登陆注册
4709500000007

第7章

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 was liked, 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 awhile 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 of the 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 was distasteful;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. O, 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 all that; 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.'

The large 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.

`It can make no change. You do not understand my position,' returned the doctor, with a certain 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 good of 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 upon that; 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 last time, I hope,' continued the doctor, `there is one point I should like you to understand. I have really a very great interest in poor Hyde. Iknow 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 promise me that you will bear with him and get his rights for him. I think you would, if you knew all;and it would be a weight off my mind if you would promise.'

`I can't pretend that I shall ever like him,' said the lawyer.

`I don't ask that,' pleaded Jekyll, laying his hand upon the other's arm; `I only ask for justice; I only ask you to help him for my sake, when I am no longer here.'

Utterson heaved an irrepressible sigh. `Well,' said he, `I promise.'

同类推荐
  • 显扬圣教论

    显扬圣教论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Critical and Historical Essays

    Critical and Historical Essays

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 周易举正

    周易举正

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 于公案

    于公案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说业报差别经

    佛说业报差别经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 优秀小学生应该阅读的中外名人成长故事

    优秀小学生应该阅读的中外名人成长故事

    一本书无法改变整个世界,但可能会塑造孩子的一生! 本书以崇敬的心情,遴选了98位中外名人,讲述了他们百味人生中的成长故事,透过这些故事,我们看到了名人是怎样对待困难和失败,名人是怎样对待兴趣和学习,名人是怎样对待朋友和敌人……这些故事或许就是他们人生道路的一个转折点,或许就是他们成功的一个诀窍,不管是怎样的故事,可以肯定的是这些故事一定会给你带来一点启发和帮助。小朋友们可以读着这98位名人的故事,追寻名人成长的足迹,感悟名人成才的真谛……
  • 教室外的经济学

    教室外的经济学

    这本书,能帮你在需要决策时做出更好的选择,教你如何在经济上做一个精明聪慧的人。
  • 仇人的亲吻

    仇人的亲吻

    龙生九种,种种有别。“大金蛋”和“小金豆”,前者看是哥,后者是弟。哥俩的外号都带了个“金”字,你别以为人家就是姓金,实际人家和岳飞岳将军是同宗呢。这哥俩降了“金”,说起来全是老夫的过错:第一,他不该叫岳金山,金山和金蛋自然就容易串音;第二,他不该那么喜欢金银财宝。那一年土改,村里一时无人敢出头说话,曾做过几天破落地主少爷的他,一双猫眼看出了门道,便勇敢地挺身而出,做了翻身委员会主任。
  • 一片芳心

    一片芳心

    养成系偶像的喜乐和挣扎。甜从苦中来。风从雨中来。
  • 逆天斩神

    逆天斩神

    仙与神将弱者视为蝼蚁!那我吴圣轩就要将神变为凡人眼中的蝼蚁!仙神又怎样,妖魔又如何,只要能看清这个世界,做一个自由洒脱的妖魔又有何不可,就算没有了灵脉,也要探寻出自己的炼体之道!就算逆了这天,反了这仙,灭了那魔,噬了那妖,也要夺回本就属于自己的东西!就算最后变成了一个魔,那也是万魔之中的一点清明,哪怕是最后被最好的兄弟背叛,也只是淡然一笑:给我个理由,能让我原谅你的理由!
  • 明天会有太阳吗(中国好小说)

    明天会有太阳吗(中国好小说)

    主人公因娘家贫穷无势、丈夫无能却脾气暴躁而备受婆家叔伯妯娌以及凤山村乡邻的欺辱,儿子生病无钱救治,丈夫的毒打也是家常便饭,这一切使她压抑无奈,她曾以喝农药寻求解脱又被救活,在身心饱受痛苦和煎熬之下走上了写作之路,释放情感,寻找做人的尊严。
  • 重生八零有点甜

    重生八零有点甜

    (已完结,推荐新文《农家福女有点甜》,种田团宠甜文)前世,陈香琴心高气傲,不知好歹,嫁给张宸毅之后,作天作地的要和他离婚,落的孤苦一生,贫困潦倒的境地。重生后,陈香琴定下了两大人生目标:和张宸毅好好过日子,过日子;为张宸毅多多生孩子,生孩子!
  • 河边那块地(中国好小说)

    河边那块地(中国好小说)

    作者以第一人称自述的角度,把故事娓娓道来,让读者几乎与主人公一样经历了其生命最后几年的生活,其朴素的语言和轻松口吻,越发让人感到其“活着”的沉重:在土地被强行征用后,热爱土地的老农民丁歪歪只剩下偷来的两个工厂之间的两分地,这成了他以及后来残疾儿子的生活和生命的最后希望。为了保住这最后的两分地,丁歪歪使用了中国农民最后的一个办法,死。我们不能简单认为这是丁歪歪的一个策略,而是一个巨大的隐喻:土地,无疑是农民的根。让人揪心的是,丁歪歪用生命暂时给儿子牯牛保存住的根还能维持多久?喝黄磷自杀的丁歪歪以及被黄磷严重烧伤而丧失了生殖能力的牯牛给我们答案是残酷的。
  • 我的虚拟老公

    我的虚拟老公

    女扮男装的季陌染进入大学,却意外和游戏世界里面的夫君住同一寝室。不怕,毕竟女扮男装这么多年,这点装傻的能力她还是有的,看她如何游刃有余的游走在男生宿舍之中。可为什么,那大神怎么不按常理出牌,时不时撩拨她,撩拨她就算了,居然还想娶她!!!!ExcuseMe,她可是一个男的!!男的!! 季陌染:不管了,先跑路再说 纪墨离:想跑?经过我同意了吗?嗯~ 1vs1甜宠文,男女主身心干净,无小三
  • 替身天后:总裁大人求放过

    替身天后:总裁大人求放过

    婚礼当日,她一个电话司慕言像疯了一样冲出礼堂,留下她一个人交换戒指、宣告誓言。一时间,她成了整个娱乐圈的笑柄。本以为走到今天拥有的一切,都是自己争取而来,没想到都是因为和她长得相似。爱情,事业,都是她的替代品?结婚纪念日,他送随手在花店买一束花送给她。“给你,你喜欢的香水百合。”沈初棠坐在沙发上平静的说:“喜欢百合的人,是何芮晴。”本以为这几年在他身边陪伴,可到头来还是比不过她的一句...“慕言,我们和好吧。”我沈初棠,不是任何人的替代品。