On the same day of the murder, Mr. Utterson makes his way to Dr. Jekyll's house, and meets with him in his laboratory. Utterson and Jekyll discuss the unfortunate news that Sir Danvers Carew is dead, presumably killed by Mr. Hyde. Jekyll swears that he is not hiding Hyde and that he is, "done with him in this world." Jekyll also claims that he has received a letter from Hyde, which he shows to Utterson. The letter thanks Jekyll for his kindness and urges him that he need not worry for his safety, as he has a sure means of escape. Dr. Jekyll does not have the envelope, and claims that he burned it after it was hand delivered. Jekyll asks Utterson what to do with the letter, as he is concerned that his reputation will be damaged if he hands it over to the police. Utterson agrees to hold on to the letter, and tells Jekyll he is glad that Hyde has disappeared, as Jekyll's life was most likely in danger. When leaving the house, Jekyll's butler Poole tells Utterson that nothing was delivered that day, and Utterson begins to grow suspicious.
Upon returning to his office, Utterson receives a dinner invitation from Jekyll. When the letter arrives, Utterson's assistant, Mr. Guest, is examining the writing on the letter supposedly from Hyde. Mr. Guest instantly recognizes that the same individual wrote both letters, although the writing on the Hyde letters appears to be slanted in a certain direction. Utterson angrily assumes that Jekyll has forged a letter for a murderer.
Analysis:
Much of this chapter consists of a contrast between Utterson and Jekyll. Utterson is still quite the Victorian gentleman, putting image and appearance above all else. To protect Jekyll's reputation, he goes to visit him and discuss the issue personally rather than informing the police of Jekyll and Hyde's relationship and having them do the questioning. Moreover, even upon discovering Hyde's letter is almost certainly a forgery, Utterson refrains from confronting Jekyll. In this way, Utterson loyally protects his friend. In contrast, Jekyll lies to Utterson, defending Hyde with a fake letter. Here, for the first time, the reader begins to see hypocrisy in Dr. Jekyll. He claims to be a loyal and honest man, but in fact he is a liar and forger.
Interestingly, through Stevenson's detailed description of Jekyll's residence, the reader gains insight into the character's evolution. In the laboratory, Utterson describes "three dusty windows barred with iron." One year previous, Mr. Enfield described the same windows as, "always shut but...clean." This slight detail provides a glance into the tumbling personal world of Dr. Jekyll.
At this point in the novel, it is important to examine what Utterson suspects of Jekyll. While Jekyll clearly is acting abnormal, Utterson does not yet comprehend that his friend and the evil Mr. Hyde are one in the same, although he appears to suspect foul play. Thus, the detective story continues, the intrigue grows, and the supernatural influence in the novel becomes stronger. Much of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is written in a perfunctory, businesslike tone. However, from this point forward, supernatural imagery begins to appear more frequently, and Stevenson's language becomes increasingly descriptive and poetic. These changes assist in heightening the novel's suspense, and successfully carrying an intrigued reader to the shocking conclusion.