道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德- 第40部分

〃we　dont　know　who　he　is；　sir。　that　is　what　i　took　the　liberty　of　ing　to　you　about。〃

〃dont　know　who　he　is？〃　said　dorian；　listlessly。　〃what　do　you　mean？　wasnt　he　one　of　your　men？〃

〃no；　sir。　never　saw　him　before。　seems　like　a　sailor；　sir。〃

the　pen　dropped　from　dorian　grays　hand；　and　he　felt　as　if　his　heart　had　suddenly　stopped　beating。　〃a　sailor？〃　he　cried　out。　〃did　you　say　a　sailor？〃

〃yes；　sir。　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been　a　sort　of　sailor；　tattooed　on　both　arms；　and　that　kind　of　thing。〃

〃was　there　anything　found　on　him？〃　said　dorian；　leaning　forward　and　looking　at　the　man　with　startled　eyes。　〃anything　that　would　tell　his　name？〃

〃some　money；　sirnot　much；　and　a　six…shooter。　there　was　no　name　of　any　kind。　a　decent…looking　man；　sir；　but　rough…like。　a　sort　of　sailor　we　think。〃

dorian　started　to　his　feet。　a　terrible　hope　fluttered　past　him。　he　clutched　at　it　madly。　〃where　is　the　body？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃quick！　i　must　see　it　at　once。〃

〃it　is　in　an　empty　stable　in　the　home　farm；　sir。　the　folk　dont　like　to　have　that　sort　of　thing　in　their　houses。　they　say　a　corpse　brings　bad　luck。〃

〃the　home　farm！　go　there　at　once　and　meet　me。　tell　one　of　the　grooms　to　bring　my　horse　round。　no。　never　mind。　ill　go　to　the　stables　myself。　it　will　save　time。〃

in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　dorian　gray　was　galloping　down　the　long　avenue　as　hard　as　he　could　go。　the　trees　seemed　to　sweep　past　him　in　spectral　procession；　and　wild　shadows　to　fling　themselves　across　his　path。　once　the　mare　swerved　at　a　white　gate…post　and　nearly　threw　him。　he　lashed　her　across　the　neck　with　his　crop。　she　cleft　the　dusky　air　like　an　arrow。　the　stones　flew　from　her　hoofs。

at　last　he　reached　the　home　farm。　two　men　were　loitering　in　the　yard。　he　leaped　from　the　saddle　and　threw　the　reins　to　one　of　them。　in　the　farthest　stable　a　light　was　glimmering。　something　seemed　to　tell　him　that　the　body　was　there；　and　he　hurried　to　the　door　and　put　his　hand　upon　the　latch。

there　he　paused　for　a　moment；　feeling　that　he　was　on　the　brink　of　a　discovery　that　would　either　make　or　mar　his　life。　then　he　thrust　the　door　open　and　entered。

on　a　heap　of　sacking　in　the　far　corner　was　lying　the　dead　body　of　a　man　dressed　in　a　coarse　shirt　and　a　pair　of　blue　trousers。　a　spotted　handkerchief　had　been　placed　over　the　face。　a　coarse　candle；　stuck　in　a　bottle；　sputtered　beside　it。

dorian　gray　shuddered。　he　felt　that　his　could　not　be　the　hand　to　take　the　handkerchief　away；　and　called　out　to　one　of　the　farm…servants　to　e　to　him。

〃take　that　thing　off　the　face。　i　wish　to　see　it；〃　he　said；　clutching　at　the　door…post　for　support。

when　the　farm…servant　had　done　so；　he　stepped　forward。　a　cry　of　joy　broke　from　his　lips。　the　man　who　had　been　shot　in　the　thicket　was　james　vane。

he　stood　there　for　some　minutes　looking　at　the　dead　body。　as　he　rode　home；　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears；　for　he　knew　he　was　safe。　

xia锛�锛砲u锛痶x锛础ｏ迹om



Chapter　19

灏忥紝璇达蓟t。xt锛诲ぉ鍫傦綕
chapter　19

there　is　no　use　your　telling　me　that　you　are　going　to　be　good；〃　cried　lord　henry；　dipping　his　white　fingers　into　a　red　copper　bowl　filled　with　rose…water。　〃you　are　quite　perfect。　pray；　dont　change。〃

dorian　gray　shook　his　head。　〃no；　harry；　i　have　done　too　many　dreadful　things　in　my　life。　i　am　not　going　to　do　any　more。　i　began　my　good　actions　yesterday。〃

