# ■ 7 The last night

It was now March， and Mr Utterson was sitting by thefire after dinner，when he was surprised to receive avisitfrom Doctor Jekyll's servant，Poole．The old man looked paleand frightened．

Mr Utterson，he said，'something is wrong．'

Sit down by the fire and tell me all abut it．'

The doctor's locked himself up in his study， sir．'

That's quite usual， surely，' said the lawyer． 'You knowyour master's habits as well as I do．He often shuts himselfaway from the world．'

Yes，but this time it's different． It frightens me， sirI've been frightened for more than a week now， and I justcan't go on any longer．

He stopped and stared down at the floor．

Try and tell me， Poole，'said Mr Utterson gently． 'Something terrible is happening to my master．I can't explain． But… please，sir，can you come with me and see foryourself？'

At once Mr Utterson fetched his coat and hat．

Thank you， sir，'whispered Poole gratefully．

Together they made their way to Doctor Jekyll's house． Itwas a wild，stormy night．To Mr Utterson the streets seemedstrangely empty and lonely． The square， when they reachedit， was full of wind and flying dust． The thin trees were blowing wildly， and untidy grey clouds were sailing past a pale，sickly moon．

Well，sir，'said Poole，' here we are， and I hope that nothing is wrong．'He knocked softly at the front door． The doorwas opened just a little and a voice from inside asked，'Is thatyou，Poole？'

Yes-open the door．'

The hall，when they entered，was brightly lit．A good firewas burning．The room was full of people-every servant inthe house was there．They looked like a crowd of frightenedchildren．

What's all this？'said the lawyer．'What are you all doinghere？ Your master would not be pleased．'

They're frightened，'said Poole simply．No one elsespoke．A little servant girl began to cry．

Quiet！'said Poole sharply，trying to control his own fear．'Now-fetch me a light and we'll finish this business at once．Mr Utterson， sir， please follow me．'He led the way across theback garden towards the laboratory．

Come as quietly as you can， sir．I want you to hear， but Idon't want him to hear you．And sin－if he asks you to go inside-don't go！'

Mr Utterson's heart gave a little jump of fear， but hebravely followed the servant into the laboratory to the bottomof the stairs．

Wait here， sir-and listen carefully，whispered Poole． Hehimself，again controlling his fear， climbed the stairs andknocked on the study door．

Mr Utterson would like to see you， sir，'he called．

Tell him I cannot see anyone，' said a voice from inside theStudy．

Thank you，sir，'said Poole．He led Mr Utterson backacross the garden and into the house． 'Sir，'he said， 'was thatmy master's voice？'

The lawyer's face was pale． 'It has changed，'he said．

Changed？ You're right，'said Poole．'I've worked forDoctof Jekyll for twenty years．That was not my master's voice．Someone has murdered my master． Eight days ago weheard his voice for the last time．“Dear God！”he cried-thenno more．The voice you heard just now was the voice of hismuderer！'

This is an extraordinary story， my good man，'said Mr Utterson． He tried hard to appear calm．'If Dr Jekyll has beenmurdered-why is his murderer still there？ What reason couldhe possibly have for staying？'

Perhaps you don't believe me， sir， but I know what Iheard．For a week now the person-or thing-in that studyhas been crying night and day for some special chemical powders．My master was in the habit，when he was particularlybusy with his scientific work，of writing orders on pieces ofpaper and leaving them on the stairs．'We've had nothing elsethis week， nothing except written orders and a locked door．I've been to every chemist in town in search of these chemicalsof his，but they were never right．They weren't pure enough，he said． I had to take them back to the shop，and try anotherchemist．I don't know what these chemicals are，but the person in that study wants them terribly badly．'

Did you keep any of these written orders？'asked Mr Utterson．

Poole reached in his pocket and brought out a note．Thelawyer read it carefully．It said：'I am returning your chemicals，as they are impure and therefore useless．In the year18-you made up a mixture of chemical powders for DoctorHenry Jekyll． Please search your cupboards for some more ofthe same mixture and send it to Doctor Jekyll AT ONCE．Thisis VERY IMPORTANT．'

This is a strange note，'said Mr Utterson．

The chemist thought so too，' sir，'said Poole．'When I tookhim this note，he cried，“All my chemicals are pure，and youcan tell your master so！”and he threw the note back at me．'

