ardour　for　life。　but　it　was　not　merely　the　physical　conditions　of　environment　that　had　caused　the　change。　his　own　nature　had　revolted　against　the　excess　of　anguish　that　had　sought　to　maim　and　mar　the　perfection　of　its　calm。　with　subtle　and　finely　wrought　temperaments　it　is　always　so。　their　strong　passions　must　either　bruise　or　bend。　they　either　slay　the　man；　or　themselves　die。　shallow　sorrows　and　shallow　loves　live　on。　the　loves　and　sorrows　that　are　great　are　destroyed　by　their　own　plenitude。　besides；　he　had　convinced　himself　that　he　had　been　the　victim　of　a　terror…stricken　imagination；　and　looked　back　now　on　his　fears　with　something　of　pity　and　not　a　little　of　contempt。
  after　breakfast；　he　walked　with　the　duchess　for　an　hour　in　the　garden　and　then　drove　across　the　park　to　join　the　shooting…party。　the　crisp　frost　lay　like　salt　upon　the　grass。　the　sky　was　an　inverted　cup　of　blue　metal。　a　thin　film　of　ice　bordered　the　flat；　reed…grown　lake。
  at　the　corner　of　the　pine…wood　he　caught　sight　of　sir　geoffrey　clouston；　the　duchesss　brother；　jerking　two　spent　cartridges　out　of　his　gun。　he　jumped　from　the　cart；　and　having　told　the　groom　to　take　the　mare　home；　made　his　way　towards　his　guest　through　the　withered　bracken　and　rough　undergrowth。
  〃have　you　had　good　sport；　geoffrey？〃　he　asked。
  〃not　very　good；　dorian。　i　think　most　of　the　birds　have　gone　to　the　open。　i　dare　say　it　will　be　better　after　lunch；　when　we　get　to　new　ground。〃
  dorian　strolled　along　by　his　side。　the　keen　aromatic　air；　the　brown　and　red　lights　that　glimmered　in　the　wood；　the　hoarse　cries　of　the　beaters　ringing　out　from　time　to　time；　and　the　sharp　snaps　of　the　guns　that　followed；　fascinated　him　and　filled　him　with　a　sense　of　delightful　freedom。　he　was　dominated　by　the　carelessness　of　happiness；　by　the　high　indifference　of　joy。
  suddenly　from　a　lumpy　tussock　of　old　grass　some　twenty　yards　in　front　of　them；　with　black…tipped　ears　erect　and　long　hinder　limbs　throwing　it　forward；　started　a　hare。　it　bolted　for　a　thicket　of　alders。　sir　geoffrey　put　his　gun　to　his　shoulder；　but　there　was　something　in　the　animals　grace　of　movement　that　strangely　charmed　dorian　gray；　and　he　cried　out　at　once；　〃dont　shoot　it；　geoffrey。　let　it　live。〃
  〃what　nonsense；　dorian！〃　laughed　his　panion；　and　as　the　hare　bounded　into　the　thicket；　he　fired。　there　were　two　cries　heard；　the　cry　of　a　hare　in　pain；　which　is　dreadful；　the　cry　of　a　man　in　agony；　which　is　worse。
  〃good　heavens！　i　have　hit　a　beater！〃　exclaimed　sir　geoffrey。　〃what　an　ass　the　man　was　to　get　in　front　of　the　guns！　stop　shooting　there！〃　he　called　out　at　the　top　of　his　voice。　〃a　man　is　hurt。〃
  the　head…keeper　came　running　up　with　a　stick　in　his　hand。
  〃where；　sir？　where　is　he？〃　he　shouted。　at　the　same　time；　the　firing　ceased　along　the　line。
  〃here；〃　answered　sir　geoffrey　angrily；　hurrying　towards　the　thicket。　〃why　on　earth　dont　you　keep　your　men　back？　spoiled　my　shooting　for　the　day。〃
