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Chapter 2. Utterson's Doubts About Hide

After his walk with Enfield, Mr. Utterson goes home and has dinner. He thinks about the

strange man, Edward Hyde. He has many questions on his mind.

Who is this Edward Hyde? Enfield doesn't tell me, but the checkbook definitely belongs

to Dr. Jekyll. So Hyde is using Jekyll's money in the bank. I must warn Jekyll about

this. He is my best friend.

After dinner, he takes a candle and goes into his study. He takes out an envelope from the

safe in the room. There is an important document in it. It is Mr. Jekyll's will. He breaks

the seal on the envelope and pulls out the will in it. He reads it quickly. One statement

in the will says, When Dr. Jekyll dies or disappears, Edward Hyde will have his property. Utterson

is worried now. Why will Hyde have Jekyll's property after his death? How can Jekyll disappear?

He asks himself. I will talk to Dr. Lanyon. He is an old friend of Dr. Jekyll. Perhaps

he knows something about Hyde and can help me. So he puts on his coat and hat and leaves for

Lanyon's house in Cavendish Square. It is late at night, but Dr. Lanyon is sitting

in his library and reading. He is happy to see Utterson. They have wine together and talk

about Dr. Jekyll. I like Jekyll. He is an old friend of mine. But he is different now.

He has strange ideas on scientific matters, Dr. Lanyon says. So I rarely see him now. Utterson

cannot sleep that night. He constantly thinks about Hyde. I must see this man, he says to

himself. And later in his sleep, he has bad dreams about this ugly, scary man Hyde.

In one of these dreams, Hyde is attacking Dr. Jekyll with his cane. He is trying to kill

him. Then Utterson himself comes to save his old friend.

On the following days, Utterson often goes near the old dark house on the side street.

He goes there early in the mornings before office hours or late in the evenings after

the shops and offices close. He patiently waits for Hyde to come.

Finally, one night, he hears footsteps coming near. Then a small, crooked man with a cane

stands in front of the old house. When he is unlocking the door, Utterson goes near him

quietly. He stands behind the man and touches him on the shoulder. He says, you are Mr.

Hyde, I think. Hyde doesn't turn around to look at Utterson. He does not want to show

his face to anyone. He rudely says, that is my name. What do you want?

I am an old friend of Dr. Jekyll. I am also his lawyer. Can we talk inside? We have nothing

to talk about, says Hyde. He still does not look at Utterson's face. How do you know me?

Well, Dr. Jekyll tells me everything about you.

Dr. Jekyll never talks to you about me. You are lying, Hyde says angrily, and quickly

goes inside. He leaves Utterson outside. Utterson now walks to the big square behind the side

street. There are nice houses around the square. The owners are respectable and wealthy people,

like lawyers or doctors. He knocks on the door of one of these houses. It is right behind

the old house with the old blue door. It is Dr. Jekyll's house. Jekyll's butler opens

the door. He is a wow dressed and very polite old man.

Is Mr. Jekyll at home, Poole? Utterson asks him. Poole says, I will go and look, sir.

Perhaps he is in his laboratory at the back. Then he leads Utterson into a large, comfortable

hall with expensive cabinets. There is a bright open fire in the corner.

Would you like to wait here or in the dining room? The butler asks Utterson politely.

I will wait here. Thank you, says Utterson, and begins to wait. His mind is still busy

with Edward Hyde. Mr. Jekyll is not in his laboratory, sir. He is out, I am afraid, says

Poole when he comes back. But Utterson does not leave immediately. He wants to get some

information about Edward Hyde. So he starts a conversation with Poole. Then he asks him

a few questions about Hyde. Tell me Poole, does Mr. Hyde often come to your master's laboratory

when he is not at home? Yes, sir. That is right. Mr. Hyde has a key to Dr. Jekyll's laboratory.

Oh, so Dr. Jekyll trusts this young man Hyde very much, says Utterson in a thoughtful way

and with a smile on his face. Yes, Mr. Jekyll has a lot of trust in Mr. Hyde

I believe. The other servants and I always respect and obey Mr. Hyde. That is Dr. Jekyll's

order. He is perhaps an important man for Mr. Jekyll. Is he a close relative of your master,

or is he a close friend of his? I really do not know, sir. My master does not tell me anything

about him. In fact, he never mentions his name. Really? I am very interested in this man. I

hope I will meet him one day, Utterson says. I do not think so, sir. Mr. Hyde never comes

to this part of the house. He never stays long or eats in this house. He always uses the back

of the house. I am very interested in this man. I am very interested in this man. I am very

interested in this man. I am very interested in this man. I will visit Mr. Jekyll at another

time. Please tell him so. On his way home, Utterson continues to think about Hyde. He

thinks that his friend Jekyll is in big trouble. Why does Jekyll trust this strange man so much?

And why does Hyde sign Jekyll's name on the checks? Does Jekyll know this? He asks himself.

He also thinks about Dr. Jekyll's will. Suddenly, a very bad thought comes to his mind. Does Hyde

know about the will? Perhaps he will try to kill Jekyll and get his property afterwards.

Oh, Hyde is a strange man, but he is also very dangerous. Jekyll must not trust him at all.