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  • this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox  recordings are in the public domain  

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  • this recording is by David Barnes The  Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde  

  • by Robert Louis Stevenson  chapter one story of the door

  • Mr utterson the lawyer was a man of rugged  countenance that was never lighted by a smile cold  

  • scanty and embarrassed in discourse backward in  sentiment lean long Dusty dreary and yet somehow  

  • lovable at Friendly meetings and when the wine was  to his taste something eminently human beaconed  

  • from his eye something indeed which never found  its way into his talk but which spoke not only in  

  • the silent symbols of the after dinner face but  more often and loudly in the acts of his life  

  • he was austere with himself drank gin when  he was alone to mortify a taste for vintages  

  • and though he enjoyed the theater had not crossed  the doors of one for 20 years but he had an  

  • approved tolerance for others sometimes wondering  almost With Envy at the high pressure of spirits  

  • involved in their misdeeds and in any extremity  inclined to help rather than to reprove I inclined  

  • to Cain's heresy he used to say quaintlylet my brother go to the devil in his own way  

  • in this character it was frequently his  fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance  

  • and the last good influence in the lives of  downgoing men and to such as these so long  

  • as they came about his Chambers he never  marked a shade of change in his demeanor  

  • no doubt the feat was easy to Mr Otterson  for he was undemonstrative at the best  

  • and even his friendships seem to be founded in  a similar catholicity of good nature it is the  

  • mark of a modest man to accept his friendly Circle  ready made from the hands of opportunity and that  

  • was the lawyer's way his friends were those of his  own blood or Those whom he had known the longest  

  • his affections like Ivy were the growth of  time they implied no aptness in the object  

  • hence no doubt the bond that United him to  Mr Richard Enfield his distant Kinsmen the  

  • well-known man about town it was a not to crack  for many what these two could see in each other  

  • or what subject they could find in common it  was reported by those who encountered them in  

  • their Sunday walks that they said nothing  looked singularly dull and would hail with  

  • obvious relief the appearance of a friend for all  that the two men put the greatest store by these  

  • excursions counted them the chief Jewel of each  week and not only set aside occasions of pleasure  

  • but even resisted the calls of business  that they might enjoy them uninterrupted  

  • it chanced on one of these rambles that their  way LED them down a by Street in a busy quarter  

  • of London the street was small and what is  called quiet but it drove a thriving trade  

  • on the weekdays the inhabitants were all doing  well it seemed and all endlessly hoping to do  

  • better still and laying out the surplus of  their gains in cockatry so that the shop  

  • front stood along that thoroughfare with an air  of invitation like rows of smiling sales women  

  • even on Sunday when it veiled its more florid  charms and lay comparatively empty of Passage  

  • the street Shone out in contrast to its  dingy neighborhood like a fire in a forest  

  • and with its freshly painted shutters  well-polished brasses and general  

  • cleanliness and gaiety of note instantly  caught and pleased the eye of the passenger  

  • two doors from one corner on the left hand going  east the line was broken by the entry of a court  

  • and just at that point a certain Sinister block  of building thrust forward its Gable on the street  

  • it was two stories high showed no window  nothing but a door on the lower story  

  • and a blind forehead of discolored wall on the  upper and bore in every feature the marks have  

  • prolonged and sordid negligence the door which  was equipped with neither Bell nor knocker was  

  • blistered and disdained tramps slouched into  the recess and struck matches on the panels  

  • children kept sharp upon the steps the Schoolboy  had tried his knife on the moldings and for close  

  • on a generation no one had appeared to drive away  these random visitors or to repair their ravages  

  • Mr Enfield and the lawyer were on  the other side of the by Street  

  • but when they came abreast of the entry  the former lifted up his Cane and pointed  

  • did you ever remark that door he asked and when  his companion had replied in the affirmative  

  • it is connected in my mind and did he withvery odd story indeed I said Mr Otterson with  

  • a slight change of voice and what was that well  it was this way returned Mr Enfield I was coming  

  • home from some place at the end of the world  about three o'clock of a black winter morning  

  • and my way lay through a part of town where  there was literally nothing to be seen But lamps  

  • Street after Street and all the folks  asleep Street after Street all lighted  

  • up as if for a procession and all as empty as  a church till At Last I got into that state  

  • of mind when a man listens and listens and  begins to long for the sight of a policeman  

  • all at once I saw two figures one a little man who  was stomping along Eastward at a good walk and the  

  • other a girl of maybe eight or ten who was running  as hard as she was able down a cross street  

  • well sir the two ran into one another  naturally enough at the corner  

  • and then came the horrible part of the thing for  the man trampled calmly over the girl's body and  

  • left her screaming on the ground it sounds nothing  to hear but it was hellish to see it wasn't like  

  • a man it was like some damned juggernautgave a view hello took to my heels colored my  

  • Gentleman and brought him back to where there was  already quite a group about the screaming child  

  • he was perfectly cool and made no  resistance but gave me one look so  

  • ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like  running the people who turned out with a girl's  

  • own family and pretty soon the doctor for  whom she'd been sent put in his appearance  

  • well the child was not much the worst more  frightened according to the sore bones  

  • and there you might have supposed would be an  end to it but there was one curious circumstance  

  • I had taken a loathing to my gentleman at first  sight so had the child's family which was only  

  • natural but the doctor's case was what struck  me he was the usual cotton dry apoca 3 of no  

  • particular age and color with a strong Edinburgh  accent and about as emotional as a bagpipe  

  • well sir he was like the rest of us every time he  looked at my prisoner I saw that sore bones turn  

  • sick and white with the desire to kill him I knew  what was in his mind just as he knew what was in  

  • mine and killing being out of the question we did  the next best we told the man we could and would  

  • make such a scandal out of this I should make his  name stink from one end of London to the other  

  • if he had any friends or any credit  we undertook that he should lose them  

  • and all the time as we were pitching it in red hot  we were keeping the women off him as best we could  

  • for they were as wild as harpiesnever saw a circle of such hateful faces  

  • and there was the man in the Middle  with a kind of black sneering coolness  

  • frightened too I could see that but  carrying it off sir really likes Satan  

  • if you choose to make Capital out of this  accident said he I'm naturally helpless no  

  • gentleman but wishes to avoid a scene says  he name your figure well we screwed him up  

  • to a hundred pounds for the child's family he  would have clearly liked to stick out but there  

  • was something about the lot of us that meant  mischief and at last he struck the next thing  

  • was to get the money and where do you think  he carried us but to that place with the door  

  • whipped out a key went in and presently came back  with the matter of 10 pounds in gold and a check  

  • for the balance at Coots drawn payable to Bearer  and signed with a name that I can't mention though  

  • it's one of the points of my story but it wasname at least very well known and often printed  

  • the figure was stiff but the signature was  good for more than that if it was only genuine  

  • I took the liberty of pointing out to my gentleman  that the whole business looked apocryphal  

  • and that a man does not in real life walk intoCellar Door at four in the morning and come out  

  • of it with another man's check for close uponhundred pounds but he was quite easy and sneering  

  • set your mind at rest says he I will stay with  you till the banks open and cash the check myself  

  • so we all set off the doctor and the child's  father and our friend and myself and passed  

  • the rest of the night in my Chambers the next day  when we had breakfasted went in a body to the bank  

  • I gave him the check myself and said I had  every reason to believe it was a forgery  

  • not a bit of it the check was genuine Tut Tut said  Mr utterson I see you feel as I do said Mr Enfield  

  • yes it's a bad story for my man was a fellow that  nobody could have to do with a really damnable man  

  • and the person that Drew the check  is the very pink of the proprieties  

  • celebrated too and what makes it worse one  of your fellows who do what they call good  

  • blackmail I suppose an honest man paying through  the nose for some of the Capers of his youth  

  • blackmail house is what I call that place with  the door in consequence though even that you  

  • know is far from explaining all he added and  with the words fell into a vein of musing  

  • from this he was recalled by Mr Otterson  asking rather suddenly and you don't know  

  • if the drawer of the check lives there  the likely place isn't it returned Mr  

  • Enfield but I happen to have noticed his  address he lives in some square or other  

  • and you never asked about the place with the  door said Mr Otterson no sir I had a delicacy  

  • was the reply I feel very strongly about putting  questions it partakes too much of the style of the  

  • day of judgment you start a question and it's like  starting a stone you sit quietly on the top of a  

  • hill and Away the stone goes starting others and  presently some bland old bird the last you would  

  • have thought of is knocked on the head in his  own back garden and the family have to change  

  • their name no sir I make it a rule of mine the  more it looks like queer Street the less I ask  

  • a very good rule too said the lawyer but I have  studied the place for myself continued Mr Enfield  

  • it seems scarcely a house there is no other door  and nobody goes in or out of that one but once  

  • in a great while the gentleman of my adventure  there are three Windows looking on the court on  

  • the first floor none below the windows are always  shot but they're clean and then there is a chimney  

  • which is generally smoking so somebody must live  there and yet it's not so sure for the buildings  

  • are so packed together about that court that it's  hard to say where one ends and another begins  

  • the pair walked on again for a while in silence  and then Enfield said Mr Otterson that's a good  

  • rule of yours yes I think it is returned Enfield  and for all of that continued the lawyer there's  

  • one point I want to ask I want to ask the  name of that man who walked over the child  

  • well said Mr Enfield I can't see what harm  it would do it was a man by the name of Hyde  

  • hmm said Mr rotterson what sort of a man is  he to see he's not easy to describe there is  

  • something wrong with his appearance something  displeasing something downright detestable  

  • I never saw a man I so disliked and yet I scarce  know why he must be deformed somewhere he gives  

  • a strong feeling of deformity although I can't  specify the point he's an extraordinary looking  

  • man and yet I really can name nothing out  of the way no sir I can make no hand of it  

  • I can't describe him and it's not for want of  memory for I declare I can see him this moment  

  • Mr Otterson again walked some way in silence  and obviously under a weight of consideration  

  • you are sure he used a key he inquired at last my  dear sir began Enfield surprised out of himself  

  • yes I know said utterson I know it must seem  strange the fact is if I do not ask you the  

  • name of the other party it is because I know it  already you see Richard your tail has gone home  

  • if you have been in exact in any point you had  better corrected I think you might have warned me  

  • returned the other with the touch of sollorness  but I've been pedantically exact as you call it  

  • the fellow had a key and what's more he has  it still I saw him use it not a week ago  

  • Mr Otterson sighed deeply but said never  a word and the young man presently resumed  

  • here is another lesson to say nothing said he I'm  ashamed of my long tongue let us make a bargain  

  • never to refer to this again with all my heart  said the lawyer I shake hands on that Richard

  • chapter 2 search for Mr Hyde

  • that evening Mr Otterson came home to  his Bachelor house in somber spirits  

  • and sat down to dinner without relish it was  his costume of a Sunday when his meal was over  

  • to sit close by the fire a volume of some dry  Divinity on his reading desk until the clock of  

  • the neighboring Church rang out the hour of 12  when he would go soberly and gratefully to bed  

  • on this night however as soon as the cloth was  taken away he took up a candle and went into his  

  • business room there he opened his safe took  from the most private part of it a document  

  • endorsed on the envelope as Dr jekyll's will and  sat down with a clouded brow to study its contents  

  • the will was holograph for Mr Otterson though  he took charge of it now that it was made had  

  • refused to lend the least assistance in the  making of it it provided not only that in the  

  • case of the decease of Henry Jekyll MD DCL lld  FRS Etc all his possessions were to pass into  

  • the hands of his friend and benefactor Edward Hyde  but that in case of Dr jekyll's disappearance or  

  • unexplained absence for any period exceeding  three calendar months the said Edward Hyde  

  • should step into the said Henry jekyll's shoes  without further delay and free from any burden  

  • or obligation beyond the payment of a few small  sums to the members of the doctor's household  

  • this document had long been the lawyer's  eyesore it offended him both as a lawyer  

  • and as a lover of the sane and customary sides  of Life To Whom the fanciful was the immodest  

  • and hitherto it was his ignorance of Mr  Hyde that had swelled his indignation  

  • Now by a sudden turn it was his knowledge it  was already bad enough when the name was but  

  • a name of which he could learn no more it was  worse when it began to be clothed upon with  

  • detestable attributes and out of the shifting  insubstantial Mists that had so baffled his eye  

  • their leaptop the sudden definite presentment  of a fiend I thought it was madness he said  

  • as he replaced the obnoxious paper in the  safe and now I begin to fear it is disgrace  

  • with that he blew out his candle put on a great  coat and set forth in the direction of Cavendish  

  • square that Citadel of medicine where his friend  the great Dr Lanyon had his house and received  

  • his crowding patience if anyone knows it will be  Lanyon he had thought the solemn Butler knew and  

  • welcomed him he was subjected to no stage of  delay but ushered direct from the door to the  

  • dining room where Dr Lanyon sat alone over his  wine he was a hearty healthy Dapper red-faced  

  • gentleman with a shock of hair prematurely white  and a boisterous and decided manner at sight of Mr  

  • Otterson he sprang up from his chair and welcomed  him with both hands the geniality as was the way  

  • of the man was somewhat theatrical to the eye  but it reposed on genuine feeling for these two  

  • were old friends old mates both at school and  college both thorough respecters of themselves  

  • and of each other and what does not always follow  men who thoroughly enjoyed each other's company  

  • after a little rambling talk the lawyer led up  to the subject which so disagreeably preoccupied  

  • his mind I suppose Lanyon he said you and I must  be the two oldest friends that Henry Jekyll has  

  • I wish the friends were younger chuckled Dr  Lanyon but I suppose we are and what of that  

  • I see little of him now indeed said Otterson  I thought you had a bond of common interest  

  • we had was the reply but it is more than 10 years  since Henry Jekyll became too fanciful for me  

  • you began to go wrong wrong in the mind and though  of course I continued to take an interest in him  

  • for old sake's sake as they say I see and have  seen devilish little of the man such unscientific  

  • Balderdash added the doctor flushing suddenly  purple would have estranged Daemon and pythius  

  • this little Spirit of temper was somewhat of  relief to Mr Otterson they have only differed  

  • on some point of science he thought and being  a man of no scientific passions except in the  

  • matter of conveyancing he even added it is  nothing worse than that he gave his friend a  

  • few seconds to recover his composure and then  approached the question he had come to put  

  • did you ever come acrossprotege of his one hide he asked  

  • hide repeated Lanyon no never  heard of him since my time  

  • that was the amount of information that the  lawyer carried back with him to the Great  

  • Dark bed on which he tossed to and fro until the  small hours of the morning began to grow large  

  • it was a night of little ease to his toiling mind  toiling in mere darkness and besieged by questions

