PARTISAN REVIEW
597
Thrusting the compact dial of his face close
to
Jekyll's chest, he whispers,
almost gibbering: "You missed the last train."
Jekyll grimaces, then nods. But he doesn't sit down.
"What's wrong now?" Hyde demands belligerently.
"I'd like something to eat."
"How come?" Hyde leers. "I ain't hungry."
Jekyll pushes him aside and heads for the john in the hallway. As he is
about to flush the toilet, Hyde starts banging on the door. Jekyll pulls the
chain, but nothing happens.
Hyde keeps banging. "Hey!" He kicks the door. "I'll ask my rna to whip
up something."
"Does your mother live here with you?" Jekyll calls back through the
door.
"Sure." Hyde kicks the door again . "Since ... since that broad left."
"But you hate your mother! I remember your telling me that years ago."
"So what!" screeches Hyde. "She's doing her thing. I'm doing mine.
She don't get in my way."
Jekyll opens the door. "I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems."
Hyde is just outside. "No sweat!" Hyde's mouth crumIJles into a jaunty
sneer, meant to be friendly, that shows a mouthful of tartared teeth. ''I'm glad
you popped up, Hank. And I dig your being so out front with me, even if you
have gone off your nut. "
Jekyll demurs once again, although he has by now given up the hope of
persuading Hyde. "Try to put yourself in my position," he adds at the end.
"Are you kidding? Why should I want to do that!" Hyde snarls, while at
that very moment Utterson, in whatever position he is sitting or lying, is
telling one of his disciples that, if she listens carefully, she will learn how
funny the "truth" can be.
The next morning, Hyde's ivory-faced mother brings Jekyll an English
muffin and a cup of Nescafe in bed. Meanwhile, Utterson is being served his
breakfast by the sleepy-eyed Poole. Jekyll wants to ask about Hyde-is he
awake? is he hung over?-but decides against it and rolls briskly on to his
stomach, pretending to doze off again. Better not ask the old woman any
questions, and possibly get some in return. Jekyll remembers a rule of milit–
ary history, best illustrated by Pearl Harbor, according to which it is difficult
to hear the true signals because of the surrounding noise-that is, other
messages.
After she leaves the attic room, Jekyll gets out of bed, biting into the
muffin. Tall elms rear above the pitched roof of faded slate outside the win–
dow; the eaves' gutter is clogged with leaves.Wearing a cashmere dressing
