道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第39节

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lady　ruxton　glanced　at　him　curiously。　〃you　must　e　and　explain　that　to　me　some　afternoon；　lord　henry。　it　sounds　a　fascinating　theory；〃　she　murmured；　as　she　swept　out　of　the　room。

〃now；　mind　you　dont　stay　too　long　over　your　politics　and　scandal；〃　cried　lady　narborough　from　the　door。　〃if　you　do；　we　are　sure　to　squabble　upstairs。〃

the　men　laughed；　and　mr。　chapman　got　up　solemnly　from　the　foot　of　the　table　and　came　up　to　the　top。　dorian　gray　changed　his　seat　and　went　and　sat　by　lord　henry。　mr。　chapman　began　to　talk　in　a　loud　voice　about　the　situation　in　the　house　of　mons。　he　guffawed　at　his　adversaries。　the　word　doctrinaireword　full　of　terror　to　the　british　mind　reappeared　from　time　to　time　between　his　explosions。　an　alliterative　prefix　served　as　an　ornament　of　oratory。　he　hoisted　the　union　jack　on　the　pinnacles　of　thought。　the　inherited　stupidity　of　the　racesound　english　mon　sense　he　jovially　termed　itwas　shown　to　be　the　proper　bulwark　for　society。

a　smile　curved　lord　henrys　lips；　and　he　turned　round　and　looked　at　dorian。

〃are　you　better；　my　dear　fellow？〃　he　asked。　〃you　seemed　rather　out　of　sorts　at　dinner。〃

〃i　am　quite　well；　harry。　i　am　tired。　that　is　all。〃

〃you　were　charming　last　night。　the　little　duchess　is　quite　devoted　to　you。　she　tells　me　she　is　going　down　to　selby。〃

〃she　has　promised　to　e　on　the　twentieth。〃

〃is　monmouth　to　be　there；　too？〃

〃oh；　yes；　harry。〃

〃he　bores　me　dreadfully；　almost　as　much　as　he　bores　her。　she　is　very　clever；　too　clever　for　a　woman。　she　lacks　the　indefinable　charm　of　weakness。　it　is　the　feet　of　clay　that　make　the　gold　of　the　image　precious。　her　feet　are　very　pretty；　but　they　are　not　feet　of　clay。　white　porcelain　feet；　if　you　like。　they　have　been　through　the　fire；　and　what　fire　does　not　destroy；　it　hardens。　she　has　had　experiences。〃

〃how　long　has　she　been　married？〃　asked　dorian。

〃an　eternity；　she　tells　me。　i　believe；　according　to　the　peerage；　it　is　ten　years；　but　ten　years　with　monmouth　must　have　been　like　eternity；　with　time　thrown　in。　who　else　is　ing？〃

〃oh；　the　willoughbys；　lord　rugby　and　his　wife；　our　hostess；　geoffrey　clouston；　the　usual　set。　i　have　asked　lord　grotrian。〃

〃i　like　him；〃　said　lord　henry。　〃a　great　many　people　dont；　but　i　find　him　charming。　he　atones　for　being　occasionally　somewhat　overdressed　by　being　always　absolutely　over…educated。　he　is　a　very　modern　type。〃

〃i　dont　know　if　he　will　be　able　to　e；　harry。　he　may　have　to　go　to　monte　carlo　with　his　father。〃

〃ah！　what　a　nuisance　peoples　people　are！　try　and　make　him　e。　by　the　way；　dorian；　you　ran　off　very　early　last　night。　you　left　before　eleven。　what　did　you　do　afterwards？　did　you　go　straight　home？〃

dorian　glanced　at　him　hurriedly　and　frowned。

〃no；　harry；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃i　did　not　get　home　till　nearly　three。〃

