《道林格雷的画像》第62章

fied　with　my　own　name；　and　i　am　sure　mr。　gray　should　be　satisfied　with　his。〃
〃my　dear　gladys；　i　would　not　alter　either　name　for　the　world。　they　are　both　perfect。　i　was　thinking　chiefly　of　flowers。　yesterday　i　cut　an　orchid；　for　my　button…hole。　it　was　a　marvellous　spotted　thing；　as　effective　as　the　seven　deadly　sins。　in　a　thoughtless　moment　i　asked　one　of　the　gardeners　what　it　was　called。　he　told　me　it　was　a　fine　specimen　of　robinsoniana；　or　something　dreadful　of　that　kind。　it　is　a　sad　truth；　but　we　have　lost　the　faculty　of　giving　lovely　names　to　things。　names　are　everything。　i　never　quarrel　with　actions。　my　one　quarrel　is　with　words。　that　is　the　reason　i　hate　vulgar　realism　in　literature。　the　man　who　could　call　a　spade　a　spade　should　be　pelled　to　use　one。　it　is　the　only　thing　he　is　fit　for。〃
〃then　what　should　we　call　you；　harry？〃　she　asked。
〃his　name　is　prince　paradox；〃　said　dorian。
〃i　recognize　him　in　a　flash；〃　exclaimed　the　duchess。
〃i　wont　hear　of　it；〃　laughed　lord　henry；　sinking　into　a　chair。　〃from　a　label　there　is　no　escape！　i　refuse　the　title。〃
〃royalties　may　not　abdicate；〃　fell　as　a　warning　from　pretty　lips。
〃you　wish　me　to　defend　my　throne；　then？〃
〃yes。
〃i　give　the　truths　of　to…morrow。〃
〃i　prefer　the　mistakes　of　to…day；〃　she　answered。
〃you　disarm　me；　gladys；〃　he　cried；　catching　the　wilfulness　of　her　mood。
〃of　your　shield；　harry；　not　of　your　spear。〃
〃i　never　tilt　against　beauty；〃　he　said；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。
〃that　is　your　error；　harry；　believe　me。　you　value　beauty　far　too　much。〃
〃how　can　you　say　that？　i　admit　that　i　think　that　it　is　better　to　be　beautiful　than　to　be　good。　but　on　the　other　hand；　no　one　is　more　ready　than　i　am　to　acknowledge　that　it　is　better　to　be　good　than　to　be　ugly。〃
〃ugliness　is　one　of　the　seven　deadly　sins；　then？〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃what　bees　of　your　simile　about　the　orchid？〃
〃ugliness　is　one　of　the　seven　deadly　virtues；　gladys。　you；　as　a　good　tory；　must　not　underrate　them。　beer；　the　bible；　and　the　seven　deadly　virtues　have　made　our　england　what　she　is。〃
〃you　dont　like　your　country；　then？〃　she　asked。
〃i　live　in　it。〃
〃that　you　may　censure　it　the　better。〃
〃would　you　have　me　take　the　verdict　of　europe　on　it？〃　he　inquired。
〃what　do　they　say　of　us？〃
〃that　tartuffe　has　emigrated　to　england　and　opened　a　shop。〃
〃is　that　yours；　harry？〃
〃i　give　it　to　you。〃
〃i　could　not　use　it。　it　is　too　true。〃
〃you　need　not　be　afraid。　our　countrymen　never　recognize　a　description。〃
〃they　are　practical。〃
〃they　are　more　cunning　than　practical。　when　they　make　up　their　ledger；　they　balance　stupidity　by　wealth；　and　vice　by　hypocrisy。〃
〃still；　we　have　done　great　things。〃
〃great　things　have　been　thrust　on　us；　gladys。〃
〃we　have　carried　their　burden。〃
〃only　as　far　as　the　stock　exchange。〃
she　shook　her　head。　〃i　believe　in　the　race；〃　she　cried。
〃it　represents　the　survival　of　the　pushing。〃
〃it　has　development。〃
〃decay　fascinates　me　more。〃
〃what　of　art？〃　she　asked。
〃it　is　a　malady。〃
〃love？〃
〃an　illusion。〃
〃religion？〃
〃the　fashionable　substitute　for　belief。〃
