《道林格雷的画像》第65章

rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　house。
〃how　fond　women　are　of　doing　dangerous　things！〃　laughed　lord　henry。　〃it　is　one　of　the　qualities　in　them　that　i　admire　most。　a　woman　will　flirt　with　anybody　in　the　world　as　long　as　other　people　are　looking　on。〃
〃how　fond　you　are　of　saying　dangerous　things；　harry！　in　the　present　instance；　you　are　quite　astray。　i　like　the　duchess　very　much；　but　i　dont　love　her。〃
〃and　the　duchess　loves　you　very　much；　but　she　likes　you　less；　so　you　are　excellently　matched。〃
〃you　are　talking　scandal；　harry；　and　there　is　never　any　basis　for　scandal。〃
〃the　basis　of　every　scandal　is　an　immoral　certainty；〃　said　lord　henry；　lighting　a　cigarette。
〃you　would　sacrifice　anybody；　harry；　for　the　sake　of　an　epigram。〃
〃the　world　goes　to　the　altar　of　its　own　accord；〃　was　the　answer。
〃i　wish　i　could　love；〃　cried　dorian　gray　with　a　deep　note　of　pathos　in　his　voice。　〃but　i　seem　to　have　lost　the　passion　and　forgotten　the　desire。　i　am　too　much　concentrated　on　myself。　my　own　personality　has　bee　a　burden　to　me。　i　want　to　escape；　to　go　away；　to　forget。　it　was　silly　of　me　to　e　down　here　at　all。　i　think　i　shall　send　a　wire　to　harvey　to　have　the　yacht　got　ready。　on　a　yacht　one　is　safe。〃
〃safe　from　what；　dorian？　you　are　in　some　trouble。　why　not　tell　me　what　it　is？　you　know　i　would　help　you。〃
〃i　cant　tell　you；　harry；〃　he　answered　sadly。　〃and　i　dare　say　it　is　only　a　fancy　of　mine。　this　unfortunate　accident　has　upset　me。　i　have　a　horrible　presentiment　that　something　of　the　kind　may　happen　to　me。〃
〃what　nonsense！〃
〃i　hope　it　is；　but　i　cant　help　feeling　it。　ah！　here　is　the　duchess；　looking　like　artemis　in　a　tailor…made　gown。　you　see　we　have　e　back；　duchess。〃
〃i　have　heard　all　about　it；　mr。　gray；〃　she　answered。　〃poor　geoffrey　is　terribly　upset。　and　it　seems　that　you　asked　him　not　to　shoot　the　hare。　how　curious！〃
〃yes；　it　was　very　curious。　i　dont　know　what　made　me　say　it。　some　whim；　i　suppose。　it　looked　the　loveliest　of　little　live　things。　but　i　am　sorry　they　told　you　about　the　man。　it　is　a　hideous　subject。〃
〃it　is　an　annoying　subject；〃　broke　in　lord　henry。　〃it　has　no　psychological　value　at　all。　now　if　geoffrey　had　done　the　thing　on　purpose；　how　interesting　he　would　be！　i　should　like　to　know　some　one　who　had　mitted　a　real　murder。〃
〃how　horrid　of　you；　harry！〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃isnt　it；　mr。　gray？　harry；　mr。　gray　is　ill　again。　he　is　going　to　faint。〃
dorian　drew　himself　up　with　an　effort　and　smiled。　〃it　is　nothing；　duchess；〃　he　murmured；　〃my　nerves　are　dreadfully　out　of　order。　that　is　all。　i　am　afraid　i　walked　too　far　this　morning。　i　didnt　hear　what　harry　said。　was　it　very　bad？　you　must　tell　me　some　other　time。　i　think　i　must　go　and　lie　down。　you　will　excuse　me；　wont　you？〃
they　had　reached　the　great　flight　of　steps　that　led　from　the　conservatory　on　to　the　terrace。　as　the　glass　door　closed　behind　dorian；　lord　henry　turned　and　looked　at　the　duchess　with　his　slumberous　eyes。　〃are　you　very　much　in　love　with　him？〃　he　asked。
she　did　not　answer　for　some　time；　but　stood　gazing　at　the　landscape。　〃i　wish　i　knew；〃　she　said　at　last。
