《道林格雷的画像》第63章

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　and　walking　down　the　conservatory。
〃you　are　flirting　disgracefully　with　him；〃　said　lord　henry　to　his　cousin。　〃you　had　better　take　care。　he　is　very　fascinating。〃
〃if　he　were　not；　there　would　be　no　battle。〃
〃greek　meets　greek；　then？〃
〃i　am　on　the　side　of　the　trojans。　they　fought　for　a　woman。〃
〃they　were　defeated。〃
〃there　are　worse　things　than　capture；〃　she　answered。
〃you　gallop　with　a　loose　rein。〃
〃pace　gives　life；〃　was　the　riposte。
〃i　shall　write　it　in　my　diary　to…night。〃
〃what？〃
〃that　a　burnt　child　loves　the　fire。〃
〃i　am　not　even　singed。　my　wings　are　untouched。〃
〃you　use　them　for　everything；　except　flight。〃
〃courage　has　passed　from　men　to　women。　it　is　a　new　experience　for　us。〃
〃you　have　a　rival。〃
〃who？〃
he　laughed。　〃lady　narborough；〃　he　whispered。　〃she　perfectly　adores　him。〃
〃you　fill　me　with　apprehension。　the　appeal　to　antiquity　is　fatal　to　us　who　are　romanticists。〃
〃romanticists！　you　have　all　the　methods　of　science。〃
〃men　have　educated　us。〃
〃but　not　explained　you。〃
〃describe　us　as　a　sex；〃　was　her　challenge。
〃sphinxes　without　secrets。〃
she　looked　at　him；　smiling。　〃how　long　mr。　gray　is！〃　she　said。　〃let　us　go　and　help　him。　i　have　not　yet　told　him　the　colour　of　my　frock。〃
〃ah！　you　must　suit　your　frock　to　his　flowers；　gladys。〃
〃that　would　be　a　premature　surrender。〃
〃romantic　art　begins　with　its　climax。〃
〃i　must　keep　an　opportunity　for　retreat。〃
〃in　the　parthian　manner？〃
〃they　found　safety　in　the　desert。　i　could　not　do　that。〃
〃women　are　not　always　allowed　a　choice；〃　he　answered；　but　hardly　had　he　finished　the　sentence　before　from　the　far　end　of　the　conservatory　came　a　stifled　groan；　followed　by　the　dull　sound　of　a　heavy　fall。　everybody　started　up。　the　duchess　stood　motionless　in　horror。　and　with　fear　in　his　eyes；　lord　henry　rushed　through　the　flapping　palms　to　find　dorian　gray　lying　face　downwards　on　the　tiled　floor　in　a　deathlike　swoon。
he　was　carried　at　once　into　the　blue　drawing…room　and　laid　upon　one　of　the　sofas。　after　a　short　time；　he　came　to　himself　and　looked　round　with　a　dazed　expression。
〃what　has　happened？〃　he　asked。　〃oh！　i　remember。　am　i　safe　here；　harry？〃　he　began　to　tremble。
〃my　dear　dorian；〃　answered　lord　henry；　〃you　merely　fainted。　that　was　all。　you　must　have　overtired　yourself。　you　had　better　not　e　down　to　dinner。　i　will　take　your　place。〃
〃no；　i　will　e　down；〃　he　said；　struggling　to　his　feet。　〃i　would　rather　e　down。　i　must　not　be　alone。〃
he　went　to　his　room　and　dressed。　there　was　a　wild　recklessness　of　gaiety　in　his　manner　as　he　sat　at　table；　but　now　and　then　a　thrill　of　terror　ran　through　him　when　he　remembered　that；　pressed　against　the　window　of　the　conservatory；　like　a　white　handkerchief；　he　had　seen　the　face　of　james　vane　watching　him。
Chapter　18
；小；说；〃；网
chapter　18
