DR. JEKYLL WAS QUITE AT EASE

A fortnight later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one ofrnhis pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent,rnreputable men and all judges of good wine; and Mr. Utterson sorncontrived that he remained behind after the others had departed. Thisrnwas no new arrangement, but a thing that had befallen many scores ofrntimes. Where Utterson was liked, he was liked well. Hosts loved torndetain the dry lawyer, when the light-hearted and loose-tongued hadrnalready their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit a while in hisrnunobtrusive company, practising for solitude, sobering their minds inrnthe man’s rich silence after the expense and strain of gaiety. To thisrnrule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the oppositernside of the fire—a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, withrnsomething of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity andrnkindness—you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Uttersonrna sincere and warm affection.rnrn“I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll,” began the latter. “Yournknow that will of yours?”rnrnA close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful;rnbut the doctor carried it off gaily. “My poor Utterson,” said he, “yournare unfortunate in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed asrnyou were by my will; unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, atrnwhat he called my scientific heresies. O, I know he’s a good fellow—yournneedn’t frown—an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more ofrnhim; but a hide-bound pedant for all that; an ignorant, blatant pedant.rnI was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon.”rnrn“You know I never approved of it,” pursued Utterson, ruthlesslyrndisregarding the fresh topic.rnrn“My will? Yes, certainly, I know that,” said the doctor, a triflernsharply. “You have told me so.”rnrn“Well, I tell you so again,” continued the lawyer. “I have beenrnlearning something of young Hyde.”rnrnThe large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, andrnthere came a blackness about his eyes. “I do not care to hear more,”rnsaid he. “This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop.”rnrn“What I heard was abominable,” said Utterson.rnrn“It can make no change. You do not understand my position,” returnedrnthe doctor, with a certain incoherency of manner. “I am painfullyrnsituated, Utterson; my position is a very strange—a very strange one.rnIt is one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking.”rnrn“Jekyll,” said Utterson, “you know me: I am a man to be trusted. Make arnclean breast of this in confidence; and I make no doubt I can get yournout of it.”rnrn“My good Utterson,” said the doctor, “this is very good of you, this isrndownright good of you, and I cannot find words to thank you in. Irnbelieve you fully; I would trust you before any man alive, ay, beforernmyself, if I could make the choice; but indeed it isn’t what you fancy;rnit is not as bad as that; and just to put your good heart at rest, Irnwill tell you one thing: the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde.rnI give you my hand upon that; and I thank you again and again; and Irnwill just add one little word, Utterson, that I’m sure you’ll take inrngood part: this is a private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep.”rnrnUtterson reflected a little, looking in the fire.rnrn“I have no doubt you are perfectly right,” he said at last, getting tornhis feet.rnrn“Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for the lastrntime I hope,” continued the doctor, “there is one point I should likernyou to understand. I have really a very great interest in poor Hyde. Irnknow you have seen him; he told me so; and I fear he was rude. But I dornsincerely take a great, a very great interest in that young man; and ifrnI am taken away, Utterson, I wish you to promise me that you will bearrnwith him and get his rights for him. I think you would, if you knewrnall; and it would be a weight off my mind if you would promise.”rnrn“I can’t pretend that I shall ever like him,” said the lawyer.rnrn“I don’t ask that,” pleaded Jekyll, laying his hand upon the other’srnarm; “I only ask for justice; I only ask you to help him for my sake,rnwhen I am no longer here.”rnrnUtterson heaved an irrepressible sigh. “Well,” said he, “I promise."