El estraño caso de mr. hekill

DR. JEKYLL WAS QUITE AT EASE

A FORTNIGHT later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine; and Mr. Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had departed. This was no new arrangement, but a thing that had befallen many scores of times. Where Utterson wasliked, he was liked well. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the lighthearted and the loose-tongued had already their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive company, practising for solitude, sobering their minds in the man’s rich silence after the expense and strain of gaiety. To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side ofthe fire — a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness — you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection.

‘I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll,’ began the latter. ‘You know that will of yours?’

A close observer might have gathered that the topic wasdistasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily. ‘My
poor Utterson,’ said he, ‘you are unfortunate in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will; unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies. Oh, I know he’s a good fellow — you needn’t frown — an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of him; but a hide-bound pedant for allthat; an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon.’

‘You know I never approved of it,’ pursued Utterson, ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic.

‘My will? Yes, certainly, I know that,’ said the doctor,
a trifle sharply. ‘You have told me so.’

‘Well, I tell you so again,’ continued the lawyer. ‘I
have been learning something of young Hyde.’

Thelarge handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the
very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. ‘I do
not care to hear more,’ said he. ‘This is a matter I thought
we had agreed to drop.’

‘What I heard was abominable,’ said Utterson.

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‘It can make no change. You do not understand my
position,’ returned the doctor, with acertain incoherency
of manner. ‘I am painfully situated, Utterson; my position
is a very strange — a very strange one. It is one of those
affairs that cannot be mended by talking.’

‘Jekyll,’ said Utterson, ‘you know me: I am a man to
be trusted. Make a clean breast of this in confidence; and I
make no doubt I can get you out of it.’

‘My good Utterson,’ said the doctor, ‘this is very goodof you, this is downright good of you, and I cannot find
words to thank you in. I believe you fully; I would trust
you before any man alive, ay, before myself, if I could
make the choice; but indeed it isn’t what you fancy; it is
not so bad as that; and just to put your good heart at rest, I
will tell you one thing: the moment I choose, I can be rid
of Mr. Hyde. I give you my hand uponthat; and I thank
you again and again; and I will just add one little word,
Utterson, that I’m sure you’ll take in good part: this is a
private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep.’

Utterson reflected a little, looking in the fire.

‘I have no doubt you are perfectly right,’ he said at
last, getting to his feet.

‘Well, but since we have touched upon this business,
and for the lasttime I hope,’ continued the doctor, ‘there

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is one point I should like you to understand. I have really
a very great interest in poor Hyde. I know you have seen

him; he told me so; and I fear he was rude. But, I do
sincerely take a great, a very great interest in that young
man; and if I am taken away, Utterson, I wish you to...