" asked Utterson.

"Here, sir," said Poole, and gave into his hands a considerable packet
sealed in several places.

The lawyer put it in his pocket. "I would say nothing of this paper. If
your master has fled or is dead, we may at least save his credit. It is
now ten; I must go home and read these documents in quiet; but I shall
be back before midnight, when we shall send for the police."

They went out, locking the door of the theatre behind them; and
Utterson, once more leaving the servants gathered about the fire in the
hall, trudged back to his office to read the two narratives in which
this mystery was now to be explained.

DR. LANYON'S NARRATIVE

On the ninth of January, now four days ago, I received by the evening
delivery a registered envelope, addressed in the hand of my colleague
and old school companion, Henry Jekyll. I was a good deal surprised by
this; for we were by no means in the habit of correspondence; I had seen
the man, dined with him, indeed, the night before; and I could
imagine nothing in our intercourse that should justify formality of
registration. The contents increased my wonder; for this is how the
letter ran:

"10th December, 18--.

"Dear Lanyon,--You are one of my oldest friends; and although we may
have differed at times on scientific questions, I cannot remember, at
least on my side, any break in our affection. There was never a day
when, if you had said to me, `Jekyll, my life, my honour, my reason,
depend upon you,' I would not have sacrificed my left hand to help you.
Lanyon my life, my honour, my reason, are all at your mercy; if you fail
me to-night, I am lost. You might suppose, after this preface, that I
am going to ask you for something dishonourable to grant. Judge for
yourself.

"I want you to postpone all other engagements for to-night--ay, even if
you were summoned to the bedside of an emperor; to take a cab, unless
your carriage should be actually at the door; and with this letter in
your hand for consultation, to drive straight to my house. Poole, my
butler, has his orders; you will find him waiting your arrival with a
locksmith. The door of my cabinet is then to be forced: and you are
to go in alone; to open the glazed press (letter E) on the left hand,
breaking the lock if it be shut; and to draw out, with all its contents
as they stand, the fourth drawer from the top or (which is the same
thing) the third from the bottom. In my extreme distress of mind,