04-02-06-化身博士 [7]
,Mr Utterson locked the two letters inhis cupboard.'Well!'he thought.'So Henry Jekyll wrotethat letter for a murderer!'His face was as calm and expressionless as usual,but his heart was filled with fear for his oldfriend.
■ 4 杰基尔博士收到一封信
当天下午很晚了,厄特森先生才抽出空去杰基尔博士家。博士的仆人普尔马上把他让进去,穿过厨房和后花园来到屋后面的实验室,这是厄特森先生第一次到朋友的实验室来,他好奇地看来看去。
老仆人带他经过实验室,上楼来到博士的私人书房。屋子很大,周围都是镶着玻璃的柜子,还有一面大镜子和一张井然有序的大办公桌。壁炉里火烧得很旺,火边坐着杰基尔博士,面色苍白,十分痛苦的样子。他声音微弱、无精打来地和朋友打了招呼。
“你也听说这事了?”老仆人刚一退下,厄特森先生就问。
“报童满街叫喊,”杰基尔说,“这太可怕了。”
“我要问你些事,”律师说,“丹佛斯·卡鲁是我的委托人,但你也是,我要知道自己该如何行事。你不会想把凶手藏起来吧?”
“厄特森,我向你保证,”博士喊道,“我保证再也不见他了,我已跟他一刀两断了。实际上他也不需要我的帮助了。我了解他,你不了解,他现在很安全,非常安全。相信我,没人会再见到海德了。”
律师听着,一脸的严肃,他不喜欢博士那发热病似的兴奋神态。
“看起来你对他挺放心,”他答道,“希望你是对的,要是抓住了他,弄到法庭上,你的名字也会被提出来的。”
“我对他的确有把握,”杰基尔回答说,“我不能告诉你为什么,但我的确放心。可有一件事我要请教一下,我刚收到一封信,我不知道是否应该交给警方,厄特森,我交给你,好吗?”
“我想,你是不是怕这封信会让警方追踪到海德?”律师问。
“不,”杰基尔博士说,“我倒不在乎海德会怎样。我担心的是自己的名声……不管怎么说,这就是那封信。”
这封信笔迹奇特,线条直愣愣的,签名是“爱德华·海德”。信开头写道:“很久以来承蒙您恩眷,沾沐厚泽,无以为报;实为遗憾。请您不必为我担心,我十分安全,肯定会毫发无损地逃出去,任我遨游。”
“信是邮差送来的吗?”律师问。
“不是,”博士回答道,“信封上没有邮戳,是打发人直接送来的。”
“让我先拿着信,再想想?”律师问。
“希望你能代我作全盘考虑,”他的委托人说,“我已经没有自信了。”
“那好吧。”律师说,“还有一句话,遗嘱里有关你失踪三个月的条款,也是海德的主意吗?”
博士轻轻叹了口气:“是的。”
“他想杀害你,”律师说,“幸亏你死里逃生。”
“这对我也是个教训啊!”他的委托人痛心疾首地说。“天哪!多可怕的教训!”说着,他把脸深深地埋在手里。
出门的时候,律师停下来跟普尔说了几句话。
“顺便问你一件事,”律师说,“主人今天收到了一封信。是谁送来的,长得什么样?”
“除了邮差没有别人来过,先生,”仆人惊讶地回答说。
“这事真让人担心,”回家的路上,厄特森先生边走边想,“显然,信是从实验室的门递进来的,很可能就是在博士的书房里写的,这事得仔细想想。”
街上报童高声叫卖着:“卖报卖报!可怕的凶杀案!”
律师的心情十分低落,一个委托人死了,另一个的性命和名誉也发发可危。他一向不向别人求助,但今天情形却不同。
晚上,他坐在炉火边,坐在旁边的是事务所主任盖斯特先生。两人共事多年,彼此熟识、了解。盖斯特先生也曾处理过与博士有关的业务,他们也很熟。
外面雾气蒙蒙,阴冷幽暗,屋里却温暖而明亮,桌上还有一瓶上等的威士忌。
“丹佛斯·卡鲁爵士的事真让人难过,”厄特森先生说。
“不错,先生,那个凶手肯定是发疯了。”
“我倒想听听你的看法,”律师又说道,“我这儿有他写的亲笔信。”
盖斯特先生专门研究过书法,是个鉴定笔迹的行家。一听这话,他眼睛都亮了。“凶手的信!”他叫道,“这太有意思了!”仔细看了看笔迹,他说:“不像是个疯子,只是这笔迹太少见了!”
正说着,仆人走进来,送上一张便条。
“是杰基尔博士的条子吗?”盖斯特问,“我想我认识这笔迹。有什么不方便的吗,厄特森先生?”
“只是请我吃饭的请柬,怎么?你想看看?”