  • six o'clock struck on the bells of the church that  was so conveniently near to Mr utterson's dwelling  

  • and still he was digging at the problem hitherto  it had touched him on the intellectual side alone  

  • but now his imagination also was engaged or  rather enslaved and as he lay and tossed in  

  • the gross darkness of the night and the curtained  room Mr enfield's tale went by before his mind in  

  • a scroll of lighted pictures he would be aware  of the great field of lamps of a nocturnal City  

  • then of the figure of a man walking swiftly then  of a child running from the doctors and then these  

  • met and that human Juggernaut trod the child  down and passed on regardless of her screams  

  • or else he would see a room in a rich house  where his friend lay asleep dreaming and  

  • smiling at his dreams and then the door  of that room would be opened the curtains  

  • of the bed plucked apart the sleeper recalled  and lo there would stand by his side a figure  

  • to whom power was given and even at that  dead hour he must rise and do its bidding  

  • the figure in these two phases  haunted the lawyer all night  

  • and if at any time he dozed over it was bought  to see it Glide more stealthily through sleeping  

  • houses or move them more swiftly and still the  more swiftly even to dizziness through wider  

  • labyrinths of lamplighted city and at every street  corner crush a child and leave her screaming  

  • and still the figure had no face by which he might  know it even in his dreams it had no face or one  

  • that baffled him and melted before his eyes and  thus it was that there sprang up and grew a pace  

  • in the lawyer's mind a singularly strong almost  an inordinate curiosity to behold the features  

  • of the real Mr Hyde if he could but one set his  eyes on him he thought the mystery would lighten  

  • and perhaps roll away altogether as well as the  habits of mysterious things when well examined  

  • he might see a reason for his friend's strange  preference or bondage call it which you please  

  • and even for the startling Clauses of the will  and at least it would be a face worth seeing the  

  • face of a man who was without bowels of Mercyface which had bought to show itself to raise up  

  • in the mind of the unimpressionable  Enfield a spirit of enduring hatred

  • from that time forward Mr utterson began  to haunt the door in the by Street of Shops  

  • in the morning before office hours at noon when  business was plenty and times scarce at night  

  • under the face of the fogged City Moon by all  lights and at all hours of solitude or Concourse  

  • the lawyer was to be found on his chosen post if  he be Mr Hyde he had thought I shall be Mr seek  

  • and at last his patience was rewarded it wasfine dry night Frost in the air the streets as  

  • clean as a ballroom floor the lamps unshaken  by any wind drawing a regular pattern of light  

  • and Shadow by 10 o'clock when the shops  were closed Dubai Street was very solitary  

  • and in spite of the low growl of  London from all around very silent  

  • small sounds carried far domestic sounds out of  the houses were clearly audible on either side  

  • of the roadway and the Rumor of the approach  of any passenger preceded him by a long time  

  • Mr Otterson had been some minutes at his post when  he was aware of an odd light footstep Drawing Near  

  • in the course of his nightly patrols  he had long grown accustomed to the  

  • quaint effect with which the footfalls  of a single person while he is still a  

  • great way off suddenly spring out distinct  from the vast hum and clatter of the city  

  • yet his attention had never before been so sharply  and decisively arrested and it was with a strong  

  • superstitious provision of success that he  withdrew into the entry of the Court the steps  

  • Drew swiftly nearer and swelled out suddenly  louder as they turned the End of the Street  

  • the lawyer looking forth from the entry could  soon see what manner of man he had to deal with  

  • he was small and very plainly dressed and the  look of him even at that distance went somehow  

  • strongly against the Watcher's inclination  but he made straight for the door crossing  

  • the roadway to save time and as he came he drew  a key from his pocket like one approaching home  

  • Mr Otterson stepped out and touched him on the  shoulder as he passed Mr Hyde I think Mr Hyde  

  • shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath  but his fear was only momentary and though he  

  • did not look the lawyer in the face he answered  coldly enough that is my name what do you want  

  • I see you are going in return the lawyer I'm an  old friend of Dr jekylls Mr Otterson of gaunt  

  • Street you must have heard my name and meeting  you so conveniently I thought you might admit me  

  • you will not find Dr Jekyll he is from  home replied Mr Hyde blowing in the key  

  • and then suddenly but still without looking up  how do you know me he asked on your side said Mr  

  • Otterson will you do me a favor with  pleasure replied the other what shall it be  

  • will you let me see your face said the lawyer  Mr Hyde appeared to hesitate and then as if  

  • upon some sudden reflection fronted about with  an air of defiance and the pair stared at each  

  • other pretty fixedly for a few seconds now I shall  know you again said Mr Otterson it may be useful  

  • yes returned Mr Hyde it is as well we have met and  I propose you should have my address and he gave  

  • a number of a street in SoHo good God thought Mr  utterson can he too have been thinking of the will  

  • but he kept his feelings to himself and only  granted an acknowledgment of the address  

  • and now said the other how do you know me by  description was the reply whose description  

  • we have common friends said Mr Otterson common  friends uttered Mr Hyde a little Horsley who are  

  • they Jekyll for instance said the lawyer he  never told you cried Mr Hyde with a flush of  

  • anger I did not think he would have lied comes  Mr otters and that is not fitting language the  

  • other snarled aloud with a Savage laugh and the  next moment with extraordinary quickness he had  

  • unlocked the door and disappeared into the house  the lawyer stood a while when Mr Hyde had left him  

  • the picture of disquietude then he began  slowly to mount the street pausing every  

  • step or two and putting his hand to his  brow like a man in mental perplexity  

  • the problem he was thus debating as he walked  was one of a class that is rarely solved Mr  

  • Hyde was pale and dwarfish he gave an impression  of deformity without any nameable malformation  

  • he had a displeasing smile he had borne himself  to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture  

  • of timidity and boldness and he spoke with  a husky whispering and somewhat Broken Voice  

  • all these were points against him but not all  of these together could explain the hitherto  

  • unknown disgust loathing and fear with which Mr  Otterson regarded him there must be something  

  • else said the perplexed gentleman there is  something more if I could find a name for it  

  • God bless me the man seems hardly human  something troglodytic shall we say  

  • or can it be the old story of Dr Phil or is  it the mere Radiance of a foul soul that thus  

  • transpires through and transfigures its clay  continent the last I think for oh my poor old  

  • Harry Jekyll If Ever I read Satan's signature  upon a face it is on that of your new friend

  • round the corner from the by Street there was  a square of ancient handsome houses now for the  

  • most part decayed from their higher state and let  in flats and Chambers to all sorts and conditions  

  • of men mapping grave as Architects Shady  lawyers and the Agents of obscure Enterprises  

  • one house however second from the corner was  still occupied entire and at the door of this  

  • which wore a great air of wealth and comfort  though it was now plunged in darkness except  

  • for the fan light Mr Otterson stopped and knocked  A well-dressed elderly servant opened the door  

  • is Dr Jekyll at home Paul asked the lawyer  I will see Mr Otterson said Paul admitting  

  • the visitor as he spoke into a large low-roofed  comfortable Hall paved with flags warmed after  

  • the fashion of a country house by a bright open  fire and furnished with costly cabinets of Oak  

  • will you wait here by the fire sir or  shall I give you a light in the dining room  

  • here thank you said the lawyer and he  drew near and leaned on the tall fender  

  • this Hall in which he was now left alone  was a pet fancy of his friend the doctors  

  • and Otterson himself was one to speak  of it as the pleasantest room in London  

  • but tonight there was a shodder in his blood  the face of Hyde sat heavy in his memory  

  • he felt what was rare with him  a nausea and distaste of life  

  • and in the Gloom of his spirits he seemed  to read a menace in the flickering of the  

  • firelight on the polished cabinets and the  uneasy starting of the shadow on the roof  

  • he was ashamed of his relief when Paul presently  returned to announce that Dr Jekyll was gone out  

  • I saw Mr Hyde go in by the old dissecting  room door Paul he said is that right when Dr  

  • Jekyll is from home quite right Mr utterson  Sir replied the servant Mr Hyde has a key  

  • your master seems to Repose a great  deal of trust in that young man Paul  

  • resumed the other amusingly yes sir he do indeed  said Paul we all have orders to obey him I do not  

  • think I ever met Mr Hyde asked artisan Odie knows  her he never dines here replied the butler indeed  

  • we see very little of him on this side of the  house he mostly comes and goes by the laboratory  

  • well good night Paul good night Mr utterson  and the lawyer set out Homewood with a very  

  • heavy heart poor Harry Jekyll he thought my mind  misgives me he is in deep Waters he was wild when  

  • he was young a long while ago to be sure but in  the law of God there is no statute of limitations  

  • by it must be that the ghost of some old  sin the cancer of some concealed disgrace  

  • punishment coming pede claudo years after memory  has forgotten and self-love condones the fault  

  • and the lawyer scared by the thought broodedwhile on his own past groping in all the corners  

  • of memory lest by chance some Jack in the Box  of an old iniquity should leap to light there  

  • his past was fairly blameless few men could read  the roles of their life with less apprehension  

  • yet he was humbled to the Dust by the many  ill things he had done and raised up again  

  • into a sober and fearful gratitude by the many  that he had come so near to doing yet avoided  

  • and then by a return on his former  subject he conceived a spark of hope  

  • this Mr Hyde if he was studded thought he  must have secrets of his own black Secrets  

  • by the look of him Secrets compared to which  poor jekyll's worst would be like sunshine  

  • things cannot continue as they are it turns me  cold to think of this creature stealing like a  

  • thief to Harry's bedside poor Harry  what Awakening and the danger of it  

  • for if this Hyde suspects the existence of the  will he may grow impatient to inherit I I must  

  • put my shoulder to the wheel if Jekyll will but  let me he added if Jekyll will only let me for  

  • once more he saw before his Mind's Eye as clear  as a transparency the strange Clauses of the will

  • chapter 3. Dr Jekyll was quite at ease

  • a fortnight later by excellent Good Fortune the  doctor gave one of his Pleasant dinners to some  

  • five or six old cronies all intelligent  reputable men and all judges of good wine  

  • and Mr Otterson so contrived that he  remained behind after the others had Departed  

  • this was no new Arrangement but a thing  that had befallen many scores of times  

  • where Otterson was liked he was liked  well hosts loved to detail the dry lawyer  

  • when the light-hearted and the loose tongue  had already their foot on the threshold  

  • they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive  company practicing for Solitude sobering  

  • their minds in the man's Rich silence  after the expense and strain of gaiety  

  • to this rule Dr Jekyll was no exception and as he  now sat on the opposite side of the fire a large  

  • well-made smooth-faced man of 50 with something of  a sledge cast perhaps but every Mark of capacity  

  • and kindness You Could See by his looks that he  cherished Mr utterson a sincere and warm affection  

  • I've been wanting to speak to  you Jekyll began the latter  

  • you know that will of yours a close Observer  might have gathered that the topic was distasteful  

  • but the doctor carried it off gaily my poor  utterson he said you are unfortunate in such  

  • a client I never saw a man so distressed as you  were by my will unless it were that hide-bound  

  • pedant Lanyon at what he called my scientific  heresies oh I know he's a good fellow you needn't  

  • frown an excellent fellow and I always mean  to see more of him but a hide-bound pendant  

  • for all that an ignorant blatant patent I was  never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon  

  • you know I never approved of it pursued  utterson ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic  

  • my will yes certainly I know that said  the doctor a trifle sharply you told me so  

  • well I tell you so again continued the lawyer  I have been learning something of young Hyde  

  • the large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to  the very lips and there came a Blackness about his  

  • eyes I do not care to hear more said he this  is a matter I thought we had agreed to stop  

  • what I heard was abominable said artisan it can  make no change you do not understand my position  

  • return the doctor with a certain incoherency of  manner I'm painfully situated utterson my position  

  • is a very strange a very strange one it is one  of those Affairs that cannot be mended by talking  

  • Jekyll said Artisan you know me I'm a man  to be trusted make a clean breast of this  

  • in confidence and I make no doubt I can get you  out of it my good utterson said the doctor this  

  • is very good of you this is downright good of  you and I cannot find words to thank you in I  

  • believe you fully I would trust you before any man  alive I before myself if I could make the choice  

  • but indeed it isn't what you fancy it is  not so bad as that and just to put your  

  • good-hearted rest I will tell you one thing  the moment I choose I can be rid of Mr Hyde  

  • I give you my hand upon that  and I thank you again and again  

  • and I will just add one little word utterson  that I'm sure you'll take in good part this is  

  • a private matter and I beg of you to let it sleep  Artisan reflected a little looking in the fire  

  • I have no doubt you are perfectly right  he said at last getting to his feet  

  • well but since we have touched upon the business  and for the last time I hope continued the doctor  

  • there is one point I should like you to understand  I have really a very great interest in poor hide  

  • I know you have seen him he told  me so and I fear he was rude  

  • but I do sincerely take a great a very great  interest in that young man and if I am taken  

  • away Artisan I wish you to promise me that you  will bear with him and get his rights for him  

  • I think you would if you knew all and it would  be a weight of my mind if you would promise  

  • I can't promise that I shall ever like him said  the lawyer I don't ask that pleaded Jekyll laying  

  • his hand upon the other's arm I ask only for  justice I only ask you to help him for my  

  • sake when I am no longer here Artisan heaved  an irrepressible sigh well he said I promise

  • the end of chapter 3

  • chapter 4 the Kuru murder case

  • nearly a year later in the month of October  18 something London was startled by a crime  

  • of singular ferocity and rendered all the more  notable by the high position of the victim

  • the details were few and startling  

  • a maidservant living alone in a house not far  from the river had gone upstairs to bed about 11.  