  dorian　watched　them　as　they　plunged　into　the　alder…clump；　brushing　the　lithe　swinging　branches　aside。　in　a　few　moments　they　emerged；　dragging　a　body　after　them　into　the　sunlight。　he　turned　away　in　horror。　it　seemed　to　him　that　misfortune　followed　wherever　he　went。　he　heard　sir　geoffrey　ask　if　the　man　was　really　dead；　and　the　affirmative　answer　of　the　keeper。　the　wood　seemed　to　him　to　have　bee　suddenly　alive　with　faces。　there　was　the　trampling　of　myriad　feet　and　the　low　buzz　of　voices。　a　great　copper…breasted　pheasant　came　beating　through　the　boughs　overhead。
  after　a　few　momentsthat　were　to　him；　in　his　perturbed　state；　like　endless　hours　of　painhe　felt　a　hand　laid　on　his　shoulder。　he　started　and　looked　round。
  〃dorian；〃　said　lord　henry；　〃i　had　better　tell　them　that　the　shooting　is　stopped　for　to…day。　it　would　not　look　well　to　go　on。〃
  〃i　wish　it　were　stopped　for　ever；　harry；〃　he　answered　bitterly。　〃the　whole　thing　is　hideous　and　cruel。　is　the　man　。。。　？〃
  he　could　not　finish　the　sentence。
  〃i　am　afraid　so；〃　rejoined　lord　henry。　〃he　got　the　whole　charge　of　shot　in　his　chest。　he　must　have　died　almost　instantaneously。　e；　let　us　go　home。〃
  they　walked　side　by　side　in　the　direction　of　the　avenue　for　nearly　fifty　yards　without　speaking。　then　dorian　looked　at　lord　henry　and　said；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　〃it　is　a　bad　omen；　harry；　a　very　bad　omen。〃
  〃what　is？〃　asked　lord　henry。　〃oh！　this　accident；　i　suppose。　my　dear　fellow；　it　cant　be　helped。　it　was　the　mans　own　fault。　why　did　he　get　in　front　of　the　guns？　besides；　it　is　nothing　to　us。　it　is　rather　awkward　for　geoffrey；　of　course。　it　does　not　do　to　pepper　beaters。　it　makes　people　think　that　one　is　a　wild　shot。　and　geoffrey　is　not；　he　shoots　very　straight。　but　there　is　no　use　talking　about　the　matter。〃
  dorian　shook　his　head。　〃it　is　a　bad　omen；　harry。　i　feel　as　if　something　horrible　were　going　to　happen　to　some　of　us。　to　myself；　perhaps；〃　he　added；　passing　his　hand　over　his　eyes；　with　a　gesture　of　pain。
  the　elder　man　laughed。　〃the　only　horrible　thing　in　the　world　is　ennui；　dorian。　that　is　the　one　sin　for　which　there　is　no　forgiveness。　but　we　are　not　likely　to　suffer　from　it　unless　these　fellows　keep　chattering　about　this　thing　at　dinner。　i　must　tell　them　that　the　subject　is　to　be　tabooed。　as　for　omens；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　an　omen。　destiny　does　not　send　us　heralds。　she　is　too　wise　or　too　cruel　for　that。　besides；　what　on　earth　could　happen　to　you；　dorian？　you　have　everything　in　the　world　that　a　man　can　want。　there　is　no　one　who　would　not　be　delighted　to　change　places　with　you。〃
  〃there　is　no　one　with　whom　i　would　not　change　places；　harry。　dont　laugh　like　that。　i　am　telling　you　the　truth。　the　wretched　peasant　who　has　just　died　is　better　off　than　i　am。　i　have　no　terror　of　death。　it　is　the　ing　of　death　that　terrifies　me。　its　monstrous　wings　seem　to　wheel　in　the　leaden　air　around　me。　good　heavens！　dont　you　see　a　man　moving　behind　the　trees　there；　watching　me；　waiting　for　me？〃
  lord　henry　looked　in　the　direction　in　which　the　trembling　gloved　hand　was　pointing。　〃yes；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃i　see　the　gardener　waiting　for　you。　i　suppose　he　wants　to　ask　you　what　flowers　you　wish　to　have　on　the　table　to…night。　how　absurdly　nervous　you　are；　my　dear　fellow！　you　must　e　and　see　my　doctor；　when　we　get　back　to　town。〃
