Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease

           Afortnightlater,byexcellentgoodfortune,thedoctorgaveoneofhispleasantdinnerstosomefiveorsixoldcronies,allintelligent,reputablemenandalljudgesofgoodwine; andMr.Uttersonsocontrivedthatheremainedbehindaftertheothershaddeparted. Thiswasnonewarrangement,butathingthathadbefallenmanyscoresoftimes. WhereUttersonwasliked,hewaslikedwell. Hostslovedtodetainthedrylawyer,whenthelight-heartedandtheloose-tonguedhadalreadytheirfootonthethreshold; theylikedtositawhileinhisunobtrusivecompany,practisingforsolitude,soberingtheirmindsintheman’srichsilenceaftertheexpenseandstrainofgaiety. Tothisrule,Dr.Jekyllwasnoexception;andashenowsatontheoppositesideofthefire—alarge,well-made,smooth-facedmanoffifty,withsomethingofaslyishcastperhaps, buteverymarkofcapacityandkindness—youcouldseebyhislooksthathecherishedforMr.Uttersonasincereandwarmaffection. 

           “Ihavebeenwantingtospeaktoyou,Jekyll,”beganthelatter. “Youknowthatwillofyours?” 

           Acloseobservermighthavegatheredthatthetopicwasdistasteful;butthedoctorcarrieditoffgaily. “MypoorUtterson,”saidhe,“youareunfortunateinsuchaclient. Ineversawamansodistressedasyouwerebymywill; unlessitwerethathide-boundpedant,Lanyon,atwhathecalledmyscientificheresies.