INCIDENT OF THE LETTER（第1页）

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

jekyll，lookingdeadlysick.hedidnotrisetomeethisvisitor，butheldoutacoldhandandbadehimweleinachangedvoice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"youfear，isuppose，thatitmightleadtohisdetection?"askedthelawyer.

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

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

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

"haveyoutheenvelope?"heasked.

"iburnedit，"repliedjekyll，"beforeithoughtwhatiwasabout.butitborenopostmark.thenotewashandedin."

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

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

thedoctorseemedseizedwithaqualffaintness:heshuthisuthtightandnodded.

"iknewit，"saidutterson."hemeanttomurderyou.youhavehadafineescape.

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

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

thisnewssentoffthevisitorwithhisfearsrenewed.plainlytheletterhadebythelaboratorydoor;possibly，indeed，ithadbeenwritteninthecabi;andifthatwereso，itmustbedifferentlyjudged，andhandledwiththerecaution.thenewsboys，ashewent，werecryingthemselveshoarsealongthefootways:"specialedition.shockingmurderofanm.p."thatwasthefuneralorationofonefriendandclient;andhecouldnothelpacertainapprehensionlestthegoodnameofanothershouldbesuckeddownintheeddyofthescandal.itwas，atleast，aticklishdecisionthathehadtomake;andself-reliantashewasbyhabit，hebegantocherishalongingforadvice.itwasnottobehaddirectly;butperhaps，hethought，itmightbefishedfor.