〃did　you　go　to　the　club？〃

〃yes；〃　he　answered。　then　he　bit　his　lip。　〃no；　i　dont　mean　that。　i　didnt　go　to　the　club。　i　walked　about。　i　forget　what　i　did。　。　。　。　how　inquisitive　you　are；　harry！　you　always　want　to　know　what　one　has　been　doing。　i　always　want　to　forget　what　i　have　been　doing。　i　came　in　at　half…past　two；　if　you　wish　to　know　the　exact　time。　i　had　left　my　latch…key　at　home；　and　my　servant　had　to　let　me　in。　if　you　want　any　corroborative　evidence　on　the　subject；　you　can　ask　him。〃

lord　henry　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃my　dear　fellow；　as　if　i　cared！　let　us　go　up　to　the　drawing…room。　no　sherry；　thank　you；　mr。　chapman。　something　has　happened　to　you；　dorian。　tell　me　what　it　is。　you　are　not　yourself　to…night。〃

〃dont　mind　me；　harry。　i　am　irritable；　and　out　of　temper。　i　shall　e　round　and　see　you　to…morrow；　or　next　day。　make　my　excuses　to　lady　narborough。　i　shant　go　upstairs。　i　shall　go　home。　i　must　go　home。〃

〃all　right；　dorian。　i　dare　say　i　shall　see　you　to…morrow　at　tea…time。　the　duchess　is　ing。〃

〃i　will　try　to　be　there；　harry；〃　he　said；　leaving　the　room。　as　he　drove　back　to　his　own　house；　he　was　conscious　that　the　sense　of　terror　he　thought　he　had　strangled　had　e　back　to　him。　lord　henrys　casual　questioning　had　made　him　lose　his　nerves　for　the　moment；　and　he　wanted　his　nerve　still。　things　that　were　dangerous　had　to　be　destroyed。　he　winced。　he　hated　the　idea　of　even　touching　them。

yet　it　had　to　be　done。　he　realized　that；　and　when　he　had　locked　the　door　of　his　library；　he　opened　the　secret　press　into　which　he　had　thrust　basil　hallwards　coat　and　bag。　a　huge　fire　was　blazing。　he　piled　another　log　on　it。　the　smell　of　the　singeing　clothes　and　burning　leather　was　horrible。　it　took　him　three…quarters　of　an　hour　to　consume　everything。　at　the　end　he　felt　faint　and　sick；　and　having　lit　some　algerian　pastilles　in　a　pierced　copper　brazier；　he　bathed　his　hands　and　forehead　with　a　cool　musk…scented　vinegar。

suddenly　he　started。　his　eyes　grew　strangely　bright；　and　he　gnawed　nervously　at　his　underlip。　between　two　of　the　windows　stood　a　large　florentine　cabinet；　made　out　of　ebony　and　inlaid　with　ivory　and　blue　lapis。　he　watched　it　as　though　it　were　a　thing　that　could　fascinate　and　make　afraid；　as　though　it　held　something　that　he　longed　for　and　yet　almost　loathed。　his　breath　quickened。　a　mad　craving　came　over　him。　he　lit　a　cigarette　and　then　threw　it　away。　his　eyelids　drooped　till　the　long　fringed　lashes　almost　touched　his　cheek。　but　he　still　watched　the　cabinet。　at　last　he　got　up　from　the　sofa　on　which　he　had　been　lying；　went　over　to　it；　and　having　unlocked　it；　touched　some　hidden　spring。　a　triangular　drawer　passed　slowly　out。　his　fingers　moved　instinctively　towards　it；　dipped　in；　and　closed　on　something。　it　was　a　small　chinese　box　of　black　and　gold…dust　lacquer；　elaborately　wrought；　the　sides　patterned　with　curved　waves；　and　the　silken　cords　hung　with　round　crystals　and　tasselled　in　plaited　metal　threads。　he　opened　it。　inside　was　a　green　paste；　waxy　in　lustre；　the　odour　curiously　heavy　and　persistent。

he　hesitated　for　some　moments；　with　a　strangely　immobile　smile　upon　his　face。　then　shivering；　though　the　atmosphere　of　the　room　was　terribly　hot；　he　drew　himself　up　and　glanced　at　the　clock。　it　was　twenty　minutes　to　twelve。　he　put　the　box　back；　shutting　the　cabinet　doors　as　he　did　so；　and　went　into　his　bedroom。

as　midnight　was　striking　bronze　blows　upon　the　dusky　air；　dorian　gray；　dressed　monly；　and　with　a　muffler　wrapped　round　his　throat；　crept　quietly　out　of　his　house。　in　bond　street　he　found　a　hansom　with　a　good　horse。　he　hailed　it　and　in　a　low　voice　gave　the　driver　an　address。

the　man　shook　his　head。　〃it　is　too　far　for　me；〃　he　muttered。

〃here　is　a　sovereign　for　you；〃　said　dorian。　〃you　shall　have　another　if　you　drive　fast。〃

