'And now,' he asked me, 'how did you know me?'

This was not a question I had anticipated, and I had already evaded it once, so I felt I must answer. 'By description,' I said, which was true but only part of the tale. I was not ready yet to tell him that I had known him from the shiver that had travelled down my spine when I saw him.

'Whose description?'

'We have common friends,' I added, trying to stay within the truth.

'Common friends?' echoed Mister Hyde, a little hoarsely. 'Who are they?'

'Jekyll, for instance,' I said, and yet I cringed. While it is true that we must both know the man, the implication that he had told me about Hyde was far from true.

'He never told you,' cried Mister Hyde, with a flush of anger. 'I did not think you would have lied.'

'Come,' I tried to reason with him, even though I knew he had just cause. I could feel my face redden. 'That is not fitting language.'

The other snarled aloud into a savage laugh; and the next moment, with extraordinary quickness, he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house.