Are you sure this is your master's handwriting？' asked MrUtterson．

Of course，sir，'said Poole．'But what does handwritingmatter？ I've seen my master's murderer！'

Seen him？'repeated Mr Utterson．

Yes！It was like this．I came suddenly into the laboratoryfrom the garden．I think he had left the study to look forsomething．The study door was open and there he was at thefar end of the laboratory．He was searching among some oldboxes．He looked up when I came in， gave a kind of cry andran upstairs and into the study．I only saw him for a moment，but my blood seemed to freeze．Sir，if that was my master，why was he wearing a mask over his face？ If it was my master， why did he cry out like a trapped animal and run awayfrom me？ I've been his servant for twenty years．And then …'Poole paused，and covered his face with his hands，tooupset to speak．

This is all very mysterious，'said Mr Utterson，' but I thinkI begin to understand．Your master， Poole，is ill．And the illness has changed his appearance．Perhaps that also explainsthe change in his voice．It certainly explains the mask and theway he has been avoiding his friends．And of course，he's searching for these chemicals he cause he believes they willmake him well again．Dear God，I hope he's right！PoorJekyll-thst is my explanation．It's sad enough，Poole，butit's normal and natural，and there's nothing to be alarmedabout．'

Sir，'said the servant，'that…thing was not my master．My master is a tall，fine，well－built man．The stranger wasmuch shorter… Sir，I have been with my master for twentyyears and I know his appearance as well as I know my own．No，sir，that thing in the mask was never Doctor Jekyll， and Ibelieve that he-it-murdered my master！'

Poole，'said the lawyer，if you say that， I must makesure． We must break down the study door．'

You're right， Mr Utterson！'cried the old servant．

Very well． Will you help me？ If we are wrong， I'll makesure that you're not blamed for it．'

There's an axe in the laboratory， suggested Poole．

You realize， Poole，'said Mr Utterson，'that this may bedangerous for us both？ Let us now be honest with each other．This masked figure that you saw-you're certain that it wasnot your master·'

That's right， sir．'

Did you in fact recognize it？'

Well，sir，it was all so quick that I'm not really sure．But－well，I think it was Mr Hyde．It was short，like MrHyde， and it moved in the same light， quick， active way． Andwho else could come in by the laboratory door from the street？You must remember，sir，that at the time of the Carew murder Mr Hyde still had the laboratory key with him． But that's not all．Mr Utterson， did you ever meet Mr Hyde？'

Yes，'replied the lawyer．'I once spoke with him．'

Then you will know， sir，that there is something strangeabout Mr Hyde，something evil．'

I agree with you，'said Mr Utterson．'I felt something likethst， too．'

Yes，sir．Well，when that thing in the mask jumped outfrom behind the boxes and ran up the stairs，I had exactly thesame feeling．That thing behind the mask was Mr Hydee！'

I understand，Poole，and I believe you，'said the lawyerslowly．'And I believe poor Henry Jekyll has been murdered．I believe too that his murderer is still hiding in the study．Now， Poole， let's go and make an end of it．'

Together they went out into the back garden．The cloudshad covered the moon and it was now quite dark． As theypassed silently by the wall of the laboratory， they stopped andlistened．Further away they could hear the everyday noises of aLondon evening． From the study above them， however，camethe sound of footsteps moving backwards and forwards acrossthe floor．

It walks like that all day，sir，'whisperedPoole，'yes，andmost of the night too．It only stops when some more chemicalsarrive from the chemist．Ah， sir，listen to that-do you thinkthose are my master's footsteps？'

The short，light steps were indeed very different from Henry Jekyll's long，heavy ones．

Have you anything else to tell me，Poole？'asked thelawyer heavily．

Once，'said Poole，'I heard it weeping．'

Weeping？'repeated Mr Utterson in horror．

Weeping like a lost child，'said the old servant．'It tore myheart． I felt like weeping too．'

well，'said the lawyer，'we have a job to do．'

They went into the laboratory and climbed the stairs to thestudy．'Jekyll，'called the lawyer in a loud voice，'I must seeyou．'He paused for a moment，but there was no reply．'Ifyou refuse to let me in， then I'll break dowu the door！'

Utterson，'said a voice from inside the study，'I beg you toleave me alone！'

