# ■ 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．His face，which was usually pink and healthy， was grey and thin， andthere was a frightened look in his eyes． He was suddenly anold，sick man．

He looks，'said Mr Utterson to himself，'like a man whoknows he's dying．'

How are you，Lanyon？'he said．'You don't look well．'

I've had a shock，Utterson，'replied Doctor Lanyon．'Andit will cause my death．I have only a few weeks to live．'Hepaused．'Well，it comes to us all sooner or later． I've had agood life， on the whole．'

Jekyll is ill too，'said the lawyer．'Have you seen him？'

At the name of Jekyll the look on Doctor Lanyon's face changed．'Please，'he said， holding up a trembling hand，'don't speak that name in this house．'

Oh dear，'said Mr Utterson．He hesitated for a moment．'The three of us have been friends all our lives，Lanyon．Weare too old now to make new friends．Can't you forgive andforget？Perhaps I can help？'

Nothing can be done，'replied Doctor Lanyon．'Ask himyourself．'

He won't let me into the house．'

That doesn't surprise me， One day，Utterson， after I amdead，you will perhaps learn the full story． Meanwhile， if youcan sit and talk to me of other things， please stay． Just don't mention that person， as it hurts me to think about him．'

As soon as he got home， Mr Utterson wrote to DoctorJekyll．In his letter he asked why Jekyll refused to let him intohis house，and why he and Doctor Lanyon were no longerfriendly．The reply was long and not always easy to understand．

I'm not angry with our old friend，'Doctor Jekyll wrote，'but I agree with him that the two of us must never meetagain．Meanwhile，you must forgive me if from now on I livea very quiet life． If you find my door closed to you，it's because I must travel this dark，dangerous road alone． I havedone wrong and I'm being punished for it，and nobody canhelp me．'

What is this？'thought Mr Utterson．'Hyde has disappeared．Jekyll is his normal self again—at least，he was untillast week． Has he gone mad？'Then he remembered DoctorLanyon's words．'There is something more，'he said to himself，'something mysterious， but I have no idea what it is．'

A week later Doctor Lanyon was too ill to leave his bed．Two weeks after that he was dead． After his friend's burial，Mr Utterson went home and into his office．From his lockedcupboard he took out an envelope， which he had received soonafter his friend' s death．

In Doctor Lanyon's handwriting he read 'G．J．Utterson．Private．'The lawyer turned the envelope over and over in hishands before he opened it．What terrible news could itcontain？ With trembling hands Mr Utterson opened the envelope． Inside was another envelope， with the words'Not to beopened until the death or disappearance of Doctor HenryJekyll．'

The lawyer could not believe his eyes．'Death or disappearance'— the words were the same as in Doctor Jekyll's will．'Iunderstand why Jekyll wrote those words，'said Mr Uttersonto himself．'But why did Lanyon write them too？'For a moment he wanted to open the envelope and uncover the mysterythere and then． But Mr Utterson was too honest a man and alawyer to do that． He knew he must obey his friend's andclient's last wish． He locked the envelope away in his cupboard beside Doctor Jekyll's will．

The lawyer was desperately worried about his friend DoctorJekyll． He was afraid for him too． He called at the house butthe doctor always refused to see him．

How is he，Poole？'Mr Utterson asked the old servant oneday．

Not very well，sir．He spends all his time in the studyabove his laboratory．He sleeps there as well． He seems verysilent and uneasy． Something is worrying him， sir，

but hewon't tell anyone．'

For a long time the lawyer called almost every day． Little bylittle，however， he became tired of his friend's refusal to seehim， and his visits became less frequent．

■ 5 朋友之死

時間一天天過去了，搜尋海德的工作還在繼續。丹佛斯·卡魯爵士是個引人注目的重要人物，警方也竭力想抓住凶手，繩之以法。儘管警方和新聞界找出了很多海德以前的事，但還是沒有他的影子。而且沒有人說通緝犯的好話。他是個殘酷、暴烈的人，生活在邪惡裡，充滿了仇恨和嫉妒。可是所有這些，沒一樣對警察有幫助，海德先生就那麼銷聲匿跡了。

光陰流逝，厄特森先生慢慢鎮定下來，感到比較安心了。他的確為死去的委託人卡魯爵士難過，但同時也很高興海德不見了。傑基爾博士也變得比以前安心、快樂了，他又開始了新生活，回到了人世間。他請朋友到家裡做客，也接受朋友們的邀請，他以前就非常仁慈和慷慨，現在還居然成了教堂的常客。他很忙，整天在戶外的新鮮空氣裡呆著，興高采烈，逍遙自在。有兩個月的時間，博士生活得很安寧。

