rian himself。 he will tell you more than i can。〃
〃my dear harry； my dear basil； you must both congratulate me！〃 said the lad； throwing off his evening cape with its satin…lined wings and shaking each of his friends by the hand in turn。 〃i have never been so happy。 of course； it is sudden all really delightful things are。 and yet it seems to me to be the one thing i have been looking for all my life。〃 he was flushed with excitement and pleasure； and looked extraordinarily handsome。
〃i hope you will always be very happy； dorian；〃 said hallward； 〃but i dont quite forgive you for not having let me know of your engagement。 you let harry know。〃
〃and i dont forgive you for being late for dinner；〃 broke in lord henry； putting his hand on the lads shoulder and smiling as he spoke。 〃e； let us sit down and try what the new chef here is like； and then you will tell us how it all came about。〃
〃there is really not much to tell；〃 cried dorian as they took their seats at the small round table。 〃what happened was simply this。 after i left you yesterday evening； harry； i dressed； had some dinner at that little italian restaurant in rupert street you introduced me to； and went down at eight oclock to the theatre。 sibyl was playing rosalind。 of course； the scenery was dreadful and the orlando absurd。 but sibyl！ you should have seen her！ when she came on in her boys clothes； she was perfectly wonderful。 she wore a moss…coloured velvet jerkin with cinnamon sleeves； slim； brown； cross…gartered hose； a dainty little green cap with a hawks feather caught in a jewel； and a hooded cloak lined with dull red。 she had never seemed to me more exquisite。 she had all the delicate grace of that tanagra figurine that you have in your studio； basil。 her hair clustered round her face like dark leaves round a pale rose。 as for her actingwell； you shall see her to…night。 she is simply a born artist。 i sat in the dingy box absolutely enthralled。 i forgot that i was in london and in the nineteenth century。 i was away with my love in a forest that no man had ever seen。 after the performance was over； i went behind and spoke to her。 as we were sitting together； suddenly there came into her eyes a look that i had never seen there before。 my lips moved towards hers。 we kissed each other。 i cant describe to you what i felt at that moment。 it seemed to me that all my life had been narrowed to one perfect point of rose…coloured joy。 she trembled all over and shook like a white narcissus。 then she flung herself on her knees and kissed my hands。 i feel that i should not tell you all this； but i cant help it。 of course； our engagement is a dead secret。 she has not even told her own mother。 i dont know what my guardians will say。 lord radley is sure to be furious。 i dont care。 i shall be of age in less than a year； and then i can do what i like。 i have been right； basil； havent i； to take my love out of poetry and to find my wife in shakespeares plays？ lips that shakespeare taught to speak have whispered their secret in my ear。 i have had the arms of rosalind around me； and kissed juliet on the mouth。〃
〃yes； dorian； i suppose you were right；〃 said hallward slowly。
〃have you seen her to…day？〃 asked lord henry。
dorian gray shook his head。 〃i left her in the forest of arden； i shall find her in an orchard in verona。〃
lord henry sipped his champagne in a meditative manner。 〃at what particular point did you mention the word marriage； dorian？ and what did she say in answer？ perhaps you forgot all about it。〃
〃my dear harry； i did not treat it as a business transaction； and i did not make any formal proposal。 i told her that i loved her； and she said she was not worthy to be my wife。 not worthy！ why； the whole world is nothing to me pared with her。〃
〃women are wonderfully practical；〃 murmured lord henry； 〃much more practical than we are。 in situations of that kind we often forget to say anything about marriage； and they always remind us。〃
hallward laid his hand upon his arm。 〃dont； harry。 you have annoyed dorian。 he is not like other men。 he would never bring misery upon any one。 his nature is too fine for that。〃
lord henry looked across the table。 〃dorian is never annoyed with me；〃 be answered。 〃i asked the question for the best reason possible； for the only reason； indeed； that excuses one for asking any question simple curiosity。 i have a theory that it is always the women who propose to us； and not we who propose to the women。 except； of course； in middle…class life。 but then the middle classes are not modern。〃
dorian gray laughed； and tossed his head。 〃you are quite incorrigible； harry； but i dont mind。 it is impossible to be angry with you。 when you see sibyl vane； you will feel that the man who could wrong her would be a beast； a beast without a heart。 i cannot understand how any one can wish to shame the thing he loves。 i love sibyl vane。 i want to place her on a pedestal of gold and to see the world worship the woman who is mine。 what is marriage？ an irrevocable vow。 you mock at it for that。 ah！ dont mock。 it is an irrevocable vow that i want to take。 her trust makes me faithful； her belief makes me good。 when i am with her； i regret all that you have taught me。 i bee different from what you have known me to be。 i am changed； and the mere touch of sibyl vanes hand makes me forget you and all your wrong； fascinating； poisonous； delightful theories。〃
