《道林格雷的画像》第14章

oared　into　a　philosophy；　and　philosophy　herself　became　young；　and　catching　the　mad　music　of　pleasure；　wearing；　one　might　fancy；　her　wine…stained　robe　and　wreath　of　ivy；　danced　like　a　bacchante　over　the　hills　of　life；　and　mocked　the　slow　silenus　for　being　sober。　facts　fled　before　her　like　frightened　forest　things。　her　white　feet　trod　the　huge　press　at　which　wise　omar　sits；　till　the　seething　grape…juice　rose　round　her　bare　limbs　in　waves　of　purple　bubbles；　or　crawled　in　red　foam　over　the　vats　black；　dripping；　sloping　sides。　it　was　an　extraordinary　improvisation。　he　felt　that　the　eyes　of　dorian　gray　were　fixed　on　him；　and　the　consciousness　that　amongst　his　audience　there　was　one　whose　temperament　he　wished　to　fascinate　seemed　to　give　his　wit　keenness　and　to　lend　colour　to　his　imagination。　he　was　brilliant；　fantastic；　irresponsible。　he　charmed　his　listeners　out　of　themselves；　and　they　followed　his　pipe；　laughing。　dorian　gray　never　took　his　gaze　off　him；　but　sat　like　one　under　a　spell；　smiles　chasing　each　other　over　his　lips　and　wonder　growing　grave　in　his　darkening　eyes。
at　last；　liveried　in　the　costume　of　the　age；　reality　entered　the　room　in　the　shape　of　a　servant　to　tell　the　duchess　that　her　carriage　was　waiting。　she　wrung　her　hands　in　mock　despair。　〃how　annoying！〃　she　cried。　〃i　must　go。　i　have　to　call　for　my　husband　at　the　club；　to　take　him　to　some　absurd　meeting　at　williss　rooms；　where　he　is　going　to　be　in　the　chair。　if　i　am　late　he　is　sure　to　be　furious；　and　i　couldnt　have　a　scene　in　this　bonnet。　it　is　far　too　fragile。　a　harsh　word　would　ruin　it。　no；　i　must　go；　dear　agatha。　good…bye；　lord　henry；　you　are　quite　delightful　and　dreadfully　demoralizing。　i　am　sure　i　dont　know　what　to　say　about　your　views。　you　must　e　and　dine　with　us　some　night。　tuesday？　are　you　disengaged　tuesday？〃
〃for　you　i　would　throw　over　anybody；　duchess；〃　said　lord　henry　with　a　bow。
〃ah！　that　is　very　nice；　and　very　wrong　of　you；〃　she　cried；　〃so　mind　you　e〃；　and　she　swept　out　of　the　room；　followed　by　lady　agatha　and　the　other　ladies。
when　lord　henry　had　sat　down　again；　mr。　erskine　moved　round；　and　taking　a　chair　close　to　him；　placed　his　hand　upon　his　arm。
〃you　talk　books　away；〃　he　said；　〃why　dont　you　write　one？〃
〃i　am　too　fond　of　reading　books　to　care　to　write　them；　mr。　erskine。　i　should　like　to　write　a　novel　certainly；　a　novel　that　would　be　as　lovely　as　a　persian　carpet　and　as　unreal。　but　there　is　no　literary　public　in　england　for　anything　except　newspapers；　primers；　and　encyclopaedias。　of　all　people　in　the　world　the　english　have　the　least　sense　of　the　beauty　of　literature。〃
〃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。〃
．．
Chapter　4
，小，说"网
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