the　next　day　he　did　not　leave　the　house；　and；　indeed；　spent　most　of　the　time　in　his　own　room；　sick　with　a　wild　terror　of　dying；　and　yet　indifferent　to　life　itself。　the　consciousness　of　being　hunted；　snared；　tracked　down；　had　begun　to　dominate　him。　if　the　tapestry　did　but　tremble　in　the　wind；　he　shook。　the　dead　leaves　that　were　blown　against　the　leaded　panes　seemed　to　him　like　his　own　wasted　resolutions　and　wild　regrets。　when　he　closed　his　eyes；　he　saw　again　the　sailors　face　peering　through　the　mist…stained　glass；　and　horror　seemed　once　more　to　lay　its　hand　upon　his　heart。
but　perhaps　it　had　been　only　his　fancy　that　had　called　vengeance　out　of　the　night　and　set　the　hideous　shapes　of　punishment　before　him。　actual　life　was　chaos；　but　there　was　something　terribly　logical　in　the　imagination。　it　was　the　imagination　that　set　remorse　to　dog　the　feet　of　sin。　it　was　the　imagination　that　made　each　crime　bear　its　misshapen　brood。　in　the　mon　world　of　fact　the　wicked　were　not　punished；　nor　the　good　rewarded。　success　was　given　to　the　strong；　failure　thrust　upon　the　weak。　that　was　all。　besides；　had　any　stranger　been　prowling　round　the　house；　he　would　have　been　seen　by　the　servants　or　the　keepers。　had　any　foot…marks　been　found　on　the　flower…beds；　the　gardeners　would　have　reported　it。　yes；　it　had　been　merely　fancy。　sibyl　vanes　brother　had　not　e　back　to　kill　him。　he　had　sailed　away　in　his　ship　to　founder　in　some　winter　sea。　from　him；　at　any　rate；　he　was　safe。　why；　the　man　did　not　know　who　he　was；　could　not　know　who　he　was。　the　mask　of　youth　had　saved　him。
and　yet　if　it　had　been　merely　an　illusion；　how　terrible　it　was　to　think　that　conscience　could　raise　such　fearful　phantoms；　and　give　them　visible　form；　and　make　them　move　before　one！　what　sort　of　life　would　his　be　if；　day　and　night；　shadows　of　his　crime　were　to　peer　at　him　from　silent　corners；　to　mock　him　from　secret　places；　to　whisper　in　his　ear　as　he　sat　at　the　feast；　to　wake　him　with　icy　fingers　as　he　lay　asleep！　as　the　thought　crept　through　his　brain；　he　grew　pale　with　terror；　and　the　air　seemed　to　him　to　have　bee　suddenly　colder。　oh！　in　what　a　wild　hour　of　madness　he　had　killed　his　friend！　how　ghastly　the　mere　memory　of　the　scene！　he　saw　it　all　again。　each　hideous　detail　came　back　to　him　with　added　horror。　out　of　the　black　cave　of　time；　terrible　and　swathed　in　scarlet；　rose　the　image　of　his　sin。　when　lord　henry　came　in　at　six　oclock；　he　found　him　crying　as　one　whose　heart　will　break。
it　was　not　till　the　third　day　that　he　ventured　to　go　out。　there　was　something　in　the　clear；　pine…scented　air　of　that　winter　morning　that　seemed　to　bring　him　back　his　joyousness　and　his　ardour　for　life。　but　it　was　not　merely　the　physical　conditions　of　environment　that　had　caused　the　change。　his　own　nature　had　revolted　against　the　excess　of　anguish　that　had　sought　to　maim　and　mar　the　perfection　of　its　calm。　with　subtle　and　finely　wrought　temperaments　it　is　always　so。　their　strong　passions　must　either　bruise　or　bend。　they　either　slay　the　man；　or　themselves　die。　shallow　sorrows　and　shallow　loves　live　on。　the　loves　and　sorrows　that　are　great　are　destroyed　by　their　own　plenitude。　besides；　he　had　convinced　hi