〃and those are 。。。 ？〃 asked lord henry； helping himself to some salad。
〃oh； your theories about life； your theories about love； your theories about pleasure。 all your theories； in fact； harry。〃
〃pleasure is the only thing worth having a theory about；〃 he answered in his slow melodious voice。 〃but i am afraid i cannot claim my theory as my own。 it belongs to nature； not to me。 pleasure is natures test； her sign of approval。 when we are happy； we are always good； but when we are good； we are not always happy。〃
〃ah！ but what do you mean by good？〃 cried basil hallward。
〃yes；〃 echoed dorian； leaning back in his chair and looking at lord henry over the heavy clusters of purple…lipped irises that stood in the centre of the table； 〃what do you mean by good； harry？〃
〃to be good is to be in harmony with ones self；〃 he replied； touching the thin stem of his glass with his pale； fine…pointed fingers。 〃discord is to be forced to be in harmony with others。 ones own lifethat is the important thing。 as for the lives of ones neighbours； if one wishes to be a prig or a puritan； one can flaunt ones moral views about them； but they are not ones concern。 besides； individualism has really the higher aim。 modern morality consists in accepting the standard of ones age。 i consider that for any man of culture to accept the standard of his age is a form of the grossest immorality。〃
〃but； surely； if one lives merely for ones self； harry； one pays a terrible price for doing so？〃 suggested the painter。
〃yes； we are overcharged for everything nowadays。 i should fancy that the real tragedy of the poor is that they can afford nothing but self…denial。 beautiful sins； like beautiful things； are the privilege of the rich。〃
〃one has to pay in other ways but money。〃
〃what sort of ways； basil？〃
〃oh！ i should fancy in remorse； in suffering； in 。 。 。 well； in the consciousness of degradation。〃
lord henry shrugged his shoulders。 〃my dear fellow； mediaeval art is charming； but mediaeval emotions are out of date。 one can use them in fiction； of course。 but then the only things that one can use in fiction are the things that one has ceased to use in fact。 believe me； no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure； and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is。〃
〃i know what pleasure is；〃 cried dorian gray。 〃it is to adore some one。〃
〃that is certainly better than being adored；〃 he answered； toying with some fruits。 〃being adored is a nuisance。 women treat us just as humanity treats its gods。 they worship us； and are always bothering us to do something for them。〃
〃i should have said that whatever they ask for they had first given to us；〃 murmured the lad gravely。 〃they create love in our natures。 they have a right to demand it back。〃
〃that is quite true； dorian；〃 cried hallward。
〃nothing is ever quite true；〃 said lord henry。
〃this is；〃 interrupted dorian。 〃you must admit； harry； that women give to men the very gold of their lives。〃
〃possibly；〃 he sighed； 〃but they invariably want it back in such very small change。 that is the worry。 women； as some witty frenchman once put it； inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces and always prevent us from carrying them out。〃
〃harry； you are dreadful！ i dont know why i like you so much。〃
〃you will always like me； dorian；〃 he replied。 〃will you have some coffee； you fellows？ waiter； bring coffee； and fine…champagne； and some cigarettes。 no； dont mind the cigarettesi have some。 basil； i cant allow you to smoke cigars。 you must have a cigarette。 a cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure。 it is exquisite； and it leaves one unsatisfied。 what more can one want？ yes； dorian； you will always be fond of me。 i represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to mit。〃
〃what nonsense you talk； harry！〃 cried the lad； taking a light from a fire…breathing silver dragon that the waiter had placed on the table。 〃let us go down to the theatre。 when sibyl es on the stage you will have a new ideal of life。 she will represent something to you that you have never known。〃
〃i have known everything；〃 said lord henry； with a tired look in his eyes； 〃but i am always ready for a new emotion。 i am afraid； however； that； for me at any rate； there is no such thing。 still； your wonderful girl may thrill me。 i love acting。 it is so much more real than life。 let us go。 dorian； you will e with me。 i am so sorry； basil； but there is only room for two in the brougham。 you must follow us in a hansom。〃
they got up and put on their coats； sipping their coffee standing。 the painter was silent and preoccupied。 there was a gloom over him。 he could not bear this marriage； and yet it seemed to him to be better than many other things that might have happened。 after a few minutes； they all passed downstairs。 he drove off by himself； as had been arranged； and watche