That's not Jekyll's voice！' shied Mr Utterson． 'It's Hyde's！Break the door down， Poole ！'

The axe rose and fell．The door shook and a scream of purefear，like a trapped animal，rang from the study． Again theaxe crashed against the door．But the wood was strong and thelock was well made．At last， however， the door fell inwardsupon the carpet．

The two men stared into the study．They saw a warm，comfortable room with a good fire burning in the fireplace anda few papers on the big table． A friendly， homely room． Butface down in the middle of the floor there lay the body of aman．The lawyer turned it over on its back and saw the face ofEdward Hyde． He was dressed in clothes that were much toolarge for him， and in his hand he held a small bottle．

The lawyer shook his head．'He's taken poison， Poole， hesaid．'I fear we've come too late to save Doctor Jekyll， andtoo late to punish his murderer too． Now we must find yourmaster's body．'

They searched everywhere，but there was no sign of HenryJekyll， dead or alive．

Perhaps your master has escaped，'said Mr Utterson hopefully． He went to check the door from the laboratory into thenarrow side－street．It was locked，and covered with dust．Onthe floor nearby he found a broken key．

It's a long time since anyone opened this door！' said MrUtterson．

Yes，'said Poole，picking up the broken key．'So how didHyde get in？'

This is too difficult for me，Pooh，'said the lawyer．'Let'sgo back to the study．'

They searched the study again．'Look，sir，'said Poole，Pointing to a small bable in the corner．There were bottles ofliquid and some white powders lying in saucers．'He was testing his chemicals here．'

One of the doctor's books was lying on the floor． Its coverwas torn off．The lawyer picked it up．Doctor Jekyll loved hisbooks and always took great care of them． But he had writtenall over this one-the handwriting was unmistakable-beforetearing it and throwing it on the floor．

Then the lawyer noticed the tall mirror on the wall betweenthe glass-fronted bookshelves．

How strange，'said Mr Utterson．'Why did Jekyll want amirror in his study？'

Next they turned to the desk and found a large packet addressed to Mr Utterson． The handwriting was DoctorJekyll's．The lawyer opened the packet and three envelopesfell out on to the floor．The first contained a will． It was likeDoctor Jekyll's first win in every way- except one．The doctor had left all his money，not to Edward Hyde，but to GabrielJohn Utterson．

The lawyer looked at the will，then at Poole，and finally atthe dead man on the floor．

I just don't understand，'he whispered．'Hyde has beenhere all this time-why didn't he destroy this will？'

He picked up the next envelope．It contained a short note inthe doctor's handwriting．Mr Utterson saw the date．'Poole！'he cried，'this is today's date on the letter． Jekyllwas alive here today． He can't be dead-he has run away or ishiding somewhere．And if so， why？If he's alive，can we besure that Hyde killed himself？ We must be careful， Poole，orwe may involve your master in some terrible danger．

Why don't you read the note， sir？asked the servant．

Because I'm afraid，said the lawyer，in a worried voice．Slowly，he lifted the letter，and read：

My dear Utterson，

If you are reading this，it means that I have disappeared．Please go home and read Lanyon's letter．Afterwards，pleaseread the confessicn of

Your unfortunate and unhappy friend，

Henry Jekyll

This must be the confession， said Mr Utterson to himself，picking up the third and largest envelope．He put it in hispocket．'say nothing about these papers， Poole，'he said．' Ifyour master has died or disappeared，this paper may save hisreputation．It's now ten o'clock．I must go home and studythese papers in peace and quiet But I shall come back here before midnight，and then we shall send fof the police．

They went out，locking the laboratory door behind them．With a heavy heart Mr Utterson walked home to read his letters．

■ 7 最後一夜

轉眼到了三月份，一天晚飯後，厄特森先生坐在爐火邊，一瞼驚訝之色，因為來了一位客人，是傑基爾博士的僕人普爾，老人家看上去面無人色，充滿了恐懼。

“厄特森先生，”他說，“出事了。”

“來，坐到火邊，慢慢說。”

“博士把自己鎖在書房裡，不出來了，先生。”

“這不是常事嗎？”律師說，“你和我一樣清楚你的主人的習慣，他不是經常把自己鎖起來嗎？”

“是，可是這次不一樣，太可怕了，先生，有一個星期了，我再也受不了啦。”