he　shook　his　head。　〃knowledge　would　be　fatal。　it　is　the　uncertainty　that　charms　one。　a　mist　makes　things　wonderful。〃
〃one　may　lose　ones　way。〃
〃all　ways　end　at　the　same　point；　my　dear　gladys。〃
〃what　is　that？〃
〃disillusion。〃
〃it　was　my　debut　in　life；〃　she　sighed。
〃it　came　to　you　crowned。〃
〃i　am　tired　of　strawberry　leaves。〃
〃they　bee　you。〃
〃only　in　public。〃
〃you　would　miss　them；〃　said　lord　henry。
〃i　will　not　part　with　a　petal。〃
〃monmouth　has　ears。〃
〃old　age　is　dull　of　hearing。〃
〃has　he　never　been　jealous？〃
〃i　wish　he　had　been。〃
he　glanced　about　as　if　in　search　of　something。　〃what　are　you　looking　for？〃　she　inquired。
〃the　button　from　your　foil；〃　he　answered。　〃you　have　dropped　it。〃
she　laughed。　〃i　have　still　the　mask。〃
〃it　makes　your　eyes　lovelier；〃　was　his　reply。
she　laughed　again。　her　teeth　showed　like　white　seeds　in　a　scarlet　fruit。
upstairs；　in　his　own　room；　dorian　gray　was　lying　on　a　sofa；　with　terror　in　every　tingling　fibre　of　his　body。　life　had　suddenly　bee　too　hideous　a　burden　for　him　to　bear。　the　dreadful　death　of　the　unlucky　beater；　shot　in　the　thicket　like　a　wild　animal；　had　seemed　to　him　to　pre…figure　death　for　himself　also。　he　had　nearly　swooned　at　what　lord　henry　had　said　in　a　chance　mood　of　cynical　jesting。
at　five　oclock　he　rang　his　bell　for　his　servant　and　gave　him　orders　to　pack　his　things　for　the　night…express　to　town；　and　to　have　the　brougham　at　the　door　by　eight…thirty。　he　was　determined　not　to　sleep　another　night　at　selby　royal。　it　was　an　ill…omened　place。　death　walked　there　in　the　sunlight。　the　grass　of　the　forest　had　been　spotted　with　blood。
then　he　wrote　a　note　to　lord　henry；　telling　him　that　he　was　going　up　to　town　to　consult　his　doctor　and　asking　him　to　entertain　his　guests　in　his　absence。　as　he　was　putting　it　into　the　envelope；　a　knock　came　to　the　door；　and　his　valet　informed　him　that　the　head…keeper　wished　to　see　him。　he　frowned　and　bit　his　lip。　〃send　him　in；〃　he　muttered；　after　some　moments　hesitation。
as　soon　as　the　man　entered；　dorian　pulled　his　chequebook　out　of　a　drawer　and　spread　it　out　before　him。
〃i　suppose　you　have　e　about　the　unfortunate　accident　of　this　morning；　thornton？〃　he　said；　taking　up　a　pen。
〃yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　gamekeeper。
〃was　the　poor　fellow　married？　had　he　any　people　dependent　on　him？〃　asked　dorian；　looking　bored。　〃if　so；　i　should　not　like　them　to　be　left　in　want；　and　will　send　them　any　sum　of　money　you　may　think　necessary。〃
〃we　dont　know　who　he　is；　sir。　that　is　what　i　took　the　liberty　of　ing　to　you　about。〃
〃dont　know　who　he　is？〃　said　dorian；　listlessly。　〃what　do　you　mean？　wasnt　he　one　of　your　men？〃
〃no；　sir。　never　saw　him　before。　seems　like　a　sailor；　sir。〃
the　pen　dropped　from　dorian　grays　hand；　and　he　felt　as　if　his　heart　had　suddenly　stopped　beating。　〃a　sailor？〃　he　cried　out。　〃did　you　say　a　sailor？〃
〃yes；　sir。　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been　a　sort　of　sailor；　tattooed　on　both　arms；　and　that　kind　of　thing。〃
〃was　there　anything　found　on　him？〃　said　dorian；　leaning　forward　and　looking　at　the　man　with　startled　eyes。　〃anything　that