The first clear description we get of the lab is that it is a ‘dingy windowless structure’. The word choice dingy suggests it is dirty or badly lit. If it is windowless then that would tie in with the lack of light. We are told by U that the place gives him a ‘sense of strangeness’. One feels out of place in this building. We are told the place is ‘silent’ which adds to this sensation of discomfort. It is also messy – there are packing creates everywhere and chemical apparatus. The windows are barred with iron giving one a sense of captivity. And weirdly there is fog outside which feels as if it has penetrated into the house making it cold and gloomy. This is not a happy place.

Jekyll becomes very ill as a result of the murder. He sits in his cabinet looking ‘deadly sick’. When speaking to U he claims that he ‘will never set eyes on [Mr H] again!’ This is ironic as he looks at Mr H every day in the mirror as Mr H is Dr J. There is also ambiguity in what Dr J tells U. he assures us that Mr H will never be heard from again but cannot tell us why this is so. He also claims that a letter was dropped off addressed to him. When U checks these facts with the butler, Poole, he is told that no one dropped off a letter. U is convinced that Dr J has been hiding Mr H in the cabinet the whole time.

We know Jekyll has lost his confidence as he gives U the letter from Mr H. He wants U to decide what should be done with it and whether the police should be informed or not.

Utterson is still suspicious of the letter and takes it to Guest. Do his comments satisfy his suspicions or increase it? Guest the clerk is an expert on handwriting. He tells U that the handwriting of Mr H and Dr J is the same, it is only the slant of the letters that has changed. U’s suspicions are increased.