  • although a fog rolled over the city in the small  hours the early part of the night was cloudless  

  • and the lane which the maids window overlooked  was brilliantly lit by the full moon it seems  

  • she was romantically given for she sat down upon  her box which stood immediately onto the window  

  • fell into a dream of musing never she used  to say with streaming tears when she narrated  

  • The Experience never had she felt more at peace  with all men or thought more kindly of the world  

  • and as she so sat she became aware of an aged  and beautiful gentleman with white hair Drawing  

  • Near along the lane and advancing to meet him  another and very small gentleman to whom At  

  • first she paid less attention when they had come  within speech which was just under the maid's eyes  

  • the older men bowed and accosted the other  with a very pretty manner of politeness  

  • it did not seem as if the subject of  his address were of great importance  

  • indeed from his pointing it sometimes  appeared as if he were only inquiring his way  

  • but the moon Shone on his face as he  spoke and the girl was pleased to watch it  

  • it seemed to breathe such an innocent  and Old World kindness of disposition  

  • yet with something high too as  of a well-founded self-content  

  • presently her I wandered to the other and she was  surprised to recognizing him a certain Mr Hyde  

  • who had once visited her master and for whom  she had conceived a dislike he had in his hand  

  • a heavy cane with which he was trifling but  he answered never a word and seemed to listen  

  • with an ill-contained impatience then all ofsudden he broke out in a great flame of anger  

  • stamping with his foot brandishing the cane and  carrying on as the maid described it like a madman  

  • the Old Gentleman took a step back with the air  of one very much surprised and a trifle hurt  

  • and at that Mr Hyde broke out of all  bounds and clogged him to the Earth  

  • and next moment with ape-like Fury he was  trampling his victim underfoot and hailing  

  • down the storm of blows under which the  bones were audibly shattered and the body  

  • jumped upon the roadway at the horror of  these sights and sounds the maid fainted  

  • it was two o'clock when she came to herself and  called for the police the murderer was gone long  

  • ago but there lay his victim in the middle of  the lane incredibly mangled the stick with which  

  • the deed had been done although it was of some  rare and very tough and heavy wood had broken  

  • in the middle under the stress of this insensate  cruelty and one splintered half had rolled in the  

  • neighboring gutter the other without doubt had  been Carried Away by the murderer a purse and a  

  • gold watch were found upon the victim but no cards  or papers except a sealed and stamped envelope  

  • which he had been probably carrying to the Post  and which bore the name and address of Mr utterson  

  • this was brought to the lawyer the next morning  before he was out of bed and he had no sooner  

  • seen it and been told the circumstances then he  shot out a solemn lip I shall say nothing till  

  • I have seen the body said he this may be very  serious have the kindness to wait while I dress  

  • and with the same grave countenance he hurried  through his breakfast and drove to the police  

  • station whether the body had been carried  as soon as he came into the cell he nodded  

  • yes said he I recognize him I am sorry to say  that this is Sir Danvers Karu good God sir  

  • exclaimed the officer is it possible and the next  moment is I light it up with professional ambition  

  • this will make a deal of noise he said  and perhaps you can help us to the man  

  • and he briefly narrated what the maid had seen and  showed the broken stick Mr Otterson had already  

  • quailed at the name of Hyde but when the stick  was laid before him he could doubt no longer  

  • broken and battered as it was he recognized it  for one that he had himself presented many years  

  • before to Henry Jekyll is this Mr Hyde a person of  small stature he inquired particularly small and  

  • particularly Wicked looking is what the maid calls  him said the officer Mr Otterson reflected and  

  • then raising his head if you will come with me in  my cab he said I think I can take you to his house  

  • it was by this time about nine in the morning  and the first fog of the season a great chocolate  

  • colored pole lowered over heaven but the wind was  continually charging and routing these embattled  

  • Vapors so that as the cab crawled from Street to  Street Mr Otterson beheld The Marvelous number  

  • of degrees and Hues of Twilight for here it  would be dark like the back end of evening  

  • and there would be a glow of a rich lurid Brown  like the light of some strange conflagration  

  • and here for a moment the fog would be quite  broken up and a Haggard shaft of daylight would  

  • glance in between the swirling wreaths the Dismal  quarter of Soho seen under these changing glimpses  

  • with its muddy ways and slattenly passengers  and its lamps which had never been extinguished  

  • or had been kindled afresh to combat this  mournful reinvasion of Darkness seemed in  

  • the lawyer's eyes like a district of some City  in a nightmare the thoughts of his mind besides  

  • were of the gloomiest die and when he glanced at  the companion of his drive he was conscious of  

  • some touch of that Terror of the law and the Law's  officers which may at times assail the most honest  

  • as the cab Drew up before the address indicated  the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy  

  • Street a gin Palace a low French Eating House  a shop for the retail of Penny numbers and  

  • toppany salads many ragged children huddled in  the doorways and many women of many different  

  • nationalities passing out key in hand to havemorning glass and the next moment the fog settled  

  • down again upon that part as brown as Umber and  cuts him off from his blaggardly surroundings this  

  • was the home of Henry jekyll's favorite of a man  who was heir to a quarter of a million Sterling  

  • an ivory-faced and silvery-haired old woman  opened the door she had an evil face smoothed  

  • by hypocrisy but her manners were excellent  yes she said this was Mr Hyde's but he was  

  • not at home he had been in that night very late  but had gone away again in less than an hour  

  • there was nothing strange in that his habits  were very irregular and he was often absent  

  • for instance it was nearly two months since she  had seen him till yesterday very well then we  

  • wish to see his rooms said the lawyer and when  the woman began to declare it was impossible  

  • I had better tell you who this person is he added  this is inspector new common a Scotland Yard  

  • a flash of odious Joy appeared upon the woman's  face ah said she he's in trouble what has he done  

  • Mr Otterson and the inspector exchanged glances  he don't seem a very popular character observed  

  • the latter and now my good woman just let  me and this gentleman have a look about us  

  • in the whole extent of the house which bought  for the old woman remained otherwise empty Mr  

  • Hyde had only used a couple of rooms but  these were furnished with luxury and good  

  • taste a closet was filled with wine the  plate was of silver the napery excellent  

  • a good picture hung up on the walls a gift  as utterson supposed from Henry Jekyll who  

  • was much of a connoisseur and the carpets  were of many Plies and agreeable in color  

  • at this moment however the rooms bore every Mark  of having been recently and hurriedly ransacked  

  • clothes lay about the floor with their pockets  inside out lock fast drawers stood open  

  • and on the half they lay a pile of gray  ashes as though many papers had been burned  

  • from these Embers the inspector disinterred the  butt end of a green checkbook which had resisted  

  • the action of the fire the other half of the  stick was found behind the door and as this  

  • clinched his suspicions the officer declared  himself delighted a visit to the bank where  

  • several thousand pounds were found to be lying to  the murderer's credit completed his gratification

  • you may depend on it sir he told Mr Ottersonhave him in my hand he must have lost his head  

  • or he would never have left the stick or above  all burned the checkbook why money's life to  

  • the man we have nothing to do but wait for  him at the bank and get out the hand bills  

  • this last however was not  so easy of accomplishment  

  • for Mr Hyde had numbered few familiars even the  master of the servant made had only seen him twice  

  • his family could nowhere be traced he had never  been photographed and the few who could describe  

  • him differed widely as common observers will  only on one point were they agreed and that  

  • was The Haunting sense of unexpressed deformity  with which The Fugitive impressed his beholders

  • chapter 5 incident of the letter

  • it was late in the afternoon when Mr  utterson found his way to Dr jekyll's door  

  • where he was at once admitted by Paul and carried  down by the kitchen offices and across a yard  

  • which had once been a garden to the building which  was indifferently known as the laboratory or the  

  • dissecting rooms the doctor had bought the house  from The Heirs of a celebrated surgeon and his own  

  • tastes being rather chemical than anatomical  had changed the destination of the block at  

  • the bottom of the garden it was the first time  that the lawyer had been received in that part  

  • of his friend's quarters and he eyed the dingy  windowless structure with curiosity and gazed  

  • round with a distasteful sense of strangeness as  he crossed the theater once crowded with eager  

  • students and now lying gaunt and Silent the tables  Laden with chemical apparatus the floor strewn  

  • with crates and littered with packing straw and  the light falling dimly through the foggy cupola  

  • at the further end a flight of stairs mounted to  a door covered with red bays and through this Mr  

  • Otterson was at last received into the doctor's  cabinet it was a large room fitted round with  

  • glass presses furnished among other things  with a Cheval glass and a business table  

  • and looking out upon the court by three Dusty  Windows barred with iron the fire burned in  

  • the great a lamp was set lighted on the chimney  Shelf for even in the houses the fog began to  

  • lie thickly and there close up to the warmth  sat Dr Jekyll looking deadly sick he did not  

  • rise to meet his visitor but held out a cold  hand and obeyed him welcome in a changed voice  

  • and now said Mr Otterson as soon as Paul had left  them you have heard the news the doctor shuddered  

  • they were crying it in the Square he  said I heard them in my dining room  

  • one word said the lawyer Karu was my client but  so are you and I want to know what I'm doing  

  • you have not been mad enough to hide this fellow  Artisan I swear to God cried the doctor I swear to  

  • God I will never set eyes on him again I bind my  honor to you that I am done with him in this world  

  • it is all at an end and indeed  he does not want my help  

  • you do not know him as I do he is safe he is quite  safe mark my words he will never more be heard of  

  • the lawyer listened gloomily he did not like his  friend's feverish manner you seem pretty sure of  

  • him he said and for your sake I hope you may be  right if it came to a trial your name might appear  

  • I am quite sure of him replied Jekyll I have  grounds for certainty that I cannot share with  

  • anyone but there is one thing of which you  may advise me I have I have received a letter  

  • and I'm at a loss whether I should show it  to the police I should like to leave it in  

  • your hands Otterson you would judge wisely  I'm sure I have so great a trust in you  

  • you fear I suppose that it might lead  to his detection asked the lawyer  

  • no said the other I cannot say that I care  What Becomes of hide I am quite done with him  

  • I was thinking of my own character which  this hateful business has rather exposed  

  • Artisan ruminated a while he was surprised at  his friend's selfishness and yet relieved by it  

  • well said he at last let me see the letter the  letter was written in an old upright hand and  

  • signed Edward Hyde and it signified briefly  enough that the writer's benefactor Dr Jekyll  

  • whom he had long so unworthily repaid for  a thousand generosities need labor under  

  • no alarm for his safety as he had means of  escape on which he placed a sure dependence  

  • the lawyer liked this letter well enough  it put a better color on the intimacy  

  • than he had looked for and he blamed  himself for some of his past suspicions  

  • have you the envelope he asked I burned it replied  Jekyll before I thought what I was about but it  

  • bore no postmark the note was handed in shall  I keep this and sleep upon it our status on  

  • I wish you to judge for me entirely was  the reply I have lost confidence in myself  

  • well I shall consider return to the lawyer and now  one word more it was Hyde who dictated the terms  

  • in your will about that disappearance the doctor  seemed seized with a qualm of faintness he shot  

  • his mouth tight and nodded I knew it said utterson  he meant to murder you you have had a fine Escape  

  • I have had what is far more to the purpose  returned to the doctor solemnly I have had  

  • a lesson oh God utterson what a lesson  I have had and he covered his face for  

  • a moment with his hands on his way out the  lawyer stopped and had a word or two with Paul  

  • by the by said he there was a letter  handed in today what was the messenger like  

  • but Paul was positive nothing had come except  by post and only circulars by that he added  

  • this news sent off the  visitor with his fears renewed  

  • plainly the letter had come by the laboratory door  possibly indeed it had been written in the cabinet  

  • and if that were so it must be differently  judged and handled with the more caution  

  • the Newsboys as he went were crying themselves  hoarse along the footways special edition shocking  

  • murder of an MP that was the funeral oration of  one friend and client and he could not help a  

  • certain apprehension lest the good name of another  should be sucked down in the Eddie of the Scandal  

  • it was at least a ticklish decision that he had  to make and self-reliant as he was by habit he  

  • began to cherish a longing for advice it was  not to be had directly but perhaps he thought  

  • it might be fished for presently after he sat  on one side of his own Hearth with Mr guest  

  • his head clerk upon the other and midway between  at a nicely calculated distance from the fire a  

  • bottle of a particular old wine that had long  dwelt unsawned in the foundations of his house  

  • fog still slept on the wing above the drowned  city where the lamps glimmered like carbuncles  

  • and through the muffle and smother of these  Fallen clouds the procession of the town's  

  • life was still rolling in through the great  arteries with the sound as of A Mighty Wind  

  • but the room was gay with firelight in the bottle  the acids were long ago resolved the Imperial dye  

  • had softened with time as the color grows richer  in stained windows and the glow of hot Autumn  

  • afternoons on Hillside Vineyards was ready to  be set free and to disperse the fogs of London  

  • insensibly the lawyer melted there was no man  from whom he kept fewer Secrets than Mr guest  

  • and he was not always sure that  he kept as many as he meant  

  • guests had often been on business to the doctors  he knew Paul he could scarcely have failed to  

  • hear of Mr Hyde's familiarity about the house he  might draw conclusions was it not as well then  

  • that he should see a letter which put that  mystery to rights and above all since guest  

  • being a great student and critic of handwriting  would consider the step natural and obliging  

  • the clerk besides was a man of counsel  he would scarce read so stranger document  

  • without dropping a remark and by that remark  Mr Otterson might shape his future course

  • this is a sad business about Sir Danvers he  said yes sir indeed it has elicited a great  

  • deal of public feeling returned  guest the man of course was mad

  • I should like to hear your views on that  replied Artisan I have a document here in  

  • his handwriting it is between ourselves  for iscares knew what to do about it  

  • it is an ugly business at the best but there  it is quite in your way a murderer's autograph  

  • guest's eyes brightened and he sat down  at once and studied it with passion  

  • no sir he said not mad but it is an odd hand and  by all accounts a very odd writer added the lawyer  

  • just then the servant entered with a note is that  from Dr Jekyll sir inquired the clerk I thought I  

  • knew the writing anything private Mr Otterson only  an invitation to dinner why do you want to see it  

  • one moment I thank you sir and the clerk  laid the two sheets of paper alongside  

  • and sedulously compared their contents  thank you sir he said at last returning both  

  • it's a very interesting autograph there was  a pause during which Mr Otterson struggled  

  • with himself why did you compare them guests he  inquired suddenly well sir he returned the clerk  

  • there's a rather singular resemblance the  two hands are in many points identical  

  • only differently sloped rather quaint said artisan  it is as you say rather quaint returned guest  

  • I wouldn't speak of this note you know said  the master no sir said the clerk I understand  

  • but no sooner was Mr Otterson  alone that night then he locked  

  • the note into his safe where it  reposed from that time forward  

  • what he thought Henry Jekyll forged formurderer and his blood ran cold in his veins

  • chapter 6 remarkable incident of Dr Lanyon

  • time ran on thousands of pounds were offered in  reward for the death of Sir Danvers was resented  

  • as a public injury but Mr Hyde had disappeared  out of the Ken of the police as though he had  

  • never existed much of his past was Unearthed  indeed and all disreputable Tales came out of  

  • the man's cruelty at once so callous and violent  of his vile life of his strange Associates of the  

  • hatred that seems to have surrounded his career  but of his present whereabouts not a whisper  

  • from the time he had left the house  in SoHo on the morning of the murder  

  • he was simply blotted out and gradually As  Time Drew on Mr Otterson began to recover  

  • from the hotness of his alarm and to grow more  at quiet with himself the death of Sir Danvers  

  • was to his way of thinking more than paid for  by The Disappearance of Mr Hyde now that that  

