04-02-06-化身博士 [9]
成了教堂的常客。他很忙,整天在户外的新鲜空气里呆着,兴高采烈,逍遥自在。有两个月的时间,博士生活得很安宁。
1月8日,厄特森先生应邀去杰基尔博士家赴宴,兰宁医生也在。“又像回到了过去的时光,”律师一边望着博士冲着医生微笑,一边想着。
可到了1月12日,接着14日,杰基尔博士又拒绝会客了。
“博士不舒服,”普尔解释说,“他希望您能原谅他,他谁也不见。”
厄特森先生第二天又去了,随后几天也去了。两个月以来,他几乎天天与老朋友见面,现在律师感到莫名地孤独。第六天晚上,他留助手盖斯特先生吃饭,第七天夜里,他去见了兰宁医生。
兰宁医生倒没有不欢迎他,但看到他的样子,厄特森先生不禁大吃一惊。他以前脸色又红润又健康,可现在却灰白而消瘦,而且他的眼睛里透着深深的惊恐,一下子变成了一个衰老、病危的人。
“他那副样子,”厄特森先生心想,“就像知道自己死期将至一样。”
“怎么了,兰宁?”他问,“你气色不大好。”
“厄特森,我受了次惊吓,”兰宁医生答道,“我活不长了,只是几个星期的事。”他顿了顿,又说:“唉,人终有一死,这是迟早的事,不管怎么说,我的一生还算不错。”
“杰基尔也病了,”律师说,“你见过他吗?”
一听到杰基尔的名字,兰宁医生神色大变,举起一只颤抖的手。“我求求你,”他说,“别在我这里提那个名字。”
“哦,天哪!”厄特森先生说。停了好一会儿,他又问道:“兰宁,我们三个做了一辈子朋友,我们老了,不会再有新的朋友了,你难道不能原谅和忘掉他的过失吗?也许我能帮点忙?”
“无济于事。”兰宁回答说,“你问他自己吧。”
“他不让我进门。”
“我也料到了。总有一天,厄特森,等我死了,你会知道事情的真相的。再有,要是愿意坐下来和我说点别的。那就请留下来,别提那个人,一想到他,我就难受。”
厄特森先生一回到家,就坐下来给杰基尔博士写信,问他为什么拒绝见自己,为什么和兰宁医生断交了。他收到了回信,写得又长又令人费解。
“我不责怪咱们的老朋友,”杰基尔博士写道,“但我同意他的看法,我们不能再见面了。还有也请你原谅,从现在起我要过一种与世隔绝的生活。我的门对你关上,是因为我必须独自踏上这条危险而又黑暗的路程。我已经做了错事,并为此受到惩罚,没人能帮助我。”
“这是怎么回事?”厄特森先生想,“海德已经消失了,杰基尔也恢复了原来的老样子——至少上周还是这样。难道他疯了?”接着他想起了兰宁医生的话。“这里面有问题,”他自言自语道,“有哪儿不对劲,可我猜不出有什么秘密。”
一星期后,兰宁医生已经卧床不起,又过了两个星期,他就去世了。葬礼过后,厄特森先生回到家,走进自己的办公室,打开锁,从柜子里拿出一个信封,是朋友死后不久他收到的。
是兰宁医生的笔迹,他读道:“加·约·厄特森亲启,私人密件。”律师拿着信封,在手里翻来复去地看着。里面会有什么可怕的消息呢?厄特森先生两手颤抖着拆开了信封,里面还有一个信封,写着:“到亨利·杰基尔博士死亡或失踪时方可拆阅。”
律师简直不敢相信自己的眼睛,“死亡或失踪时”,这个说法和杰基尔博士本人的那份遗嘱上的一模一样。“我理解为什么杰基尔会写这些话,”他自言自语道,“但为什么兰宁写得也是这样的话呢?”有那么一个瞬间,他真想拆开信,马上揭开这些秘密。但他是个非常诚实、正直的律师,不会那么做的,他一定要遵从朋友和委托人的遗愿。他又把这封信锁进柜子里,放在杰基尔博士的遗嘱旁边。
律师为自己的朋友杰基尔博士感到十分担心,甚至为他感到害怕。他又去了博士家,但仍被拒之门外。
“普尔,他还好吗?”有一天他问老仆人。
“不太好,先生。他整天关在实验室楼上的书房里,甚至还睡在那儿。他话很少,总是闷闷不乐的,肯定出了什么事,先生,可他谁也不告诉。”
有好长一段时间,律师几乎天天去看他,但渐渐地,他对朋友拒绝见自己感到心灰意冷了,来访的次数也越来越少了。
■ 6 The face at the window
One Sunday soon afterwards Mr Utterson was walkingwith his friend Enfield when they happened to passthrough the narrow side-street again. Enfleld pointed to themysterious door.
