Chapter 1 The story begins with a description of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer in
London. Mr. Utterson is a reserved, conservative man who does not reveal his
true, vibrant personality. He tolerates the strangeness and faults of other.
Early in his life, he watched as his brother fell to ruin, and it is noted that
he is often the last respectable person that men who are turning to evil or ruin
have to talk to. This foreshadows Utterson's involvement with upcoming evil. Mr.
Utterson is friends with Richard Enfield, although the two are totally different
from one another. They always took walks with each other on Sundays no matter
what else they might have to do. As they walk down a lane on Sunday that would
usually be crowded with merchants and children during the week, Enfield points
out an old building without many windows, and only a basement door. Enfield
tells a story of how, one night at about 3:00 am, he saw a strange, deformed man
round the corner and bump into a young girl. The strange man did not stop but
simply walked right over the young girl, who cried out in terror. Enfield rushed
over and attended the girl along with her family. Still, the strange man carried
on, so Enfield chased him down and urged him back. A doctor was called and
Enfield and the doctor felt an odd hatred of the man, warning the man that they
would discredit him in every way possible unless he compensated the girl. The
strange man agreed to offer 100 British pounds. Enfield notes that the man is
like Satan in the way he seems emotionally cold to the situation. The strange
man presented a cheque signed by an important person, which they together cashed
the next morning. Enfield states that he refers to the building as Black Mail
House. Utterson asks Enfield if he ever asked who lived in the building, but
Enfield explains that he doesn't ask questions about strange things: "the
more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask." The building appears
lived in, and the two men carry on their walk. Enfield continues that the
strange man he saw that night looked deformed, though he could explain how.
Utterson assures Enfield that his story has caught his interest. The two agree
never to talk about the story again. Chapter 2 The same evening, Utterson came
home. Instead of reading until sleep at midnight, he poured over the will of his
friend Henry Jekyll, a doctor and very educated man. The will stated that
Jekyll's possessions and position should be handed over to Mr. Hyde, a friend
that Utterson had never heard nor met. Utterson went to the house of Dr. Lanyon,
an old school and college friend of Utterson's and Jekyll's, and asked him about
Hyde, but Lanyon had never heard of him. Lanyon uses several evil references
when talking about Jekyll, such as "devilish", and "gone
wrong", foreboding evil relations between Jekyll and Hyde. Utterson knows
something is wrong between the two. Utterson can't sleep for the rest of the
night. Utterson considers how the strange man Enfield spoke of could trample a
child and care nothing for it. Utterson staked out the door of the strange
building looking for the strange man, whom he also believed was Mr. Hyde. One
night, he found him. He confronts him as he is about to go inside the strange
door, and finds the strange man is indeed Mr. Hyde. Hyde is unpleasant, cool,
defiant, and confident. Utterson convinces Hyde to show his face, and Hyde
suggests Utterson should know his address, implying that he knows of Jekyll's
will. Utterson refers to Hyde to himself as "troglodytic", meaning a
primitive human being, detestable and unpleasant. Utterson decides to try and
visit Jekyll at the late hour. At Jekyll's home, he learns from the servants
that Hyde never east dinner at Jekyll's house, but is always there in the
laboratory, with his own key. The servants rarely see him, but they have orders
to obey him. Utterson leaves, and reflects upon his own life, what evil deeds he
may be guilty of, and what bad things his friend Jekyll may have done in his
life. He decides that this Hyde must be gravely evil, far worse than anything
Jekyll may have ever done. Utterson decides to try and discover what evil things
Hyde has done and may be doing, but fears that his friend Jekyll will object. To
finish, Utterson again considers the strange will of Jekyll, specifically that
it he disappears for longer than three months, that his estate should be turned
over to Hyde. Utterson fears that Hyde might kill Jekyll for the will. Chapter 3
Dr. Jekyll has a dinner party and Utterson attends. Utterson is a well liked and
respected man, by Jekyll as well as anyone. Utterson stays behind after the
party, and talks with Jekyll about the will. Jekyll tries at first to politely
and jovially avoid the topic towards his scientific rivalry with Dr. Lanyon, but
Utterson insists. Utterson explains that he thinks the will is a bad idea, and
Jekyll wishes to stop talking about it. Jekyll states that he is in a unique
situation that can't be fixed through talking, but Utterson promises that he can
be trusted to help in confidence. Jekyll insists that he is in control, that he
can be rid of Mr. Hyde at his own discretion. He begs Utterson to leave the
matter alone. He explains that he has great interest in Hyde, and that Utterson
follow his will and secure Jekyll's estate for Hyde if Jekyll passes away.
