CHAPTER FOUR

Mr Hyde and Mr Seek

Even though his visit with Lanyon made him feel better, Utterson did not sleep well. He had the same bad dreams over and over. In his dreams, he saw a child running down a dark, dirty street. A man was walking fast, and the two hit each other. Then the child was on the ground, with the man stepping on her while she screamed. Then Utterson had another dream. He saw Henry Jekyll asleep in his large, comfortable bedroom. Suddenly, the curtains around the bed opened, and a long arm, covered with hair, reached in. The hand had long, dirty broken fingernails, like an ape! Then Jekyll was sitting at his desk, being forced to write a check for ninety pounds by a man standing over him. The man wore black clothing, and Utterson could not see his face, but he knew it was Edward Hyde.

The next morning, Utterson decided he had to see this man Hyde himself, no matter what happened.

"Sometimes, when the facts are found, a mystery will disappear," Utterson thought. "So if I go to talk to Hyde, I might understand why Jekyll wants to give him everything in his will. I also want to meet Hyde for two other reasons. My cousin Richard hates him, and Richard likes everybody! Also, he has no kindness for children!"

During the next few weeks, Mr Utterson went to the street where "Blackmail House" was whenever he could. He would stand by the old door in the early mornings and late at night, waiting for the mysterious man. With a secret smile, Utterson said to himself, "If he is Mr Hyde, then I shall be Mr Seek."

Finally the meeting came. It was a clear night, and the air was beginning to get cold. Winter was coming. The shops near "Blackmail House" were closed, and Utterson was alone in the small, dark street. It was ten o'clock, and Utterson was about to give up and go home for the night. Suddenly he heard a strange, light footstep. Utterson felt a chill all over his body. He had a feeling that the man he was looking for was finally here. Just in time, Utterson stepped back into the darkness of the house's courtyard. A small, dark man crossed the street, went to the door and took out a key.

Mr Utterson came out of the dark and said loudly, "Hello! You are Mr Hyde, I think?"

(end of section)