道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德- 第23部分

〃it　was　a　very　disappointing　confession。〃

〃why；　what　did　you　expect；　dorian？　you　didnt　see　anything　else　in　the　picture；　did　you？　there　was　nothing　else　to　see？〃

〃no；　there　was　nothing　else　to　see。　why　do　you　ask？　but　you　mustnt　talk　about　worship。　it　is　foolish。　you　and　i　are　friends；　basil；　and　we　must　always　remain　so。〃

〃you　have　got　harry；〃　said　the　painter　sadly。

〃oh；　harry！〃　cried　the　lad；　with　a　ripple　of　laughter。　〃harry　spends　his　days　in　saying　what　is　incredible　and　his　evenings　in　doing　what　is　improbable。　just　the　sort　of　life　i　would　like　to　lead。　but　still　i　dont　think　i　would　go　to　harry　if　i　were　in　trouble。　i　would　sooner　go　to　you；　basil。〃

〃you　will　sit　to　me　again？〃

〃impossible！〃

〃you　spoil　my　life　as　an　artist　by　refusing；　dorian。　no　man　es　across　two　ideal　things。　few　e　across　one。〃

〃i　cant　explain　it　to　you；　basil；　but　i　must　never　sit　to　you　again。　there　is　something　fatal　about　a　portrait。　it　has　a　life　of　its　own。　i　will　e　and　have　tea　with　you。　that　will　be　just　as　pleasant。〃

〃pleasanter　for　you；　i　am　afraid；〃　murmured　hallward　regretfully。　〃and　now　good…bye。　i　am　sorry　you　wont　let　me　look　at　the　picture　once　again。　but　that　cant　be　helped。　i　quite　understand　what　you　feel　about　it。〃

as　he　left　the　room；　dorian　gray　smiled　to　himself。　poor　basil！　how　little　he　knew　of　the　true　reason！　and　how　strange　it　was　that；　instead　of　having　been　forced　to　reveal　his　own　secret；　he　had　succeeded；　almost　by　chance；　in　wresting　a　secret　from　his　friend！　how　much　that　strange　confession　explained　to　him！　the　painters　absurd　fits　of　jealousy；　his　wild　devotion；　his　extravagant　panegyrics；　his　curious　reticences　he　understood　them　all　now；　and　he　felt　sorry。　there　seemed　to　him　to　be　something　tragic　in　a　friendship　so　coloured　by　romance。

he　sighed　and　touched　the　bell。　the　portrait　must　be　hidden　away　at　all　costs。　he　could　not　run　such　a　risk　of　discovery　again。　it　had　been　mad　of　him　to　have　allowed　the　thing　to　remain；　even　for　an　hour；　in　a　room　to　which　any　of　his　friends　had　access。

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Chapter　10

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chapter　10

when　his　servant　entered；　be　looked　at　him　steadfastly　and　wondered　if　he　had　thought　of　peering　behind　the　screen。　the　man　was　quite　impassive　and　waited　for　his　orders。　dorian　lit　a　cigarette　and　walked　over　to　the　glass　and　glanced　into　it。　he　could　see　the　reflection　of　victors　face　perfectly。　it　was　like　a　placid　mask　of　servility。　there　was　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；　there。　yet　he　thought　it　best　to　be　on　his　guard。

speaking　very　slowly；　he　told　him　to　tell　the　house…keeper　that　he　wanted　to　see　her；　and　then　to　go　to　the　frame…maker　and　ask　him　to　send　two　of　his　men　round　at　once。　it　seemed　to　him　that　as　the　man　left　the　room　his　eyes　wandered　in　the　direction　of　the　screen。　or　was　that　merely　his　own　fancy？

after　a　few　moments；　in　her　black　silk　dress；　with　old…fashioned　thread　mittens　on　her　wrinkled　hands；　mrs。　leaf　bustled　into　the　library。　he　asked　her　for　the　key　of　the　schoolroom。

〃the　old　schoolroom；　mr。　dorian？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃why；　it　is　full　of　dust。　i　must　get　it　arranged　and　put　straight　before　you　go　into　it。　it　is　not　fit　for　you　to　see；　sir。　it　is　not；　indeed。〃

