uisite poison in the air。 i had a passion for sensations。 。 。 。 well； one evening about seven oclock； i determined to go out in search of some adventure。 i felt that this grey monstrous london of ours； with its myriads of people； its sordid sinners； and its splendid sins； as you once phrased it； must have something in store for me。 i fancied a thousand things。 the mere danger gave me a sense of delight。 i remembered what you had said to me on that wonderful evening when we first dined together； about the search for beauty being the real secret of life。 i dont know what i expected； but i went out and wandered eastward； soon losing my way in a labyrinth of grimy streets and black grassless squares。 about half…past eight i passed by an absurd little theatre； with great flaring gas…jets and gaudy play…bills。 a hideous jew； in the most amazing waistcoat i ever beheld in my life； was standing at the entrance； smoking a vile cigar。 he had greasy ringlets； and an enormous diamond blazed in the centre of a soiled shirt。have a box； my lord？ he said； when he saw me； and he took off his hat with an air of gorgeous servility。 there was something about him； harry； that amused me。 he was such a monster。 you will laugh at me； i know； but i really went in and paid a whole guinea for the stage…box。 to the present day i cant make out why i did so； and yet if i hadnt my dear harry； if i hadnti should have missed the greatest romance of my life。 i see you are laughing。 it is horrid of you！〃
〃i am not laughing； dorian； at least i am not laughing at you。 but you should not say the greatest romance of your life。 you should say the first romance of your life。 you will always be loved； and you will always be in love with love。 a grande passion is the privilege of people who have nothing to do。 that is the one use of the idle classes of a country。 dont be afraid。 there are exquisite things in store for you。 this is merely the beginning。〃
〃do you think my nature so shallow？〃 cried dorian gray angrily。
〃no； i think your nature so deep。〃
〃how do you mean？〃
〃my dear boy； the people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people。 what they call their loyalty； and their fidelity； i call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination。 faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the life of the intellectsimply a confession of failure。 faithfulness！ i must analyse it some day。 the passion for property is in it。 there are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up。 but i dont want to interrupt you。 go on with your story。〃
〃well； i found myself seated in a horrid little private box； with a vulgar drop…scene staring me in the face。 i looked out from behind the curtain and surveyed the house。 it was a tawdry affair； all cupids and cornucopias； like a third…rate wedding…cake。 the gallery and pit were fairly full； but the two rows of dingy stalls were quite empty； and there was hardly a person in what i suppose they called the dress…circle。 women went about with oranges and ginger…beer； and there was a terrible consumption of nuts going on。〃
〃it must have been just like the palmy days of the british drama。〃
〃just like； i should fancy； and very depressing。 i began to wonder what on earth i should do when i caught sight of the play…bill。 what do you think the play was； harry？〃
〃i should think the idiot boy； or dumb but innocent。 our fathers used to like that sort of piece； i believe。 the longer i live； dorian； the more keenly i feel that whatever was good enough for our fathers is not good enough for us。 in art； as in politics； les grandp猫res ont toujours tort。〃
〃this play was good enough for us； harry。 it was romeo and juliet。 i must admit that i was rather annoyed at the idea of seeing shakespeare done in such a wretched hole of a place。 still； i felt interested； in a sort of way。 at any rate； i determined to wait for the first act。 there was a dreadful orchestra； presided over by a young hebrew who sat at a cracked piano； that nearly drove me away； but at last the drop…scene was drawn up and the play began。 romeo was a stout elderly gentleman； with corked eyebrows； a husky tragedy voice； and a figure like a beer…barrel。 mercutio was almost as bad。 he was played by the low…edian； who had introduced gags of his own and was on most friendly terms with the pit。 they were both as grotesque as the scenery； and that looked as if it had e out of a country…booth。 but juliet！ harry； imagine a girl； hardly seventeen years of age； with a little； flowerlike face； a small greek head with plaited coils of dark…brown hair； eyes that were violet wells of passion； lips that were like the petals of a rose。 she was the loveliest thing i had ever seen in my life。 you said to me once that pathos left you unmoved； but that beauty； mere beauty； could fill your eyes with tears。 i tell you； harry； i could hardly see this girl for the mist of tears that came across me。 and her voicei never heard such a voice。 it was very low at first； with deep mellow notes that seemed to fall singly upon ones ear。 