〃you　are　a　sceptic。〃
〃never！　scepticism　is　the　beginning　of　faith。〃
〃what　are　you？〃
〃to　define　is　to　limit。〃
〃give　me　a　clue。〃
〃threads　snap。　you　would　lose　your　way　in　the　labyrinth。〃
〃you　bewilder　me。　let　us　talk　of　some　one　else。〃
〃our　host　is　a　delightful　topic。　years　ago　he　was　christened　prince　charming。〃
〃ah！　dont　remind　me　of　that；〃　cried　dorian　gray。
〃our　host　is　rather　horrid　this　evening；〃　answered　the　duchess；　colouring。　〃i　believe　he　thinks　that　monmouth　married　me　on　purely　scientific　principles　as　the　best　specimen　he　could　find　of　a　modern　butterfly。〃
〃well；　i　hope　he　wont　stick　pins　into　you；　duchess；〃　laughed　dorian。
〃oh！　my　maid　does　that　already；　mr。　gray；　when　she　is　annoyed　with　me。〃
〃and　what　does　she　get　annoyed　with　you　about；　duchess？〃
〃for　the　most　trivial　things；　mr。　gray；　i　assure　you。　usually　because　i　e　in　at　ten　minutes　to　nine　and　tell　her　that　i　must　be　dressed　by　half…past　eight。〃
〃how　unreasonable　of　her！　you　should　give　her　warning。〃
〃i　darent；　mr。　gray。　why；　she　invents　hats　for　me。　you　remember　the　one　i　wore　at　lady　hilstones　garden…party？　you　dont；　but　it　is　nice　of　you　to　pretend　that　you　do。　well；　she　made　if　out　of　nothing。　all　good　hats　are　made　out　of　nothing。〃
〃like　all　good　reputations；　gladys；〃　interrupted　lord　henry。　〃every　effect　that　one　produces　gives　one　an　enemy。　to　be　popular　one　must　be　a　mediocrity。〃
〃not　with　women；〃　said　the　duchess；　shaking　her　head；　〃and　women　rule　the　world。　i　assure　you　we　cant　bear　mediocrities。　we　women；　as　some　one　says；　love　with　our　ears；　just　as　you　men　love　with　your　eyes；　if　you　ever　love　at　all。〃
〃it　seems　to　me　that　we　never　do　anything　else；〃　murmured　dorian。
〃ah！　then；　you　never　really　love；　mr。　gray；〃　answered　the　duchess　with　mock　sadness。
〃my　dear　gladys！〃　cried　lord　henry。　〃how　can　you　say　that？　romance　lives　by　repetition；　and　repetition　converts　an　appetite　into　an　art。　besides；　each　time　that　one　loves　is　the　only　time　one　has　ever　loved。　difference　of　object　does　not　alter　singleness　of　passion。　it　merely　intensifies　it。　we　can　have　in　life　but　one　great　experience　at　best；　and　the　secret　of　life　is　to　reproduce　that　experience　as　often　as　possible。〃
〃even　when　one　has　been　wounded　by　it；　harry？〃　asked　the　duchess　after　a　pause。
〃especially　when　one　has　been　wounded　by　it；〃　answered　lord　henry。
the　duchess　turned　and　looked　at　dorian　gray　with　a　curious　expression　in　her　eyes。　〃what　do　you　say　to　that；　mr。　gray？〃　she　inquired。
dorian　hesitated　for　a　moment。　then　he　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。　〃i　always　agree　with　harry；　duchess。〃
〃even　when　he　is　wrong？〃
〃harry　is　never　wrong；　duchess。〃
〃and　does　his　philosophy　make　you　happy？〃
〃i　have　never　searched　for　happiness。　who　wants　happiness？　i　have　searched　for　pleasure。〃
〃and　found　it；　mr。　gray？〃
〃often。　too　often。〃
the　duchess　sighed。　〃i　am　searching　for　peace；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　i　dont　go　and　dress；　i　shall　have　none　this　evening。〃
〃let　me　get　you　some　orchids；　duchess；〃　cried　dorian；　starting　to　his　feet