Странная история доктора Джекила и мистера Хайда
Incident of the Letter
“Well,Ishallconsider,”returnedthelawyer. “Andnowonewordmore:itwasHydewhodictatedthetermsinyourwillaboutthatdisappearance?”
Thedoctorseemedseizedwithaqualmoffaintness: heshuthismouthtightandnodded.
“Iknewit,”saidUtterson. “Hemeanttomurderyou. Youhavehadafineescape.”
“Ihavehadwhatisfarmoretothepurpose,”returnedthedoctorsolemnly: “Ihavehadalesson—OGod,Utterson,whatalessonIhavehad!” Andhecoveredhisfaceforamomentwithhishands.
Onhiswayout,thelawyerstoppedandhadawordortwowithPoole. “Bytheby,”saidhe,“therewasaletterhandedinto-day: whatwasthemessengerlike?” ButPoolewaspositivenothinghadcomeexceptbypost;“andonlycircularsbythat,”headded.
Thisnewssentoffthevisitorwithhisfearsrenewed. Plainlytheletterhadcomebythelaboratorydoor;possibly,indeed,ithadbeenwritteninthecabinet;andifthatwereso,itmustbedifferentlyjudged,andhandledwiththemorecaution. Thenewsboys,ashewent,werecryingthemselveshoarsealongthefootways: “Specialedition.ShockingmurderofanM.P.” Thatwasthefuneralorationofonefriendandclient; andhecouldnothelpacertainapprehensionlestthegoodnameofanothershouldbesuckeddownintheeddyofthescandal. Itwas,atleast,aticklishdecisionthathehadtomake; andself-reliantashewasbyhabit,hebegantocherishalongingforadvice.
