道林.格雷的画像 英文版 The Picture of Dorian Gray
奥斯卡.王尔德 Oscar Wilde
CHAPTER IV
"I suppose you have heard the news, Basil?" said Lord Henryon the following evening, as Hallward was shown into a little privateroom at the Bristol where dinner had been laid for three.
"No, Harry, " answered Hallward, giving his hat and coat to the bowingwaiter. "What is it? Nothing about politics, I hope? They don'tinterest me. There is hardly a single person in the House of Commonsworth painting; though many of them would be the better for a littlewhitewashing. "
"Dorian Gray is engaged to be married, " said Lord Henry, watching himas he spoke.
Hallward turned perfectly pale, and a curious look flashed for amoment into his eyes, and then passed away, leaving them dull. "Dorian engaged to be married!" he cried. "Impossible!"
"It is perfectly true. "
"To whom?"
don't want to see Dorian tied tosome vile creature.
"To some little actress or other. "
"I can't believe it. Dorian is far too sensible. "
"Dorian is far too wise not to do foolish things now and then, mydear Basil. "
"Marriage is hardly a thing that one can do now and then, Harry, "said Hallward, smiling.
"Except in America. But I didn't say he was married. I said he wasengaged to be married. There is a great difference. I have adistinct remembrance of being married, but I have no recollection atall of being engaged. I am inclined to think that I never wasengaged. "
"But think of Dorian's birth, and position, and wealth. It would beabsurd for him to marry so much beneath him. "
"If you want him to marry this girl, tell him that, Basil. He issure to do it then. Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing,it is always from the noblest motives. "
"I hope the girl is good, Harry. I don't want to see Dorian tied tosome vile creature, who might degrade his nature and ruin hisintellect. "
"Oh, she is more than good--she is beautiful, " murmured Lord Henry,sipping a glass of vermouth and orange-bitters. "Dorian says she isbeautiful; and he is not often wrong about things of that kind.Your portrait of him has quickened his appreciation of the personalappearance of other people. It has had that excellent effect, amongothers. We are to see her to-night, if that boy doesn't forget hisappointment. "
"But do you approve of it, Harry?" asked Hallward, walking up anddown the room, and biting his lip. "You can't approve of it, really.It is some silly infatuation. "
"I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurdattitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to airour moral prejudices. I never take any notice of what common peoplesay, and I never interfere with what charming people do. If apersonality fascinates me, whatever the personality chooses to do isabsolutely delightful to me. Dorian Gray falls in love with abeautiful girl who acts Shakespeare, and proposes to marry her. Whynot? If he wedded Messalina he would be none the less interesting.You know I am not a champion of marriage. The real drawback tomarriage is that it makes one unselfish. And unselfish people arecolorless. They lack individuality. Still, there are certaintemperaments that marriage makes more complex. They retain theiregotism, and add to it many other egos. They are forced to have morethan one life. They become more highly organized. Besides, everyexperience is of value, and, whatever one may say against marriage,it is certainly an experience. I hope that Dorian Gray will makethis girl his wife, passionately adore her for six months, and thensuddenly become fascinated by some one else. He would be a wonderfulstudy. "
"You don't mean all that, Harry; you know you don't. If DorianGray's life were spoiled, no one would be sorrier than yourself. Youare much better than you pretend to be. "
Lord Henry laughed. "The reason we all like to think so well ofothers is that we are all afraid for ourselves. The basis ofoptimism is sheer terror. We think that we are generous because wecredit our neighbor with those virtues that are likely to benefitourselves. We praise the banker that we may overdraw our account,and find good qualities in the highwayman in the hope that he mayspare our pockets. I mean everything that I have said. I have thegreatest contempt for optimism. And as for a spoiled life, no lifeis spoiled but one whose growth is arrested. If you want to mar anature, you have merely to reform it. But here is Dorian himself.He will tell you more than I can. "
"My dear Harry, my dear Basil, you must both congratulate me!" saidthe boy, throwing off his evening cape with its satin-lined wings,and shaking each of his friends by the hand in turn. "I have neverbeen so happy. Of course it is sudden: all really delightful thingsare. And yet it seems to me to be the one thing I have been lookingfor all my life. " He was flushed with excitement and pleasure, andlooked extraordinarily handsome.
