CHAPTER I.

eltthatIwasgrowingpale.Acurioussensationofterrorcameoverme.IknewthatIhadcomefacetofacewithsomeonewhosemerepersonalitywassofascinatingthat,ifIallowedittodoso,itwouldabsorbmywholenature,mywholesoul,myveryartitself.Ididnotwantanyexternalinfluenceinmylife.Youknowyourself,Harry,howindependentIambynature.Ihavealwaysbeenmyownmasterhadatleastalwaysbeenso,tillImetDorianGray.Then—butIdon’tknowhowtoexplainittoyou.SomethingseemedtotellmethatIwasonthevergeofaterriblecrisisinmylife.Ihadastrangefeelingthatfatehadinstoreformeexquisitejoysandexquisitesorrows.Igrewafraidandturnedtoquittheroom.Itwasnotconsciencethatmademedoso:itwasasortofcowardice.Itakenocredittomyselffortryingtoescape.” “Conscienceandcowardicearereallythesamethings,Basil.Conscienceisthetrade-nameofthefirm.Thatisall.” “Idon’tbelievethat,Harry,andIdon’tbelieveyoudoeither.However,whateverwasmymotive—anditmayhavebeenpride,forIusedtobeveryproud—Icertainlystruggledtothedoor.There,ofcourse,IstumbledagainstLadyBrandon.‘Youarenotgoingtorunawaysosoon,Mr.Hallward?’shescreamedout.Youknowhercuriouslyshrillvoice?” “Yessheisapeacockineverythingbutbeauty,”saidLordHenry,pullingthedaisytobitswithhislongnervousfingers. “Icouldnotgetridofher.Shebroughtmeuptoroyalties,andpeoplewithstarsandgarters,andelderlyladieswithgigantictiarasandparrotnoses.Shespokeofmeasherdearestfriend.Ihadonlymetheroncebefore,butshetookitintoherheadtolionizeme.Ibelievesomepictureofminehadmadeagreatsuccessatthetime,atleasthadbeenchatteredaboutinthepennynewspapers,whichisthenineteenth-centurystandardofimmortality.SuddenlyIfoundmyselffacetofacewiththeyoungmanwhosepersonalityhadsostrangelystirredme.Wewerequiteclose,almosttouching.Oureyesmetagain.Itwasrecklessofme,butIaskedLadyBrandontointroducemetohim.Perhapsitwasnotsoreckless,afterall.Itwassimplyinevitable.Wewouldhavespokentoeachotherwithoutanyintroduction.Iamsureofthat.Doriantoldmesoafterwards.He,too,feltthatweweredestinedtoknoweachother.” “AndhowdidLadyBrandondescribethiswonderfulyoungman?”askedhiscompanion.“Iknowshegoesinforgivingarapidprécisofallherguests.Irememberherbringingmeuptoatruculentandred-facedoldgentlemancoveredalloverwithordersandribbons,andhissingintomyear,inatragicwhisperwhichmusthavebeenperfectlyaudibletoeverybodyintheroom,themostastoundingdetails.Isimplyfled.Iliketofindoutpeopleformyself.ButLadyBrandontreatsherguestsexactlyasanauctioneertreatshisgoods.Sheeitherexplainsthementirelyaway,ortellsoneeverythingaboutthemexceptwhatonewantstoknow.” “PoorLadyBrandon!Youarehardonher,Harry!”saidHallwardlistlessly. “Mydearfellow,shetriedtofoundasalon,andonlysucceededinopeningarestaurant.HowcouldIadmireher?Buttellme,whatdidshesayaboutMr.DorianGray?” “Oh,somethinglike,‘Charmingboy—poordearmotherandIabsolutelyinseparable.Quiteforgetwhathedoes—afraidhe—doesn’tdoanything—oh,yes,playsthepiano—orisittheviolin,dearMr.Gray?’Neitherofuscouldhelplaughing,andwebecamefriendsatonce.” “Laughterisnotatallabadbeginningforafriendship,anditisfarthebestendingforone,”saidtheyounglord,pluckinganotherdaisy. Hallwardshookhishead.“Youdon’tunderstandwhatfriendshipis,Harry,”hemurmured—“orwhatenmityis,forthatmatter.Youlikeeveryonethatistosay,youareindifferenttoeveryone.” “Howhorriblyunjustofyou!”criedLordHenry,tiltinghishatbackandlookingupatthelittlecloudsthat,likeravelledskeinsofglossywhitesilk,weredriftingacrossthehollowedturquoiseofthesummersky.“Yeshorriblyunjustofyou.Imakeagreatdifferencebetweenpeople.Ichoosemyfriendsfortheirgoodlooks,myacquaintancesfortheirgoodcharacters,andmyenemiesfortheirgoodintellects.Amancannotbetoocarefulinthechoiceofhisenemies.Ihavenotgotonewhoisafool.Theyareallmenofsomeintellectualpower,andconsequentlytheyallappreciateme.Isthatveryvainofme?Ithinkitisrathervain.” “Ishouldthinkitwas,Harry.ButaccordingtoyourcategoryImustbemerelyanacquaintance.” “MydearoldBasil,youaremuchmorethananacquaintance.” “Andmuchlessthanafriend.Asortofbrother,Isuppose?” “Oh,brothers!Idon’tcareforbrothers.Myelderbrotherwon’tdie,andmyyoungerbrothersseemnevertodoanythingelse.” “Harry!”exclaimedHallward,frowning. “Mydearfellow,Iamnotquiteserious.ButIcan’thelpdetestingmyrelations.Isupposeitcomesfromthefactthatnoneofuscanstandotherpeoplehavingthesamefaultsasourselves.IquitesympathizewiththerageoftheEnglishdemocracyagainstwhattheycallthevicesoftheupperorders.Themassesfeelthatdrunkenness,stupidity,andimmoralityshouldbetheirownspecialpropert