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never bring misery upon any one。 his nature is too fine for that。〃
lord henry looked across the table。 〃dorian is never annoyed with me；〃 be answered。 〃i asked the question for the best reason possible； for the only reason； indeed； that excuses one for asking any question simple curiosity。 i have a theory that it is always the women who propose to us； and not we who propose to the women。 except； of course； in middle…class life。 but then the middle classes are not modern。〃
dorian gray laughed； and tossed his head。 〃you are quite incorrigible； harry； but i dont mind。 it is impossible to be angry with you。 when you see sibyl vane； you will feel that the man who could wrong her would be a beast； a beast without a heart。 i cannot understand how any one can wish to shame the thing he loves。 i love sibyl vane。 i want to place her on a pedestal of gold and to see the world worship the woman who is mine。 what is marriage？ an irrevocable vow。 you mock at it for that。 ah！ dont mock。 it is an irrevocable vow that i want to take。 her trust makes me faithful； her belief makes me good。 when i am with her； i regret all that you have taught me。 i bee different from what you have known me to be。 i am changed； and the mere touch of sibyl vanes hand makes me forget you and all your wrong； fascinating； poisonous； delightful theories。〃
〃and those are 。。。 ？〃 asked lord henry； helping himself to some salad。
〃oh； your theories about life； your theories about love； your theories about pleasure。 all your theories； in fact； harry。〃
〃pleasure is the only thing worth having a theory about；〃 he answered in his slow melodious voice。 〃but i am afraid i cannot claim my theory as my own。 it belongs to nature； not to me。 pleasure is natures test； her sign of approval。 when we are happy； we are always good； but when we are good； we are not always happy。〃
〃ah！ but what do you mean by good？〃 cried basil hallward。
〃yes；〃 echoed dorian； leaning back in his chair and looking at lord henry over the heavy clusters of purple…lipped irises that stood in the centre of the table； 〃what do you mean by good； harry？〃
〃to be good is to be in harmony with ones self；〃 he replied； touching the thin stem of his glass with his pale； fine…pointed fingers。 〃discord is to be forced to be in harmony with others。 ones own lifethat is the important thing。 as for the lives of ones neighbours； if one wishes to be a prig or a puritan； one can flaunt ones moral views about them； but they are not ones concern。 besides； individualism has really the higher aim。 modern morality consists in accepting the standard of ones age。 i consider that for any man of culture to accept the standard of his age is a form of the grossest immorality。〃
〃but； surely； if one lives merely for ones self； harry； one pays a terrible price for doing so？〃 suggested the painter。
〃yes； we are overcharged for everything nowadays。 i should fancy that the real tragedy of the poor is that they can afford nothing but self…denial。 beautiful sins； like beautiful things； are the privilege of the rich。〃
〃one has to pay in other ways but money。〃
〃what sort of ways； basil？〃
〃oh！ i should fancy in remorse； in suffering； in 。 。 。 well； in the consciousness of degradation。〃
lord henry shrugged his shoulders。 〃my dear fellow； mediaeval art is charming； but mediaeval emotions are out of date。 one can use them in fiction； of course。 but then the only things that one can use in fiction are the things that one has ceased to use in fact。 believe me； no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure； and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is。〃
〃i know what pleasure is；〃 cried dorian gray。 〃it is to adore some one。〃
〃that is certainly better than being adored；〃 he answered； toying with some fruits。 〃being adored is a nuisance。 women treat us just as humanity treats its gods。 they worship us； and are always bothering us to do something for them。〃
〃i should have said that whatever they ask for they had first given to us；〃 murmured the lad gravely。 〃they create love in our natures。 they have a right to demand it back。〃
〃that is quite true； dorian；〃 cried hallward。
〃nothing is ever quite true；〃 said lord henry。
〃this is；〃 interrupted dorian。 〃you must admit； harry； that women give to men the very gold of their lives。〃
〃possibly；〃 he sighed； 〃but they invariably want it back in such very small change。 that is the worry。 women； as some witty frenchman once put it； inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces and always prevent us from carrying them out。〃