"I hope you will always be very happy, Dorian, " said Hallward, "but Idon't quite forgive you for not having let me know of yourengagement. You let Harry know. "
"And I don't forgive you for being late for dinner, " broke in LordHenry, putting his hand on the lad's shoulder, and smiling as hespoke. "Come, let us sit down and try what the new chef here islike, and then you will tell us how it all came about. "
"There is really not much to tell, " cried Dorian, as they took theirseats at the small round table. "What happened was simply this.After I left you yesterday evening, Harry, I had some dinner at thatcurious little Italian restaurant in Rupert Street, you introduced meto, and went down afterwards to the theatre. Sibyl was playingRosalind. Of course the scenery was dreadful, and the Orlandoabsurd. But Sibyl! You should have seen her! When she came on inher boy's dress she was perfectly wonderful. She wore a moss-coloredvelvet jerkin with cinnamon sleeves, slim brown cross-gartered hose,a dainty little green cap with a hawk's feather caught in a jewel,and a hooded cloak lined with dull red. She had never seemed to memore exquisite. She had all the delicate grace of that Tanagrafigurine that you have in your studio, Basil. Her hair clusteredround her face like dark leaves round a pale rose. As for heracting--well, you will see her to-night. She is simply a bornartist. I sat in the dingy box absolutely enthralled. I forgot thatI was in London and in the nineteenth century. I was away with mylove in a forest that no man had ever seen. After the performancewas over I went behind, and spoke to her. As we were sittingtogether, suddenly there came a look into her eyes that I had neverseen there before. My lips moved towards hers. We kissed eachother. I can't describe to you what I felt at that moment. Itseemed to me that all my life had been narrowed to one perfect pointof rose-colored joy. She trembled all over, and shook like a whitenarcissus. Then she flung herself on her knees and kissed my hands.I feel that I should not tell you all this, but I can't help it. Ofcourse our engagement is a dead secret. She has not even told herown mother. I don't know what my guardians will say. Lord Radley issure to be furious. I don't care. I shall be of age in less than ayear, and then I can do what I like. I have been right, Basil,haven't I, to take my love out of poetry, and to find my wife inShakespeare's plays? Lips that Shakespeare taught to speak havewhispered their secret in my ear. I have had the arms of Rosalindaround me, and kissed Juliet on the mouth. "
"Yes, Dorian, I suppose you were right, " said Hallward, slowly.
"Have you seen her to-day?" asked Lord Henry.
Dorian Gray shook his head. "I left her in the forest of Arden, Ishall find her in an orchard in Verona. "
Lord Henry sipped his champagne in a meditative manner. "At whatparticular point did you mention the word marriage, Dorian? and whatdid she say in answer? Perhaps you forgot all about it. "
"My dear Harry, I did not treat it as a business transaction, and Idid not make any formal proposal. I told her that I loved her, andshe said she was not worthy to be my wife. Not worthy! Why, thewhole world is nothing to me compared to her. "
"Women are wonderfully practical, " murmured Lord Henry, --"much morepractical than we are. In situations of that kind we often forget tosay anything about marriage, and they always remind us. "
Hallward laid his hand upon his arm. "Don't, Harry. You haveannoyed Dorian. He is not like other men. He would never bringmisery upon any one. His nature is too fine for that. "
Lord Henry looked across the table. "Dorian is never annoyed withme, " he answered. "I asked the question for the best reasonpossible, for the only reason, indeed, that excuses one for askingany question, --simple curiosity. I have a theory that it is alwaysthe women who propose to us, and not we who propose to the women,except, of course, in middle-class life. But then the middle classesare not modern. "
Dorian Gray laughed, and tossed his head. "You are quiteincorrigible, Harry; but I don't mind. It is impossible to be angrywith you. When you see Sibyl Vane you will feel that the man whocould wrong her would be a beast without a heart. I cannotunderstand how any one can wish to shame what he loves. I love SibylVane. I wish to place her on a pedestal of gold, and to see theworld worship the woman who is mine. What is marriage? Anirrevocable vow. And it is an irrevocable vow that I want to take.Her trust makes me faithful, her belief makes me good. When I amwith her, I regret all that you have taught me. I become differentfrom what you have known me to be. I am changed, and the mere touchof Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong,fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories. "
"You will always like me, Dorian, " said Lord Henry. "Will you havesome coffee, you fellows?--Waiter, bring coffee, and fine-champagne,and some cigarettes. No: don't mind the cigarettes; I have some. --Basil, I can't allow you to smoke cigars. You must have a cigarette.A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It isexquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can you want?--Yes, Dorian, you will always be fond of me. I represent to you allthe sins you have never had the courage to commit. "
"What nonsense you talk, Harry!" cried Dorian Gray, lighting hiscigarette from a fire-breathing silver dragon that the waiter hadplaced on the table. "Let us go down to the theatre. When you seeSibyl you will have a new ideal of life. She will representsomething to you that you have never known. "
"I have known everything, " said Lord Henry, with a sad look in hiseyes, "but I am always ready for a new emotion. I am afraid thatthere is no such thing, for me at any rate. Still, your wonderfulgirl may thrill me. I love acting. It is so much more real thanlife. Let us go. Dorian, you will come with me. --I am so sorry,Basil, but there is only room for two in the brougham. You mustfollow us in a hansom. "
They got up and put on their coats, sipping their coffee standing.Hallward was silent and preoccupied. There was a gloom over him. Hecould not bear this marriage, and yet it seemed to him to be betterthan many other things that might have happened. After a fewmoments, they all passed down-stairs. He drove off by himself, ashad been arranged, and watched the flashing lights of the littlebrougham in front of him. A strange sense of loss came over him.He felt that Dorian Gray would never again be to him all that hehad been in the past. His eyes darkened, and the crowded flaringstreets became blurred to him. When the cab drew up at the doors ofthe theatre, it seemed to him that he had grown years older.