〃i　fear　you　are　right；〃　answered　mr。　erskine。　〃i　myself　used　to　have　literary　ambitions；　but　i　gave　them　up　long　ago。　and　now；　my　dear　young　friend；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　you　so；　may　i　ask　if　you　really　meant　all　that　you　said　to　us　at　lunch？〃
  〃i　quite　forget　what　i　said；〃　smiled　lord　henry。　〃was　it　all　very　bad？〃
  〃very　bad　indeed。　in　fact　i　consider　you　extremely　dangerous；　and　if　anything　happens　to　our　good　duchess；　we　shall　all　look　on　you　as　being　primarily　responsible。　but　i　should　like　to　talk　to　you　about　life。　the　generation　into　which　i　was　born　was　tedious。　some　day；　when　you　are　tired　of　london；　e　down　to　treadley　and　expound　to　me　your　philosophy　of　pleasure　over　some　admirable　burgundy　i　am　fortunate　enough　to　possess。〃
  〃i　shall　be　charmed。　a　visit　to　treadley　would　be　a　great　privilege。　it　has　a　perfect　host；　and　a　perfect　library。〃
  〃you　will　plete　it；〃　answered　the　old　gentleman　with　a　courteous　bow。　〃and　now　i　must　bid　good…bye　to　your　excellent　aunt。　i　am　due　at　the　athenaeum。　it　is　the　hour　when　we　sleep　there。〃
  〃all　of　you；　mr。　erskine？〃
  〃forty　of　us；　in　forty　arm…chairs。　we　are　practising　for　an　english　academy　of　letters。〃
  lord　henry　laughed　and　rose。　〃i　am　going　to　the　park；〃　he　cried。
  as　he　was　passing　out　of　the　door；　dorian　gray　touched　him　on　the　arm。　〃let　me　e　with　you；〃　he　murmured。
  〃but　i　thought　you　had　promised　basil　hallward　to　go　and　see　him；〃　answered　lord　henry。
  〃i　would　sooner　e　with　you；　yes；　i　feel　i　must　e　with　you。　do　let　me。　and　you　will　promise　to　talk　to　me　all　the　time？　no　one　talks　so　wonderfully　as　you　do。〃
  〃ah！　i　have　talked　quite　enough　for　to…day；〃　said　lord　henry；　smiling。　〃all　i　want　now　is　to　look　at　life。　you　may　e　and　look　at　it　with　me；　if　you　care　to。〃
  锛凤挤锛贰i锛s锛╱o锛达几锛础?br />
  Chapter　4
  澶В诲锛岀敓锛屽皬锛岃'缃?br />
  chapter　4
  one　afternoon；　a　month　later；　dorian　gray　was　reclining　in　a　luxurious　arm…chair；　in　the　little　library　of　lord　henrys　house　in　mayfair。　it　was；　in　its　way；　a　very　charming　room；　with　its　high　panelled　wainscoting　of　olive…stained　oak；　its　cream…coloured　frieze　and　ceiling　of　raised　plasterwork；　and　its　brickdust　felt　carpet　strewn　with　silk；　long…fringed　persian　rugs。　on　a　tiny　satinwood　table　stood　a　statuette　by　clodion；　and　beside　it　lay　a　copy　of　les　cent　nouvelles；　bound　for　margaret　of　valois　by　clovis　eve　and　powdered　with　the　gilt　daisies　that　queen　had　selected　for　her　device。　some　large　blue　china　jars　and　parrot…tulips　were　ranged　on　the　mantelshelf；　and　through　the　small　leaded　panes　of　the　window　streamed　the　apricot…coloured　light　of　a　summer　day　in　london。
  lord　henry　had　not　yet　e　in。　he　was　always　late　on　principle；　his　principle　being　that　punctuality　is　the　thief　of　time。　so　the　lad　was　looking　rather　sulky；　as　with　listless　fingers　he　turned　over　the　pages　of　an　elaborately　illustrated　edition　of　manon　lescaut　that　he　had　found　in　one　of　the　book…cases。　the　formal　monotonous　ticking　of　the　louis　quatorze　clock　annoyed　him。　once　or　twice　he　thought　of　going　away。