他停下來，低頭盯著地板。

“來吧，普爾，告訴我是怎麼一回事。”律師輕輕地說道。

“主人遇到了可怕的事，我說不清楚，可是……求求您先生，能跟我一起去親自瞧瞧嗎？”

厄特森先生立刻拿來自己的大衣，戴上帽子。

“謝謝，先生，”普爾滿心感激地嘟噥著。

他們動身去傑基爾博士的家。那是個狂風呼嘯、風雨交加的晚上，厄特森先生感到街上不同尋常地空曠和孤獨。到了廣場附近，風沙飛揚，細細的小樹猛烈地搖擺著，亂七八糟、奇形怪狀的黑雲飄過蒼白、昏暗的月亮。

“先生，”普爾說，“我們到了，但願沒出亂子。”他小心翼翼地敲門，門開了一道縫，裡面傳出來一個聲音：“是你嗎，普爾？”

“沒錯，開門吧。”

他們走進大廳，裡面燈火通明，火燒得很旺，屋裡擠滿了人——所有的僕人都在，好像一群嚇壞了的孩子。

“這究竟是怎麼回事？”律師問，“你們都在這兒幹什麼？主人是會不高興的。”

“他們都害怕，”普爾輕聲說。沒人說話，一個小女僕抑制不住，哭出聲來。

“別嚎了！”普爾提高嗓門喊了一聲，努力把自己的恐懼壓下去。“去，拿枝蠟燭來，我們馬上把這事弄個水落石出。厄特森先生，請跟在我後面。”他在前面引路，穿過後花園朝實驗室走去。

“先生，請您把腳步放輕點，我想讓您聽聽，但您可別讓他聽見了。先生，要是他讓您進去，千萬別進去！”

厄特森先生嚇得心中一緊，但他馬上鼓起勇氣，跟著僕人進了實驗室，來到樓梯下。

“在這兒等著，先生，仔細聽著，”普爾低聲說。而他自己抑制住恐懼，上了樓梯，敲了敲書房的門。

“先生，厄特森先生想見您，”他叫道。

“告訴他，我不能見任何人。”書房裡傳出一個聲音。

“謝謝您，先生，”普爾說完，又領著厄特森先生穿過花園回到屋裡。“先生，”他問，“那是我主人的聲音嗎？”

“好像有點變了……”律師說，臉色花白。

“變了？您說得沒錯，”普爾說，“我服侍了傑基爾博士二十年，那根本不是主人的聲音，主人已經給人害死了，八天前我最後一次聽見他的聲音。'哦！親愛的主啊！'他喊了一聲，然後就再沒有聲音了。您剛才聽到的是凶手的聲音！”

“這事太不尋常了，好普爾，”厄特森先生說，儘量使自己保持冷靜。“如果傑基爾博士給人害了，為什麼凶手還在這兒？是什麼原因讓他留在這裡呢？”

“好吧，先生，也許您不信我的話，但我明白我聽見了什麼。快一個星期了，那個人，也許是什麼怪物，在書房裡沒日沒夜地哭，要一種特別的藥粉。主人每次一忙，就是這樣，把命令寫在紙條上，扔在樓梯上，這倒是他一貫的作風。這次也是，我們別的什麼也不知道，只有吩咐的紙條和關緊的門。我去過城裡所有的藥店，找他要的東西，可沒一樣符合他的要求。他說那些玩意不純，我又得把東西退回去，再上別的店。我不知道這些藥是幹什麼的，可書房裡的那個人要得那麼急。”

“你有他寫的這種紙條嗎？”厄特森先生問道。

普爾把手伸進口袋，掏出一張紙。律師湊近仔細看了看，上面寫道：“現將剛購的那批貨退還，質地不純，不合用途。18××年，您曾給亨利·傑基爾博士配過一批藥劑，恭請貴號儘量搜尋，若有任何相同藥劑存貨請立即送來。至關重要，切記，切記。”

“真是個奇怪的條子！”厄特森先生說。

“藥劑師也這麼認為，先生，”普爾說著，“我給他這個條子，他嚷嚷著說：'我所有的藥品都是純的，就這麼告訴你們主人！'他說著就衝我把紙條扔了回來。”