'Well,'he said,'that story is finished.We shall never seeMr Hyde again.'
'I hope you're right,'said the lawyer.'Did I tell you? Ionce saw Hyde too and had the same strong feelings of dislikefor him as you did.What an evil man!'
'I agree,'said his friend.'By the way, why didn't you tellme that our mysterious door led to the laboratory at the back ofDoctor Jekyll's house?I didn't know then,but I know now.'
'Well,now that you know,let's go into the courtyard andlook up at his window.I must tell you,'I'm worried aboutpoor Jekyll.Perhaps the sight of a friendly face will do himgood.'
Overhead the evening sky was bright,but the courtyard wascool and dark.At an open window of the study above the laboratory, Doctor Jekyll sat, like a prisoner staring at the worldoutside.
'I hope you are better,Jekyll,'the lawyer called up to him.
The doctor shook his head sadly.'I'm not well,Utterson,'he said.'I shall not be here much longer-thankGod.'
'You spend too much time indoors!You ought to get outinto the fresh air like Enfield and me… By the way, this ismy cousin, Mr Enfield… COme now-get your hat and join usfor a quick walk.'
'You 're very kind,'said the doctor.'But no, it's quiteimpossible. I would like to invite you and Mr Enfield inside,but the place is not very tidy…'
'Well then,'said the lawyer gently,'we can talk to youfrom here.'
'That's an excellent idea-'began the doctor,with asmile.But suddenly the smile left his face and was replaced byan expression of hopelessness, fear and horror. The two menbelow saw it,but only for a second, as the window was shutwith a bang. The two men looked at each other, then turnedand left the courtyard without a word.In silence they crossedthe narrow side-street.They did not speak until they came outinto a busy, noisy street. Then Mr Utterson at last turned andlooked at his companion, whose face was as pale as his own.The expression on Doctor Jekyll's face had upset them bothdeeply.
'God help him!'whispered Mr Utterson.'God help thepoor man!'
But Mr Enfield only nodded his head very seriously andwalked on without a word.
■ 6 窗户上的脸
没过多久,在一个星期天,厄特森先生和恩菲尔德一起散步,正巧又一次走过那条背静的小街。恩菲尔德指着那扇神秘的门。
“好了,”他说,“那个故事结束了,我们再也不会见到海德先
1月8日,厄特森先生应邀去杰基尔博士家赴宴,兰宁医生也在。“又像回到了过去的时光,”律师一边望着博士冲着医生微笑,一边想着。
可到了1月12日,接着14日,杰基尔博士又拒绝会客了。
“博士不舒服,”普尔解释说,“他希望您能原谅他,他谁也不见。”
厄特森先生第二天又去了,随后几天也去了。两个月以来,他几乎天天与老朋友见面,现在律师感到莫名地孤独。第六天晚上,他留助手盖斯特先生吃饭,第七天夜里,他去见了兰宁医生。
兰宁医生倒没有不欢迎他,但看到他的样子,厄特森先生不禁大吃一惊。他以前脸色又红润又健康,可现在却灰白而消瘦,而且他的眼睛里透着深深的惊恐,一下子变成了一个衰老、病危的人。
“他那副样子,”厄特森先生心想,“就像知道自己死期将至一样。”
“怎么了,兰宁?”他问,“你气色不大好。”
“厄特森,我受了次惊吓,”兰宁医生答道,“我活不长了,只是几个星期的事。”他顿了顿,又说:“唉,人终有一死,这是迟早的事,不管怎么说,我的一生还算不错。”
“杰基尔也病了,”律师说,“你见过他吗?”
一听到杰基尔的名字,兰宁医生神色大变,举起一只颤抖的手。“我求求你,”他说,“别在我这里提那个名字。”
“哦,天哪!”厄特森先生说。停了好一会儿,他又问道:“兰宁,我们三个做了一辈子朋友,我们老了,不会再有新的朋友了,你难道不能原谅和忘掉他的过失吗?也许我能帮点忙?”
