CHAPTER XII.

ughofmockerybrokefromthelipsoftheyoungerman.“Youshallseeityourself,to-night!”hecried,seizingalampfromthetable.“Come:itisyourownhandiwork.Whyshouldn’tyoulookatit?Youcantelltheworldallaboutitafterwards,ifyouchoose.Nobodywouldbelieveyou.Iftheydidbelieveyou,theywouldlikemeallthebetterforit.Iknowtheagebetterthanyoudo,thoughyouwillprateaboutitsotediously.Come,Itellyou.Youhavechatteredenoughaboutcorruption.Nowyoushalllookonitfacetoface.” Therewasthemadnessofprideineverywordheuttered.Hestampedhisfootuponthegroundinhisboyishinsolentmanner.Hefeltaterriblejoyatthethoughtthatsomeoneelsewastosharehissecret,andthatthemanwhohadpaintedtheportraitthatwastheoriginofallhisshamewastobeburdenedfortherestofhislifewiththehideousmemoryofwhathehaddone. “Yes,”hecontinued,comingclosertohimandlookingsteadfastlyintohissterneyes,“Ishallshowyoumysoul.YoushallseethethingthatyoufancyonlyGodcansee.” Hallwardstartedback.“Thisisblasphemy,Dorian!”hecried.“Youmustnotsaythingslikethat.Theyarehorrible,andtheydon’tmeananything.” “Youthinkso?”Helaughedagain. “Iknowso.AsforwhatIsaidtoyouto-night,Isaiditforyourgood.YouknowIhavebeenalwaysastanchfriendtoyou.” “Don’ttouchme.Finishwhatyouhavetosay.” Atwistedflashofpainshotacrossthepainter’sface.Hepausedforamoment,andawildfeelingofpitycameoverhim.Afterall,whatrighthadhetopryintothelifeofDorianGray?Ifhehaddoneatitheofwhatwasrumouredabouthim,howmuchhemusthavesuffered!Thenhestraightenedhimselfup,andwalkedovertothefire-place,andstoodthere,lookingattheburninglogswiththeirfrostlikeashesandtheirthrobbingcoresofflame. “Iamwaiting,Basil,”saidtheyoungmaninahardclearvoice. Heturnedround.“WhatIhavetosayisthis,”hecried.“Youmustgivemesomeanswertothesehorriblechargesthataremadeagainstyou.Ifyoutellmethattheyareabsolutelyuntruefrombeginningtoend,Ishallbelieveyou.Denythem,Dorian,denythem!Can’tyouseewhatIamgoingthrough?MyGod!don’ttellmethatyouarebad,andcorrupt,andshameful.” DorianGraysmiled.Therewasacurlofcontemptinhislips.“Comeupstairs,Basil,”hesaidquietly.“Ikeepadiaryofmylifefromdaytoday,anditneverleavestheroominwhichitiswritten.Ishallshowittoyouifyoucomewithme.” “Ishallcomewithyou,Dorian,ifyouwishit.IseeIhavemissedmytrain.Thatmakesnomatter.Icangoto-morrow.Butdon’taskmetoreadanythingto-night.AllIwantisaplainanswertomyquestion.” “Thatshallbegiventoyouupstairs.Icouldnotgiveithere.Youwillnothavetoreadlong.”