暗黑小说

INCIDENT OF THE LETTER（第1页）

itwaslateintheafternoon，whenmr。uttersonfoundhiswaytodr。jekyllsdoor，wherehewasatonceadmittedbypoole，andcarrieddownbythekitchenofficesandacrossayardwhichhadoncebeenagarden，tothebuildingwhichwasindifferentlyknownasthelaboratoryorthedissec-rooms。thedoctorhadboughtthehousefromtheheirsofacelebratedsurgeon;andhisowntastesbeingratherchemicalthananatomical，hadchangedthedestinationoftheblockatthebottofthegarden。itwasthefirsttimethatthelawyerhadbeenreceivedinthatpartofhisfriendsquarters;andheeyedthedingy，windowlessstructurewithcuriosity，andgazedroundwithadistastefulsenseofstrangenessashecrossedthetheatre，auntandsilent，thetablesladenwithchemicalapparatus，thefloorstrewnwithcratesandlitteredwithpackingstraw，ycupola。atthefurtherend，aflightofstairsuntedtoadoorcoveredwithredbaize;andthroughthis，mr。uttersonwasatlastreceivedintothedoctorscabi。itwasalargeroom，fittedroundwithglasspresses，furnished，angotherthings，withachevalglassandabusinesstable，andlookingoutuponthecourtbythreedustywindowsbarredwithiron。afireburnedinthegrate;alampwassetlightedonthechimneyshelf，foreveninthehousesthefogbegantoliethickly;andthere，closeuptothewarmth，satdr。

jekyll，lookingdeadlysick。hedidnotrisetomeethisvisitor，butheldoutacoldhandandbadehimweleinachangedvoice。

"andnow，"saidmr。utterson，assoonaspoolehadleftthem，"youhaveheardthenews?"

thedoctorshuddered。"theywerecryingitinthesquare，"hesaid。"iheardtheminmydining-roo"

"oneword，"saidthelawyer。"carewwasmyclient，butsoareyou，andiwanttoknowwhatiamdoing。youhavenotbeenmadenoughtohidethisfellow?"

"utterson，isweartogod，"criedthedoctor，"isweartogodiwillneverseteyesonhimagain。ibindmyhonourtoyouthatiamdonewithhiminthisworld。itisallatanend。andindeedhedoesnotwantmyhelp;youdonotknowhimasido;heissafe，heisquitesafe;markmywords，hewillneverrebeheardof。"

thelawyerlistenedgloomily;hedidnotlikehisfriendsfeverishmanner。"youseemprettysureofhim，"saidhe;"andforyoursake，ihopeyoumayberight。ifitcametoatrial，yournamemightappear。"

"iamquitesureofhim，"repliedjekyll;"ihavegroundsforcertaintythaticannotsharewithanyone。butthereisohingonwhichyoumayadviseme。ihave—ihavereceivedaletter;andiamatalosswhetherishouldshowittothepolice。ishouldliketoleaveitinyourhands，utterson;youwouldjudgewisely，iamsure;ihavesogreatatrustinyou。"

"youfear，isuppose，thatitmightleadtohisdetection?"askedthelawyer。

"no，"saidtheother。"icannotsaythaticarewhatbeesofhyde;iamquitedonewithhiiwasthinkingofmyowncharacter，whichthishatefulbusinesshasratherexposed。"

uttersonruminatedawhile;hewassurprisedathisfriendsselfishness，andyetrelievedbyit。"well，"saidhe，atlast，"letmeseetheletter。"

theletterwaswritteninanodd，uprighthandandsigned"edwardhyde":anditsignified，brieflyenough，thatthewritersbenefactor，dr。jekyll，whomhehadlongsounworthilyrepaidforathousandgenerosities，needlabourundernoalarmforhissafety，ashehadmeansofescapeonwhichheplacedasuredependence。thelawyerlikedthisletterwellenough;itputabettercolourontheintimacythanhehadlookedfor;andheblamedhimselfforsomeofhispastsuspicions。

"haveyoutheenvelope?"heasked。

"iburnedit，"repliedjekyll，"beforeithoughtwhatiwasabout。butitborenopostmark。thenotewashandedin。"

"shallikeepthisandsleepuponit?"askedutterson。"iwishyoutojudgeformeentirely，"wasthereply。"ihavelostconfidenceinmyself。

"well，ishallconsider，"returnedthelawyer。"andnowonewordre:itwashydewhodictatedthetermsinyourwillaboutthatdisappearance?"

thedoctorseemedseizedwithaqualffaintness:heshuthisuthtightandnodded。

"iknewit，"saidutterson。"hemeanttomurderyou。youhavehadafineescape。

"ihavehadwhatisfarretothepurpose，"returnedthedoctorsolemnly:"ihavehadalesson—ogod，utterson，whatalessonihavehad!"andhecoveredhisfaceforamentwithhishands。

onhiswayout，thelawyerstoppedandhadawordortwowithpoole。"bytheby，"saidhe，"therewasaletterhandedinto-day:whatwasthemessengerlike?"butpoolewaspositivenothinghadeexceptbypost;"andonlycircularsbythat，"headded。

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。