Chapter 3:
Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease
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| A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave |
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| one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all |
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| intelligent, reputable men and all judges of good wine; and Mr. |
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| Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had |
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| departed. This was no new arrangement, but a thing that had |
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| befallen many scores of times. Where Utterson was liked, he was |
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| liked well. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the |
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| light-hearted and loose-tongued had already their foot on the |
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| threshold; they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive company, |
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| practising for solitude, sobering their minds in the man's rich |
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| silence after the expense and strain of gaiety. To this rule, Dr. |
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| Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of |
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| the fire—a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with |
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| something of a stylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity |
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| and kindness—you could see by his looks that he cherished for |
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| Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection. |
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| "I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll," began the |
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| latter. "You know that will of yours?" |
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| A close observer might have gathered that the topic was |
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| distasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily. "My poor |
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| Utterson," said he, "you are unfortunate in such a client. I |
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| never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will; unless it |
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| were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my |
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| scientific heresies. O, I know he's a good fellow—you needn't |
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| frown—an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of |
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| him; but a hide-bound pedant for all that; an ignorant, blatant |
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| pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon." |
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| "You know I never approved of it," pursued Utterson, |
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| ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic. |
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| "My will? Yes, certainly, I know that," said the doctor, a |
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| trifle sharply. "You have told me so." |
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| "Well, I tell you so again," continued the lawyer. "I have |
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| been learning something of young Hyde." |
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| The large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very |
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| lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. "I do not care |
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| to hear more," said he. "This is a matter I thought we had agreed |
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| to drop." |
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"What I heard was abominable," said Utterson.
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| "It can make no change. You do not understand my position," |
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| returned the doctor, with a certain incoherency of manner. "I am |
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| painfully situated, Utterson; my position is a very strange—a |
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| very strange one. It is one of those affairs that cannot be |
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| mended by talking." |
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| "Jekyll," said Utterson, "you know me: I am a man to be |
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| trusted. Make a clean breast of this in confidence; and I make no |
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| doubt I can get you out of it." |
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| "My good Utterson," said the doctor, "this is very good of |
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| you, this is downright good of you, and I cannot find words to |
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| thank you in. I believe you fully; I would trust you before any |
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| man alive, ay, before myself, if I could make the choice; but |
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| indeed it isn't what you fancy; it is not as bad as that; and just |
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| to put your good heart at rest, I will tell you one thing: the |
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| moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde. I give you my hand |
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| upon that; and I thank you again and again; and I will just add |
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| one little word, Utterson, that I'm sure you'll take in good part: |
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| this is a private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep." |
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Utterson reflected a little, looking in the fire.
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| "I have no doubt you are perfectly right," he said at last, |
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| getting to his feet. |
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| "Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for |
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| the last time I hope," continued the doctor, "there is one point I |
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| should like you to understand. I have really a very great |
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| interest in poor Hyde. I know you have seen him; he told me so; |
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| and I fear he was rude. But I do sincerely take a great, a very |
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| great interest in that young man; and if I am taken away, |
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| Utterson, I wish you to promise me that you will bear with him and |
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| get his rights for him. I think you would, if you knew all; and |
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| it would be a weight off my mind if you would promise." |
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"I can't pretend that I shall ever like him," said the lawyer.
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| "I don't ask that," pleaded Jekyll, laying his hand upon the |
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| other's arm; "I only ask for justice; I only ask you to help him |
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| for my sake, when I am no longer here." |
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| Utterson heaved an irrepressible sigh. "Well," said he, |
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| "I promise." |
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