Странная история доктора Джекила и мистера Хайда
Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case
Thepangsoftransformationhadnotdonetearinghim,beforeHenryJekyll,withstreamingtearsofgratitudeandremorse,hadfallenuponhiskneesandliftedhisclaspedhandstoGod. Theveilofself-indulgencewasrentfromheadtofoot,Isawmylifeasawhole: Ifolloweditupfromthedaysofchildhood,whenIhadwalkedwithmyfather’shand,andthroughtheself-denyingtoilsofmyprofessionallife,toarriveagainandagain,withthesamesenseofunreality,atthedamnedhorrorsoftheevening. Icouldhavescreamedaloud;Isoughtwithtearsandprayerstosmotherdownthecrowdofhideousimagesandsoundswithwhichmymemoryswarmedagainstme;andstill,betweenthepetitions,theuglyfaceofmyiniquitystaredintomysoul. Astheacutenessofthisremorsebegantodieaway,itwassucceededbyasenseofjoy. Theproblemofmyconductwassolved. Hydewasthenceforthimpossible;whetherIwouldornot,Iwasnowconfinedtothebetterpartofmyexistence;andoh,howIrejoicedtothinkit! withwhatwillinghumility,Iembracedanewtherestrictionsofnaturallife! withwhatsincererenunciation,IlockedthedoorbywhichIhadsooftengoneandcome,andgroundthekeyundermyheel!
Thenextday,camethenewsthatthemurderhadbeenoverlooked,thattheguiltofHydewaspatenttotheworld,andthatthevictimwasamanhighinpublicestimation. Itwasnotonlyacrime,ithadbeenatragicfolly.