then it became a little louder； and sounded like a flute or a distant hautboy。 in the garden…scene it had all the tremulous ecstasy that one hears just before dawn when nightingales are singing。 there were moments； later on； when it had the wild passion of violins。 you know how a voice can stir one。 your voice and the voice of sibyl vane are two things that i shall never forget。 when i close my eyes； i hear them； and each of them says something different。 i dont know which to follow。 why should i not love her？ harry； i do love her。 she is everything to me in life。 night after night i go to see her play。 one evening she is rosalind； and the next evening she is imogen。 i have seen her die in the gloom of an italian tomb； sucking the poison from her lovers lips。 i have watched her wandering through the forest of arden； disguised as a pretty boy in hose and doublet and dainty cap。 she has been mad； and has e into the presence of a guilty king； and given him rue to wear and bitter herbs to taste of。 she has been innocent； and the black hands of jealousy have crushed her reedlike throat。 i have seen her in every age and in every costume。 ordinary women never appeal to ones imagination。 they are limited to their century。 no glamour ever transfigures them。 one knows their minds as easily as one knows their bonnets。 one can always find them。 there is no mystery in any of them。 they ride in the park in the morning and chatter at tea…parties in the afternoon。 they have their stereotyped smile and their fashionable manner。 they are quite obvious。 but an actress！ how different an actress is！ harry！ why didnt you tell me that the only thing worth loving is an actress？〃
〃because i have loved so many of them； dorian。〃
〃oh； yes； horrid people with dyed hair and painted faces。〃
〃dont run down dyed hair and painted faces。 there is an extraordinary charm in them； sometimes；〃 said lord henry。
〃i wish now i had not told you about sibyl vane。〃
〃you could not have helped telling me； dorian。 all through your life you will tell me everything you do。〃
〃yes； harry； i believe that is true。 i cannot help telling you things。 you have a curious influence over me。 if i ever did a crime； i would e and confess it to you。 you would understand me。〃
〃people like youthe wilful sunbeams of lifedont mit crimes； dorian。 but i am much obliged for the pliment； all the same。 and now tell me reach me the matches； like a good boythankswhat are your actual relations with sibyl vane？〃
dorian gray leaped to his feet； with flushed cheeks and burning eyes。 〃harry！ sibyl vane is sacred！〃
〃it is only the sacred things that are worth touching； dorian；〃 said lord henry； with a strange touch of pathos in his voice。 〃but why should you be annoyed？ i suppose she will belong to you some day。 when one is in love； one always begins by deceiving ones self； and one always ends by deceiving others。 that is what the world calls a romance。 you know her； at any rate； i suppose？〃
〃of course i know her。 on the first night i was at the theatre； the horrid old jew came round to the box after the performance was over and offered to take me behind the scenes and introduce me to her。 i was furious with him； and told him that juliet had been dead for hundreds of years and that her body was lying in a marble tomb in verona。 i think； from his blank look of amazement； that he was under the impression that i had taken too much champagne； or something。〃
〃i am not surprised。〃
〃then he asked me if i wrote for any of the newspapers。 i told him i never even read them。 he seemed terribly disappointed at that； and confided to me that all the dramatic critics were in a conspiracy against him； and that they were every one of them to be bought。〃
〃i should not wonder if he was quite right there。 but； on the other hand； judging from their appearance； most of them cannot be at all expensive。〃
〃well； he seemed to think they were beyond his means；〃 laughed dorian。 〃by this time； however； the lights were being put out in the theatre； and i had to go。 he wanted me to try some cigars that he strongly remended。 i declined。 the next night； of course； i arrived at the place again。 when he saw me； he made me a low bow and assured me that i was a munificent patron of art。 he was a most offensive brute； though he had an extraordinary passion for shakespeare。 he told me once； with an air of pride； that his five bankruptcies were entirely due to the bard； as he insisted on calling him。 he seemed to think it a distinction。〃
〃it was a distinction； my dear doriana great distinction。 most people bee bankrupt through having invested too heavily in the prose of life。 to have ruined ones self over poetry is an honour。 but when did you first speak to miss sibyl vane？〃
〃the third night。 she had been playing rosalind。 i could not help going round。 i had thrown her some flowers； and she had looked at meat least i fancied that she had。 the old jew was persistent。 he seemed determined to take me behind； so i consented。 it was curious my not wanting to know her； wasnt it？〃
〃no； i dont think so。〃
〃my dear harry； why？〃
〃i will tell you some other time。 now