Дивна історія доктора Джекіла і містера Хайда
Incident of the Letter
“Youfear,Isuppose,thatitmightleadtohisdetection?”askedthelawyer.
“No,”saidtheother. “IcannotsaythatIcarewhatbecomesofHyde; Iamquitedonewithhim. Iwasthinkingofmyowncharacter,whichthishatefulbusinesshasratherexposed.”
Uttersonruminatedawhile; hewassurprisedathisfriend’sselfishness,andyetrelievedbyit. “Well,”saidhe,atlast,“letmeseetheletter.”
Theletterwaswritteninanodd,uprighthandandsigned“EdwardHyde”: anditsignified,brieflyenough,thatthewriter’sbenefactor,Dr.Jekyll,whomhehadlongsounworthilyrepaidforathousandgenerosities,needlabourundernoalarmforhissafety,ashehadmeansofescapeonwhichheplacedasuredependence. Thelawyerlikedthisletterwellenough;itputabettercolourontheintimacythanhehadlookedfor;andheblamedhimselfforsomeofhispastsuspicions.
“Haveyoutheenvelope?”heasked.
“Iburnedit,”repliedJekyll,“beforeIthoughtwhatIwasabout. Butitborenopostmark. Thenotewashandedin.”
“ShallIkeepthisandsleepuponit?”askedUtterson.
“Iwishyoutojudgeformeentirely,”wasthereply. “Ihavelostconfidenceinmyself.”
