Dr. Lanyon's Narrative Beginning
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
On nine 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 had dined with him indeed the night before, and I can imagine nothing, and our correspondents that should justify formality of registration. The contents increased. My wonder, for this is how the letter ran. 10th december 18th. 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, Jackal, my life, my honor! My reason depend upon you that I would not have sacrificed my left hand to help you Lanny in my life, my honor, my reason are all at your mercy. If you fail me tonight I'm lost. You might suppose, after this preface, that I'm going to ask you for something dishonorable to grant judge for yourself. I want you to postpone all other engagements for tonight. I, 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 pool. 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 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, I have a morbid fear of misdirecting you, but even if I am an error, you may know the right drawer by its contents. Some powders, a file and a paper book. This drawer, I beg of you to carry back with you to cavendish square, exactly as it stands. That is the first part of the service. Now, for the second you should be back if you set out at once on the receipt of this long before midnight. But I will leave you that amount of margin not only in the fear of one of those obstacles that can neither be prevented nor foreseen, but because an hour when your servants are in bed is to be preferred for what will then remain to do at midnight. Then I have to ask you to be alone in your consulting room, to admit with your own hand into the house a man who will present himself in my name and to place in his hands the drawer that you will have brought with you from my cabinet. Then you will have played your part and earned my gratitude completely five minutes afterwards, if you insist upon an explanation, you will have understood that these arrangements are of capital importance and that by the neglect of one of them, fantastic as they must appear, you might have charged your conscience with my death or the shipwreck of my reason. Confident as I am, that you will not trifle in this appeal. My heart sinks and my hand trembles at the bear. Thought of such a possibility. Think of me at this hour in a strange place.