道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第7节

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〃i　adore　simple　pleasures；〃　said　lord　henry。　〃they　are　the　last　refuge　of　the　plex。　but　i　dont　like　scenes；　except　on　the　stage。　what　absurd　fellows　you　are；　both　of　you！　i　wonder　who　it　was　defined　man　as　a　rational　animal。　it　was　the　most　premature　definition　ever　given。　man　is　many　things；　but　he　is　not　rational。　i　am　glad　he　is　not；　after　all　though　i　wish　you　chaps　would　not　squabble　over　the　picture。　you　had　much　better　let　me　have　it；　basil。　this　silly　boy　doesnt　really　want　it；　and　i　really　do。〃

〃if　you　let　any　one　have　it　but　me；　basil；　i　shall　never　forgive　you！〃　cried　dorian　gray；　〃and　i　dont　allow　people　to　call　me　a　silly　boy。〃

〃you　know　the　picture　is　yours；　dorian。　i　gave　it　to　you　before　it　existed。〃

〃and　you　know　you　have　been　a　little　silly；　mr。　gray；　and　that　you　dont　really　object　to　being　reminded　that　you　are　extremely　young。〃

〃i　should　have　objected　very　strongly　this　morning；　lord　henry。〃

〃ah！　this　morning！　you　have　lived　since　then。〃

there　came　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　the　butler　entered　with　a　laden　tea…tray　and　set　it　down　upon　a　small　japanese　table。　there　was　a　rattle　of　cups　and　saucers　and　the　hissing　of　a　fluted　georgian　urn。　two　globe…shaped　china　dishes　were　brought　in　by　a　page。　dorian　gray　went　over　and　poured　out　the　tea。　the　two　men　sauntered　languidly　to　the　table　and　examined　what　was　under　the　covers。

〃let　us　go　to　the　theatre　to…night；〃　said　lord　henry。　〃there　is　sure　to　be　something　on；　somewhere。　i　have　promised　to　dine　at　whites；　but　it　is　only　with　an　old　friend；　so　i　can　send　him　a　wire　to　say　that　i　am　ill；　or　that　i　am　prevented　from　ing　in　consequence　of　a　subsequent　engagement。　i　think　that　would　be　a　rather　nice　excuse：　it　would　have　all　the　surprise　of　candour。〃

〃it　is　such　a　bore　putting　on　ones　dress…clothes；〃　muttered　hallward。　〃and；　when　one　has　them　on；　they　are　so　horrid。〃

〃yes；〃　answered　lord　henry　dreamily；　〃the　costume　of　the　nineteenth　century　is　detestable。　it　is　so　sombre；　so　depressing。　sin　is　the　only　real　colour…element　left　in　modern　life。〃

〃you　really　must　not　say　things　like　that　before　dorian；　harry。〃

〃before　which　dorian？　the　one　who　is　pouring　out　tea　for　us；　or　the　one　in　the　picture？〃

〃before　either。〃

〃i　should　like　to　e　to　the　theatre　with　you；　lord　henry；〃　said　the　lad。

〃then　you　shall　e；　and　you　will　e；　too；　basil；　wont　you？〃

〃i　cant；　really。　i　would　sooner　not。　i　have　a　lot　of　work　to　do。〃

〃well；　then；　you　and　i　will　go　alone；　mr。　gray。〃

〃i　should　like　that　awfully。〃

the　painter　bit　his　lip　and　walked　over；　cup　in　hand；　to　the　picture。　〃i　shall　stay　with　the　real　dorian；〃　he　said；　sadly。

〃is　it　the　real　dorian？〃　cried　the　original　of　the　portrait；　strolling　across　to　him。　〃am　i　really　like　that？〃

〃yes；　you　are　just　like　that。〃

〃how　wonderful；　basil！〃

〃at　least　you　are　like　it　in　appearance。　but　it　will　never　alter；〃　sighed　hallward。　〃that　is　something。〃