〃where　were　you　yesterday？〃

〃in　the　country；　harry。　i　was　staying　at　a　little　inn　by　myself。〃

〃my　dear　boy；〃　said　lord　henry；　smiling；　〃anybody　can　be　good　in　the　country。　there　are　no　temptations　there。　that　is　the　reason　why　people　who　live　out　of　town　are　so　absolutely　uncivilized。　civilization　is　not　by　any　means　an　easy　thing　to　attain　to。　there　are　only　two　ways　by　which　man　can　reach　it。　one　is　by　being　cultured；　the　other　by　being　corrupt。　country　people　have　no　opportunity　of　being　either；　so　they　stagnate。〃

〃culture　and　corruption；〃　echoed　dorian。　〃i　have　known　something　of　both。　it　seems　terrible　to　me　now　that　they　should　ever　be　found　together。　for　i　have　a　new　ideal；　harry。　i　am　going　to　alter。　i　think　i　have　altered。〃

〃you　have　not　yet　told　me　what　your　good　action　was。　or　did　you　say　you　had　done　more　than　one？〃　asked　his　panion　as　he　spilled　into　his　plate　a　little　crimson　pyramid　of　seeded　strawberries　and；　through　a　perforated；　shell…shaped　spoon；　snowed　white　sugar　upon　them。

〃i　can　tell　you；　harry。　it　is　not　a　story　i　could　tell　to　any　one　else。　i　spared　somebody。　it　sounds　vain；　but　you　understand　what　i　mean。　she　was　quite　beautiful　and　wonderfully　like　sibyl　vane。　i　think　it　was　that　which　first　attracted　me　to　her。　you　remember　sibyl；　dont　you？　how　long　ago　that　seems！　well；　hetty　was　not　one　of　our　own　class；　of　course。　she　was　simply　a　girl　in　a　village。　but　i　really　loved　her。　i　am　quite　sure　that　i　loved　her。　all　during　this　wonderful　may　that　we　have　been　having；　i　used　to　run　down　and　see　her　two　or　three　times　a　week。　yesterday　she　met　me　in　a　little　orchard。　the　apple…blossoms　kept　tumbling　down　on　her　hair；　and　she　was　laughing。　we　were　to　have　gone　away　together　this　morning　at　dawn。　suddenly　i　determined　to　leave　her　as　flowerlike　as　i　had　found　her。〃

〃i　should　think　the　novelty　of　the　emotion　must　have　given　you　a　thrill　of　real　pleasure；　dorian；〃　interrupted　lord　henry。　〃but　i　can　finish　your　idyll　for　you。　you　gave　her　good　advice　and　broke　her　heart。　that　was　the　beginning　of　your　reformation。〃

〃harry；　you　are　horrible！　you　mustnt　say　these　dreadful　things。　hettys　heart　is　not　broken。　of　course；　she　cried　and　all　that。　but　there　is　no　disgrace　upon　her。　she　can　live；　like　perdita；　in　her　garden　of　mint　and　marigold。〃

〃and　weep　over　a　faithless　florizel；〃　said　lord　henry；　laughing；　as　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃my　dear　dorian；　you　have　the　most　curiously　boyish　moods。　do　you　think　this　girl　will　ever　be　really　content　now　with　any　one　of　her　own　rank？　i　suppose　she　will　be　married　some　day　to　a　rough　carter　or　a　grinning　ploughman。　well；　the　fact　of　having　met　you；　and　loved　you；　will　teach　her　to　despise　her　husband；　and　she　will　be　wretched。　from　a　moral　point　of　view；　i　cannot　say　that　i　think　much　of　your　great　renunciation。　even　as　a　beginning；　it　is　poor。　besides；　how　do　you　know　that　hetty　isnt　floating　at　the　present　moment　in　some　starlit　mill…pond；　with　lovely　water…lilies　round　her；　like　ophelia？〃

〃i　cant　bear　this；　harry！　you　mock　at　everything；　and　then　suggest　the　most　serious　tragedies。　i　am　sorry　i　told　you　now。　i　dont　care　what　you　say　to　me。　i　know　i　was　right　in　acting　as　i　did。　poor　hetty！　as　i　rode　past　the　farm　this　morning；　i　saw　her　white　face　at　the　window；　like　a　spray　of　jasmine。　dont　let　us　talk　about　it　any　more；　and　dont　try　to　persuade　me　that　the　first　good　action　i　have　done　for　years；　the　first　little　bit　of　self…sacrifice　i　have　ever　known；　is　really　a　sort　of　sin。　i　want　to　be　better。　i　am　going　to　be　better。　tell　me　something　about　yourself。　what　is　going　on　in　town？　i　have　not　been　to　the　club　for　days。〃

