Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde: Part2

Part Two: Search for Mr Hyde

Mr Utterson was unhappy after his walk with Richard Enfield. He came

home, and ate his dinner. Then he went to his safe. He took out a large

document. The document was Dr Jekyll's will. Mr Utterson read the will

carefully. Dr Jekyll's orders were clear. He left his money to his friend, Mr

Edward Hyde. Mr Utterson did not like this part of the will. There was

another part of the will which he did not like. If Dr Jekyll disappeared or

went away, Mr Hyde could have all his money.

'There is a secret here,' Mr Utterson decided. 'Why does Dr Jekyll want to

give his money to this Mr Hyde? Dr Jekyll is a good man, and this Mr Hyde

is a terrible man. And what does 'disappearance' mean? Why does my friend

think he is going to disappear? I will find out the truth.'

He decided to visit Dr Lanyon. Dr Lanyon was also a friend of Dr Jekyll.

'Perhaps he knows something,' thought Mr Utterson.

Dr Lanyon was happy to see Mr Utterson. They talked together for a

While. Then Mr Utterson said, 'We have all been friends for a long time.

You and I are Dr Jekyll's oldest friends, I suppose?'

'I suppose we are,' Dr Lanyon agreed. 'But I don't see Jekyll often these

days.'

'Oh?' said Mr Utterson. 'I thought you had the same interests. '

'No!' replied Dr Lanyon angrily. 'I don't like Henry Jekyll's ideas about

science. He has some very strange ideas. We don't see each other often.'

'Tell me,' said Mr Utterson, 'do you know a man called Hyde?'

Dr Lanyon thought for a moment.

'Hyde?' he asked. 'No, I don't know the name.'

Mr Utterson returned home after his visit to Dr Lanyon. He could not sleep

that night. He was worried about his friend.

He remembered Mr Enfield's story about Mr Hyde and the little girl.

'I want to see this Mr Hyde!' he decided. 'I want to know about his

friendship with Henry Jekyll.'

Mr Utterson went back to the old house very often now. He waited in the

street, and he hoped to see Mr Hyde. He went there every day, but Mr Hyde

never came.

One night Mr Utterson was in the street outside the old house.

He heard someone in the street. Then he saw a man. Mr Utterson followed

him, and then spoke to him.

'Are you Mr Hyde?' he asked.

The man seemed frightened for a moment. Then he looked at Mr Utterson

angrily.

'I am Mr Hyde. What do you want?'

'I see that you are going into this house,' said Mr Utterson.

'I am a friend of Dr Jekyll—perhaps you will ask me into the house?'

'Dr Jekyll is not at home,' Mr Hyde said.

'I am glad we have met,' Mr Utterson said. 'I shall know you again. It may

be useful.'

'I am glad, we have met, too,' said Mr Hyde. He gave Mr Utterson a piece

of paper with his address written on it.

'He is thinking of the will.' Mr Utterson thought. 'He is glad we met

because of the will! That's why he wants me to know where he lives.'

Mr Hyde entered the house, and closed the door behind him.

'I don't like that man!' thought Mr Utterson. 'There is something very

strange about him. Poor Henry Jekyll, why have you got a friend like that?'

The lawyer walked to the end of the street, and turned the corner. The

houses here were large and beautiful. Mr Utterson stopped and knocked at

the door of one of the houses. A servant opened the door.

'Good evening, Poole,' Mr Utterson said. 'I am looking for Dr Jekyll—is

he at home?'

'Please come in, sir,' the servant said. 'I will see if Dr Jekyll is at home.'

Poole came back after a few moments.

'I am sorry, sir,' he told Mr Utterson. 'Dr Jekyll has gone out.'

'I sawMr Hyde go into the laboratory,' said Mr Utterson. 'Does he often

come when Dr Jekyll is out?'

'Yes, sir,' Poole answered. 'Mr Hyde has a key to the laboratory. '

'Are Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde good friends?' asked the lawyer.

'They are very good friends, sir,' Poole said. 'We have orders to obey Mr

Hyde when he comes to the laboratory.'

'I have never met Mr Hyde at dinner here,' the lawyer said.

'No, sir,' Poole agreed. 'Mr Hyde never dines here. He never comes to this

part of the house. He stays in the laboratory.'

Mr Utterson thanked the servant, and left the house. He was very sad.

'Poor Henry Jekyll!' he thought. 'He lived badly when he was a young man.

Mr Hyde must know some secret from the past. My friend is paying him to

be quiet about the secret. My poor, poor friend— I will help him if I can!'

Two weeks later, Dr Jekyll invited some of his friends to dinner at his

house. Mr Utterson was one of the guests. After the other guests had gone,

Mr Utterson stayed to talk with his friend.

'I want to talk to you about something important,' the lawyer said. 'It

concerns your will, Jekyll.'

'I know what you want to say, my friend,' Dr Jekyll told him.

'You're not happy about my will, are you?'

'I know something about Mr Hyde,' Utterson said quietly.

'People say terrible things about him.'

'You do not understand,' Dr Jekyll said. 'You do not understand my

position. It is very difficult for me—'

'Jekyll!' the lawyer interrupted I him. 'You know me: we are old friends.

If you are in trouble, tell me the truth. Perhaps I can help you.'

'You're a good friend, Utterson,' Dr Jekyll said. 'Thank you for your offer

of help. But you cannot help me. I know you have seen Mr Hyde—he told

me. I am interested in that man. I trust you to follow the orders in my will.

Promise me that you will follow them.'

'I will never like Mr Hyde.' the lawyer said.

'I don't ask that,' Dr Jekyll told his friend. 'I ask only that you help him

when I am not here.'

'Very well,' the lawyer said. 'I will do what you want.'