CHAPTER XVII.
關燈
小
中
大
tshouldwecallyou,Harry?”sheasked.
“HisnameisPrinceParadox,”saidDorian.
“Irecognizehiminaflash,”exclaimedtheduchess.
“Iwon’thearofit,”laughedLordHenry,sinkingintoachair.“Fromalabelthereisnoescape!Irefusethetitle.”
“Royaltiesmaynotabdicate,”fellasawarningfromprettylips.
“Youwishmetodefendmythrone,then?”
“Yes.”
“Igivethetruthsofto-morrow.”
“Ipreferthemistakesofto-day,”sheanswered.
“Youdisarmme,Gladys,”hecried,catchingthewilfulnessofhermood.
“Ofyourshield,Harry,notofyourspear.”
“Inevertiltagainstbeauty,”hesaid,withawaveofhishand.
“Thatisyourerror,Harry,believeme.Youvaluebeautyfartoomuch.”
“Howcanyousaythat?IadmitthatIthinkthatitisbettertobebeautifulthantobegood.Butontheotherhand,nooneismorereadythanIamtoacknowledgethatitisbettertobegoodthantobeugly.”
“Uglinessisoneofthesevendeadlysins,then?”criedtheduchess.“Whatbecomesofyoursimileabouttheorchid?”
“Uglinessisoneofthesevendeadlyvirtues,Gladys.You,asagoodTory,mustnotunderratethem.Beer,theBible,andthesevendeadlyvirtueshavemadeourEnglandwhatsheis.”
“Youdon’tlikeyourcountry,then?”sheasked.
“Iliveinit.”
“Thatyoumaycensureitthebetter.”
“WouldyouhavemetaketheverdictofEuropeonit?”heinquired.
“Whatdotheysayofus?”
“ThatTartuffehasemigratedtoEnglandandopenedashop.”
“Isthatyours,Harry?”
“Igiveittoyou.”
“Icouldnotuseit.Itistootrue.”
“Youneednotbeafraid.Ourcountrymenneverrecognizeadescription.”
“Theyarepractical.”
“Theyaremorecunningthanpractical.Whentheymakeuptheirledger,theybalancestupiditybywealth,andvicebyhypocrisy.”
“Still,wehavedonegreatthings.”
“Greatthingshavebeenthrustonus,Gladys.”
“Wehavecarriedtheirburden.”
“OnlyasfarastheStockExchange.”
Sheshookherhead.“Ibelieveintherace,”she