〃all　right；　sir；〃　answered　the　man；　〃you　will　be　there　in　an　hour；〃　and　after　his　fare　had　got　in　he　turned　his　horse　round　and　drove　rapidly　towards　the　river。

銆�



Chapter　16

灏彛胯�矗縯xt？澶╁爞
chapter　16

a　cold　rain　began　to　fall；　and　the　blurred　street…lamps　looked　ghastly　in　the　dripping　mist。　the　public…houses　were　just　closing；　and　dim　men　and　women　were　clustering　in　broken　groups　round　their　doors。　from　some　of　the　bars　came　the　sound　of　horrible　laughter。　in　others；　drunkards　brawled　and　screamed。

lying　back　in　the　hansom；　with　his　hat　pulled　over　his　forehead；　dorian　gray　watched　with　listless　eyes　the　sordid　shame　of　the　great　city；　and　now　and　then　he　repeated　to　himself　the　words　that　lord　henry　had　said　to　him　on　the　first　day　they　had　met；　〃to　cure　the　soul　by　means　of　the　senses；　and　the　senses　by　means　of　the　soul。〃　yes；　that　was　the　secret。　he　had　often　tried　it；　and　would　try　it　again　now。　there　were　opium　dens　where　one　could　buy　oblivion；　dens　of　horror　where　the　memory　of　old　sins　could　be　destroyed　by　the　madness　of　sins　that　were　new。

the　moon　hung　low　in　the　sky　like　a　yellow　skull。　from　time　to　time　a　huge　misshapen　cloud　stretched　a　long　arm　across　and　hid　it。　the　gas…lamps　grew　fewer；　and　the　streets　more　narrow　and　gloomy。　once　the　man　lost　his　way　and　had　to　drive　back　half　a　mile。　a　steam　rose　from　the　horse　as　it　splashed　up　the　puddles。　the　sidewindows　of　the　hansom　were　clogged　with　a　grey…flannel　mist。

〃to　cure　the　soul　by　means　of　the　senses；　and　the　senses　by　means　of　the　soul！〃　how　the　words　rang　in　his　ears！　his　soul；　certainly；　was　sick　to　death。　was　it　true　that　the　senses　could　cure　it？　innocent　blood　had　been　spilled。　what　could　atone　for　that？　ah！　for　that　there　was　no　atonement；　but　though　forgiveness　was　impossible；　forgetfulness　was　possible　still；　and　he　was　determined　to　forget；　to　stamp　the　thing　out；　to　crush　it　as　one　would　crush　the　adder　that　had　stung　one。　indeed；　what　right　had　basil　to　have　spoken　to　him　as　he　had　done？　who　had　made　him　a　judge　over　others？　he　had　said　things　that　were　dreadful；　horrible；　not　to　be　endured。

on　and　on　plodded　the　hansom；　going　slower；　it　seemed　to　him；　at　each　step。　he　thrust　up　the　trap　and　called　to　the　man　to　drive　faster。　the　hideous　hunger　for　opium　began　to　gnaw　at　him。　his　throat　burned　and　his　delicate　hands　twitched　nervously　together。　he　struck　at　the　horse　madly　with　his　stick。　the　driver　laughed　and　whipped　up。　he　laughed　in　answer；　and　the　man　was　silent。

the　way　seemed　interminable；　and　the　streets　like　the　black　web　of　some　sprawling　spider。　the　monotony　became　unbearable；　and　as　the　mist　thickened；　he　felt　afraid。