Classics Out Loud

After a long and tiring day, Miss Bartlett and her young cousin Lucy find themselves in a strange pension in Florence, where they are offered a less-than-ideal arrangement. They had been expecting a view from their room of the river Arno and instead they were stuck looking over the interior courtyard.

However, the evening takes an unexpected turn when they run into Mr. Beebe, a clergyman from their hometown. As they chat, they find themselves surrounded by a friendly crowd of tourists offering advice and insight, including an ill-mannered old man and his son who offer to exchange rooms. With Mr. Beebe's help, they must decide whether to accept the offer and discover the truth behind this peculiar family and their mysterious behaviour.

In this thrilling conclusion, after Hyde has committed a murder, and news of the crime has spread, he is now a wanted criminal and his only refuge is in the persona of Jekyll. 

He resolves to redeem himself and begins to do good deeds, but his dual nature is still ever present. Jekyll finds himself spontaneously transformed into Hyde and since Hyde can no longer be seen as he is a wanted man, he creates an elaborate scheme to get hold of his potion and powders. 

From this moment on, it is a constant battle for Jekyll to remain in control and prevent the transformation into Hyde. The drugs he uses to keep Hyde at bay become less and less effective and the transformation more frequent. Jekyll finds himself in a desperate situation, haunted by the fear of being unable to return to his own self and the terror of being forever trapped as Hyde. In his final moments, Jekyll is able to write his confession and seal his fate.

Jekyll reflects on the fatal night he first experimented with his transformative potion. He admits that had he undertaken the experiment with nobler aspirations, he may have emerged as an angel instead of a fiend. However, his evil was alert and quick to take advantage of the situation, and the character of Edward Hyde was created. Although Jekyll still retained his old self, he could not escape the fact that Hyde was wholly evil, and his experiments were pushing him towards the worse.

Jekyll also discusses how he used his double life to indulge in undignified pleasures as Hyde, all while maintaining his respectable image as Jekyll. He began to lose his grip on conscience as he allowed Hyde to commit increasingly monstrous acts, all in the pursuit of pleasure. Despite feeling aghast at the actions of Hyde, Jekyll's conscience was lulled into slumber by the situation.

But Jekyll begins to lose control when he went to bed as Jekyll and woke up as Hyde, without having taken his potion. He manages to recover the situation but it was becoming clear that he was slowly losing his former self altogether.

Finally we hear directly from Dr Jekyll on the mysterious events taking place. Having always had the sense of two natures, good and evil dwelling within people, Jekyll describes his search to find out a way to split them in two. He imagines a world where we could be freed from the evil side and deal only with the good.

Through experimentation in his laboratory he stumbles on a formula that might enable that to happen and eventually decides to take the risk of finding out what will happen. He describes the first transformation and finds that the person he has become is indeed part of his nature - but the good side has been entirely stripped away.

Dr. Lanyon receives a registered letter from his old school friend and colleague, Henry Jekyll. The letter is strange and filled with odd requests. Jekyll asks Lanyon to come to his house and collect a drawer from his cabinet, containing powders, a phial, and a paper book, then take it back to his own home. Later that night, Lanyon is to receive a visitor who will identify himself as Jekyll and will request the drawer. Although baffled, Lanyon agrees to the request and finds Poole, Jekyll's butler, waiting for him with a locksmith.

Together they break into Jekyll's cabinet, retrieve the drawer, and bring it back to Lanyon's house. Later that evening, the visitor arrives and Lanyon hands over the drawer as per Jekyll's request. Lanyon is shocked by the transformation of the visitor. This chapter sets the stage for the mystery and horror that unfolds in the rest of the book as we see the dark side of Jekyll's experiments and his relationship with Mr. Hyde.

Mr. Utterson receives a visit from Poole, Dr. Jekyll's butler. Poole is visibly distressed and tells Utterson that something is wrong with the doctor, who has locked himself up in his cabinet and has not come out for several days. Poole is afraid that something terrible has happened to Dr. Jekyll and asks Utterson to come and see for himself.

