Странная история доктора Джекила и мистера Хайда
Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease
Ibelieveyoufully;Iwouldtrustyoubeforeanymanalive,ay,beforemyself,ifIcouldmakethechoice; butindeeditisn’twhatyoufancy;itisnotsobadasthat; andjusttoputyourgoodheartatrest,Iwilltellyouonething: themomentIchoose,IcanberidofMr.Hyde. Igiveyoumyhanduponthat;andIthankyouagainandagain; andIwilljustaddonelittleword,Utterson,thatI’msureyou’lltakeingoodpart: thisisaprivatematter,andIbegofyoutoletitsleep.”
Uttersonreflectedalittle,lookinginthefire.
“Ihavenodoubtyouareperfectlyright,”hesaidatlast,gettingtohisfeet.
“Well,butsincewehavetoucheduponthisbusiness,andforthelasttimeIhope,”continuedthedoctor,“thereisonepointIshouldlikeyoutounderstand. IhavereallyaverygreatinterestinpoorHyde. Iknowyouhaveseenhim;hetoldmeso;andIfearhewasrude. But,Idosincerelytakeagreat,averygreatinterestinthatyoungman;andifIamtakenaway,Utterson,Iwishyoutopromisemethatyouwillbearwithhimandgethisrightsforhim. Ithinkyouwould,ifyouknewall;anditwouldbeaweightoffmymindifyouwouldpromise.”
“Ican’tpretendthatIshalleverlikehim,”saidthelawyer.
“Idon’taskthat,”pleadedJekyll,layinghishandupontheother’sarm; “Ionlyaskforjustice;Ionlyaskyoutohelphimformysake,whenIamnolongerhere.”