〃i　dont　want　it　put　straight；　leaf。　i　only　want　the　key。〃

〃well；　sir；　youll　be　covered　with　cobwebs　if　you　go　into　it。　why；　it　hasnt　been　opened　for　nearly　five　yearsnot　since　his　lordship　died。〃

he　winced　at　the　mention　of　his　grandfather。　he　had　hateful　memories　of　him。　〃that　does　not　matter；〃　he　answered。　〃i　simply　want　to　see　the　place　that　is　all。　give　me　the　key。〃

〃and　here　is　the　key；　sir；〃　said　the　old　lady；　going　over　the　contents　of　her　bunch　with　tremulously　uncertain　hands。　〃here　is　the　key。　ill　have　it　off　the　bunch　in　a　moment。　but　you　dont　think　of　living　up　there；　sir；　and　you　so　fortable　here？〃

〃no；　no；〃　he　cried　petulantly。　〃thank　you；　leaf。　that　will　do。〃

she　lingered　for　a　few　moments；　and　was　garrulous　over　some　detail　of　the　household。　he　sighed　and　told　her　to　manage　things　as　she　thought　best。　she　left　the　room；　wreathed　in　smiles。

as　the　door　closed；　dorian　put　the　key　in　his　pocket　and　looked　round　the　room。　his　eye　fell　on　a　large；　purple　satin　coverlet　heavily　embroidered　with　gold；　a　splendid　piece　of　late　seventeenth…century　venetian　work　that　his　grandfather　had　found　in　a　convent　near　bologna。　yes；　that　would　serve　to　wrap　the　dreadful　thing　in。　it　had　perhaps　served　often　as　a　pall　for　the　dead。　now　it　was　to　hide　something　that　had　a　corruption　of　its　own；　worse　than　the　corruption　of　death　itself　something　that　would　breed　horrors　and　yet　would　never　die。　what　the　worm　was　to　the　corpse；　his　sins　would　be　to　the　painted　image　on　the　canvas。　they　would　mar　its　beauty　and　eat　away　its　grace。　they　would　defile　it　and　make　it　shameful。　and　yet　the　thing　would　still　live　on。　it　would　be　always　alive。

he　shuddered；　and　for　a　moment　he　regretted　that　he　had　not　told　basil　the　true　reason　why　he　had　wished　to　hide　the　picture　away。　basil　would　have　helped　him　to　resist　lord　henrys　influence；　and　the　still　more　poisonous　influences　that　came　from　his　own　temperament。　the　love　that　he　bore　himfor　it　was　really　love　had　nothing　in　it　that　was　not　noble　and　intellectual。　it　was　not　that　mere　physical　admiration　of　beauty　that　is　born　of　the　senses　and　that　dies　when　the　senses　tire。　it　was　such　love　as　michelangelo　had　known；　and　montaigne；　and　winckelmann；　and　shakespeare　himself。　yes；　basil　could　have　saved　him。　but　it　was　too　late　now。　the　past　could　always　be　annihilated。　regret；　denial；　or　forgetfulness　could　do　that。　but　the　future　was　inevitable。　there　were　passions　in　him　that　would　find　their　terrible　outlet；　dreams　that　would　make　the　shadow　of　their　evil　real。

he　took　up　from　the　couch　the　great　purple…and…gold　texture　that　covered　it；　and；　holding　it　in　his　hands；　passed　behind　the　screen。　was　the　face　on　the　canvas　viler　than　before？　it　seemed　to　him　that　it　was　unchanged；　and　yet　his　loathing　of　it　was　intensified。　gold　hair；　blue　eyes；　and　rose…red　lipsthey　all　were　there。　it　was　simply　the　expression　that　had　altered。　that　was　horrible　in　its　cruelty。　pared　to　what　he　saw　in　it　of　censure　or　rebuke；　how　shallow　basils　reproaches　about　sibyl　vane　had　been！　how　shallow；　and　of　what　little　account！　his　own　soul　was　looking　out　at　him　from　the　canvas　and　calling　him　to　judgement。　a　look　of　pain　came　across　him；　and　he　flung　the　rich　pall　over　the　picture。　as　he　did　so；　a　knock　came　to　the　door。　he　passed　out　as　his　servant　entered。

〃the　persons　are　here；　monsieur。〃

he　felt　that　the　man　must　be　got　rid　of　at　once。　he　must　not　be　allowed　to　know　where　the　picture　was　being　taken　to。　there　was　something　sly　about　him；　and　he　had　thoughtful；　treacherous　eyes。　sitting　down　at　the　writing…table　he　scribbled　a　note　to　lord　henry；　asking　him　to　send　him　round　something　to　read　and　reminding　him　that　they　were　to　meet　at　eight…fifteen　that　evening。