  • evil influence had been withdrawn a new life began  for Dr Jekyll he came out of his seclusion renewed  

  • relations with his friends became once  more their familiar guest and Entertainer  

  • and whilst he had always been known for Charities  he was now no less distinguished for religion  

  • he was busy he was much in the open air he did  good his face seemed to open and brighten as  

  • if with an inward consciousness of service and  for more than two months the doctor was at peace  

  • on the 8th of January utterson had dined at the  doctors with a small party Lanyon had been there  

  • and the face of the host had looked from one to  the other as in the old days when the trio were  

  • inseparable friends on the 12th and again on  the 14th the door was shot against the lawyer  

  • the doctor was confined to the  house Paul said and saw no one  

  • on the 15th he tried again and was again refused  and having now been used for the last two months  

  • to see his friend almost daily he found this  return of solitude to weigh upon his spirits  

  • the fifth night he had in guest to dine with him  and the sixth he betook himself to Dr lanyon's  

  • there at least he was not denied admittance but  when he came in he was shocked at the change which  

  • had taken place in the doctor's appearance he had  his death warrant written legibly upon his face  

  • The Rosy man had grown pale his flesh had fallen  away he was visibly Bolder and older and yet it  

  • was not so much these tokens of a swift physical  Decay that arrested the lawyers notice as a look  

  • in the eye and quality of manner that seemed to  testify to some deep-seated Terror of the Mind  

  • it was unlikely that the doctor should fear  death and yet that was what Artisan was tempted  

  • to suspect yes he thought he is a doctor he must  know his own State and that his days are counted  

  • and the knowledge is more than he can bear  and yet we're not a son remarked on his ill  

  • looks it was with an air of great firmness  that Lanyon declared himself a doomed man  

  • I have had a shock he said  and I shall never recover  

  • it is a question of weeks well life has been  Pleasant I liked it yes sir I used to like it  

  • I sometimes think if we knew all  we should be more glad to get away  

  • Jekyll is ill too observed Otterson have you seen  him but lanyon's face changed and he held up a  

  • trembling hand I wish to see or hear no more of Dr  Jekyll he said in a loud unsteady voice I am quite  

  • done with that person and I beg that you will  spare me any illusion to one whom I regard as dead  

  • top Tut said Mr utterson and then afterconsiderable pause can't I do anything he  

  • inquired we are three very old friends  Lanyon we shall not live to make others  

  • nothing can be done returned Lanyon ask himself  

  • he will not see me said the doctor I'm not  surprised that that was the reply someday  

  • utterson after I am dead you may perhaps come to  learn the right and wrong of this I cannot tell  

  • you and in the meantime if you can sit and talk  with me of other things for God's sake stay and do  

  • so but if you cannot keep clear of this accursed  topic then in God's name go for I cannot bear it

  • as soon as he got home Artisan sat down and  wrote to Jekyll complaining of his exclusion  

  • from the house and asking the cause of this  unhappy break with Lanyon and the next day  

  • brought him a long answer often very pathetically  worded and sometimes Darkly mysterious in drift  

  • the quarrel with Lanyon was incurable I do not  blame our old friend Jekyll wrote but I share  

  • his view that we must never meet I mean from  henceforth to lead a life of extreme seclusion  

  • you must not be surprised nor must you doubt my  friendship if my door is often shot even to you  

  • you must suffer me to go my own dark wayhave brought on myself a punishment and a  

  • danger that I cannot name if I am the chief  of Sinners I am the chief of sufferers also  

  • I could not think that this Earth containedplace for sufferings and Terrors so unmanning  

  • and you can do but one thing utterson to lighten  this Destiny and that is to respect my silence  

  • Artisan was amazed the dark  influence of Hyde had been withdrawn  

  • the doctor had returned to his old tasks and  amities a week ago the prospect had smiled with  

  • every promise of a cheerful and an honored age  and now in a moment friendship and peace of mind  

  • and the whole tenor of his life were wrecked so  great and unprepared to change pointed to Madness  

  • but in view of lanyon's manner and words  they must lie for it some deeper ground  

  • a week afterwards Dr Lanyon took to his bed and  in something less than a fortnight he was dead  

  • the night after the funeral at which he had  been sadly affected Otterson locked the door  

  • of his business room and sitting there by the  light of a Melancholy candle Drew out and set  

  • before him an envelope addressed by the hand  and sealed with the Seal of his dear friend  

  • private for the hands of J.G utterson alone and  in case of his pre-dece to be destroyed unread  

  • so it was emphatically superscribed and  the lawyer dreaded to behold the contents  

  • I have Buried one friend today he thought  what if this should cost me another  

  • and then he condemned the fear as  a disloyalty and broke the seal  

  • within there was another enclosure likewise  sealed and marked upon the cover as not to be  

  • opened till the death or disappearance of Dr  Henry Jekyll Artisan could not trust his eyes  

  • yes it was disappearance here again as in the Mad  will which he had long ago restored to its author  

  • here again were the idea of a disappearance  and the name of Henry Jekyll bracketed  

  • but in the will that idea had sprung from  the Sinister suggestion of the man hide  

  • it was set there with a purpose all too plain  and horrible written by the hand of Lanyon  

  • what could it mean her great curiosity came on  the trustee to disregard the prohibition and  

  • dive at once to the bottom of these Mysteries  but professional honor and Faith to his dead  

  • friend were stringent obligations and the packet  slept in the inmost corner of his private safe  

  • it is one thing to mortify curiosity another  to conquer it and it may be doubted if from  

  • that day forth Artisan desired the Society of  his surviving friend with the same eagerness  

  • he thought of him kindly but his thoughts were  disquieted and fearful he went to call indeed but  

  • he was perhaps relieved to be denied admittance  perhaps in his heart he preferred to speak with  

  • Paul upon the doorstep and surrounded by the  air and sounds of the Open City rather than to  

  • be admitted into that house of voluntary bondage  and to sit and speak with its inscrutable recluse  

  • Paul had indeed no very pleasant news to  communicate the doctor it appeared now more  

  • than ever confined himself to the cabinet over  the laboratory where he would sometimes even sleep  

  • he was out of spirits he had grown very  silent he did not read it seemed as  

  • if he had something on his mind utterson  became so used to the unvarying character  

  • of these reports that he fell off little  by little in the frequency of his visits

  • chapter 7 incident at the window

  • he chanced on Sunday when Mr Otterson was on his  usual walk with Mr Enfield that their way lay once  

  • again through the by Street and that when they  came in front of the door both stopped to gaze  

  • at it well said Enfield that store is at an end  at least we shall never see more of Mr Hyde I  

  • hope not said utterson did I ever tell you thatonce saw him and shared your feeling of repulsion  

  • it was impossible to do the one without the  other returned Enfield and by the way what  

  • an ass you must have thought me not to know that  this was a back way to Dr jekyll's it was partly  

  • your own fault that I found out even when I did  so you found it out did you said utterson but if  

  • that be so we may step into the court and take  a look at the windows to tell you the truth I am  

  • uneasy about poor Jekyll and even outside I feel  as if the presence of a friend might do him good  

  • the court was very cool and a little  damp and full of premature Twilight  

  • although the sky high up overhead was still  bright with sunset the middle one of the three  

  • Windows was halfway open and sitting close beside  it taking the air with an infinite sadness of mean  

  • like some disconsolate prisoner Artisan saw Dr  Jekyll what Jekyll he cried I trust you're better  

  • I am very low utterson replied the doctor Drew  really very low it will not last long thank God  

  • you stayed too much indoors said the lawyer you  should be out whipping up the circulation like  

  • Mr Enfield and me this is my cousin Mr Enfield  Dr Jekyll come now get your hat and take a quick  

  • turn with us you are very good side the other  I should like to very much but no no no it is  

  • quite impossible I dare not but indeed utterson  I am very glad to see you this is really a great  

  • pleasure I would ask you and Mr Enfield up but the  place is really not fit why then said the lawyer  

  • good-naturedly the best thing we can do is to stay  down here and speak with you from where we are  

  • that is just what I was about to venture to  propose return to the doctor with a smile  

  • but the words were hardly uttered before the smile  was struck out of his face and succeeded by an  

  • expression of such abject Terror and despair has  froze the very blood of the two gentlemen below  

  • they saw it but for a glimpse for the window  was instantly thrust down but that Glimpse  

  • had been sufficient and they turned and left  the court without a word in silence too they  

  • traversed the by Street and it was not until  they had come into a neighboring thoroughfare  

  • where even upon a Sunday there were still some  stirrings of life that Mr Otterson at last turned  

  • and looked at his companion they were both pale  and there was an answering Horror in their eyes  

  • God forgive us God forgive us said Mr rotterson  but Mr Enfield only nodded his head very seriously  

  • and walked on once more in silence end  of chapter 7. chapter 8 the last night

  • Mr Otterson was sitting by his  Fireside one evening after dinner  

  • when he was surprised to receive a visit from  Paul bless me Paul what brings you here he cried  

  • and then taking a second look at him  what ails you he added is the doctor ill  

  • Mr Otterson said the man there is something  wrong take a seat and here is a glass of wine  

  • for you said the lawyer now take your  time and tell me plainly what you want  

  • you know the doctor's ways sir replied Paul and  how he shuts himself up well he shot up again  

  • in the cabinet and I don't like it sir I wishmay die if I like it Mr Otterson sir I'm afraid  

  • now my good man said the lawyer be explicit what  are you afraid of I've been afraid for about a  

  • week returned Paul doggedly disregarding  the question and I can bear it no more  

  • the man's appearance amply bore out his words his  manner was altered for the worse and except for  

  • the moment when he'd first announced his Terror  he had not once looked the lawyer in the face  

  • even now he sat with the glass of wine untasted  on his knee and his eyes directed to a corner of  

  • the floor I can bear it no more he repeated  come said the lawyer I see you have some  

  • good reason Paul I see there is something  seriously amiss try to tell me what it is  

  • I think there's been Foul Play said Paul  Horsley Foul Play cried the lawyer a good deal  

  • frightened and rather inclined to be irritated in  consequence what Foul Play What Does the man mean  

  • I don't say Sir was the answer but will  you come along with me and see for yourself  

  • Mr utterson's only answer was to  rise and get his hat in great coats  

  • but he observed with Wonder the greatness of  the relief that appeared upon the butler's face  

  • and perhaps with no less that the wine was  still untasted when he set it down to follow

  • it was a wild cold seasonable night of March  with a Pale Moon lying on her back as though  

  • the wind had tilted her and a flying rack  of the most diaphanous and lorny texture  

  • the Wind made Talking difficult  and flecked the blood into the face  

  • it seemed to have swept the streets unusually  bare of passengers besides for Mr Otterson  

  • thought he had never seen that part of London so  deserted he could have wished it otherwise never  

  • in his life had he been conscious of so sharp  a wish to see and touch his fellow creatures  

  • for struggle as he might there was born in upon  his mind a crushing anticipation of calamity  

  • the square when they got there was all full of  wind and dust and the thin trees in the garden  

  • were lashing themselves against the railing Paul  who had kept all the way a piece or two a head  

  • now pulled up in the middle of the pavement  and in spite of the biting weather took off  

  • his hat and mopped his brow with the red pocket  handkerchief but for all the hurry of his coming  

  • these were not the Dews of exertion that he wiped  away but the moisture or some strangling anguish  

  • for his face was white and his  voice when he spoke harsh and broken  

  • well sir he said here we are and God grant  there be nothing wrong amen Paul said the lawyer  

  • thereupon the servant knocked in a very  guarded manner the door was opened on the chain  

  • and a voice asked from within is that you  Paul it's all right said Paul open the door  

  • the hall when they entered it was brightly  lighted up the fire was built high and about the  

  • Hearth the whole of the servants men and women  stood huddled together like a flock of sheep  

  • at the site of Mr Otterson the housemaid  broke into hysterical whimpering and the  

  • cook crying out bless God it's Mr Otterson  ran forward as if to take him in her arms  

  • what what are you all here  said the lawyer p vishly  

  • very irregular very unseemly your master would  be far from pleased they're all afraid said Paul  

  • blank silence followed no one protesting only the  maid lifted up her voice and now wept loudly hold  

  • your tongue Paul said to her with a ferocity of  accent that testified to his own jangled nerves  

  • and indeed when the girl had so suddenly raised  the note of her lamentation they had all started  

  • and turned towards the inner door with faces  of dreadful expectation and now continued  

  • the butler addressing the knife boy reach mecandle and we'll get this through hands at once  

  • and then he begged Mr Otterson to follow  him and led the way to the back Garden  

  • now sir said he you come as gently as you canwant you to hear and I don't want you to be heard  

  • and see here sir if by any chance  he was to ask you in don't go  

  • Mr otterson's nerves at this unlooked for  termination gave a jerk that nearly threw him from  

  • his balance but he recollected his courage and  followed the butler into the laboratory building  

  • and through the surgical theater with its Lumber  of crates and bottles to the foot of the stair  

  • here Paul motioned him to  stand on one side and listen  

  • while he himself setting down the candle and  making a great and obvious call on his resolution  

  • mounted the steps and knocked with a somewhat  uncertain hand on the red Bays of the cabinet door  

  • Mr rotterson Sir asking to see you he called and  even as he did so once more violently signed to  

  • the lawyer to give ear a voice answered  from within tell him I cannot see anyone  

  • it answered complainingly thank you sir said Paul  with a note of something like Triumph in his voice  

  • and taking up his candle he led Mr Otterson  back across the yard and into the great kitchen  

  • where the fire was out and The  Beetles were leaping on the floor  

  • sir he said looking Mr Otterson in the eyes was  that my Master's Voice it seems much changed  

  • replied the lawyer very pale but giving look for  look changed well yes I think so said the butler  

  • have I been 20 years in this man's house to be  deceived about his voice no sir Masters made a  

  • way with he was made away with eight days ago  when we heard him cry out upon the name of God  

  • and who's in there instead of him and why it stays  there is a thing that cries to Heaven Mr utterson  

  • this is a very strange tale Paul this is  rather a wild tale my man said Mr Otterson  

  • biting his finger suppose it were as you suppose  supposing Dr Jekyll to have been well murdered  

  • what could induce the murderer to stay that won't  hold water it doesn't commend itself to reason  

  • well Mr Otterson you are a hard man to  satisfy but I'll do it yet said Paul  

  • all this last week you must know him or it or  whatever it is that lives in that cabinet has been  

  • crying night and day for some sort of medicine  and cannot get it to his mind it was sometimes his  

  • way the Masters that is to write his orders onsheet of paper and throw it on the stair we've had  

  • nothing else this week back nothing but papers and  a closed door and the Very meals left there to be  

