Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde

At the end of the next long street

He'll be there

Around the next-up corner, waiting there

For me

I'll keep searching, looking, waiting, hoping

He'll be there

The boy for me

That's how it's got to be

That's how it's got to be for me

Here! Marie! If you find your gent charge him half a crown.

Tell him it's gone up. Tell him everything's going up!

This way! Here!

Over here!

This is the testament of Dr. Henry Jekyll. Age 30, male.

Male...

Male!

I must set this down before it is too late.

It all began on November last.

That Grey and fateful day when I was visited by my dearest friend and colleague,

Professor Robertson.

- Allow me. - That's very kind of you.

It's my pleasure. Uh, which way?

Oh, please don't bother. I'm going to that house there.

By a happy coincidence, so am I.

Robertson, Professor Robertson.

How do you do? I'm Susan Spencer.

And this is my brother, Howard.

How do you do?

This gentleman has kindly assisted me.

Most kind, but we can manage from here.

Well, you said you could manage.

Thank you.

My dear Doctor Jekyll, you work yourself far too hard.

Why, only last night I passed here, well after midnight,

and your light was still burning.

I was working.

- What were you doing at that hour? - Oh, I was on the job, too.

Research, you know?

Delicious blonde fragment from the chorus of the Alhambra.

Come now, Professor. Research?

Oh, certainly a great benefit to mankind.

Well, to a small section of it, at any rate.

And what will you have to show for it? The pox?

I sincerely hope not.

Well, if you do, perhaps my researches will help you.

Antivirus.

A universal panacea.

One virus to combat perhaps 20 diseases.

How far have you got?

Not far. I admit it's early days, naturally.

But I have produced a viral strain which will provide some immunity against diphtheria.

And when that's perfected, I'll tackle another disease.

Cholera, perhaps.

Robertson?

Ah. Yes! Yes, very commendable.

You seem to be acquiring a very interesting new neighbour.

- Professor... - Oh, I was listening.

My eyes were diverted but my ears were yours.

So, an antivirus?

To protect us against a myriad of diseases.

Now, tell me, just how long before you expect some results?

Well, I hope to provide a more complete immunity

against diphtheria within a year or two.

A year or two?

- And then what? Cholera? - Yes.

Another year or two. And then, typhus.

Another year or two.

And then typhoid and influenza and yellow fever.

My dear Jekyll, at that rate, it'll be 40 or 50 years

even before you've completed the experiment.

It's a long process, I agree. But the point is...

Point is you'll be dead and buried long before it's finished.

A chance remark from Robertson that sparked off this whole evil affair.

A remark that remained and festered in my mind.

I had no mind, no will for work.

I walked the streets brooding upon the bitter irony

that all I wanted to do for humanity, for life, would be cheated by death.

Unless I could cheat death.

The thought took shape in my mind.

Suddenly, it was clear to me what I must do.

I decided to explore a new avenue.

An elixir of life.

The secret of eternal youth.

A secret that had fascinated and eluded men for centuries.

But they have sought it through witchery, black magic and superstitious nonsense.

But I had science at my fingertips.

I saw it as the first step in an exciting scientific adventure.

I could not know then that it was the first step towards the black abyss,

towards a myriad of horrors, towards self-destruction.

I was seized and engulfed by the idea.

It became my passion and my obsession.

I worked without stop.

Days and nights passed without meaning for me.

I was utterly heedless of the outside world.

What is it so fascinates you outside that window, Susan?

Susan, your brother is talking to you.

- I was wondering what you were looking at. - Nothing.

Or at least, nothing yet.

- A riddle, it must be a riddle. - Sorry.

What I actually meant was, I haven't seen Doctor Jekyll.

You mean the young man who lives below us?

- Why should you have seen him? - No reason.

It's just that I'm sure he hasn't been out of his rooms in the past five days.

- Why should that concern my little sister? - It seems odd, don't you think?

Why, I think it remarkably diligent. And that's Doctor Jekyll's reputation.

He's a dedicated man. A good man.

- There he goes now. - Where?

There. You see?

There's your precious Doctor Jekyll.

What do you think of him now, Mama?

Where can he be going at this ungodly hour?

I hope you're not going to chose her.

I'm kind of fond of her.

This one.

No accounting for taste, is there?

I'll be outside, then, if you want me.

Uh... Just call.

I'll know it's you.

Hot potatoes!

- Here you are, Governor. - Don't burn yourself. Lovely and hot!

Hot potatoes!

Lovely hot potatoes!

Hot potatoes!

Various wine merches.

- Handsome? Never. I don't believe it. - I tell you he is.

Handsome.

A fine face.

But so tired.

So very tired.

And young, too, he's much younger than I imagined.

Our sinister Doctor Jekyll?

There's nothing sinister about him at all. Nothing!

Of course, there isn't. Howard, you mustn't tease her so.

I've met Doctor Jekyll myself, I should think he's rather a nice young man.

- At last! - Come in.

- What time is it? - Well, don't mind the time.

What have you been up to?

Been trying to get to see you since Wednesday.

I knew you were here. There's no use denying it.

Wednesday?

- Did you say Wednesday? - Hmm.

- What day is it now? - Saturday, of course.

- Really, my dear chap. You must try. - Saturday?

I've been asleep three days.

I don't wonder at it.

From what I can make out, you worked without stop for 10 days.

Three days. Three days!

You can't go on like this, you know. You must get some air!

- Get some food inside you. - Yes, yes, I will, dear Robertson.

I'm going to show you this. Here.

- Do you recognise this species? - Of course.

- What's its life cycle? - Oh, a few hours, no more.

Robertson, this insect, which normally dies within an hour or two of its birth,

has been alive for three whole days.

Now what would that be in human terms? Three days, that's 72 hours.

By human terms, this insect is already more than 200 years old.

Just what line of research are you following?

An elixir of life.

- That old one? - Nature's elixir.

Hormones. Female hormones.

Now what is it that gives a woman's skin that silken texture?

Why does she keep her hair when so many men lose theirs?

Hormones! Female hormones!

- Yes, I have heard the theory. - No longer a theory, Professor, fact.

See for yourself.

Here.

Yes, it is remarkable.

I wonder how it would work on a male?

You can see, I used a male.

Oh, sorry, old man. Mind you, it's an easy enough mistake to make.

Something as small as this.

This insect is male!

Then, who laid these eggs here?

You made a mistake, old chap.

Anyway, what happens next?

Next?

You increased the life-span of an insect, where does that lead?

I don't know yet. I'm not sure.

It's just not possible, Doctor.

You've cleaned me out, I haven't got an unlimited supply, you know.

It's important to me, Byker.

Very important.

Well, perhaps, there is an alternative.

But it would have to be quietly done, you understand.

Quietly done.

It will be just between you and me, Byker. Can you arrange it?

I'll see what I can do.

It's a couple of fellows, name of Burke and Hare.

They're in the trade, so to speak. I'll see what they can do.

They must be female, no more than 20 years old.

I shan't forget. It's exactly how I like them.

It's all right, isn't it? I mean, she has been pretty, hasn't she?

Except where the cart wheel went over her.

Wait in there.

You'll find a good brandy.

- What do you think he needs 'em for? - Eh?

- What do you think he does with them? - I don't know.

But if I was you, I wouldn't eat any meat pies in this neighbourhood.

- All right. - You've done already?

Take it away.