“就看一下,先生。”那职员把两封信并排放在一起,仔细比较。
“谢谢,先生,”他说,“真有意思。”
厄特森先生迟疑了一会儿,越想越担心,最后还是忍不住问了出来:“你为什么把两封信放到一起看呢?”
“呃,先生,这两封信的笔体惊人地相似。”
“这太离奇了!……盖斯特先生,请你千万不要把这事告诉任何人。”
“当然不会,先生,”职员说,“您放心吧!”没多久,他道了晚安,回家去了。
又剩下厄特森先生一个人了,他把两封信锁在柜子里。“明白了!”他想,“一定是亨利·杰基尔为凶手写了那封信。”他的脸上像往常一样毫无表情,心里却为老朋友充满了恐惧。
■ 5 The death of a friend
Time passed.The search for Mr Hyde continued.SirDanvers Carew was an important and popular man andthe police tried desperately to arrest the murderer and bringhim to trial.But there was no sign of Mr Hyde himself, although the police and the newspapers discovered a lot about hispast life.Nobody,it seemed,could say one good word aboutthe wanted man. He was a cruel, violent man, who had livedan evil life full of hate and jealousy.None of this, however,was any help to the police. Mr Hyde had just disappeared.
As time went by, Mr Utterson became calmer and more atpeace with himself. He was truly sorry that his client, SirDanvers Carew, was dead, but he was also very glad that MrHyde had disappeared. As for Doctor Jekyll, he too appearedcalmer and happier.He came out into the world again.He invited friends to his house and accepted invitations to theirs. Hehad always been a good and generous man.Now,however,hebecame a churchgoer too. He was busy, he spent a lot of timein the fresh air and he looked happy and carefree.For morethan two months he was at peace with himself and the world.
On the 8th of January Mr Utterson was invited to dinner atDoctor Jekyll's house.Doctor Lanyon was there too.'This isquite like old times,'thought the lawyer as he watched DoctorJekyll smiling at Doctor Lanyon.
On January 12th,however,and again on the 14th, DoctorJekyll refused to see visitors.
'The doctor is not well,'explained Poole.'He hopes youwill forgive him,but he cannot see anyone.'
Mr Utterson called again next day, and again the day afterthat.After two months of almost daily meetings with his oldfriend,the lawyer felt rather lonely.On the sixth evening heinvited his clerk,Mr Guest,to dinner with him, and on theseventh night he went to visit Doctor Lanyon.
Doctor Lanyon made him welcome,but Mr Utterson wasshocked by the change in the doctor's appearance
■ 4 杰基尔博士收到一封信
当天下午很晚了,厄特森先生才抽出空去杰基尔博士家。博士的仆人普尔马上把他让进去,穿过厨房和后花园来到屋后面的实验室,这是厄特森先生第一次到朋友的实验室来,他好奇地看来看去。
老仆人带他经过实验室,上楼来到博士的私人书房。屋子很大,周围都是镶着玻璃的柜子,还有一面大镜子和一张井然有序的大办公桌。壁炉里火烧得很旺,火边坐着杰基尔博士,面色苍白,十分痛苦的样子。他声音微弱、无精打来地和朋友打了招呼。
“你也听说这事了?”老仆人刚一退下,厄特森先生就问。
“报童满街叫喊,”杰基尔说,“这太可怕了。”
“我要问你些事,”律师说,“丹佛斯·卡鲁是我的委托人,但你也是,我要知道自己该如何行事。你不会想把凶手藏起来吧?”
“厄特森,我向你保证,”博士喊道,“我保证再也不见他了,我已跟他一刀两断了。实际上他也不需要我的帮助了。我了解他,你不了解,他现在很安全,非常安全。相信我,没人会再见到海德了。”
律师听着,一脸的严肃,他不喜欢博士那发热病似的兴奋神态。
“看起来你对他挺放心,”他答道,“希望你是对的,要是抓住了他,弄到法庭上,你的名字也会被提出来的。”
“我对他的确有把握,”杰基尔回答说,“我不能告诉你为什么,但我的确放心。可有一件事我要请教一下,我刚收到一封信,我不知道是否应该交给警方,厄特森,我交给你,好吗?”
“我想,你是不是怕这封信会让警方追踪到海德?”律师问。
“不,”杰基尔博士说,“我倒不在乎海德会怎样。我担心的是自己的名声……不管怎么说,这就是那封信。”
这封信笔迹奇特,线条直愣愣的,签名是“爱德华·海德”。信开头写道:“很久以来承蒙您恩眷,沾沐厚泽,无以为报;实为遗憾。请您不必为我担心,我十分安全,肯定会毫发无损地逃出去,任我遨游。”
“信是邮差送来的吗?”律师问。
“不是,”博士回答道,“信封上没有邮戳,是打发人直接送来的。”
“让我先拿着信,再想想?”律师问。
“希望你能代我作全盘考虑,”他的委托人说,“我已经没有自信了。”
“那好吧。”律师说,“还有一句话,遗嘱里有关你失踪三个月的条款,也是海德的主意吗?”