  • smuggled in when no one was looking well sir every  day I and twice and Thrice in the same day there  

  • have been orders and complaints and I've been  sent flying to all the wholesale Chemists in town  

  • every time I brought the stuff back there would be  another paper telling me to return it because it  

  • was not pure and another order to a different firm  this drug is wanted bitter bad sir whatever for  

  • have you any of these papers asked Mr Otterson  Paul felt in his pocket and handed out a crumpled  

  • note which the lawyer bending nearer to the  candle carefully examined its contents ran thus  

  • Dr Jekyll presents his compliments to messes more  

  • he assures them that their last sample is  impure and quite useless for his present purpose  

  • in the year 18 something Dr J purchased a somewhat  large quantity from Mrs M he now begs them to  

  • search with the most sedulous care and should any  of the same quality be left to forward it to him  

  • at once expense is no consideration the importance  of this to Dr J can hardly be exaggerated  

  • so far the letter had run composedly enough  but here with a sudden splotter of the pen The  

  • Writer's emotion had broken loose for God's  sake he had added find me some of the old

  • this is a strange note said Mr Otterson and  then sharply how do you come to have it open  

  • the man at Moors was main angry sir and he threw  it back to me like so much dirt returned Paul  

  • this is unquestionably the doctor's  hand do you know resumed the lawyer  

  • I thought it looked like it said the servant  rather sulkily and then with another voice  

  • but what matters hand of right he said I've  seen him seen him repeated Mr utterson well  

  • that's it said Paul it was this way I came  suddenly into the theater from the garden  

  • it seems he'd slipped out to look for this drug  or whatever it is for the cabinet door was open  

  • and there he was at the far end of the room  digging among the crates he looked up when I  

  • came in gave a kind of cry and whipped upstairs  into the cabinet it was bought for one minute  

  • that I saw him but the hair stood upon my head  like quills sir if that was my master why had  

  • he a mask upon his face if it was my master  why did he cry out like a rat and run from me  

  • I have served him long enough and then the  man paused and passed his hand over his face  

  • these are all very strange circumstances said  Mr Otterson but I think I begin to see daylight  

  • your master Paul is plainly seized with  one of those maladies that both torture  

  • and transform the sufferer hence for whatknow the alteration of his voice hence the  

  • mask and his avoidance of his friends hence his  eagerness to find this drug by means of which  

  • the poor soul retains some hope of ultimate  recovery God grants that he be not deceived  

  • there is my explanation it is sad enough Paul  I and her Pauling to consider but it is plain  

  • and natural hangs together well and delivers us  from all exorbitant alarms sir said the butler  

  • turning to a sort of mottled power that thing  was not my master and there's the truth my master  

  • here he looked around him and began to whisper  he's a tall fine build of a man and this was more  

  • of a dwarf Artisan attempted to protest oh sir  cried Paul do you think I do not know my master  

  • after 20 years do you think I do not know where  his head comes to in the cabinet door where I saw  

  • him every morning of my life no sir that thing  in the mask was never Dr Jekyll God knows what  

  • it was but it was never Dr Jekyll and it is the  belief of my heart that there was murder done  

  • Paul replied the lawyer if you say that  it will become my duty to make certain  

  • much as I desire to spare your Master's feelings  much as I am puzzled by this note which seems to  

  • prove him to be still alive I shall consider it my  duty to break in that door ah Mr rotterson that's  

  • talking cried the butler and now comes the second  question resume Dotson who is going to do it  

  • why you and me sir what's the undaunted  reply that is very well said returned  

  • the lawyer and whatever comes of it I shall  make it my business to see you are no loser  

  • there is an ax in the theater continued Paul and  you might take the kitchen poker for yourself  

  • the lawyer took that rude but weighty instrument  into his hand and balanced it do you know Paul he  

  • said looking up that you and I are about to  place ourselves in a position of some peril  

  • you may say so sir indeed returned the butler  it is well then that we should be Frank said the  

  • other we both think more than we have said let  us make a clean breast this masked figure that  

  • you saw did you recognize it well sir it went so  quick and the creature was so doubled up that I  

  • could hardly swear to that was the answer but  if you mean was it Mr Hyde why yes I think it  

  • was you see it was much of the same bigness  and it had the same quick light way with it  

  • and then who else could have got him by the  laboratory door you've not forgot sir that at the  

  • time of the murder he still had the key with him  but that's not all I don't know Mr utterson if you  

  • ever met this Mr Hyde yes said the lawyer I once  spoke with him then you must know as well as the  

  • rest of us that there was something queer about  that gentleman something that gave a man a turn I  

  • don't know rightly how to say it Beyond this that  you felt it in your marrow kind of cold and thin  

  • I own I felt something of what you describe  said Mr Otterson quite so sir returned Paul  

  • well when that masked thing like a monkey jumped  from among the chemicals and whipped into the  

  • cabinet it went down my spine like ice oh I know  it's not evidence Mr utterson I'm book learned  

  • enough for that but a man has his feelings  and I give you my Bible word it was Mr Hyde  

  • I I said the lawyer my fears inclined to the  same point evil I fear founded evil was sure to  

  • come of that conviction I truly I believe you  I believe poor Harry is killed and I believe  

  • his murderer for what purpose God Alone can  tell is still lurking in his victim's room  

  • well let our name be vengeance call Bradshaw the  footman came at the summons very white and nervous  

  • pull yourself together Bradshaw said the lawyer  this suspense I know is telling upon all of you  

  • but it is now Our intention to make an end of it  Paul here and I are going to force our way into  

  • the cabinet if all is well my shoulders are broad  enough to Bear the blame meanwhile lest anything  

  • should really be amiss or any malefactor seek  to escape by the back you and the boy Must Go  

  • Round the Corner with a pair of good sticks  and take your post at the laboratory door  

  • we give you 10 minutes to get to your stations as  Bradshaw left the lawyer looked at his watch and  

  • now Paul let us get to ours he said and taking the  poker under his arm he led the way into the yard  

  • the scud had banked over the moon and it was  now quite dark the wind which only broke in  

  • Puffs and drafts into that deep well of building  tossed the light of the candle to and fro about  

  • their steps until they came into the shelter of  the theater where they sat down silently to wait  

  • London homed solemnly all around  but nearer at hand the Stillness  

  • was only broken by the sound of a footfall  moving to and fro along the cabinet floor  

  • so it will walk all day sir whispered  Paul I and the better part of the night  

  • only when a new sample comes from the chemist  there's a bit of a break ah it's an ill conscience  

  • that's such an enemy to rest ah sir there's blood  fouling shed in every step of it but hawk again a  

  • little closer put your heart into your ears Mr  Otterson and tell me is that the doctor's foot  

  • the steps fell lightly and oddly withcertain swing for all they went so slowly  

  • it was different indeed from the  heavy creaking tread of Henry Jekyll  

  • Artisan side is there never anything else he asked  Paul nodded once he said once I heard it weeping  

  • weeping how's that said the lawyer conscious of  a sudden chill of Horror weeping like a woman or  

  • a lost soul said the butler I came away with  that upon my heart that I could have wept too  

  • but now the 10 minutes Drew to an end Paul  disinterred the ax from under a sack of packing  

  • straw the candle was set upon the nearest table  to light them to the attack and they drew near  

  • with baited breath to wear that patient foot was  still going up and down up and down in the quiet  

  • of the night Jekyll cried Otterson with a loud  voice I demand to see you he paused a moment  

  • but there came no reply I give you fair warning  our suspicions are aroused and I must and shall  

  • see you he resumed if not by fair means then by  foul if not of your consent then by Brute Force  

  • Artisan said the voice for God's sake have mercy  

  • Ah that's not jekyll's voice it's hide  cried utterson down with the door Paul  

  • swung the ax over his shoulder the blow shook the  building and the red Bay's door leaped against  

  • the lock and hinges a dismal Screech as of mere  animal Terror rang from the cabinet up went the  

  • ax again and again the panels crashed and the  flame bounded four times the blow fell but the  

  • wood was tough and the fittings were of excellent  workmanship and it was not until the fifth that  

  • the lock burst in Sunder and the wreck of the  door fell inwards on the carpet the procedures  

  • appalled by their own Riot and the Stillness that  had succeeded stood back a little and peered in  

  • there lay the cabinet Before Their Eyes in the  quiet Lamplight a good fire glowing and chattering  

  • on the half the kettle singing its thin straindraw or two open papers neatly set forth on the  

  • business table and nearer the fire the things laid  out for tea the quietest room you would have said  

  • and but for the glazed presses full of chemicals  the most common place that night in London  

  • right in the midst there lay the body of  a man sorely contorted and still twitching  

  • they drew near on tiptoe turned it on its  back and beheld the face of Edward Hyde  

  • he was dressed in clothes far too large for him  clothes of the doctor's bigness the cords off his  

  • face still moved with the semblance of life but  life was quite gone and by the crushed file in  

  • the hand and the strong smell of kernels that hung  upon the air alterson knew that he was looking on  

  • the body of a self-destroyer we have come too  late he said sternly whether to save or punish  

  • Hyde is gone to his account and it only  remains for us to find the body of your master  

  • the far greater proportion of the  building was occupied by the theater  

  • which filled almost the whole ground  story and was lighted from above  

  • and by the cabinet which formed an upper  story at one end and looked upon the court  

  • a corridor joined the theater to the door on the  by Street and with this the cabinet communicated  

  • separately by a second flight of stairs there were  besides a few dark closets and a spacious cellar  

  • all these they now thoroughly examined each  closet needed but a glance for all were empty  

  • and all by the dust that fell from their doors  had stood long unopened the seller indeed was  

  • filled with crazy Lumber mostly dating from the  times of the surgeon who was jekyll's predecessor  

  • but even as they opened the door they were  advertised of the uselessness of further search  

  • by the fall of a perfect match of cobweb  which had four years sealed up the entrance  

  • nowhere was there any trace  of Henry Jekyll dead or alive  

  • pool stamped on the flags of the corridor he must  be buried here he said hearkening to the sound  

  • or he may have fled said utterson and he  turned to examine the door in the by Street  

  • it was locked and lying nearby on the flags  they found the key already stained with rust  

  • this does not look use observed the lawyer use  echoed Paul do not see sir it is broken much as if  

  • a man had stamped on it I continued utterson and  the fractures too are Rusty the two men looked at  

  • each other with a scare this is beyond me Paul  said the lawyer let us go back to the cabinet  

  • they mounted the stair in silence and still with  an occasional or struck glance at the dead body  

  • proceeded more thoroughly to  examine the contents of the cabinet  

  • at one table there were traces of chemical work  various measured heaps of some white salt being  

  • laid on glass sources as though for an experiment  in which the unhappy man had been prevented  

  • that is the same drug that I was always bringing  him said Paul and even as he spoke the kettle with  

  • the startling noise boiled over this brought  them to the Fireside where the easy chair was  

  • drawn cozily up and the tea things stood ready  to the sitter's Elbow the very sugar in the cup  

  • there were several books on a Shelf  one lay beside the teething's open and  

  • Otterson was amazed to find it a copy of  Papaya's work for which Jekyll had several  

  • times expressed a great esteem annotated  in his own hand with startling blasphemies  

  • next in the course of their review of the  chamber the Searchers came to the Cheval glass  

  • into whose depth they looked with an involuntary  horror but it was so turned as to show them  

  • nothing but the rosy Globe playing on the roof the  fire sparkling in a hundred repetitions along the  

  • glazed front of the presses and their own pale  and fearful countenances stooping to look in  

  • this glass have seen some strange things sir  whispered Paul and surely none Stranger Than  

  • itself echoed the lawyer in the same tones  for what did Jekyll he caught himself up at  

  • the word with a start and then Conquering the  weakness what could Jekyll want with it he said  

  • you may say that said Paul next they turned to  the business table on the desk among the neat  

  • array of papers a large envelope was uppermost  and bore in the doctor's hand the name of Mr  

  • Otterson the lawyer unsealed it and several  enclosures fell to the floor the first was a  

  • will drawn in the same eccentric terms as the one  which he had returned six months before to serve  

  • as a testament in case of death and as a deed of  gift in case of disappearance but in place of the  

  • name of Edward Hyde the lawyer with Indescribable  amazement read the name of Gabriel John utterson  

  • he looked at Paul and then back at the paper and  last of all at the dead manifactor stretched upon  

  • the carpet My head goes round he said he has  been all these days in possession he had no  

  • cause to like me he must have raged to see himself  displaced and he has not destroyed this document  

  • he caught up the next paper it was a brief  note in the doctor's hand and dated at the top  

  • oh Paul the lawyer cried he  was alive and here this day  

  • he cannot have been disposed of in so shortspace he must be still alive he must have fled  

  • and then why fled and how and in that case  can we venture to declare this suicide  

  • Oh we must be careful I foresee that we may yet  involve your master in some dire catastrophe  

  • why don't you read it sir said Paul because I fear  replied the lawyer solemnly God grant that I have  

  • no cause for it and with that he brought  the paper to his eyes and read as follows  

  • my dear Otterson when this shall fall  into your hands I shall have disappeared  

  • under what circumstances I have not the  penetration to foresee but my instinct and  

  • all the circumstances of my nameless situation  tell me that the end is sure and must be early  

  • go then and first read The Narrative which Lanyon  warned me he was to place in your hands and if  

  • you care to hear more turn to the confession of  your unworthy and unhappy friend Henry Jekyll  

  • there was a third enclosure asked utterson  

  • here sir said Paul and gave into his handsconsiderable packet sealed in several places  

  • the lawyer put it into his pocket  I would say nothing of this paper  

  • if your master has fled or is dead we may at least  save his credit it is now ten I must go home and  

  • read these documents in quiet but I shall be back  before midnight when we shall send for the police  

  • they went out locking the door  of the theater behind them  

  • and utterson once more leaving the servants  gathered about the fire in the hall trudged  

  • back to his office to read the two narratives  in which this mystery was now to be explained

  • chapter 9. Dr lanyon's narrative

  • on the 9th of January now four days ago  I received by the evening delivery a  

  • registered envelope addressed in the hand of my  colleague and old school companion Henry Jekyll  

  • I was a good deal surprised by this for we  were by no means in the habit of Correspondence  

  • I had seen the man dined with  him indeed the night before  

  • and I could imagine nothing in our intercourse  that should justify the formality of registration  

  • the contents increased my Wonder for this is  how the letter ran 10th of December 18 something  

  • dear Lanyon you are one of my oldest friends  and although we may have differed at times  

  • on scientific questions I cannot remember at  least on my side any break in our affection  

  • there was never a day when if you had said to me  Jekyll my life my honor my reason depend on you  