1月8日，厄特森先生應邀去傑基爾博士家赴宴，蘭寧醫生也在。“又像回到了過去的時光，”律師一邊望著博士衝著醫生微笑，一邊想著。

可到了1月12日，接著14日，傑基爾博士又拒絕會客了。

“博士不舒服，”普爾解釋說，“他希望您能原諒他，他誰也不見。”

厄特森先生第二天又去了，隨後幾天也去了。兩個月以來，他幾乎天天與老朋友見面，現在律師感到莫名地孤獨。第六天晚上，他留助手蓋斯特先生吃飯，第七天夜裡，他去見了蘭寧醫生。

蘭寧醫生倒沒有不歡迎他，但看到他的樣子，厄特森先生不禁大吃一驚。他以前臉色又紅潤又健康，可現在卻灰白而消瘦，而且他的眼睛裡透著深深的驚恐，一下子變成了一個衰老、病危的人。

“他那副樣子，”厄特森先生心想，“就像知道自己死期將至一樣。”

“怎麼了，蘭寧？”他問，“你氣色不大好。”

“厄特森，我受了次驚嚇，”蘭寧醫生答道，“我活不長了，只是幾個星期的事。”他頓了頓，又說：“唉，人終有一死，這是遲早的事，不管怎麼說，我的一生還算不錯。”

“傑基爾也病了，”律師說，“你見過他嗎？”

一聽到傑基爾的名字，蘭寧醫生神色大變，舉起一隻顫抖的手。“我求求你，”他說，“別在我這裡提那個名字。”

“哦，天哪！”厄特森先生說。停了好一會兒，他又問道：“蘭寧，我們三個做了一輩子朋友，我們老了，不會再有新的朋友了，你難道不能原諒和忘掉他的過失嗎？也許我能幫點忙？”

“無濟於事。”蘭寧回答說，“你問他自己吧。”

“他不讓我進門。”

“我也料到了。總有一天，厄特森，等我死了，你會知道事情的真相的。再有，要是願意坐下來和我說點別的。那就請留下來，別提那個人，一想到他，我就難受。”

厄特森先生一回到家，就坐下來給傑基爾博士寫信，問他為什麼拒絕見自己，為什麼和蘭寧醫生斷交了。他收到了回信，寫得又長又令人費解。

“我不責怪咱們的老朋友，”傑基爾博士寫道，“但我同意他的看法，我們不能再見面了。還有也請你原諒，從現在起我要過一種與世隔絕的生活。我的門對你關上，是因為我必須獨自踏上這條危險而又黑暗的路程。我已經做了錯事，併為此受到懲罰，沒人能幫助我。”

“這是怎麼回事？”厄特森先生想，“海德已經消失了，傑基爾也恢復了原來的老樣子——至少上週還是這樣。難道他瘋了？”接著他想起了蘭寧醫生的話。“這裡面有問題，”他自言自語道，“有哪兒不對勁，可我猜不出有什麼祕密。”

一星期後，蘭寧醫生已經臥床不起，又過了兩個星期，他就去世了。葬禮過後，厄特森先生回到家，走進自己的辦公室，打開鎖，從櫃子裡拿出一個信封，是朋友死後不久他收到的。

是蘭寧醫生的筆跡，他讀道：“加·約·厄特森親啟，私人密件。”律師拿著信封，在手裡翻來覆去地看著。裡面會有什麼可怕的消息呢？厄特森先生兩手顫抖著拆開了信封，裡面還有一個信封，寫著：“到亨利·傑基爾博士死亡或失蹤時方可拆閱。”

律師簡直不敢相信自己的眼睛，“死亡或失蹤時”，這個說法和傑基爾博士本人的那份遺囑上的一模一樣。“我理解為什麼傑基爾會寫這些話，”他自言自語道，“但為什麼蘭寧寫得也是這樣的話呢？”有那麼一個瞬間，他真想拆開信，馬上揭開這些祕密。但他是個非常誠實、正直的律師，不會那麼做的，他一定要遵從朋友和委託人的遺願。他又把這封信鎖進櫃子裡，放在傑基爾博士的遺囑旁邊。

律師為自己的朋友傑基爾博士感到十分擔心，甚至為他感到害怕。他又去了博士家，但仍被拒之門外。

“普爾，他還好嗎？”有一天他問老僕人。

“不太好，先生。他整天關在實驗室樓上的書房裡，甚至還睡在那兒。他話很少，總是悶悶不樂的，肯定出了什麼事，先生，可他誰也不告訴。”

有好長一段時間，律師幾乎天天去看他，但漸漸地，他對朋友拒絕見自己感到心灰意冷了，來訪的次數也越來越少了。