  at　last　he　heard　a　step　outside；　and　the　door　opened。　〃how　late　you　are；　harry！〃　he　murmured。
  〃i　am　afraid　it　is　not　harry；　mr。　gray；〃　answered　a　shrill　voice。
  he　glanced　quickly　round　and　rose　to　his　feet。　〃i　beg　your　pardon。　i　thought〃
  〃you　thought　it　was　my　husband。　it　is　only　his　wife。　you　must　let　me　introduce　myself。　i　know　you　quite　well　by　your　photographs。　i　think　my　husband　has　got　seventeen　of　them。〃
  〃not　seventeen；　lady　henry？〃
  〃well；　eighteen；　then。　and　i　saw　you　with　him　the　other　night　at　the　opera。〃　she　laughed　nervously　as　she　spoke；　and　watched　him　with　her　vague　forget…me…not　eyes。　she　was　a　curious　woman；　whose　dresses　always　looked　as　if　they　had　been　designed　in　a　rage　and　put　on　in　a　tempest。　she　was　usually　in　love　with　somebody；　and；　as　her　passion　was　never　returned；　she　had　kept　all　her　illusions。　she　tried　to　look　picturesque；　but　only　succeeded　in　being　untidy。　her　name　was　victoria；　and　she　had　a　perfect　mania　for　going　to　church。
  〃that　was　at　lohengrin；　lady　henry；　i　think？〃
  〃yes；　it　was　at　dear　lohengrin。　i　like　wagners　music　better　than　anybodys。　it　is　so　loud　that　one　can　talk　the　whole　time　without　other　people　hearing　what　one　says。　that　is　a　great　advantage；　dont　you　think　so；　mr。　gray？〃
  the　same　nervous　staccato　laugh　broke　from　her　thin　lips；　and　her　fingers　began　to　play　with　a　long　tortoise…shell　paper…knife。
  dorian　smiled　and　shook　his　head：　〃i　am　afraid　i　dont　think　so；　lady　henry。　i　never　talk　during　musicat　least；　during　good　music。　if　one　hears　bad　music；　it　is　ones　duty　to　drown　it　in　conversation。〃
  〃ah！　that　is　one　of　harrys　views；　isnt　it；　mr。　gray？　i　always　hear　harrys　views　from　his　friends。　it　is　the　only　way　i　get　to　know　of　them。　but　you　must　not　think　i　dont　like　good　music。　i　adore　it；　but　i　am　afraid　of　it。　it　makes　me　too　romantic。　i　have　simply　worshipped　pianists　two　at　a　time；　sometimes；　harry　tells　me。　i　dont　know　what　it　is　about　them。　perhaps　it　is　that　they　are　foreigners。　they　all　are；　aint　they？　even　those　that　are　born　in　england　bee　foreigners　after　a　time；　dont　they？　it　is　so　clever　of　them；　and　such　a　pliment　to　art。　makes　it　quite　cosmopolitan；　doesnt　it？　you　have　never　been　to　any　of　my　parties；　have　you；　mr。　gray？　you　must　e。　i　cant　afford　orchids；　but　i　share　no　expense　in　foreigners。　they　make　ones　rooms　look　so　picturesque。　but　here　is　harry！　harry；　i　came　in　to　look　for　you；　to　ask　you　something　i　forget　what　it　wasand　i　found　mr。　gray　here。　we　have　had　such　a　pleasant　chat　about　music。　we　have　quite　the　same　ideas。　no；　i　think　our　ideas　are　quite　different。　but　he　has　been　most　pleasant。　i　am　so　glad　ive　seen　him。〃
  〃i　am　charmed；　my　love；　quite　charmed；〃　said　lord　henry；　elevating　his　dark；　crescent…shaped　eyebrows　and　looking　at　them　both　with　an　amused　smile。　〃so　sorry　i　am　late；　dorian。　i　went　to　look　after　a　piece　of　old　brocade　in　wardour　street　and　had　to　bargain　for　hours　for　it。　nowadays　people　know　the　price　of　everything　and　the　value　of　nothing。〃
