CHAPTER TWELVE

Conversation from the Window

All this time, Mr Utterson continued his Sunday walks with his cousin Richard Enfield. One day, they were in the street where Richard had first shown his cousin the strange door and told him the story of Hyde and the small girl. When they came near the "Blackmail House", they stopped and stared at it.

"Well," said Richard, "the story of Hyde is at an end. We'll never see him again."

"I hope you are right about that," said Utterson. "Did I tell you I met him a few months ago? He was a horrible man, just like you said."

"I think it would be impossible to see Hyde and not feel he was a terrible and scary man," Richard said. "Perhaps I forgot to tell you, but I finally realized that this door is the back way into Dr Jekyll's house."

"Poor Jekyll," said Mr Utterson, his head turned sadly to the door. "I am very worried about him recently. Poole, his butler, tells me he almost never leaves his laboratory and office. Perhaps he is in there now ... Come with me, Richard, let's go closer to the house."

Richard nodded his head and followed his cousin across the street into Jekyll's cool, dead courtyard. The lawyer stopped under one of the windows of the second floor and looked up. A man was sitting just inside one window, which was open.

"It's him!" said Utterson, smiling as he waved his hands and called out, "Henry Jekyll, is that you?"

Dr Jekyll came to the window and hung his head out. His face was filled with a deep sadness; he looked outside of the window as if he were a prisoner. When he saw that it was Utterson outside, he greeted him by lifting a hand weakly.

"Are you feeling any better, my friend," said Utterson.

"I am weak, Utterson," Jekyll answered slowly, "very weak. It will not last much longer though, thank God." His voice was very thin and the two men outside could hardly hear it.

"You would perhaps feel better outside; you have been in your office too much," said the lawyer. "You should come out and get a little exercise. By the way, this is my cousin, Richard Enfield. Richard, this is Dr Henry Jekyll."

Richard looked up at Jekyll and bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he called up pleasantly. "My cousin is right. Exercise would do you well. Won't you join us on our walk? It's a fine day out."

Jekyll took a long, deep breath. It sounded like he was in great pain. "You are most kind, sir. I would very much like to join you, but it is not possible. I dare not." Jekyll tried to sit up straight and look normal. "But, indeed, Utterson, my friend, I am happy to see you. I would like to invite you and Mr Enfield up, but the office is dirty right now and not fit for entertaining."

"Why, then," replied Utterson cheerfully, "perhaps we can continue our conversation from where we are."

A sad smile came upon the doctor's face. "Yes, that is just what I was going to suggest."

A moment after speaking these words, Jekyll's smile disappeared from his face. His eyes filled with fear and his face twisted into an expression of horror. The two men below cried out when they saw his face, asking if he was all right. They could only see the terrible look for a second, for Jekyll closed the window hard and fast and disappeared into the office.

Utterson and Richard stood unable to move. Then, at the same time, they turned around and walked out of the courtyard in silence. Mr Utterson's face had become pale as they walked away from the strange and horrible sight. Richard, though as white as his cousin, was younger and stronger, and he put his hand under the lawyer's arm, helping him to walk. Neither man spoke the whole way home.

(end of section)