“无济于事。”兰宁回答说,“你问他自己吧。”
“他不让我进门。”
“我也料到了。总有一天,厄特森,等我死了,你会知道事情的真相的。再有,要是愿意坐下来和我说点别的。那就请留下来,别提那个人,一想到他,我就难受。”
厄特森先生一回到家,就坐下来给杰基尔博士写信,问他为什么拒绝见自己,为什么和兰宁医生断交了。他收到了回信,写得又长又令人费解。
“我不责怪咱们的老朋友,”杰基尔博士写道,“但我同意他的看法,我们不能再见面了。还有也请你原谅,从现在起我要过一种与世隔绝的生活。我的门对你关上,是因为我必须独自踏上这条危险而又黑暗的路程。我已经做了错事,并为此受到惩罚,没人能帮助我。”
“这是怎么回事?”厄特森先生想,“海德已经消失了,杰基尔也恢复了原来的老样子——至少上周还是这样。难道他疯了?”接着他想起了兰宁医生的话。“这里面有问题,”他自言自语道,“有哪儿不对劲,可我猜不出有什么秘密。”
一星期后,兰宁医生已经卧床不起,又过了两个星期,他就去世了。葬礼过后,厄特森先生回到家,走进自己的办公室,打开锁,从柜子里拿出一个信封,是朋友死后不久他收到的。
是兰宁医生的笔迹,他读道:“加·约·厄特森亲启,私人密件。”律师拿着信封,在手里翻来复去地看着。里面会有什么可怕的消息呢?厄特森先生两手颤抖着拆开了信封,里面还有一个信封,写着:“到亨利·杰基尔博士死亡或失踪时方可拆阅。”
律师简直不敢相信自己的眼睛,“死亡或失踪时”,这个说法和杰基尔博士本人的那份遗嘱上的一模一样。“我理解为什么杰基尔会写这些话,”他自言自语道,“但为什么兰宁写得也是这样的话呢?”有那么一个瞬间,他真想拆开信,马上揭开这些秘密。但他是个非常诚实、正直的律师,不会那么做的,他一定要遵从朋友和委托人的遗愿。他又把这封信锁进柜子里,放在杰基尔博士的遗嘱旁边。
律师为自己的朋友杰基尔博士感到十分担心,甚至为他感到害怕。他又去了博士家,但仍被拒之门外。
“普尔,他还好吗?”有一天他问老仆人。
“不太好,先生。他整天关在实验室楼上的书房里,甚至还睡在那儿。他话很少,总是闷闷不乐的,肯定出了什么事,先生,可他谁也不告诉。”
有好长一段时间,律师几乎天天去看他,但渐渐地,他对朋友拒绝见自己感到心灰意冷了,来访的次数也越来越少了。
■ 6 The face at the window
One Sunday soon afterwards Mr Utterson was walkingwith his friend Enfield when they happened to passthrough the narrow side-street again. Enfleld pointed to themysterious door.
'Well,'he said,'that story is finished.We shall never seeMr Hyde again.'
'I hope you're right,'said the lawyer.'Did I tell you? Ionce saw Hyde too and had the same strong feelings of dislikefor him as you did.What an evil man!'
'I agree,'said his friend.'By the way, why didn't you tellme that our mysterious door led to the laboratory at the back ofDoctor Jekyll's house?I didn't know then,but I know now.'
'Well,now that you know,let's go into the courtyard andlook up at his window.I must tell you,'I'm worried aboutpoor Jekyll.Perhaps the sight of a friendly face will do himgood.'
Overhead the evening sky was bright,but the courtyard wascool and dark.At an open window of the study above the laboratory, Doctor Jekyll sat, like a prisoner staring at the worldoutside.
'I hope you are better,Jekyll,'the lawyer called up to him.
The doctor shook his head sadly.'I'm not well,Utterson,'he said.'I shall not be here much longer-thankGod.'
'You spend too much time indoors!You ought to get outinto the fresh air like Enfield and me… By the way, this ismy cousin, Mr Enfield… COme now-get your hat and join usfor a quick walk.'
'You 're very kind,'said the doctor.'But no, it's quiteimpossible. I would like to invite you and Mr Enfield inside,but the place is not very tidy…'
'Well then,'said the lawyer gently,'we can talk to youfrom here.'
'That's an excellent idea-'began the doctor,with asmile.But suddenly the smile left his face and was replaced byan expression of hopelessness, fear and horror. The two menbelow saw it,but only for a second, as the window was shutwith a bang. The two men looked at each other, then turnedand left the courtyard without a word.In silence they crossedthe narrow side-street.They did not speak until they came outinto a busy, noisy street. Then Mr Utterson at last turned andlooked at his companion, whose face was as pale as his own.The expression on Doctor Jekyll's face had upset them bothdeeply.
'God help him!'whispered Mr Utterson.'God help thepoor man!'
But Mr Enfield only nodded his head very seriously andwalked on without a word.
■ 6 窗户上的脸
没过多久,在一个星期天,厄特森先生和恩菲尔德一起散步,正巧又一次走过那条背静的小街。恩菲尔德指着那扇神秘的门。
“好了,”他说,“那个故事结束了,我们再也不会见到海德先