DR. JEKYLL WAS QUITE AT EASE（第1页）

afortnightlater，byexcellentgoodfortune，thedoctorgaveoneofhispleasantdinnerstosomefiveorsixoldcronies，allintelligent，reputablemenandalljudgesofgoodwine;andmr.uttersonsocontrivedthatheremainedbehindaftertheothershaddeparted.thiswasnonewarrangement，butathingthathadbefallenmanyscoresoftimes.whereuttersonwasliked，hewaslikedwell.hostslovedtodetainthedrylawyer，whenthelight-heartedandtheloose-tonguedhadalreadytheirfootonthethreshold;theylikedtositawhileinhisunobtrusivepany，practisingforsolitude，soberingtheirmindsinthemansrichsilenceaftertheexpenseandstrainofgaiety.tothisrule，dr.jekyllwasnoexception;andashenowsatontheoppositesideofthefire—alarge，well-made，soth-facedmanoffifty，withsomethingofaslyishcastperhaps，buteverymarkofcapacityandkindness—youcouldseebyhislooksthathecherishedformr.gregmarkfortherecordofinfringementofcopyrightjustincase.uttersonasincereandwarmaffection.

"ihavebeenwantospeaktoyou，jekyll，"beganthelatter."youknowthatwillofyours?"

acloseobservermighthavegatheredthatthetopicwasdistasteful;butthedoctorcarrieditoffgaily."mypoorutterson，"saidhe，"youareunfortunateinsuchaclient.ineversawamansodistressedasyouwerebymywill;unlessitwerethathide-boundpedant，lanyon，atwhathecalledmyscientificheresies.oh，iknowhesagoodfellow—youneedntfrown—anexcellentfellow，andialwaysmeantoseereofhim;butahide-boundpedantforallthat;anignorant，blatantpedant.iwasneverredisappointedinanymanthanlanyon."

"youknowineverapprovedofit，"pursuedutterson，ruthlesslydisregardingthefreshtopic.

"mywill?yes，certainly，iknowthat，"saidthedoctor，atriflesharply."youhavetoldmeso.

"well，itellyousoagain，"continuedthelawyer."ihavebeenlearningsomethingofyounghyde."

thelargehandsomefaceofdr.jekyllgrewpaletotheverylips，andtherecameablacknessabouthiseyes."idonotcaretohearre，"saidhe."thisisamatterithoughtwehadagreedtodrop."

"whatiheardwasabominable，"saidutterson.

"itcanmakenochange.youdonotunderstandmyposition，"returnedthedoctor，withacertainincoherencyofmanner."iampainfullysituated，utterson;mypositionisaverystrange—averystrangeone.itisoneofthoseaffairsthatcannotbemendedbytalking."

"jekyll，"saidutterson，"youknowme:iamamantobetrusted.makeacleanbreastofthisinconfidence;andimakenodoubticangetyououtofit."

"mygoodutterson，"saidthedoctor，"thisisverygoodofyou，thisisdownrightgoodofyou，andicannotfindwordstothankyouin.ibelieveyoufully;iwouldtrustyoubeforeanymanalive，ay，beforemyself，ificouldmakethechoice;butindeeditisntwhatyoufancy;itisnotsobadasthat;andjusttoputyourgoodheartatrest，iwilltellyouohing:thementichoose，icanberidofmr.hyde.igiveyoumyhanduponthat;andithankyouagainandagain;andiwilljustaddonelittleword，utterson，thatimsureyoulltakeingoodpart:thisisaprivatematter，andibegofyoutoletitsleep."

uttersonreflectedalittle，lookinginthefir.

"ihavenodoubtyouareperfectlyright，"hesaidatlast，gettohisfeet.

"well，butsincewehavetoucheduponthisbusiness，andforthelasttimeihope，"continuedthedoctor，"thereisonepointishouldlikeyoutounderstand.ihavereallyaverygreatinterestinpoorhyde.iknowyouhaveseenhim;hetoldmeso;andifearhewasrude.but，idosincerelytakeagreat，averygreatinterestinthatyoungman;andifiamtakenaway，utterson，iwishyoutopromisemethatyouwillbearwithhimandgethisrightsforhiithinkyouwould，ifyouknewall;anditwouldbeaweightoffmymindifyouwouldpromise."

"icantpretendthatishalleverlikehim，"saidthelawyer.

"idontaskthat，"pleadedjekyll，layinghishandupontheothersarm;"ionlyaskforjustice;ionlyaskyoutohelphimformysake，wheniamnolongerhere."

uttersonheavedanirrepressiblesigh."well，"saidhe，"ipromise."