〃harry； you are dreadful！ i dont know why i like you so much。〃
〃you will always like me； dorian；〃 he replied。 〃will you have some coffee； you fellows？ waiter； bring coffee； and fine…champagne； and some cigarettes。 no； dont mind the cigarettesi have some。 basil； i cant allow you to smoke cigars。 you must have a cigarette。 a cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure。 it is exquisite； and it leaves one unsatisfied。 what more can one want？ yes； dorian； you will always be fond of me。 i represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to mit。〃
〃what nonsense you talk； harry！〃 cried the lad； taking a light from a fire…breathing silver dragon that the waiter had placed on the table。 〃let us go down to the theatre。 when sibyl es on the stage you will have a new ideal of life。 she will represent something to you that you have never known。〃
〃i have known everything；〃 said lord henry； with a tired look in his eyes； 〃but i am always ready for a new emotion。 i am afraid； however； that； for me at any rate； there is no such thing。 still； your wonderful girl may thrill me。 i love acting。 it is so much more real than life。 let us go。 dorian； you will e with me。 i am so sorry； basil； but there is only room for two in the brougham。 you must follow us in a hansom。〃
they got up and put on their coats； sipping their coffee standing。 the painter was silent and preoccupied。 there was a gloom over him。 he could not bear this marriage； and yet it seemed to him to be better than many other things that might have happened。 after a few minutes； they all passed downstairs。 he drove off by himself； as had been arranged； and watched the flashing lights of the little brougham 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 he had been in the past。 life had e between them。。。。 his eyes darkened； and the crowded flaring streets became blurred to his eyes。 when the cab drew up at the theatre； it seemed to him that he had grown years older。
w w w。 xiao shuotxt。 co m
Chapter 7
銆�灏彙�/璇淬�倀xt澶╁爞
chapter 7
for some reason or other； the house was crowded that night； and the fat jew manager who met them at the door was beaming from ear to ear with an oily tremulous smile。 he escorted them to their box with a sort of pompous humility； waving his fat jewelled hands and talking at the top of his voice。 dorian gray loathed him more than ever。 he felt as if he had e to look for miranda and had been met by caliban。 lord henry； upon the other hand； rather liked him。 at least he declared he did； and insisted on shaking him by the hand and assuring him that he was proud to meet a man who had discovered a real genius and gone bankrupt over a poet。 hallward amused himself with watching the faces in the pit。 the heat was terribly oppressive； and the huge sunlight flamed like a monstrous dahlia with petals of yellow fire。 the youths in the gallery had taken off their coats and waistcoats and hung them over the side。 they talked to each other across the theatre and shared their oranges with the tawdry girls who sat beside them。 some women were laughing in the pit。 their voices were horribly shrill and discordant。 the sound of the popping of corks came from the bar。
〃what a place to find ones divinity in！〃 said lord henry。
〃yes！〃 answered dorian gray。 〃it was here i found her； and she is divine beyond all living things。 when she acts； you will forget everything。 these mon rough people； with their coarse faces and brutal gestures； bee quite different when she is on the stage。 they sit silently and watch her。 they weep and laugh as she wills them to do。 she makes them as responsive as a violin。 she spiritualizes them； and one feels that they are of the same flesh and blood as ones self。〃
〃the same flesh and blood as ones self！ oh； i hope not！〃 exclaimed lord henry； who was scanning the occupants of the gallery through his opera…glass。
〃dont pay any attention to him； dorian；〃 said the painter。 〃i understand what you mean； and i believe in this girl。 any one you love must be marvellous； and any girl who has the effect you describe must be fine and noble。 to spiritualize ones agethat is something worth doing。 if this girl can give a soul to those who have lived without one； if she can create the sense of beauty in people whose lives have been sordid and ugly； if she can strip them of their selfishness and lend them tears for sorrows that are not their own； she is worthy of all your adoration； worthy of the adoration of the world。 this marriage is quite right。 i did not think so at first； but i admit it now。 the gods made sibyl vane for you。 without her you would have be