博士轻轻叹了口气:“是的。”
“他想杀害你,”律师说,“幸亏你死里逃生。”
“这对我也是个教训啊!”他的委托人痛心疾首地说。“天哪!多可怕的教训!”说着,他把脸深深地埋在手里。
出门的时候,律师停下来跟普尔说了几句话。
“顺便问你一件事,”律师说,“主人今天收到了一封信。是谁送来的,长得什么样?”
“除了邮差没有别人来过,先生,”仆人惊讶地回答说。
“这事真让人担心,”回家的路上,厄特森先生边走边想,“显然,信是从实验室的门递进来的,很可能就是在博士的书房里写的,这事得仔细想想。”
街上报童高声叫卖着:“卖报卖报!可怕的凶杀案!”
律师的心情十分低落,一个委托人死了,另一个的性命和名誉也发发可危。他一向不向别人求助,但今天情形却不同。
晚上,他坐在炉火边,坐在旁边的是事务所主任盖斯特先生。两人共事多年,彼此熟识、了解。盖斯特先生也曾处理过与博士有关的业务,他们也很熟。
外面雾气蒙蒙,阴冷幽暗,屋里却温暖而明亮,桌上还有一瓶上等的威士忌。
“丹佛斯·卡鲁爵士的事真让人难过,”厄特森先生说。
“不错,先生,那个凶手肯定是发疯了。”
“我倒想听听你的看法,”律师又说道,“我这儿有他写的亲笔信。”
盖斯特先生专门研究过书法,是个鉴定笔迹的行家。一听这话,他眼睛都亮了。“凶手的信!”他叫道,“这太有意思了!”仔细看了看笔迹,他说:“不像是个疯子,只是这笔迹太少见了!”
正说着,仆人走进来,送上一张便条。
“是杰基尔博士的条子吗?”盖斯特问,“我想我认识这笔迹。有什么不方便的吗,厄特森先生?”
“只是请我吃饭的请柬,怎么?你想看看?”
“就看一下,先生。”那职员把两封信并排放在一起,仔细比较。
“谢谢,先生,”他说,“真有意思。”
厄特森先生迟疑了一会儿,越想越担心,最后还是忍不住问了出来:“你为什么把两封信放到一起看呢?”
“呃,先生,这两封信的笔体惊人地相似。”
“这太离奇了!……盖斯特先生,请你千万不要把这事告诉任何人。”
“当然不会,先生,”职员说,“您放心吧!”没多久,他道了晚安,回家去了。
又剩下厄特森先生一个人了,他把两封信锁在柜子里。“明白了!”他想,“一定是亨利·杰基尔为凶手写了那封信。”他的脸上像往常一样毫无表情,心里却为老朋友充满了恐惧。
■ 5 The death of a friend
Time passed.The search for Mr Hyde continued.SirDanvers Carew was an important and popular man andthe police tried desperately to arrest the murderer and bringhim to trial.But there was no sign of Mr Hyde himself, although the police and the newspapers discovered a lot about hispast life.Nobody,it seemed,could say one good word aboutthe wanted man. He was a cruel, violent man, who had livedan evil life full of hate and jealousy.None of this, however,was any help to the police. Mr Hyde had just disappeared.
As time went by, Mr Utterson became calmer and more atpeace with himself. He was truly sorry that his client, SirDanvers Carew, was dead, but he was also very glad that MrHyde had disappeared. As for Doctor Jekyll, he too appearedcalmer and happier.He came out into the world again.He invited friends to his house and accepted invitations to theirs. Hehad always been a good and generous man.Now,however,hebecame a churchgoer too. He was busy, he spent a lot of timein the fresh air and he looked happy and carefree.For morethan two months he was at peace with himself and the world.
On the 8th of January Mr Utterson was invited to dinner atDoctor Jekyll's house.Doctor Lanyon was there too.'This isquite like old times,'thought the lawyer as he watched DoctorJekyll smiling at Doctor Lanyon.
On January 12th,however,and again on the 14th, DoctorJekyll refused to see visitors.
'The doctor is not well,'explained Poole.'He hopes youwill forgive him,but he cannot see anyone.'
Mr Utterson called again next day, and again the day afterthat.After two months of almost daily meetings with his oldfriend,the lawyer felt rather lonely.On the sixth evening heinvited his clerk,Mr Guest,to dinner with him, and on theseventh night he went to visit Doctor Lanyon.
Doctor Lanyon made him welcome,but Mr Utterson wasshocked by the change in the doctor's appearance