道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　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