“你能肯定這是主人的筆跡嗎？”厄特森先生問。

“當然了，先生，”普爾說，“可這又有什麼關係呢？我看見了凶手！”

“看見他了？”厄特森先生不禁重複了一遍。

“就是看見了嘛！是這樣的，有一次我從花園突然去了實驗室，我以為他離開書房找什麼東西去了，書房的門開著，他就在實驗室最裡面，在舊箱子裡翻什麼東西。我進去時他抬頭看了我一眼，大叫一聲，轉身就奔到書房裡去了。我只看到他一眼，可血都要凍住了似的。先生，您說要是主人的話，他幹嗎臉上戴著面罩？要是主人的話，幹嗎像個四處被迫的野獸，從我跟前逃走？我給他當了20年的僕人，可他……”普爾將臉埋在手裡，難過得說不下去了。

“的確是樁怪事。”厄特森先生說，“我想我有點明白了。普爾，你的主人看來是病了，長相也變了，嗓音也變了，這樣就能解釋為什麼他戴面罩了，因為他不願見朋友；當然了，他拼命地找藥，是因為他認為吃了藥就會好了。上帝啊！希望他一切都好！哦！可憐的傑基爾！這是我的解釋，想起來怪怕人的，但還算正常，也還算自然，不必那麼擔心。”

“可是，先生，”僕人說，“那個……東西，不是主人。主人是個大高個，又體面又英俊，那個人矮得多……先生，我和主人在一起二十年了，還會不記得主人長得什麼樣？除非我不知道自己長什麼樣了！不，先生，面罩下的那個東西決不會是傑基爾博士的，而且我認定，就是——它——殺了主人！”

“普爾，”律師說，一你要是這麼說，我一定要弄個水落石出了。咱們得把門撞開。”

“這才對啊！厄特森先生！”老僕人大聲說道。

“很好。那麼你願意幫助我嗎？萬一弄錯了，我不會讓你受責備的。”

“實驗室裡有把斧子，”普爾建議說。

“普爾，你知道，”厄特森先生說，“這事對咱們倆都夠危險的。咱們有話直說，你見到的那個戴面罩的人，你敢肯定不是你的主人。”

“是的，先生。”

“你確實能認出他嗎？”

“嗯，先生，時間太短，他跑得很快，不敢真的確定。但是——直說吧，我想那是海德先生。個子和他一樣矮，動作一樣輕快、敏捷，再有，除了他，誰還能從街上走實驗室的門進來呢？您別忘了，先生，卡魯凶殺案發生時，鑰匙還在海德先生手裡呢！這還不算。對了，先生，您見過這個海德先生嗎？”

“見過，”律師說，“我跟他說過一次話。”

“那您也該清楚，海德先生有點奇怪，他身上有種邪惡的東西。”

“我同意你說的，”厄特森先生說，“我和你感覺差不多。”

“是這樣嘛！面罩下的那個東西從箱子後面跳出來，跑上樓梯，當時我就是那種感覺，覺得面罩下的那個人一定是海德先生！”

“我知道了，普爾，我相信你，”律師一字一頓地說道，“我相信可憐的亨利·傑基爾已經給人害死了，我也確信凶手還在書房裡藏著。現在，普爾，咱們就去了結這事。”

他們一起走進後花園，烏雲遮住了月亮，周圍一片幽暗，兩人靜悄悄地沿著實驗室的牆走過去，停住腳，聽了一會兒，遠處傳來倫敦城天天晚上的吵吵鬧鬧的聲音，但上面的書房裡只有徘徊的腳步聲，打破了周圍的寂靜。

“他整天就這麼走，先生。”普爾低聲說，“哎，大半夜就這麼走來走去的，只有新藥品送來了，腳步聲才會停下來。您聽，先生，那是主人的腳步聲嗎？”

這腳步聲又輕，又短，確實和亨利·傑基爾又長、又重的步子很不一樣。

“還有什麼其它情況嗎，普爾？”律師沉重地問道。

“有一次，”普爾說，“我聽見他在哭。”

“哭？”厄特森一臉恐怖地重複道。

“哭得像個迷路的孩子，”老僕人說，“我聽了直心碎，也特別想哭。”

“行了，”律師說，“咱們還有事要幹。”

