Странная история доктора Джекила и мистера Хайда
Dr. Lanyon’s Narrative
“ConfidentasIamthatyouwillnottriflewiththisappeal,myheartsinksandmyhandtremblesatthebarethoughtofsuchapossibility. Thinkofmeatthishour,inastrangeplace,labouringunderablacknessofdistressthatnofancycanexaggerate,andyetwellawarethat,ifyouwillbutpunctuallyserveme,mytroubleswillrollawaylikeastorythatistold. Serveme,mydearLanyon,andsave
“Yourfriend,
“H.J.
“P.S.Ihadalreadysealedthisupwhenafreshterrorstruckuponmysoul. Itispossiblethatthepost-officemayfailme,andthisletternotcomeintoyourhandsuntilto-morrowmorning. Inthatcase,dearLanyon,domyerrandwhenitshallbemostconvenientforyouinthecourseoftheday;andoncemoreexpectmymessengeratmidnight. Itmaythenalreadybetoolate;andifthatnightpasseswithoutevent,youwillknowthatyouhaveseenthelastofHenryJekyll.”
Uponthereadingofthisletter,Imadesuremycolleaguewasinsane;buttillthatwasprovedbeyondthepossibilityofdoubt,Ifeltboundtodoasherequested. ThelessIunderstoodofthisfarrago,thelessIwasinapositiontojudgeofitsimportance;andanappealsowordedcouldnotbesetasidewithoutagraveresponsibility. Iroseaccordinglyfromtable,gotintoahansom,anddrovestraighttoJekyll’shouse.