Utterson promises to fulfill this duty. Chapter 4 One of Jekyll's maid servants
is watching out her window on a foggy night and sees Hyde and Sir Danvers meet
by chance, They talk under her window, and without warning, Hyde explodes with
rage and strikes Danvers with his heavy cane. Hyde stomped upon the man,
crushing his bones, while the maid faints. The maid wakes up, calls the police.
They find a purse and gold watch, and an envelope for Utterson on the victim,
but no papers or cards. They find part of Hyde's splintered, broken cane.
Utterson goes to the police station to see the body. Utterson identifies the
victim as Danvers, and notices that the piece of cane resembles one he gave to
Jekyll a long time ago. Utterson leads the police to Hyde's house in Soho. As
they arrive at Hyde's house, Utterson notices the darkness from the brown fog,
and considers the fear people must have of the law and the police. At Hyde's, an
very white skinned woman with grey hair and an evil face tells them she hadn't
seen Hyde for 2 months. At first the woman protests, but she seems happy to
learn that Hyde might be in trouble. In the house, Utterson and the police
inspector find that only a few rooms are being used. They find clues to show
that Hyde was responsible for the murder: Hyde's clothes had been ransacked, a
burnt cheque book, the other part of the cane, and at the bank, Hyde's account
had several thousand pounds (British money) in it. The inspector believed that
they could simply catch him when he returned to the bank, but found that without
an accurate description of Hyde, they could not prepare the bank to recognize
Hyde when he came in again. Chapter 5 Utterson goes to Jekyll's house, and up to
his cabinet (bedroom), where he finds Jekyll sick, not even getting up to say
hello. Utterson tells Jekyll that Danvers was a client of his and asks if Jekyll
is hiding Hyde. Jekyll declares that Hyde is safe, and Utterson finds it strange
that Jekyll can be so sure. Jekyll gives Utterson a letter written by Hyde where
he apologizes to Jekyll for causing so much trouble, although Jekyll is afraid
that the letter might harm his own reputation. Utterson finds this a selfish
consideration. Utterson believes that Hyde told Jekyll how to make his will, and
tells Jekyll that he is lucky because Hyde was going to kill him. Jekyll is
upset and says only, Oh what a lesson I have learned!". Jekyll tells
Utterson that the letter came to him by delivery, not through the mail, but as
Utterson leaves, he asks the servant, who tells him that no letters came by
delivery... That night, Utterson has his assistant, Mr. Guest, over to look at
the letter, so that he might hear his thoughts on the matter. Guest notices that
Hyde's handwriting is the same as Jekyll's, except slanted differently. Utterson
cannot imaging why Jekyll would forge Hyde's letter for him. Chapter 6 The
police's investigation into Hyde's background showed that he had a violent
reputation. In the meantime, Jekyll seemed better than ever in his life. On
January 6th, Jekyll had a dinner party, and Utterson and Lanyon went. However,
after that date, Jekyll refused to allow any visitors. Utterson decides to visit
Lanyon, but finds that Lanyon seems deathly sick, and won't discuss why except
that he "has had a shock". He seems that he has been terrified, and
begs not to be reminded of Jekyll. Utterson goes home and writes a complaint to
Jekyll about not taking visitors, and about Lanyon. The next day, Jekyll replies
that he is sorry and doesn't blame Lanyon for not wishing to ever hear of Jekyll
again, but doesn't say why. Jekyll asks Utterson to let me be alone to suffer
for a great evil deed that he has committed. Utterson feels that there must be
some very serious explanation for the strange behavior of both Lanyon and Jekyll.
A week later Utterson receives a letter from Lanyon. Inside is another letter
marked that it shouldn't be opened until the time that Jekyll disappears.