〃the　people　are　still　discussing　poor　basils　disappearance。〃

〃i　should　have　thought　they　had　got　tired　of　that　by　this　time；〃　said　dorian；　pouring　himself　out　some　wine　and　frowning　slightly。

〃my　dear　boy；　they　have　only　been　talking　about　it　for　six　weeks；　and　the　british　public　are　really　not　equal　to　the　mental　strain　of　having　more　than　one　topic　every　three　months。　they　have　been　very　fortunate　lately；　however。　they　have　had　my　own　divorce…case　and　alan　campbells　suicide。　now　they　have　got　the　mysterious　disappearance　of　an　artist。　scotland　yard　still　insists　that　the　man　in　the　grey　ulster　who　left　for　paris　by　the　midnight　train　on　the　ninth　of　november　was　poor　basil；　and　the　french　police　declare　that　basil　never　arrived　in　paris　at　all。　i　suppose　in　about　a　fortnight　we　shall　be　told　that　he　has　been　seen　in　san　francisco。　it　is　an　odd　thing；　but　every　one　who　disappears　is　said　to　be　seen　at　san　francisco。　it　must　be　a　delightful　city；　and　possess　all　the　attractions　of　the　next　world。〃

〃what　do　you　think　has　happened　to　basil？〃　asked　dorian；　holding　up　his　burgundy　against　the　light　and　wondering　how　it　was　that　he　could　discuss　the　matter　so　calmly。

〃i　have　not　the　slightest　idea。　if　basil　chooses　to　hide　himself；　it　is　no　business　of　mine。　if　he　is　dead；　i　dont　want　to　think　about　him。　death　is　the　only　thing　that　ever　terrifies　me。　i　hate　it。〃

〃why？〃　said　the　younger　man　wearily。

〃because；〃　said　lord　henry；　passing　beneath　his　nostrils　the　gilt　trellis　of　an　open　vinaigrette　box；　〃one　can　survive　everything　nowadays　except　that。　death　and　vulgarity　are　the　only　two　facts　in　the　nineteenth　century　that　one　cannot　explain　away。　let　us　have　our　coffee　in　the　music…room；　dorian。　you　must　play　chopin　to　me。　the　man　with　whom　my　wife　ran　away　played　chopin　exquisitely。　poor　victoria！　i　was　very　fond　of　her。　the　house　is　rather　lonely　without　her。　of　course；　married　life　is　merely　a　habit；　a　bad　habit。　but　then　one　regrets　the　loss　even　of　ones　worst　habits。　perhaps　one　regrets　them　the　most。　they　are　such　an　essential　part　of　ones　personality。〃

dorian　said　nothing；　but　rose　from　the　table；　and　passing　into　the　next　room；　sat　down　to　the　piano　and　let　his　fingers　stray　across　the　white　and　black　ivory　of　the　keys。　after　the　coffee　had　been　brought　in；　he　stopped；　and　looking　over　at　lord　henry；　said；　〃harry；　did　it　ever　occur　to　you　that　basil　was　murdered？〃

lord　henry　yawned。　〃basil　was　very　popular；　and　always　wore　a　waterbury　watch。　why　should　he　have　been　murdered？　he　was　not　clever　enough　to　have　enemies。　of　course；　he　had　a　wonderful　genius　for　painting。　but　a　man　can　paint　like　velasquez　and　yet　be　as　dull　as　possible。　basil　was　really　rather　dull。　he　only　interested　me　once；　and　that　was　when　he　told　me；　years　ago；　that　he　had　a　wild　adoration　for　you　and　that　you　were　the　dominant　motive　of　his　art。〃

〃i　was　very　fond　of　basil；〃　said　dorian　with　a　note　of　sadness　in　his　voice。　〃but　dont　people　say　that　he　was　murdered？〃

〃oh；　some　of　the　papers　do。　it　does　not　seem　to　me　to　be　at　all　probable。　i　know　there　are　dreadful　places　in　paris；　but　basil　was　not　the　sort　of　man　to　have　gone　to　them。　he　had　no　curiosity。　it　was　his　chief　defect。〃

〃what　would　you　say；　harry；　if　i　told　you　that　i　h