他們進了實驗室，沿著樓梯向書房走去。“傑基爾，”律師大聲喊起來，“我要見你！”他停了一會兒，沒人回答。“你要是不讓我進去，我可就破門而入了！”

“厄特森，”裡面傳出一個聲音，“求求你，讓我自己呆著吧！”

“這不是傑基爾的聲音！”厄特森先生大喊一聲，“這是海德！普爾，砸門！”

手起斧落，房門震了震，屋裡傳來恐懼的尖叫聲，就像野獸被夾住了腿。門上又落了一斧，但上好的木頭很結實，鎖也打製得很堅固，最後好不容易，門才落在屋裡的地毯上。

兩人向屋裡瞪眼望去，壁爐裡的火很旺，又暖和又舒服，一張大桌子上散著幾張紙，這是一間又樸素又溫馨的屋子。可是屋中間的地板上臥著一具屍體，律師把他扳過來，是愛德華·海德的臉。他穿著比他個兒大得多的衣服，手裡捏著一個小瓶子。

律師搖搖頭。“他吃了毒藥，普爾。恐怕咱們還是來晚了，沒法救傑基爾醫生，也不可能懲罰凶手了。現在咱們得找到主人的屍體。”

他們找遍了，可就是沒有傑基爾的影子，不管是死的，還是活的。

“也許他早逃走了！”厄特森先生充滿希望地說。他轉身去查看從實驗室通往小街的那扇門。門上了鎖，到處是灰塵，旁邊地上，他找到了一把折斷的鑰匙。

“好久沒人開過這扇門了！”厄特森先生說。

“是啊，”普爾一邊答道，一邊撿起折斷的鑰匙。“那麼，海德是怎麼進來的呢？”

“這真叫我摸不著頭腦了，普爾，”律師說，“咱們再回書房看看。”

他們又在書房找了一遍。“先生，你看，”普爾指著屋角的小桌子，上面擺著盛著各種各樣液體的小瓶子，碟子裡有些白色粉末。“他在這兒實驗這些藥品。”

地上扔著醫生的一本書，封皮已破爛不堪。律師把書撿起來。傑基爾博士一直很愛看書，也愛惜書，可這本書在沒有被撕壞和扔到地上之前，上面寫滿了字，筆跡也沒錯。

隨後律師又注意到兩個玻璃書櫃之間的牆上，鑲著一面又高又大的鏡子。

“真奇怪，”厄特森先生說，“傑基爾在書房裡放這東西有什麼用？”

他們又轉身去看書桌，發現有一個大郵包，上面寫著“厄特森先生收”，筆跡是傑基爾博士的。律師打開郵包，裡面掉出三封信。第一封是遺囑，和博士的第一份遺囑一模一樣，只有一條除外，博士把所有積蓄不是給了愛德華·海德，而是給了加布裡埃爾·約翰·厄特森。

律師看了看遺囑，又看了看普爾，最後把目光投向地板上的屍體。

“我還是不明白，”他喃喃說道，“海德一直呆在這兒——可他怎麼沒有把這份遺囑毀掉呢？”

他又拿起另一個信封，是博士手寫的短箋，厄特森先生看了看日期。

“普爾！”他叫道，“是今天的日期，傑基爾今天還活著，他肯定沒有死——一定是逃跑了，要不就是躲起來了。真是那樣的話，那又為什麼呢？如果他還活著，我們能肯定海德是自殺的嗎？普爾，咱們得小心行事，否則可能會把你的主人拖到什麼慘禍裡去的！”

“您為什麼不念下去，先生？”僕人問。

“我害怕，”律師心事重重地說，然後他慢慢地拾起了信，念道：

“我親愛的厄特森：

當您看到這張紙條的時候，這意味著我已經失蹤了。請您回去看看蘭寧醫生的信。之後，請您再讀我的懺悔書。

您的不幸而痛苦的朋友

亨利·傑基爾”

厄特森先生拾起第三封信，那是個最大的信封，厄特森自言自語說：“這一定是懺悔書了。”他把信放進口袋，說：“普爾，別跟別人說起信的事，要是主人死了或者失蹤了，這些東西也許能挽救他的名譽。10點了，我要回家去安安靜靜地讀信，午夜之前我一定趕回來，那時我們再派人去報警。”

他們一同出來，鎖上了實驗室的門。厄特森先生心情沉重地回家去看這些信。