〃wait　for　an　answer；〃　he　said；　handing　it　to　him；　〃and　show　the　men　in　here。〃

in　two　or　three　minutes　there　was　another　knock；　and　mr。　hubbard　himself；　the　celebrated　frame…maker　of　south　audley　street；　came　in　with　a　somewhat　rough…looking　young　assistant。　mr。　hubbard　was　a　florid；　red…whiskered　little　man；　whose　admiration　for　art　was　considerably　tempered　by　the　inveterate　impecuniosity　of　most　of　the　artists　who　dealt　with　him。　as　a　rule；　he　never　left　his　shop。　he　waited　for　people　to　e　to　him。　but　he　always　made　an　exception　in　favour　of　dorian　gray。　there　was　something　about　dorian　that　charmed　everybody。　it　was　a　pleasure　even　to　see　him。

〃what　can　i　do　for　you；　mr。　gray？〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　fat　freckled　hands。　〃i　thought　i　would　do　myself　the　honour　of　ing　round　in　person。　i　have　just　got　a　beauty　of　a　frame；　sir。　picked　it　up　at　a　sale。　old　florentine。　came　from　fonthill；　i　believe。　admirably　suited　for　a　religious　subject；　mr。　gray。〃

〃i　am　so　sorry　you　have　given　yourself　the　trouble　of　ing　round；　mr。　hubbard。　i　shall　certainly　drop　in　and　look　at　the　frame　though　i　dont　go　in　much　at　present　for　religious　artbut　to…day　i　only　want　a　picture　carried　to　the　top　of　the　house　for　me。　it　is　rather　heavy；　so　i　thought　i　would　ask　you　to　lend　me　a　couple　of　your　men。〃

〃no　trouble　at　all；　mr。　gray。　i　am　delighted　to　be　of　any　service　to　you。　which　is　the　work　of　art；　sir？〃

〃this；〃　replied　dorian；　moving　the　screen　back。　〃can　you　move　it；　covering　and　all；　just　as　it　is？　i　dont　want　it　to　get　scratched　going　upstairs。〃

〃there　will　be　no　difficulty；　sir；〃　said　the　genial　frame…maker；　beginning；　with　the　aid　of　his　assistant；　to　unhook　the　picture　from　the　long　brass　chains　by　which　it　was　suspended。　〃and；　now；　where　shall　we　carry　it　to；　mr。　gray？〃

〃i　will　show　you　the　way；　mr。　hubbard；　if　you　will　kindly　follow　me。　or　perhaps　you　had　better　go　in　front。　i　am　afraid　it　is　right　at　the　top　of　the　house。　we　will　go　up　by　the　front　staircase；　as　it　is　wider。〃

he　held　the　door　open　for　them；　and　they　passed　out　into　the　hall　and　began　the　ascent。　the　elaborate　character　of　the　frame　had　made　the　picture　extremely　bulky；　and　now　and　then；　in　spite　of　the　obsequious　protests　of　mr。　hubbard；　who　had　the　true　tradesmans　spirited　dislike　of　seeing　a　gentleman　doing　anything　useful；　dorian　put　his　hand　to　it　so　as　to　help　them。

〃something　of　a　load　to　carry；　sir；〃　gasped　the　little　man　when　they　reached　the　top　landing。　and　he　wiped　his　shiny　forehead。

〃i　am　afraid　it　is　rather　heavy；〃　murmured　dorian　as　he　unlocked　the　door　that　opened　into　the　room　that　was　to　keep　for　him　the　curious　secret　of　his　life　and　hide　his　soul　from　the　eyes　of　men。

he　had　not　entered　the　place　for　more　than　four　yearsnot；　indeed；　since　he　had　used　it　first　as　a　play…room　when　he　was　a　child；　and　then　as　a　study　when　he　grew　somewhat　older。　it　was　a　large；　well…proportioned　room；　which　had　been　specially　built　by　the　last　lord　kelso　for　the　use　of　the　little　grandson　whom；　for　his　strange　likeness　to　his　mother；　and　also　for　other　reasons；　he　had　always　hated　and　desired　to　keep　at　a　distance。　it　appeared　to　dorian　to　have　but　little　changed。　there　was　the　huge　italian　cassone；　with　its　fantastically　painted　panels　and　its　tarnis