  〃i　am　afraid　i　must　be　going；〃　exclaimed　lady　henry；　breaking　an　awkward　silence　with　her　silly　sudden　laugh。　〃i　have　promised　to　drive　with　the　duchess。　good…bye；　mr。　gray。　good…bye；　harry。　you　are　dining　out；　i　suppose？　so　am　i。　perhaps　i　shall　see　you　at　lady　thornburys。〃
  〃i　dare　say；　my　dear；〃　said　lord　henry；　shutting　the　door　behind　her　as；　looking　like　a　bird　of　paradise　that　had　been　out　all　night　in　the　rain；　she　flitted　out　of　the　room；　leaving　a　faint　odour　of　frangipanni。　then　he　lit　a　cigarette　and　flung　himself　down　on　the　sofa。
  〃never　marry　a　woman　with　straw…coloured　hair；　dorian；〃　he　said　after　a　few　puffs。
  〃why；　harry？〃
  〃because　they　are　so　sentimental。〃
  〃but　i　like　sentimental　people。〃
  〃never　marry　at　all；　dorian。　men　marry　because　they　are　tired；　women；　because　they　are　curious：　both　are　disappointed。〃
  〃i　dont　think　i　am　likely　to　marry；　harry。　i　am　too　much　in　love。　that　is　one　of　your　aphorisms。　i　am　putting　it　into　practice；　as　i　do　everything　that　you　say。〃
  〃who　are　you　in　love　with？〃　asked　lord　henry　after　a　pause。
  〃with　an　actress；〃　said　dorian　gray；　blushing。
  lord　henry　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃that　is　a　rather　monplace　d茅but。〃
  〃you　would　not　say　so　if　you　saw　her；　harry。〃
  〃who　is　she？〃
  〃her　name　is　sibyl　vane。〃
  〃never　heard　of　her。〃
  〃no　one　has。　people　will　some　day；　however。　she　is　a　genius。〃
  〃my　dear　boy；　no　woman　is　a　genius。　women　are　a　decorative　sex。　they　never　have　anything　to　say；　but　they　say　it　charmingly。　women　represent　the　triumph　of　matter　over　mind；　just　as　men　represent　the　triumph　of　mind　over　morals。〃
  〃harry；　how　can　you？〃
  〃my　dear　dorian；　it　is　quite　true。　i　am　analysing　women　at　present；　so　i　ought　to　know。　the　subject　is　not　so　abstruse　as　i　thought　it　was。　i　find　that；　ultimately；　there　are　only　two　kinds　of　women；　the　plain　and　the　coloured。　the　plain　women　are　very　useful。　if　you　want　to　gain　a　reputation　for　respectability；　you　have　merely　to　take　them　down　to　supper。　the　other　women　are　very　charming。　they　mit　one　mistake；　however。　they　paint　in　order　to　try　and　look　young。　our　grandmothers　painted　in　order　to　try　and　talk　brilliantly。　rouge　and　esprit　used　to　go　together。　that　is　all　over　now。　as　long　as　a　woman　can　look　ten　years　younger　than　her　own　daughter；　she　is　perfectly　satisfied。　as　for　conversation；　there　are　only　five　women　in　london　worth　talking　to；　and　two　of　these　cant　be　admitted　into　decent　society。　however；　tell　me　about　your　genius。　how　long　have　you　known　her？〃
  〃ah！　harry；　your　views　terrify　me。
  〃never　mind　that。　how　long　have　you　known　her？〃
  〃about　three　weeks。〃
  〃and　where　did　you　e　across　her？〃
  〃i　will　tell　you；　harry；　but　you　mustnt　be　unsympathetic　about　it。　after　all；　it　never　would　have　happened　if　i　had　not　met　you。　you　filled　me　with　a　wild　desire　to　know　everything　about　life。　for　days　after　i　met　you；　something　seemed　to　throb　in　my　veins。　as　i　lounged　in　the　park；　or　strolled　down　piccadilly；　i　used　to　look　at　every　one　who　passed　me　and　wonder；　with　a　mad　curiosity；　what　sort　of　lives　they　led。　some　of　them　fascinated　me。　others　filled　me　with　terror。　there　was　an　exquisite　poison　in　the　air。