CHAPTER XI.

eswithversesfromtheKoran.Itssupportswereofsilvergilt,beautifullychased,andprofuselysetwithenamelledandjewelledmedallions.IthadbeentakenfromtheTurkishcampbeforeVienna,andthestandardofMohammedhadstoodbeneaththetremulousgiltofitscanopy. Andso,forawholeyear,hesoughttoaccumulatethemostexquisitespecimensthathecouldfindoftextileandembroideredwork,gettingthedaintyDelhimuslins,finelywroughtwithgold-threadpalmatesandstitchedoverwithiridescentbeetles’wingstheDaccagauzes,thatfromtheirtransparencyareknownintheEastas“wovenair,”and“runningwater,”and“eveningdew”strangefiguredclothsfromJavaelaborateyellowChinesehangingsbooksboundintawnysatinsorfairbluesilksandwroughtwithfleurs-de-lis,birdsandimagesveilsoflacisworkedinHungarypointSicilianbrocadesandstiffSpanishvelvetsGeorgianwork,withitsgiltcoins,andJapaneseFoukousas,withtheirgreen-tonedgoldsandtheirmarvellouslyplumagedbirds. Hehadaspecialpassion,also,forecclesiasticalvestments,asindeedhehadforeverythingconnectedwiththeserviceoftheChurch.Inthelongcedarcheststhatlinedthewestgalleryofhishouse,hehadstoredawaymanyrareandbeautifulspecimensofwhatisreallytheraimentoftheBrideofChrist,whomustwearpurpleandjewelsandfinelinenthatshemayhidethepallidmaceratedbodythatiswornbythesufferingthatsheseeksforandwoundedbyself-inflictedpain.Hepossessedagorgeouscopeofcrimsonsilkandgold-threaddamask,figuredwitharepeatingpatternofgoldenpomegranatessetinsix-petalledformalblossoms,beyondwhichoneithersidewasthepine-appledevicewroughtinseed-pearls.TheorphreysweredividedintopanelsrepresentingscenesfromthelifeoftheVirgin,andthecoronationoftheVirginwasfiguredincolouredsilksuponthehood.ThiswasItalianworkofthefifteenthcentury.Anothercopewasofgreenvelvet,embroideredwithheart-shapedgroupsofacanthus-leaves,fromwhichspreadlong-stemmedwhiteblossoms,thedetailsofwhichwerepickedoutwithsilverthreadandcolouredcrystals.Themorseboreaseraph’sheadingold-threadraisedwork.Theorphreyswerewoveninadiaperofredandgoldsilk,andwerestarredwithmedallionsofmanysaintsandmartyrs,amongwhomwasSt.Sebastian.Hehadchasubles,also,ofamber-colouredsilk,andbluesilkandgoldbrocade,andyellowsilkdamaskandclothofgold,figuredwithrepresentationsofthePassionandCrucifixionofChrist,andembroideredwithlionsandpeacocksandotheremblemsdalmaticsofwhitesatinandpinksilkdamask,decoratedwithtulipsanddolphinsandfleurs-de-lisaltarfrontalsofcrimsonvelvetandbluelinenandmanycorporals,chalice-veils,andsudaria.Inthemysticofficestowhichsuchthingswereput,therewassomethingthatquickenedhisimagination. Forthesetreasures,andeverythingthathecollectedinhislovelyhouse,weretobetohimmeansofforgetfulness,modesbywhichhecouldescape,foraseason,fromthefearthatseemedtohimattimestobealmosttoogreattobeborne.Uponthewallsofthelonelylockedroomwherehehadspentsomuchofhisboyhood,hehadhungwithhisownhandstheterribleportraitwhosechangingfeaturesshowedhimtherealdegradationofhislife,andinfrontofithaddrapedthepurple-and-goldpallasacurtain.Forweekshewouldnotgothere,wouldforgetthehideouspaintedthing,andgetbackhislightheart,hiswonderfuljoyousness,hispassionateabsorptioninmereexistence.Then,suddenly,somenighthewouldcreepoutofthehouse,godowntodreadfulplacesnearBlueGateFields,andstaythere,dayafterday,untilhewasdrivenaway.Onhisreturnhewouldsitinfrontofthepicture,sometimesloathingitandhimself,butfilled,atothertimes,withthatprideofindividualismthatishalfthefascinationofsin,andsmilingwithsecretpleasureatthemisshapenshadowthathadtobeartheburdenthatshouldhavebeenhisown. AfterafewyearshecouldnotenduretobelongoutofEngland,andgaveupthevillathathehadsharedatTrouvillewithLordHenry,aswellasthelittlewhitewalled-inhouseatAlgierswheretheyhadmorethanoncespentthewinter.Hehatedtobeseparatedfromthepicturethatwassuchapartofhislife,andwasalsoafraidthatduringhisabsencesomeonemightgainaccesstotheroom,inspiteoftheelaboratebarsthathehadcausedtobeplaceduponthedoor. Hewasquiteconsciousthatthiswouldtellthemnothing.Itwastruethattheportraitstillpreserved,underallthefoulnessanduglinessoftheface,itsmarkedlikenesstohimselfbutwhatcouldtheylearnfromthat?Hewouldlaughatanyonewhotriedtotaunthim.Hehadnotpaintedit.Whatwasittohimhowvileandfullofshameitlooked?Evenifhetoldthem,wouldtheybelieveit? Yethewasafraid.SometimeswhenhewasdownathisgreathouseinNottinghamshire,entertainingthefashionableyoungmenofhisownrankwhowerehischiefcompanions,andastoundingthecountybythewantonluxuryandgorgeoussplendourofhismodeoflife,hewouldsuddenlyleavehisguestsandrushbacktotowntoseethatthedoorhadnotbeentamperedwithandthatthepicturewasstillthere.Whatifitshouldbestolen?Themerethoughtmadehimcoldwithhorror.Surelytheworldwouldknowhissecretthen.Perhapstheworldalreadysuspectedit. For,whilehefascinatedmany,therewerenotafewwhodistrustedhim.HewasverynearlyblackballedataWestEndclubofwhichhisbirthandsocialpositionfullyentitledhimtobecomeamember,anditwassaidthatononeoccasion,whenhewasbroughtbyafriendintothesmoking-roomoftheChurchill,theDukeofBerwickandanothergentlemangotupinamarkedmannerandwentout.Curiousstoriesbecamecurrentabouthimafterhehadpassedhistwenty-fifthyear.ItwasrumouredthathehadbeenseenbrawlingwithforeignsailorsinalowdeninthedistantpartsofWhitechapel,andthatheconsortedwiththievesandcoinersandknewthemysteriesoftheirtrade.Hisextraordinaryabsencesbecamenotorious,and,whenheusedtoreappearagaininsociety,menwouldwhispertoeachotherincorners,orpasshimwithasneer,orlookathimwithcoldsearchingeyes,asthoughtheyweredeterminedtodiscoverhissecret. Ofsuchinsolencesandattemptedslightshe,ofcourse,tooknonotice,andintheopinionofmostpeoplehisfrankdebonairmanner,hischarmingboyishsmile,andtheinfinitegraceofthatwonderfulyouththatseemednevertoleavehim,wereinthemselvesasufficientanswertothecalumnies,forsotheytermedthem,thatwerecirculatedabouthim.Itwasremarked,however,thatsomeofthosewhohadbeenmostintimatewithhimappeared,afteratime,toshunhim.Womenwhohadwildlyadoredhim,andforhissakehadbravedallsocialcensureandsetconventionatdefiance,wereseentogrowpallidwithshameorhorrorifDorianGrayenteredtheroom. Yetthesewhisperedscandalsonlyincreasedintheeyesofmanyhisstrangeanddangerouscharm.Hisgreatwealthwasacertainelementofsecurity.Society—civilizedsociety,atleast—isneververyreadytobelieveanythingtothedetrimentofthosewhoarebothrichandfascinating.Itfeelsinstinctivelythatmannersareofmoreimportancethanmorals,and,initsopinion,thehighestrespectabilityisofmuchlessvaluethanthepossessionofagoodchef.And,afterall,itisaverypoorconsolationtobetoldthatthemanwhohasgivenoneabaddinner,orpoorwine,isirreproachableinhisprivatelife.Eventhecardinalvirtuescannotatoneforhalf-coldentrées,asLordHenryremarkedonce,inadiscussiononthesubject,andthereispossiblyagooddealtobesaidforhisview.Forthecanonsofgoodsocietyare,orshouldbe,thesameasthecanonsofart.Formisabsolutelyessentialtoit.Itshouldhavethedignityofaceremony,aswellasitsunreality,andshouldcombinetheinsincerecharacterofaromanticplaywiththewitandbeautythatmakesuchplaysdelightfultous.Isinsinceritysuchaterriblething?Ithinknot