Despite his skepticism, Utterson agrees to go with Poole and they set out into the cold, windy night. The usually busy streets are deserted, adding to the ominous feeling of the night. When they arrive at Dr. Jekyll's house, Poole is visibly shaken and Utterson can sense that something terrible has indeed happened.

They make a plan to break into Dr. Jekyll's laboratory and find out exactly what has happened, hoping that it is not too late. Certainly the voice of the man they hear is not Dr Jekyll, so who is in the room? And what has happened to Dr. Jeykll?

We join Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield on their usual Sunday walk, as they pass by the door that once belonged to Mr. Hyde. As they stop to gaze at the building, they find themselves discussing their previous encounters with the mysterious man, and they both express relief that they will never have to see him again.

However, as they peer into the court, they see something that turns their blood cold. Through the window, they spot Dr. Jekyll, sitting with an air of infinite sadness, looking like a prisoner. As they try to engage him in conversation, the doctor’s mood suddenly turns, and he becomes engulfed in a wave of terror and despair. The sight is so chilling that the two men leave the scene in silence, their minds reeling with the horror of what they have just witnessed.

Will Utterson and Enfield uncover the dark secrets that Dr. Jekyll is hiding? What caused the sudden terror in the doctor's face? And most importantly, what will become of the doctor and his sinister alter ego, Mr. Hyde? Tune in to find out!

Mr. Hyde has disappeared, and Dr. Jekyll has emerged from his seclusion, becoming more active in society and charitable works. However, Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of both Jekyll and Lanyon, notices that Dr. Lanyon's appearance has deteriorated rapidly and that he seems to be terrified by something. Lanyon tells Utterson that he has had a shock and that he is a doomed man, refusing to speak about Jekyll. Utterson writes to Jekyll, asking about the situation, and Jekyll responds cryptically, stating that he and Lanyon will never meet again, and that he will lead a life of extreme seclusion. He also hints that he has brought on a punishment and a danger that he cannot name. 

Utterson is left with a letter from Lanyon that he cannot open until the death or disappearance of Dr. Jekyll.  making the situation even more mysterious. What could Lanyon possibly have written? Will it explain all the strange events?

Mr. Utterson, the lawyer of Dr. Jekyll, visits his friend's laboratory for the first time and discovers a sense of strangeness that makes him uncomfortable. Dr. Jekyll looks deathly ill and confesses to his friend that he has received a letter that he is not sure he should show to the police. The letter is signed by Edward Hyde, who claims to have repaid Dr. Jekyll unworthily for a thousand generosities but assures him of his safety. Utterson is surprised by Dr. Jekyll's selfishness and relieved that Hyde is no longer a threat, but he is also suspicious about the letter and begins to consider the possibility of a murder plot against Dr. Jekyll.

This chapter is full of tension, mystery, and intrigue, making it a must-listen for fans of classic horror and suspense. The vivid descriptions of the laboratory, the gaunt and silent theatre, and the dingy, windowless building will transport listeners to the scene and keep them on the edge of their seats. The dialogue between Utterson and Dr. Jekyll is also masterfully written, with each character revealing more about themselves and their relationship to Hyde as the conversation unfolds. Whether you are a fan of the novella or new to the story, this podcast episode is sure to leave you captivated and wanting more.

In "The Carew Murder Case," listeners are taken on a journey through the dark and foggy streets of London as a maid servant witnesses a brutal murder. The victim is Sir Danvers Carew, a man of high status, and the perpetrator is a certain Mr. Hyde, who is known to be of small stature and wicked-looking. The details of the crime are few, but they are both startling and chilling.

As the story unfolds, listeners are drawn into the investigation led by Mr. Utterson, a lawyer who recognises the broken stick used in the murder as one he had himself presented to Henry Jekyll many years before. The trail leads them to the doorstep of Mr. Hyde's house, where they discover more about the elusive and mysterious character. With a chocolate-coloured fog descending over the city, the tension builds, and listeners will be left on the edge of their seats wondering what will happen next.

If you enjoy crime dramas, thrillers, or classic literature, this podcast episode is for you.