  dorian　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　as　he　saw　the　gardener　approaching。　the　man　touched　his　hat；　glanced　for　a　moment　at　lord　henry　in　a　hesitating　manner；　and　then　produced　a　letter；　which　he　handed　to　his　master。　〃her　grace　told　me　to　wait　for　an　answer；〃　he　murmured。
  dorian　put　the　letter　into　his　pocket。　〃tell　her　grace　that　i　am　ing　in；〃　he　said；　coldly。　the　man　turned　round　and　went　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　house。
  〃how　fond　women　are　of　doing　dangerous　things！〃　laughed　lord　henry。　〃it　is　one　of　the　qualities　in　them　that　i　admire　most。　a　woman　will　flirt　with　anybody　in　the　world　as　long　as　other　people　are　looking　on。〃
  〃how　fond　you　are　of　saying　dangerous　things；　harry！　in　the　present　instance；　you　are　quite　astray。　i　like　the　duchess　very　much；　but　i　dont　love　her。〃
  〃and　the　duchess　loves　you　very　much；　but　she　likes　you　less；　so　you　are　excellently　matched。〃
  〃you　are　talking　scandal；　harry；　and　there　is　never　any　basis　for　scandal。〃
  〃the　basis　of　every　scandal　is　an　immoral　certainty；〃　said　lord　henry；　lighting　a　cigarette。
  〃you　would　sacrifice　anybody；　harry；　for　the　sake　of　an　epigram。〃
  〃the　world　goes　to　the　altar　of　its　own　accord；〃　was　the　answer。
  〃i　wish　i　could　love；〃　cried　dorian　gray　with　a　deep　note　of　pathos　in　his　voice。　〃but　i　seem　to　have　lost　the　passion　and　forgotten　the　desire。　i　am　too　much　concentrated　on　myself。　my　own　personality　has　bee　a　burden　to　me。　i　want　to　escape；　to　go　away；　to　forget。　it　was　silly　of　me　to　e　down　here　at　all。　i　think　i　shall　send　a　wire　to　harvey　to　have　the　yacht　got　ready。　on　a　yacht　one　is　safe。〃
  〃safe　from　what；　dorian？　you　are　in　some　trouble。　why　not　tell　me　what　it　is？　you　know　i　would　help　you。〃
  〃i　cant　tell　you；　harry；〃　he　answered　sadly。　〃and　i　dare　say　it　is　only　a　fancy　of　mine。　this　unfortunate　accident　has　upset　me。　i　have　a　horrible　presentiment　that　something　of　the　kind　may　happen　to　me。〃
  〃what　nonsense！〃
  〃i　hope　it　is；　but　i　cant　help　feeling　it。　ah！　here　is　the　duchess；　looking　like　artemis　in　a　tailor…made　gown。　you　see　we　have　e　back；　duchess。〃
  〃i　have　heard　all　about　it；　mr。　gray；〃　she　answered。　〃poor　geoffrey　is　terribly　upset。　and　it　seems　that　you　asked　him　not　to　shoot　the　hare。　how　curious！〃
  〃yes；　it　was　very　curious。　i　dont　know　what　made　me　say　it。　some　whim；　i　suppose。　it　looked　the　loveliest　of　little　live　things。　but　i　am　sorry　they　told　you　about　the　man。　it　is　a　hideous　subject。〃
  〃it　is　an　annoying　subject；〃　broke　in　lord　henry。　〃it　has　no　psychological　value　at　all。　now　if　geoffrey　had　done　the　thing　on　purpose；　how　interesting　he　would　be！　i　should　like　to　know　some　one　who　had　mitted　a　real　murder。〃
  〃how　horrid　of　you；　harry！〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃isnt　it；　mr。　gray？　harry；　mr。　gray　is　ill　again。　he　is　going　to　faint。〃
  dorian　drew　himself　up　with　an　effort　and　smiled。　〃it　is　nothing；　duchess；〃　he　murmured；　〃my　nerves　are　dreadfully　out　of　order。　that　is　all。　i　am　afraid　i　walked　too　far　this　morning。　i　didnt　hear　what　harry　said。　was　it　very