Incident of the Letter: Part 2
As Utterson prepares to leave Jekyll's home, a crucial contradiction emerges that deepens the mystery. When questioning Poole about the letter's delivery, Poole insists that no letter had arrived that day. This discrepancy immediately renews Utterson's suspicions:
- The letter must have come through the laboratory door
- It may have been written in Jekyll's cabinet
- This suggests an even closer connection between Jekyll and Hyde
The gothic atmosphere intensifies as Utterson exits into the fog-filled London streets, where newsboys shout about the "shocking murder of an M.P." This creates a sense of public scandal that threatens Jekyll's reputation.
Seeking advice, Utterson consults his head clerk, Mr Guest, who is an expert in handwriting. Stevenson uses rich imagery to describe their meeting:
- They sit by a warm firelight that contrasts with the foggy city outside
- London is described as a "drowned city" with lamps like "carbuncles"
- The "procession of the town's life" rolls through "great arteries" like a "mighty wind"
This atmospheric description uses pathetic fallacy wheretheenvironmentreflectsthecharacters′emotions to enhance the sense of concealment and moral ambiguity.
The chapter reaches its climax when Guest compares Hyde's letter with Jekyll's handwriting:
- Guest notes "a rather singular resemblance" between the hands
- They are "in many points identical: only differently sloped"
- This revelation shocks Utterson deeply
Key Example: The handwriting comparison is a masterful plot device that provides physical evidence of Jekyll and Hyde's connection. Stevenson uses this subtle clue to hint at their shared identity while maintaining mystery for the reader.
The chapter ends with Utterson's disturbing realization: "Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!" The final line—"his blood ran cold in his veins"—leaves readers with a sense of dread and foreboding, perfectly capturing the gothic horror element of the novel.
This chapter significantly advances the theme of good versus evil by showing how Jekyll's respectable facade is beginning to crack, revealing the darkness beneath his gentlemanly exterior.