  • I would not have sacrificed my fortune or  my left hand to help you Lanyon my life my  

  • honor my reason are all at your mercy if you  fail me tonight I am lost you might suppose  

  • after this preface that I am going to ask you for  something dishonorable to Grant judge for yourself

  • I want you to postpone all other engagements  for tonight I even if you were summoned to  

  • the bedside of an emperor to take a cab unless  your Carriage should be actually at the door  

  • and with this letter in your hand for  consultation to drive straight to my house  

  • Paul my butler has his orders you will find  him waiting your arrival with a locksmith  

  • the door of my cabinet is then to be forced and  you are to go in alone to open the glazed press  

  • letter e on the left hand breaking the lock if  it be shot and to draw out with all its contents  

  • as they stand the fourth draw from the top or  which is the same thing the third from the bottom  

  • in my extreme distress of mind I havemorbid fear of misdirecting you but even  

  • if I am in error you may know the right draw by  its contents some powders a file and a paper book  

  • the draw I beg of you to carry back with  you to Cavendish Square exactly as it stands  

  • this is the first part of the service now for  the second you should be back if you set out at  

  • once on the receipt of this long before midnight  but I will leave you that amount of margin not  

  • only in the fear of one of those obstacles  that can neither be prevented nor foreseen  

  • but because an hour when your servants are in bed  is to be preferred for what will then remain to do  

  • at midnight then I will have to ask  you to be alone in your Consulting room  

  • to admit with your own hand into the house  a man who will present himself in my name  

  • and to place in his hands the draw that you  will have brought with you from my cabinet  

  • then you will have played your part  and earned my gratitude completely  

  • five minutes afterwards if you insist upon an  explanation you will have understood that these  

  • arrangements are of capital importance and that by  the neglect of one of them fantastic as they must  

  • appear you might have charged your conscience  with my death or the Shipwreck of my reason  

  • confident as I am that you will not  trifle with this appeal my heart  

  • sinks and my hand trembles at the  bare thought of such a possibility  

  • think of me at this hour in a strange place  laboring under a Blackness of distress that  

  • no fancy can exaggerate and yet well aware  that if you will but punctually serve me my  

  • troubles will roll away like a story that is told  serve me my dear Lanyon and save your friend HJ  

  • P.S I had already sealed this up when a fresh  Terror struck my soul it is possible that the  

  • post office May Fail me and this letter not  come into your hands until tomorrow morning  

  • in that case dear Lanyon do my errand when it  shall be most convenient for you in the course  

  • of the day and once more expect my messenger at  midnight it may then already be too late and if  

  • that night passes without event you will know  that you have seen the last of Henry Jekyll  

  • upon the reading of this lettermade sure my colleague was insane  

  • but till that was proved beyond the possibility  of doubt I felt bound to do as he requested  

  • the less I understood of this Virago the less  I was in a position to judge of its importance  

  • and an appeal so worded could not be  set aside without a grave responsibility  

  • I Rose accordingly from table got intohandsome and drove straight to jekyll's house  

  • the butler was awaiting my arrival he  had received by the same post as mine  

  • a registered letter of instruction and had  sent it once for the locksmith and a carpenter  

  • the Tradesmen came while we were yet speaking and  we moved in a body to Old Dr denman's surgical  

  • theater from which as you are doubtless aware  jekyll's private cabinet is most conveniently  

  • entered the door was very strong the lock  excellent the carpenter avowed he would  

  • have great trouble and have to do much damage  if Force were to be used and the locksmith was  

  • near despair but this last was a handy fellow  and after two hours work the door stood open  

  • the Press marked e was unlocked and I took out  the drawer had it filled up with straw and tied  

  • in a sheet and returned with it to Cavendish  Square here I proceeded to examine its contents  

  • the powders were neatly enough made up but  not with the nicety of the dispensing chemist  

  • so that it was plain they were of jekyll's  private manufacture and when I opened one of  

  • the rappers I found what seemed to me a simple  crystalline salt of a white color the file to  

  • which I next turned my attention might have been  about half full of a Blood Red Liquor which was  

  • highly pungent to the sense of smell and seemed to  me to contain phosphorus and some volatile ether  

  • at the other ingredients I could make no  guess the book was an ordinary version book  

  • and contained little but a series  of dates these covered a period of  

  • many years but I observed that the entries  ceased nearly a year ago and quite abruptly  

  • here and there a brief remark was appended  to a date usually no more than a single word  

  • double occurring perhaps six times  in a total of several hundred entries  

  • and once very early in the list and followed  by several marks of exclamation total failure  

  • all this though it wetted my curiosity  told me little that was definite  

  • there were a file of some tincture a paper  of some salt and the record of a series of  

  • experiments that had led like too many of jekyll's  Investigations to no end of practical usefulness  

  • how could the presence of these articles in my  house affect either the honor the sanity or the  

  • life of my flighty colleague if his messenger  could go to one place why could he not go to  

  • another and even granting some impediment why  was this gentleman to be received by me in secret  

  • the more I reflected the more convinced I grew  that I was dealing with a case of cerebral disease  

  • and though I dismissed my servants  to bed I loaded an old revolver that  

  • I might be found in some posture of self-defense

  • 12 o'clock had scarce rang out over London air  the knocker sounded very gently on the door  

  • I went myself at the summons and found a small  man crouching against the pillars of the Portico  

  • are you come from Dr Jekyll I asked he told me  yes by a constrained gesture and when I had Biden  

  • him Enter he did not obey me without a searching  backward glance into the darkness of the square  

  • there was a policeman not far off advancing with  his Bullseye open and at the site I thought my  

  • visitor started and made greater haste these  particulars struck me I confessed disagreeably and  

  • as I followed him into the bright lights of the  Consulting room I kept my hand ready on my weapon  

  • here at last I had a chance of clearly seeing him  I had never set eyes on him before so much was  

  • certain he was small as I have said I was struck  besides with the shocking expression of his face  

  • with his remarkable combination of great  muscular activity and great apparent debility of  

  • Constitution and last but not least with the odd  subjective disturbance caused by his neighborhood  

  • this bore some resemblance to incipient rigor and  was accompanied by a marked sinking of the pulse  

  • at the time I set it down to some idiosyncratic  personal distaste and merely wondered at the  

  • acuteness of the symptoms but I have since had  reason to believe the cause to lie much deeper  

  • in the nature of man and to turn on some  Noble a hinge than the principle of hatred  

  • this person who had thus from the first moment of  his entrance struck in me what I can only describe  

  • as a disgustful curiosity was dressed in a fashion  that would have made an ordinary person laughable  

  • his clothes that is to say although they were of  rich and sober fabric were enormously too large  

  • for him in every measurement the trousers hanging  on his legs and rolled up to keep them from the  

  • ground the waist of the coat below his haunches  and the collar sprawling wide over his shoulders  

  • strange to relate this ludicrous accoutrement  was far from moving me to laughter  

  • rather as there was something abnormal and  misbegotten in the very essence of the creature  

  • that now faced me something seizing surprising  and revolting this fresh disparity seemed but  

  • to fit in with and to reinforce it so that to  my interest in the man's nature and character  

  • there was added a curiosity as to his origin  his life his fortune and status in the world

  • these observations though they have taken  so greater space to be set down were yet  

  • the work of a few seconds my visitor was  indeed on fire with somber excitement  

  • have you got it he cried have you got it and so  Lively was his impatience that he even laid his  

  • hand upon my arm and sought to shake me I put him  back conscious at his Touch of a certain icy Pang  

  • along my blood comes her said I you forget that  I have not yet the pleasure of your acquaintance  

  • be seated if you please and I showed him an  example and sat down myself in my custom receipt  

  • and with as fair and imitation of my ordinary  manner to a patient as the lateness of the house  

  • the nature of my preoccupations and the horror  I had of my visitor would suffer me to muster  

  • I beg your pardon Dr Lanyon  he replied civilly enough  

  • what he say is very well founded and my  impatience has shown its heels to my politeness  

  • I come here at the instance of your colleague  Dr Henry Jekyll on a piece of business of some  

  • moment and I understood he paused and put his  hand to his throat and I could see in spite of  

  • his collected manner that he was wrestling against  the approaches of the hysteria I understood a draw  

  • but here I took pity on my visitors suspense  and some perhaps on my own growing curiosity  

  • there it is Sir said I pointing to the draw  where it lay on the floor behind a table  

  • and still covered with the sheet he sprang to it  and then paused and laid his hand upon his heart  

  • I could hear his teeth great with the convulsive  action of his jaws and his face was so ghastly  

  • to see that I grew alarmed both for his  life and reason compose yourself said I  

  • he turned a dreadful smile to me and as if with  the decision of Despair plucked away the sheet  

  • at sight of the contents he uttered one loud  SOB of such immense relief that I sat petrified  

  • and the next moment in a voice that  was already fairly well under control  

  • have you a graduated glass he asked I Rose from  my place with something of an effort and gave him  

  • what he asked he thanked me with a smiling nod  measured out a few minims of the red tincture  

  • and added one of the powders the mixture which was  at first of a reddish hue began in proportion as  

  • the crystals melted to brighten in color to F of  s audibly and to throw off small fumes of vapor  

  • suddenly and at the same moment the ebulation  ceased and the compound changed to a dark purple  

  • which faded again more slowly to a watery green my  visitor who had watched those Metamorphoses with  

  • a Keen Eye smiled set down the glass upon the  table and then turned and looked upon me with  

  • an air of scrutiny and now said he to settle what  remains will you be wise will you be guided will  

  • you suffer me to take this glass in my hand and  to go forth from your house without further Pali  

  • or has the greed of curiosity too much  command of you think before you answer  

  • for it shall be done as you decide as you  decide you shall be left as you were before  

  • and neither richer nor wiser unless the sense of  service rendered to a man in Mortal distress may  

  • be counted as a kind of riches of the Soul or  if you shall so prefer to choose a new province  

  • of knowledge and new avenues to fame and power  shall be laid open to you here in this room upon  

  • this instant and your sight shall be blasted  by a prodigy to stagger the unbelief of Satan  

  • sir said I affecting a coolness that I was  far from truly possessing you speak enigmas  

  • and you will perhaps not wonder that I hear  you with no very strong impression of belief  

  • but I have gone too far in the way of inexplicable  services to pause before I see the end  

  • It is Well replied my visitor Lanyon you remember  your vows what follows is under the Seal of our  

  • profession and now you who have so long been bound  to the most narrow and material views you who have  

  • denied the virtue of transcendental medicine  you who have derided your superiors behold

  • he put the glass to his lips and drank at  one gulp a cry followed he reeled staggered  

  • clutched at the table and held on staring  with injected eyes gasping with open mouth  

  • and as I looked there came I thought a change he  seemed to swell his face became suddenly black and  

  • the features seemed to melt and alter and the next  moment I had sprung to my feet and leaped Back  

  • Against The Wall my arm raised to Shield me from  that Prodigy my mind submerged in Terror oh God  

  • I screamed and oh God again and again for there  before my eyes pale and shaken and half fainting  

  • and groping before him with his hands likeman restored from death there stood Henry Jekyll

  • what he told me in the next hourcannot bring my mind to set on paper  

  • I saw what I saw I heard whatheard and my soul sickened at it  

  • and yet now when that sight is faded  from my eyes I ask myself if I believe it  

  • and I cannot answer my life is shaken to its  roots sleep has left me the deadliest Terror  

  • sits by me at all hours of the day and nightfeel that my days are numbered and that I must die  

  • and yet I shall die incredulous as for the  moral turpitude that man unveiled to me  

  • even with tears of penitence I cannot even in  memory dwell on it without a start of Horror  

  • I will say but one thing utterson and that if  you can bring your mind to credit it will be  

  • more than enough the creature who crept into my  house that night was on jekyll's own confession  

  • known by the name of Hyde and hunted for in  every corner of the land as the murderer of Karu

  • end of chapter nine

  • chapter 10. Henry jekyll's  full statement of the case

  • I was born in the year 18 something to a large  Fortune endowed besides with excellent parts  

  • inclined by nature to Industry fond of the  respect of the wise and good among my fellow men  

  • and thus as might have been supposed with every  guarantee of an honorable and distinguished future  

  • and indeed the worst of my faults wascertain impatient gaiety of disposition  

  • such as has made the happiness of many but such  as I found it hard to reconcile with my imperious  

  • desire to carry my head high and where a more  than commonly grave countenance before the public  

  • hence it came about that I concealed my  pleasures and that when I reached years of  

  • reflection and began to look round me and take  stock of my progress and position in the world  

  • I stood already committed to  a profound duplicity of life  

  • many a man would have even blazoned such  irregularities as I was guilty of but from  

  • the high views that I had set before me I regarded  and hid them with an almost morbid sense of Shame  

  • it was thus rather the exacting nature of my  aspirations than any particular degradation in  

  • my faults that made me what I was and with  even a deeper trench than in the majority  

  • of men severed in me those provinces of Good and  Evil which divide and compound man's dual nature  

  • in this case I was driven to reflect deeply  and inveterately on that hard law of Life  

  • which lies at the root of religion and is  one of the most plentiful Springs of distress  

  • though so profound a double dealer I was in  no sense a hypocrite both sides of me were  

  • in dead earnest I was no more myself when I laid  aside restraint and plunged in shame than when I  

  • labored in the eye of day at the furtherance of  knowledge or the relief of sorrow and suffering  

  • and it chanced that the direction of my  scientific studies which led wholly towards  

  • the Mystic and the transcendental reacted and  shed a strong light on this consciousness of  

  • The Perennial War among my members with every  day and from both sides of my intelligence the  

  • moral and the intellectual I thus Drew  steadily nearer to that truth by whose  

  • partial Discovery I have been doomed to such  a dreadful shipwreck that man is not truly one  

  • but truly two I say to because the state of my  own knowledge does not pass beyond that point  

  • others will follow others will outstrip me  on the same lines and I Hazard the guess that  

  • man will be ultimately known for a mere polity of  multifarious incongruous and independent denizens  

  • I for my part from the nature of my life advanced  infallibly in One Direction and in One Direction  

  • only it was on the moral side and in my own  person that I learned to recognize the thorough  

  • and primitive duality of man I saw that of the  two Natures that contended in the field of my  

  • Consciousness even if I could rightly be said to  be either it was only because I was radically both  

  • and from an early date even before the course  of my scientific discoveries had begun to  

  • suggest the most naked possibility of suchmiracle I had learned to dwell with pleasure  

  • as a beloved Daydream on the thought of the  separation of these elements if each I told  

  • myself could but be housed in separate identities  life would be relieved of all that was unbearable  

  • the unjust might go his way delivered from the  aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin  

