The use of a letter is effective in creating suspense because, if the communication was face to face, the reader might be better able to judge for themselves of Jekyll's behavior. Because this letter comes from a man who has shut himself away, there is a strong suggestion that Jekyll is, if not dishonest, at least careful to present a public face in some way. Stevenson describes Jekyll's letter as "darkly mysterious", expanding on the mystery surrounding the "all" that Lanyon knows and now believes is best to escape. In another similarity to Lanyon, the first half of Jekyll's letter is phrased in confident and certain terms: he gives instructions that "we must never meet" and tells Utterson that "you must not be surprised" . However, the bland force of this language is replaced by much more mysterious and disturbing images with which Jekyll concludes his letter. Just as Lanyon described his feelings in religious terms, so does Jekyll, speaking of "punishment," "sinners," and "a place of sufferings and terrors." The suddenness of this change, especially since a week before this letter is confusing to the reader, but it is the evil evoked in the imagery of "sin" and "my own dark way" (itself perhaps also foreshadowing Jekyll's fate). certainty later that his only escape from Hyde will be to commit suicide) which creates such effective suspense here. Furthermore, the self-pity implied in Jekyll's description of himself as "the chief of the sick" is a new development in his character, and leads the reader to wonder what is the nature of the "sin" that Jekyll committed and yet makes him so “suffer »