〃what　a　fuss　people　make　about　fidelity！〃　exclaimed　lord　henry。　〃why；　even　in　love　it　is　purely　a　question　for　physiology。　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　our　own　will。　young　men　want　to　be　faithful；　and　are　not；　old　men　want　to　be　faithless；　and　cannot：　that　is　all　one　can　say。〃

〃dont　go　to　the　theatre　to…night；　dorian；〃　said　hallward。　〃stop　and　dine　with　me。〃

〃i　cant；　basil。〃

〃why？〃

〃because　i　have　promised　lord　henry　wotton　to　go　with　him。〃

〃he　wont　like　you　the　better　for　keeping　your　promises。　he　always　breaks　his　own。　i　beg　you　not　to　go。〃

dorian　gray　laughed　and　shook　his　head。

〃i　entreat　you。〃

the　lad　hesitated；　and　looked　over　at　lord　henry；　who　was　watching　them　from　the　tea…table　with　an　amused　smile。

〃i　must　go；　basil；〃　he　answered。

〃very　well；〃　said　hallward；　and　he　went　over　and　laid　down　his　cup　on　the　tray。　〃it　is　rather　late；　and；　as　you　have　to　dress；　you　had　better　lose　no　time。　good…bye；　harry。　good…bye；　dorian。　e　and　see　me　soon。　e　to…morrow。〃

〃certainly。〃

〃you　wont　forget？〃

〃no；　of　course　not；〃　cried　dorian。

〃and　。。。　harry！〃

〃yes；　basil？〃

〃remember　what　i　asked　you；　when　we　were　in　the　garden　this　morning。〃

〃i　have　forgotten　it。〃

〃i　trust　you。〃

〃i　wish　i　could　trust　myself；〃　said　lord　henry；　laughing。　〃e；　mr。　gray；　my　hansom　is　outside；　and　i　can　drop　you　at　your　own　place。　good…bye；　basil。　it　has　been　a　most　interesting　afternoon。〃

as　the　door　closed　behind　them；　the　painter　flung　himself　down　on　a　sofa；　and　a　look　of　pain　came　into　his　face。　

w锛穡锛氾紵



Chapter　3

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chapter　3

at　half…past　twelve　next　day　lord　henry　wotton　strolled　from　curzon　street　over　to　the　albany　to　call　on　his　uncle；　lord　fermor；　a　genial　if　somewhat　rough…mannered　old　bachelor；　whom　the　outside　world　called　selfish　because　it　derived　no　particular　benefit　from　him；　but　who　was　considered　generous　by　society　as　he　fed　the　people　who　amused　him。　his　father　had　been　our　ambassador　at　madrid　when　isabella　was　young　and　prim　unthought　of；　but　had　retired　from　the　diplomatic　service　in　a　capricious　moment　of　annoyance　on　not　being　offered　the　embassy　at　paris；　a　post　to　which　he　considered　that　he　was　fully　entitled　by　reason　of　his　birth；　his　indolence；　the　good　english　of　his　dispatches；　and　his　inordinate　passion　for　pleasure。　the　son；　who　had　been　his　fathers　secretary；　had　resigned　along　with　his　chief；　somewhat　foolishly　as　was　thought　at　the　time；　and　on　succeeding　some　months　later　to　the　title；　had　set　himself　to　the　serious　study　of　the　great　aristocratic　art　of　doing　absolutely　nothing。　he　had　two　large　town　houses；　but　preferred　to　live　in　chambers　as　it　was　less　trouble；　and　took　most　of　his　meals　at　his　club。　he　paid　some　attention　to　the　management　of　his　collieries　in　the　midland　counties；　excusing　himself　for　this　taint　of　industry　on　the　ground　that　the　one　advantage　of　having　coal　was　that　it　enabled　a　gentleman　to　afford　the　decency　of　burning　wood　on　his　own　hearth。　in　politics　he　was　a　tory；　except　when　the　tories　were　in　office；　during　which　period　he　roundly　abused　them　for　being　a　pack　of　radicals。　he　was　a　hero　to　his　valet；　who　bullied　him；　and　a　terror　to　most　of　his　relations；　whom　he　bullied　in　turn。　only　england　could　have　produced　him；　and　he　always　said　that　the　country　was　going　to　the　dogs。　his　principles　were　out　of　date；　but　there　was　a　good　deal　to　be　said　for　his　prejudices。