  • and the just could walk steadfastly and securely  on his upward path doing the good things in which  

  • he found pleasure and no longer exposed to  disgrace and penitence by the hands of his  

  • extraneous evil it was the curse of mankind that  these incongruous [ __ ] were thus bound together  

  • that in the agonized womb of Consciousness these  polar twins should be continuously struggling  

  • how then were they disconnected

  • I was so far in my Reflections when as I have said  a side light began to shine upon the subject from  

  • the laboratory table I began to perceive more  deeply than it has ever yet been stated the  

  • trembling immateriality the mist-like transience  of this seemingly so solid body in which we walk  

  • are tired certain agents I have found to have  the power to shake and to pluck back that fleshly  

  • vestment even as a wind might toss the curtains  of a pavilion for two good reasons I will not  

  • enter deeply into this scientific branch of My  Confession first because I have been made to  

  • learn that the doom and burden of our life is  bound Forever on man's shoulders and when the  

  • attempt is made to cast it off it but returns upon  us with more unfamiliar and more awful pressure  

  • secondly because as my narrative will makelast too evident my discoveries were incomplete  

  • enough then that I not only recognize my natural  body for the mere Aura and defulgence of certain  

  • of the powers that made up my spirit but managed  to compound the drug by which these Powers should  

  • be dethroned from their Supremacy and a second  form and countenance substituted nonetheless  

  • natural to me because they were the expression  and bore the stamp of lower elements in my soul  

  • I hesitated long before I put this Theory to the  test of practice I knew well that I risked death  

  • for any drug that so potently controlled  and shook the very Fortress of identity  

  • might by the least scruple of an overdose or  at the least in opportunity in the moment of  

  • exhibition utterly blot out that immaterial  Tabernacle which I looked to it to change  

  • but the temptation of a discovery so singular and  profound at last overcame the suggestions of alarm  

  • I had long since prepared my tincture I purchased  it once from a firm of wholesale chemists a large  

  • quantity of a particular salt which I knew from my  experiments to be the last ingredient required and  

  • late one occursed night I compounded the elements  watched them boil and smoke together in the glass  

  • and when the abolition had subsided withstrong glow of Courage drank off the potion

  • the most racking pangs succeededgrinding in the bones deadly nausea  

  • and a horror of the spirit that cannot  be exceeded at the hour of birth or death  

  • then these agonies began swiftly to subside and  I came to myself as if out of a great sickness  

  • there was something strange in my Sensations  something indescribably new and from its very  

  • novelty incredibly sweet I felt younger lighter  happier in body within I was conscious of a heady  

  • recklessness a current of disordered sensual  images running like a Mill Race in my fancy  

  • a solution of the bonds of obligation and  unknown but not an innocent freedom of the Soul  

  • I knew myself at the first breath of this new  life to be more wicked tenfold more wicked sold  

  • a slave to my original sin and the thought in  that moment braced and delighted me like wine  

  • I stretched out my hands exalting in the freshness  of these Sensations and in the ACT I was suddenly  

  • aware that I had lost in stature there was no  mirror at that date in my room that which stands  

  • beside me as I write was brought there later on  and for the very purpose of these transformations  

  • the night however was far gone into the morning  the morning black as it was was nearly ripe for  

  • the conception of the day the inmates of my house  were locked in the most rigorous hours of Slumber  

  • and I determined flushed as I was with hope and  Triumph to venture in my new shape as far as to  

  • my bedroom I crossed the yard wherein the  constellations looked down upon me I could  

  • have thought with Wonder the first creature of  that sort that they are on sleeping vigilance  

  • had yet disclosed to them I stole through  the corridors a stranger in my own house  

  • and coming to my room I saw for the  first time the appearance of Edward Hyde  

  • I must hear speak by Theory alone saying not that  which I know but that which I suppose to be most  

  • probable the evil side of my nature to which  I had now transferred the stamping efficacy  

  • was less robust and less developed than  the good which I had just deposed again  

  • in the course of my life which had been after all  nine tenths a life of effort virtue and control  

  • it had been much less exercised and much less  exhausted and hence I think it came about that  

  • Edward Hyde was so much smaller slighter and  younger than Henry Jekyll even as good shown  

  • upon the countenance of the one evil was written  broadly and plainly on the face of the other  

  • evil besides which I must still  believe to be the lethal side of man  

  • had left on that body an imprint of deformity and  decay And yet when I looked upon that ugly Idol  

  • in the glass I was conscious of no repugnance  rather of a leap of welcome this too was myself  

  • it seemed natural and human in my eyes it bore  a livelier image of the spirit it seemed more  

  • Express and single than the imperfect and divided  countenance I had been hithered to accustomed to  

  • call mine and in so far I was doubtless right  I have observed that when I wore the semblance  

  • of Edward Hyde none could come near to me at  first without a visible misgiving of the flesh  

  • this as I take it was because all human beings as  we meet them are commingled out of Good and Evil  

  • and Edward Hyde alone in the  ranks of mankind was Pure Evil

  • I lingered but a moment at the mirror the second  and conclusive experiment had yet to be attempted  

  • it yet remained to be seen if I had lost  my identity Beyond Redemption and must  

  • flee before daylight from a house that was no  longer mine and hurrying back to my cabinet I  

  • once more prepared and drank the cop once  more suffered the pangs of dissolution  

  • and came to myself once more with the character  the stature and the face of Henry Jekyll

  • that night I had come to the Fatal Crossroads had  I approached My Discovery in a more noble spirit  

  • had I risked the experiment while under the Empire  of generous or Pious aspirations all must have  

  • been otherwise and from these agonies of death and  birth I had come forth an angel instead of a fiend  

  • the drug had no discriminating action  it was neither diabolical nor divine  

  • it but shook the doors of the prison House of  my disposition and like the captives of Philippi  

  • that which stood within ran forth at that time my  virtues slumbered my evil kept awake by ambition  

  • was alert and Swift to seize the occasion and  the thing that was projected was Edward Hyde  

  • hence although I had now two characters as  well as two appearances one was wholly evil  

  • and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll  that incongruous compound of whose reformation  

  • and Improvement I had already learned to despair  the movement was thus wholly toward the worse  

  • even at that time I had not yet conquered my  aversion to the dryness of a life of study  

  • I would still be merrily disposed at times and  as my Pleasures were to say the least undignified  

  • and I was not only well known and highly  considered but growing towards the elderly man  

  • this incoherency of my life was daily growing  more unwelcome it was on this side that my new  

  • power tempted me until I fell in slavery I had  but to drink the cup to doff at once the body  

  • of the noted professor and to assume like a thick  cloak that of Edward hide I smiled at the notion  

  • it seemed to me at the time to be humorous andmade my preparations with the most studious care  

  • I took and furnished that house in SoHo  to which Hyde was tracked by the police  

  • and engaged as housekeeper a creature whom  I well knew to be silent and unscrupulous  

  • on the other side I announced to  my servants that a Mr Hyde whom  

  • I described was to have full Liberty  and Power about my house in the Square  

  • and to Parry mishaps I even called and made  myself a familiar object in my second character  

  • I next Drew up that will to which you so much  objected so that if anything befell me in the  

  • person of Dr Jekyll I could enter on that of  Edward Hyde without pecuniary loss and thus  

  • fortified as I supposed on every side I began to  profit by the strange immunities of my position

  • men have before hired Bravos to transact  their crimes while their own person and  

  • reputation sat under shelter I was the  first that ever did so for his pleasures  

  • I was the first that could thus plod in the public  eye with a load of genial respectability and in a  

  • moment like a school boy strip off these lendings  and spring head long into the sea of Liberty  

  • but for me in my impenetrable mantle the safety  was complete think of it I did not even exist let  

  • me butt Escape into my laboratory door give me but  a second or two to mix and swallow the draft that  

  • I had always standing ready and whatever he had  done Edward Hyde would pass away like the stain  

  • of breath upon a mirror and there in his stead  quietly at home trimming the midnight lamp in his  

  • study a man who could afford to laugh at suspicion  would be Henry Jekyll the pleasures which I made  

  • haste to seek in my disguise were as I have said  undignified I would scarce use a harder term  

  • but in the hands of Edward Hyde they soon began  to turn towards the Monstrous when I would come  

  • back from these excursions I was often plunged  into a kind of Wonder at my vicarious depravity  

  • this familiar that I called out of my own soul  and sent forth alone to do his good pleasure  

  • was of being inherently malign and villainous  his Every Act and thought centered on self  

  • drinking pleasure with Bastille lividity  from any degree of torture to another  

  • Relentless like a man of stone Henry Jekyll stood  at times aghast before the acts of Edward Hyde  

  • but the situation was apart from ordinary laws  and insidiously relaxed the grasp of conscience  

  • it was hide after all and hide alone that was  guilty Jekyll was no worse he woke again to his  

  • good qualities seemingly unimpaired he would even  make haste where it was possible to undo the evil  

  • done by Hyde and thus his conscience slumbered  into the details of the infamy at which I thus  

  • connived for even now I can scarce grant thatcommitted it I have no design of entering I mean  

  • what to point out the warnings and the successive  steps with which my chastisement approached  

  • I met with one accident which as it brought  on no consequence I shall no more than mention  

  • an act of Cruelty to a child aroused against  me the anger of a passerby whom I recognized  

  • the other day in the person of your Kinsmen the  doctor and the child's family joined him there  

  • were moments when I feared for my life and at  last in order to pacify their two just resentment  

  • Edward Hyde had to bring them to the door and pay  them in a check drawn in the name of Henry Jekyll  

  • but this danger was easily eliminated from  the future by opening an account at another  

  • bank in the name of Edward Hyde himself  and when by sloping my own hand backward  

  • I had supplied my double with a signature  I thought I sat beyond the reach of fate

  • some two months before the murder of Sir Danvershad been out for one of my Adventures had returned  

  • at a late hour and woke the next day in bed with  somewhat odd Sensations it was in vain I looked  

  • about me in vain I saw the decent furniture  and Tall proportions of my room in the Square  

  • in vain that I recognized the pattern of the bed  curtains and the design of the mahogany frame  

  • something still kept insisting that I was not  where I was that I had not awakened where I seemed  

  • to be but in the little room in SoHo where I was  accustomed to sleep in the body of Edward Hyde  

  • I smiled to myself and in my psychological way  began lazily to inquire into the elements of  

  • this illusion occasionally even as I did so  dropping back in a comfortable morning doze  

  • I was still so engaged when in one of my  more wakeful moments my eye fell upon my hand  

  • now the hand of Henry Jekyll as you have often  remarked was professional in shape and size it  

  • was large firm white and calmly but the hand  which I now saw clearly enough in the yellow  

  • light of a mid London morning lying half shut  on the bed clothes was lean corded knockly of  

  • a Dusky power and thickly shaded with a smart  growth of hair it was the hand of Edward Hyde  

  • I must have stared upon it for near halfminute sunk as I was in the mere stupidity  

  • of Wonder before Terror woke up in my breast as  sudden and startling as the crash of symbols and  

  • bounding from my bed I rushed to the Mirror at the  site that met my eyes my blood was changing into  

  • something exquisitely thin and icy yes I had gone  to bed Henry Jekyll I had awakened Edward Hyde  

  • how was this to be explained I asked myself  and then with another bound of Horror  

  • how was it to be remedied it was well on in the  morning the servants were up all my drugs were  

  • in the cabinet a long journey down two pairs  of stairs through the back passage across the  

  • open court and through the anatomical theater  from where I was then standing horror struck  

  • it might indeed be possible to cover my face  but of what use was that when I was unable  

  • to conceal the alteration of my stature and then  with an overpowering sweetness of relief it came  

  • back upon my mind that the servants were already  used to the coming and going of my second self  

  • I had soon dressed as well aswas able in clothes of my own size  

  • had soon passed through the house where Bradshaw  stared and Drew back at seeing Mr Hyde at such  

  • an hour and in such a strange array and  10 minutes later Dr Jekyll had returned  

  • to his old shape and was sitting down withdarkened brow to make a faint of breakfasting  

  • small indeed was my appetite this inexplicable  incident this reversal of my previous experience  

  • seemed like the Babylonian finger on the wall  to be spelling out the letters of my judgment  

  • and I began to reflect more seriously than ever  before on the issues and possibilities of My  

  • Double existence that part of me which I had  the power of projecting had lately been much  

  • exercised and nourished it had seemed to me  of late as though the body of Edward Hyde had  

  • grown in stature as though when I wore that form  I were conscious of a more generous tide of blood  

  • and I began to Spire danger that if this were  much prolonged the balance of my nature might  

  • be permanently overthrown the power of voluntary  change be forfeited and the character of Edward  

  • Hyde become irrevocably mine the power of  the drug had not always equally displayed  

  • once very early in my career it had totally  failed me since then I had been obliged on  

  • more than one occasion to double and once with  infinite risk of death to treble the amount  

  • and these rare uncertainties had cast  hitherto the sole Shadow on my contentment  

  • now however and in the light of that morning's  accident I was led to remark that whereas in the  

  • beginning the difficulty had been to throw off  the body of Jekyll it had of late gradually but  

  • decidedly transferred itself to the other side  all things therefore seemed to point to this  

  • that I was slowly losing hold of my original and  better self and becoming slowly Incorporated with  

  • my second and worse between these two I now felthad to choose my two Natures had memory in common  

  • but all other faculties were most unequally  shared between them Jekyll who was composite  

  • now with the most sensitive apprehensions now  with a greedy Gusto projected and shared in the  

  • pleasures and Adventures of Hyde but Hyde was  indifferent to Jekyll or but remembered him as  

  • the mountain Bandit remembers the cavern  in which he conceals himself from Pursuit  

  • Jekyll had more than a father's interest  Hyde had more than a son's indifference  

  • to cast in my lot with Jekyll was to die to those  appetites which I had long secretly indulged and  

  • had of late begun to Pampa to cast it in with Hyde  was to die to a thousand interests and aspirations  

  • and to become at a blow and forever despised and  friendless the bargain might appear unequal but  

  • there was still another consideration in  the scales for while Jekyll would suffer  

  • smartingly in the fires of abstinence Hyde would  be not even conscious of all that he had lost  

  • strange as my circumstances were the terms of  this debate are as old and commonplace as man  

  • much the same inducement and alarms cast  the die for any tempted and trembling sinner  

  • and it fell out with me as it falls with  so vast a majority of my fellows that I  

  • chose the better part and was found  wanting in the strength to keep to it  

  • yes I preferred the elderly and discontented  doctor surrounded by friends and cherishing  

  • honest hopes and made a Resolute farewell to  the Liberty the comparative youth the light step  

  • leaping pulses and secret Pleasures that I had  enjoyed in the disguise of Hyde I made this Choice  

