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化身博士-第8章

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I gave it to him.He put a little of the red liquid in the glassand added a packet of powder.A small cloud of smoke rosefrom the glass and the colour of the liquid changed from redto purple, and from purple to a watery green.The strangerput the glass down on the table and looked sharply at me.

‘And now,’he said,‘choose carefully.You can leave theroom now .Or you can stay and experience something new,something unknown to science. You can be rich,famous andsuccessful,if only you will believe’

‘Sir,’I said,trying to remain calm,‘I don't understandwhat you're trying to say,and I think you are probably madBut I will stay.’

‘Very well,’said the stranger.‘Now remember yourpromise. You've been an unbeliever all your life.Youlaughed at Doctor Jekyll's ideas and called them unscientificrubbish…now see for yourself!’

He put the glass to his lips and drank the liquid.His wholebody shook and jumped and he almost fell.He held onto theedge of the table, breathing fast through his open mouth. AsI watched,his whole body seemed to change.He seemed tobecome taller, fatter…his face turned black and its shapebegan to change…The next moment I jumped back againstthe wall,trembling with fear and horror.There before myeyes, pale and shaken and sick, stood Henry Jekyll!

I cannot make myself write down the things that Jekyll,with tears in his eyes, confessed to me that night

Now fear and horror are my only companions.Sleep has left me and I feel that I have not long to live. As I write, Iwonder. Did I imagine it all?As a scientist I cannot believeit…but I saw it happen with my own eyes.

I will say just one thing more,Utterson.The evil thing thatcame into my house that night…as Jekyll told me…wasknown by the name of Hyde, and was wanted by the policefor the murder of Sir Danvers Carew.

Hastie Lanyon

With fear in his heart,Mr Utterson put away Doctor Lanyon's letter, and then opened the confession of Doctor Henry Jekyll.

  



 
 



9  Doctor Jekyll's confession

  

I was born in the year 18…. I inherited a large fortune,a strong healthy body and an excellent mind. I wasnaturally hard-working and soon I was extremely successful inmy chosen work as a scientist.Although I was still young,important people came to me for advice.At an age when mostyoung men are going out and having fun, I was behaving like agrey-haired old man.

This was not easy for me.The outside world saw a serious,hard-working doctor. Behind this quiet character, however,was an active, fun…loving young man…about…town. This, ofcourse, was nothing to be ashamed of, but I did not realizethat at the time. I was ashamed, and I soon learned to keepmy two lives separate.

I was not dishonest in any way.Both these people were me.The serious, successful young doctor was me, and the wild,fun…loving,irresponsible young man was me too.I thought about this for a long time and slowly I realized that I was notextraordinary in this. Every man has two sides to hischaracter. He is two people.They live together…often uncomfortably in the same body.

‘How fantastic,’I thought, if I could separate these twocharacters and give my fun-loving side his freedom. Then hecould go out and enjoy himself unashamedly and leave serious,studious Doctor Jekyll to get on with his important, life…savingwork.’

‘Was it possible,’ I wondered,‘to find a drug that couldgive each side of my characier its own separate face and body?’

After much thought and careful study I believed I had foundthe answer.I had read many scientific books and spent manyhours in my laboratory,searching for the right mixture ofchemicals to make my drug.At last I had everything I neededexcept a special kind of salt. I bought some from a chemist,and then I was ready.

I hesitated for a long time before I began my experiment.Only a small mistake in the mixture of the drug could meanimmediate death.But in the end,my wish to know wasstronger than my fear.And so, late one disastrous night, Imixed everything together and prepared my drug.I watchedthe smoke rising from the liquid as it changed colour from redto purple and at last to green.Then, bravely,I drank everybitter drop.

I felt a violent sickness in my stomach and a terrible pain inall my bones.The room seemed to turn round and round and Itrembled with fear.Then the fear and pain disappeared and astrange, sweet feeling took its place. Wild thoughts dancedthrough my mind. They were not good,serious thoughtsThey were the wild passions of an evil and cruel stranger. Butinside myself I felt younger, lighter, more carefree than everbefore.‘If this is pure evil,’I thought,‘I like it.’

I stood there. enjoying these strange new thoughts and passions…and suddenly realized that I was shorter.At that timethere was no mirror in my stidy. Later I put one on the wallof my study so that I could watch these changes in my appearance Now,however,it was three o’clock in the morning andall the servants were asleep.I decided it was safe to go to mybedroom in my new body and take a look at myself in the mirror there.I crossed the garden and entered my house like astranger. As I came into my room, I saw Edward Hyde forthe first time.

At that time,the good side of my character was strongerthan the evil side.Henry Jekyll had his faults,but he wasmostly a good, kind man.I cannot be sure,but I believe thatis the reason why Edward Hyde was so much smaller thanHenry Jekyll.But that was not the only difference betweenthe two men. Henry Jekyll had a kind, open, honest face.Pure evil stared out of Edward Hyde's eyes.I felt no dislike,however.Indeed,I welcomed him.Edward Hyde was me,young and strong and full of life.

Later,however,I noticed that Hyde's appearance andmanner had a strong effect on other people. Nobody couldmeet Edward Hyde without a feeling of dislike and horror. Ibelieve I understand the reason for this too. Everyone is a mixture of good and evil.Even the worst criminal has a little goodin him. Only Edward Hyde was pure evil.

I stood for a long time,staring at the mirror.‘Am Itrapped?’I wondered.‘If I am,I must leave this house beforedaylight. If I don't, I shall be arrested as a thief.

I hurried back to my study. With trembling hands I mixedanother dose of the drug and drank it.Again I felt that terriblePain and sickness, but a few seconds later I found myself withthe face and body and character of Henry Jekyll once more.

I blame myself for the things that happened later. It wasnot the fault of the drug.That was neither good nor evil.Butit opened the prison doors and all owed Edward Hyde toescape.Soon he was out of control. He, you will remember,was wholly evil.Doctor Jekyll was not wholly good, however.He was a normal man with normal faults and weaknesses, andHyde was too strong for him.

I welcomed Hyde,therefore.I arranged everything verycarefully.I bought a flat in a poor part of London, where Ikept Hyde's clothes and employed a servant to do the housework.I took a dose of the drug whenever I wanted to forgetmy old, quiet, s
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