when　lord　henry　entered　the　room；　he　found　his　uncle　sitting　in　a　rough　shooting…coat；　smoking　a　cheroot　and　grumbling　over　the　times。　〃well；　harry；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃what　brings　you　out　so　early？　i　thought　you　dandies　never　got　up　till　two；　and　were　not　visible　till　five。〃

〃pure　family　affection；　i　assure　you；　uncle　george。　i　want　to　get　something　out　of　you。〃

〃money；　i　suppose；〃　said　lord　fermor；　making　a　wry　face。　〃well；　sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it。　young　people；　nowadays；　imagine　that　money　is　everything。〃

〃yes；〃　murmured　lord　henry；　settling　his　button…hole　in　his　coat；　〃and　when　they　grow　older　they　know　it。　but　i　dont　want　money。　it　is　only　people　who　pay　their　bills　who　want　that；　uncle　george；　and　i　never　pay　mine。　credit　is　the　capital　of　a　younger　son；　and　one　lives　charmingly　upon　it。　besides；　i　always　deal　with　dartmoors　tradesmen；　and　consequently　they　never　bother　me。　what　i　want　is　information：　not　useful　information；　of　course；　useless　information。〃

〃well；　i　can　tell　you　anything　that　is　in　an　english　blue　book；　harry；　although　those　fellows　nowadays　write　a　lot　of　nonsense。　when　i　was　in　the　diplomatic；　things　were　much　better。　but　i　hear　they　let　them　in　now　by　examination。　what　can　you　expect？　examinations；　sir；　are　pure　humbug　from　beginning　to　end。　if　a　man　is　a　gentleman；　he　knows　quite　enough；　and　if　he　is　not　a　gentleman；　whatever　he　knows　is　bad　for　him。〃

〃mr。　dorian　gray　does　not　belong　to　blue　books；　uncle　george；〃　said　lord　henry　languidly。

〃mr。　dorian　gray？　who　is　he？〃　asked　lord　fermor；　knitting　his　bushy　white　eyebrows。

〃that　is　what　i　have　e　to　learn；　uncle　george。　or　rather；　i　know　who　he　is。　he　is　the　last　lord　kelsos　grandson。　his　mother　was　a　devereux；　lady　margaret　devereaux。　i　want　you　to　tell　me　about　his　mother。　what　was　she　like？　whom　did　she　marry？　you　have　known　nearly　everybody　in　your　time；　so　you　might　have　known　her。　i　am　very　much　interested　in　mr。　gray　at　present。　i　have　only　just　met　him。〃

〃kelsos　grandson！〃　echoed　the　old　gentleman。　〃kelsos　grandson！　。。。　of　course。。。。　i　knew　his　mother　intimately。　i　believe　i　was　at　her　christening。　she　was　an　extraordinarily　beautiful　girl；　margaret　devereux；　and　made　all　the　men　frantic　by　running　away　with　a　penniless　young　fellow　a　mere　nobody；　sir；　a　subaltern　in　a　foot　regiment；　or　something　of　that　kind。　certainly。　i　remember　the　whole　thing　as　if　it　happened　yesterday。　the　poor　chap　was　killed　in　a　duel　at　spa　a　few　months　after　the　marriage。　there　was　an　ugly　story　about　it。　they　said　kelso　got　some　rascally　adventurer；　some　belgian　brute；　to　insult　his　son…in…law　in　publicpaid　him；　sir；　to　do　it；　paid　him　and　that　the　fellow　spitted　his　man　as　if　he　had　been　a　pigeon。　the　thing　was　hushed　up；　but；　egad；　kelso　ate　his　chop　alone　at　the　club　for　some　time　afterwards。　he　brought　his　daughter　back　with　him；　i　was　told；