  • perhaps with some unconscious reservation forneither gave up the house in SoHo nor destroyed  

  • the clothes of Edward Hyde which still lay ready  in my cabinet for two months however I was true to  

  • my determination for two months I led a life of  such severity as I had never before attained to  

  • and enjoyed the compensations of an approving  conscience but time began at last to obliterate  

  • the freshness of my alarm the Praises of  conscience began to grow into a thing of course  

  • I began to be tortured with throws and longings  as of Hyde struggling after freedom and at  

  • last in an hour of moral weakness I once again  compounded and swallowed the transforming draft  

  • I do not suppose that when a drunkard reasons  with himself upon his vice he is once out of 500  

  • times affected by the dangers that he runs  through his brutish physical insensibility  

  • neither had I long as I had considered my position  made enough allowance for the complete moral  

  • insensibility and in sense8 Readiness to evil  which were the leading characters of Edward Hyde  

  • yet it was by these that I was punished my  devil had been long caged he came out roaring  

  • I was conscious even when I took the draft ofmore unbridled a more Furious propensity to Ill  

  • it must have been this I suppose that stirred in  my soul that Tempest of impatience with which I  

  • listened to the civilities of my unhappy  victim I declare at least before God no  

  • man morally sane could have been guilty of that  crime upon so pitiful a provocation and that I  

  • struck in no more reasonable Spirit than that  in which a sick child may break a plaything  

  • but I had voluntarily stripped myself of  all those balancing Instincts by which  

  • even the worst of us continues to walk with  some degree of steadiness among Temptations  

  • and in my case to be tempted however slightly was  to fall instantly the spirit of Hell awoke in me  

  • and raged with a transport of Glee I mauled the  unresisting body tasting Delight from every blow  

  • and it was not till weariness had begun to succeed  that I was suddenly in the top fit of my delirium  

  • struck Through the Heart by a cold thrill of  Terror a Mist dispersed I saw my life to be  

  • forfeit and fled from the scene of these excesses  at once glorying and trembling my lust of evil  

  • gratified and stimulated my love of Life screwed  to the topmost peg I ran to the house in SoHo and  

  • to make Assurance doubly sure destroyed my papers  thence I set out through the lamplet streets in  

  • the same divided Ecstasy of Mind gloating on my  crime light-headedly devising others in the future  

  • and yet still hastening and still hearkening  in my wake for the steps of the Avenger  

  • Hyde had a song upon his lips as he compounded  the draft and as he drank it pledged the dead man  

  • the pangs of transformation had not done tearing  him before Henry Jekyll with streaming tears of  

  • gratitude and remorse had fallen upon his  knees and lifted his clasped hands to God  

  • the veil of self-indulgence was rent from hand  to foot I saw my life as a whole I followed it  

  • up from the days of childhood when I had walked  with my father's hand and through the self-denying  

  • toils of my professional life to arrive again  and again with the same sense of unreality at  

  • the Damned horrors of the evening I could have  screamed aloud I sought with tears and prayers  

  • to smother down the crowd of hideous images and  sounds with which my memory swarmed against me  

  • and still between the petitions the ugly  face of my iniquity stared into my soul  

  • as the acuteness of this remorse began to die  away it was succeeded by a sense of joy the  

  • problem of my conduct was solved hide was thence  forth impossible whether I would or not I was now  

  • confined to the better part of my existence and  oh how I rejoiced to think it with what willing  

  • humility I embraced and knew the restrictions  of natural life with what sincere renunciation  

  • I locked the door by which I had so often  gone and come and ground the key under my heel

  • the next day came the news that the  murder had been overlooked that the  

  • guilt of Hyde was patent to the world and that  the victim was a man high in public estimation  

  • it was not only a crime it had been a tragic folly  I think I was glad to know it I think I was glad  

  • to have my better impulses thus buttressed  and guarded by the Terrors of the scaffold  

  • Jekyll was now my City of Refuge let but  hide peep out an instant and the hands of  

  • all men would be raised to take and slay himresolved in my future conduct to redeem the past  

  • and I can say with honesty that my  resolve was fruitful of some good  

  • you know yourself how earnestly in the last  months of last year I labored to relieve suffering  

  • you know that much was done for others and that  the days passed quietly almost happily for myself  

  • nor can I truly say that I wear it  of this beneficent and innocent life  

  • I think instead that I daily  enjoyed it more completely  

  • but I was still cursed with my duality of purpose  and as the first edge of my penitence wore off  

  • the lower side of me so long indulged so  recently chained down began to growl for license  

  • not that I dreamed of resuscitating hide the  bare idea of that would startle me to frenzy  

  • no it was in my own person that I was once  more tempted to trifle with my conscience  

  • and it was as an ordinary secret sinner thatat last fell before the assaults of Temptation  

  • there comes an end to all things the  most capacious measure is filled at last  

  • and this brief condescension to my evil finally  destroyed the balance of my soul and yet I was  

  • not alarmed the fall seemed natural like a return  to the old days before I had made my discovery  

  • it was a fine clear January day wet underfoot  where the frost had melted but cloudless overhead  

  • and the Region's Park was full of winter  chiropings and sweet with spring odors  

  • I sat in the sun on a bench the animal  Within Me licking the chops of memory  

  • the spiritual side a little drowsed promising  subsequent penitence but not yet moved to begin  

  • after all I reflected I was like my neighbors  and then I smiled comparing myself with other  

  • men comparing my active Goodwill with the lazy  cruelty of their neglect and at the very moment  

  • of that vain glorious thought a quam came over  me a horrid nausea and the most deadly shoddering  

  • these passed away and left me faint and then as  in its turn the faintness subsided I began to be  

  • aware of a change in The Temper of my thoughtsgreater boldness a contempt of danger a solution  

  • of the bonds of obligation I looked down my  clothes hung formlessly on My Shrunken limbs  

  • the hand that lay on my knee was corded and hairy  I was once more Edward Hyde a moment before I had  

  • been safe of all men's respect wealthy beloved  the cloth laying for me on the dining room at home  

  • and now I was the common Quarry of mankind hunted  houseless a known murderer thrall to The Gallows  

  • my reason wavered but it did not fail me utterly  I have more than once observed that in my second  

  • character my faculties seemed sharpened to  a point and my spirits more tensely elastic  

  • thus it came about that where Jekyll perhaps  might have succumbed Hyde Rose to the importance  

  • of the moment my drugs were in one of the  presses of my cabinet how was I to reach them  

  • that was the problem that crushing my temples in  my hands I set myself to solve the laboratory door  

  • I had closed if I sought to enter by the house  my own servants would consign me to The Gallows  

  • I saw I must employ another hand and thought of  Lanyon how was he to be reached how persuaded  

  • supposing that I escaped capture in the streets  how was I to make my way into his presence and  

  • how should I an unknown and displeasing visitor  Prevail on the famous physician to Rifle the study  

  • of his colleague Dr Jekyll than I remembered that  of my original character one part remained to me  

  • I could write my own hand and once I had conceived  that kindling spark the way that I must follow  

  • became lighted up from end to end thereuponarranged my clothes as best I could and summoning  

  • a passing handsome drove to an Hotel in Portland  Street the name of which I chance to remember  

  • at my appearance which was indeed comical enough  however tragic of Fate these garments covered  

  • the driver could not conceal his Mirth I gnashed  my teeth upon him with a gust of devilish Fury and  

  • the smile withered from his face happily for him  yet more happily for myself for in another instant  

  • I had certainly dragged him from his perch at the  Inn as I entered I looked about me with so black  

  • accountants as to make the attendance tremble  not a look did they Exchange in my presence  

  • but obsequiously took my orders led me toprivate room and brought me wherewithal to write  

  • hide in danger of his life was a creature new  to me shaken with inordinate anger strung to  

  • the pitch of murder lusting to inflict pain  yet the creature was astute mastered his Fury  

  • with a great effort of the will composed his two  important letters one to Lanyon and one to Paul  

  • and that he might receive actual evidence  of their being posted sent them out with  

  • directions that they should be registered  vents forward he sat all day over the  

  • fire in the private room gnawing his nails  there he dined sitting alone with his fears  

  • the waiter visibly quailing before his eye  and thence when the night was fully come  

  • he set forth in the corner of a closed cab and was  driven to and fro about the streets of the city  

  • he I say I cannot say I that child of Hell had  nothing human nothing lived in him but fear and  

  • hatred and when at last thinking the driver had  begun to grow suspicious he discharged the cab  

  • and ventured on foot a tired in his misfitting  clothes an object marked out for observation  

  • into the midst of the nocturnal passengers these  two base passions raged within him like a tempest  

  • he walked fast hunted by his fears chattering  to himself skulking through the less frequented  

  • thoroughfares counting the minutes  that still divided him from Midnight  

  • once a woman spoke to him offering I think a box  of Lights he smoked her in the face and she fled  

  • when I came to myself at lanyon's the horror  of my old friend perhaps affected me somewhat  

  • I do not know it was at least but a drop in  the sea to the abhorrence with which I looked  

  • back upon these hours a change had come over  me it was no longer the fear of The Gallows  

  • it was the horror of being Hyde that racked mereceived lanyon's condemnation partly in a dream  

  • it was partly in a dream that I came  home to my own house and got into bed  

  • I slept after the prostration of the day with  astringent and profound Slumber which not even the  

  • nightmares that wronged me could Avail to breakawoke in the morning shaken weakened but refreshed  

  • I still hated and feared the thought  of the brute that slept Within Me  

  • and I had not of course forgotten the  appalling dangers of the day before  

  • but I was once more at home in my  own house and close to my drugs  

  • and gratitude for my Escape Sean so strong in my  soul that it almost rivaled the brightness of Hope  

  • I was stepping leisurely across  the court after breakfast  

  • drinking the chill of the air with pleasure  when I was seized again with those Indescribable  

  • Sensations that Herald did the change  and I had bought the time to gain the  

  • shelter of my cabinet before I was once again  raging and freezing with the passions of Hyde  

  • it took on this occasion a double dose to  recall me to myself and alas six hours after  

  • as I sat looking sadly in the fire the pangs  returned and the drug had to be readministered  

  • in short from that day forth it seemed only by  a great effort as of gymnastics and only under  

  • the immediate stimulation of the drug that  I was able to wear the countenance of Jekyll  

  • at all hours of the day and night I would  be taken with the premonitory shodder  

  • above all if I slept or even dozed for a moment  in my chair it was always as hide that I awakened  

  • under the strain of this continually impending  doom and by the sleeplessness to which I now  

  • condemned myself I even beyond what I had thought  possible to man I became in my own person a  

  • creature eaten up and emptied by fever languidly  weak both in body and mind and solely occupied by  

  • one thought the horror of my other self but whenslept or when the virtue of the medicine wore off  

  • I would leap almost without transition for the  pangs of transformation grew daily less marked  

  • into the possession of a fancy brimming with  images of Terror a soul boiling with causeless  

  • hatreds and a body that seemed not strong  enough to contain the Raging energies of life  

  • the powers of Hyde seemed to have grown with  the sickliness of Jekyll and certainly the hate  

  • that now divided them was equal on each side  with Jekyll it was a thing of vital instinct  

  • he had now seen the full deformity of that  creature that shared with him some of the  

  • phenomena of consciousness and was coheir with  him to death and Beyond these links of community  

  • which in themselves made the most poignant part  of his distress he thought of hide for all his  

  • energies of life as of something not only hellish  but inorganic this was the shocking thing that the  

  • Slime of the pit seemed to utter cries and voices  that the amorphous dust gesticulated and sinned  

  • that what was dead and had no shape  would usurp the offices of life  

  • and this again that that Insurgent horror was  knit to him closer than a wife closer than an eye  

  • lay caged in his flesh where he heard it Mata  and felt it struggle to be born and at every  

  • hour of weakness and in the confidence of Slumber  prevailed against him and deposed him out of life  

  • the hatred of Hyde for Jekyll was of a different  order his Terror of The Gallows drove him  

  • continually to commit temporary suicide and return  to his subordinate station of a part instead of  

  • a person but he loathed the necessity he loathed  the despondency into which Jekyll was now fallen  

  • and he resented the dislike with  which he was himself regarded  

  • hence the ape-like tricks that he would play me  scrawling in my own hand blasphemies on the pages  

  • of my books burning the letters and destroying  the portrait of my father and indeed had it not  

  • been for his fear of death he would long ago have  ruined himself in order to involve me in the ruin  

  • but his love of life is wonderful I go furtherwho sicken and freeze at the mere thought of him  

  • when I recall the objection and passion of this  attachment and when I know how he fears my power  

  • to cut him off by Suicide I find it in my heart  to pity him it is useless and the time awfully  

  • fails me to prolong this description no one has  ever suffered such torments let that suffice  

  • and yet even to these habit brought no not  alleviation but a certain callousness of soul  

  • a certain acquiescence of despair and My  Punishment might have gone on for years but for  

  • the last Calamity which has now fallen and which  has finally severed me from my own face and nature  

  • my provision of the salt which had never been  renewed since the date of the first experiment  

  • began to run low I sent out for a fresh Supply  and mixed the draft the abolition followed and  

  • the first change of color not the second I drank  it and it was without efficacy you will learn  

  • from Paul how I have had London ransacked  it was in vain and I'm now persuaded that  

  • my first Supply was impure and that it was that  unknown impurity which lent efficacy to the draft  

  • about a week has passed and I am now finishing  this statement under the influence of the last  

  • of the old powders this then is the last  time short of a miracle that Henry Jekyll  

  • can think his own thoughts or see his own  face now how sadly altered in the glass  

  • nor must I delay too long to bring my  writing to an end for if my narrative  

  • has hitherto escaped destruction it has been bycombination of great prudence and great good luck  

  • should the throes of change take me in the act  of writing it Hyde will tear it in pieces but if  

  • some time shall have elapsed after I have laid it  by his wonderful selfishness and circumscription  

  • to the moment will probably save it once  again from the action of his ape-like spite  

  • and indeed the Doom that is closing on us  both has already changed and crushed him  

  • half an hour from now when I shall again  and forever re-indue that hated personality  

  • I know how I shall sit shoddering and  weeping in my chair or continue with  

  • the most strained and fierce struck Ecstasy  of listening to Pace up and down this room  

  • my last Earthly refuge and give ear to every  sound of Menace will hide die upon the scaffold  

  • or will he find the courage to release himself  at the last moment God knows I am careless  

  • this is my true hour of death and what  is to follow concerns another than myself  

  • here then as I lay down the pen and  proceed to seal up My Confession  

  • I bring the life of that  unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end

  • of the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

  • foreign [Music]

[Music] foreign

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