。