Utterson is tempted to open it, but honors the order on the envelope not to open
it yet. Utterson checked in with Poole, Jekyll's servant, who said that Jekyll
stayed in his room, laid awake, did not read and was miserable. Utterson tried
to visit less and less. Chapter 7 On a walk with Richard Enfield again, he and
Utterson resolve never to see Hyde again. Enfield tells that he now knows that
the building Hyde entered that night long ago was Jekyll's house. As they
strolled by Jekyll's house, they saw him in a window. Utterson urges him to come
for a walk, but Jekyll refuses. They agree to talk while Jekyll sits at the
window. Suddenly, a look of terror comes over Jekyll's face, and the window
blind is shut in front of him, hiding him from the sight of Utterson and
Enfield. Frightened, the two men look at each other. "God forgive us!"
cries out Utterson, and the two men walk on. Chapter 8 Poole comes to Utterson's
house in a panic, saying that Jekyll is locked up in his room again. Poole fears
that Jekyll has been murdered and that the killer is still in his room, pacing
back and forth and moaning and crying out. Utterson agrees to go to Jekyll's
house with Poole. When they arrive, they find all the house servants crowded
around the fireplace in fear of what goes up in Jekyll's room. Poole tells
Utterson that he wants him to hear what is going on in Jekyll's room. They
proceed, and Poole calls out to his master, saying that Utterson is there to
visit. A voice answers that is certainly Jekyll, pleading for Utterson to leave
him alone. Poole reports that the person in the room tosses out papers with
orders for chemicals from every company in London, but with every delivery,
Jekyll/Hyde refuses them and sends them back claiming they are not pure. They
examine the notes, and find that the writing is Jekyll's, but with a strange
slant like Hyde's. Poole mentions that he saw the person in the room at one
point, but it looked like Hyde, not Jekyll Poole and Utterson decide to break
down the door and find out what has happened in Jekyll's room, using an axe.
They post two other servants near the door to prevent Jekyll/Hyde from escaping
should he get past Utterson and Poole. Utterson and Poole consider that they
face some danger in doing this. While they wait for the other servants to get
into position, they sit in the old surgery theatre, where Poole describes how
Jekyll/Hyde paces back and forth across the floor and sometimes cries out. After
the servants are ready, Utterson warns Jekyll that he is coming in, and the
voice begs him not to. They burst in and find Hyde twitching and dying on the
floor. They look around and find various articles, but no sign of Jekyll's body.
They find chemicals, a book, a cheval-glass, and a strange drug. They search the
house, and still do not find the body. Utterson finds Jekyll's latest will and
learns that it leaves his estate to Utterson, not Hyde. Utterson finds this
strange because Hyde was in the room and cold have destroyed this will in favor
of the one that names him the recipient of the will. Utterson finds a note
written in Jekyll's handwriting, and is afraid to read it. In it Jekyll says
that he has disappeared, that Utterson should read the letter Lanyon sent, and
also Jekyll's own confession which is included with this note. Utterson returns
to his office where he will read the two important documents. Chapter 9 -
Lanyon's Narrative On January 9th, Lanyon receives a letter from Jekyll. It
tells Lanyon that this is a matter of life and death. Lanyon is to go to
Jekyll's house, and "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 the
stand, the fourth drawer from the top or (which is the same thing) the third
from the bottom". This is to get Jekyll's drug. Then, Lanyon is to return
to his own home's consulting room, and wait for a visitor at midnight from
Jekyll. Lanyon does this and finds the drug that Jekyll must have made because
it is not as neatly done as a chemist would do. He returns to his home and waits
for the visitor, keeping a gun with him (revolver) should he need to defend
himself. At midnight, Hyde shows up, and is very excited to get the drug, almost
crazy, but he stays calm enough. Once Lanyon gives it to him, a scary smile
comes over Hyde's face. He tells Lanyon that Lanyon was a fool, and that he
would now see proof of "transcendental medicine". He drinks the drug
and changes into Jekyll in a terrifying way that haunts Lanyon for the rest of
his few days until he dies. Lanyon ends his letter by saying that he cannot tell
what Jekyll told him because it is too terrible, other than that Jekyll and Hyde
are the same person.