道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第15章

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to　end。

when　he　arrived　home；　about　half…past　twelve　oclock；　he　saw　a　telegram　lying　on　the　hall　table。　he　opened　it　and　found　it　was　from　dorian　gray。　it　was　to　tell　him　that　he　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　sibyl　vane。

w　w　w/xiao　shu　otx　t



Chapter　5

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chapter　5

〃mother；　mother；　i　am　so　happy！〃　whispered　the　girl；　burying　her　face　in　the　lap　of　the　faded；　tired…looking　woman　who；　with　back　turned　to　the　shrill　intrusive　light；　was　sitting　in　the　one　arm…chair　that　their　dingy　sitting…room　contained。　〃i　am　so　happy！〃　she　repeated；　〃and　you　must　be　happy；　too！〃

mrs。　vane　winced　and　put　her　thin；　bismuth…whitened　hands　on　her　daughters　head。　〃happy！〃　she　echoed；　〃i　am　only　happy；　sibyl；　when　i　see　you　act。　you　must　not　think　of　anything　but　your　acting。　mr。　isaacs　has　been　very　good　to　us；　and　we　owe　him　money。〃

the　girl　looked　up　and　pouted。　〃money；　mother？〃　she　cried；　〃what　does　money　matter？　love　is　more　than　money。〃

〃mr。　isaacs　has　advanced　us　fifty　pounds　to　pay　off　our　debts　and　to　get　a　proper　outfit　for　james。　you　must　not　forget　that；　sibyl。　fifty　pounds　is　a　very　large　sum。　mr。　isaacs　has　been　most　considerate。〃

〃he　is　not　a　gentleman；　mother；　and　i　hate　the　way　he　talks　to　me；〃　said　the　girl；　rising　to　her　feet　and　going　over　to　the　window。

〃i　dont　know　how　we　could　manage　without　him；〃　answered　the　elder　woman　querulously。

sibyl　vane　tossed　her　head　and　laughed。　〃we　dont　want　him　any　more；　mother。　prince　charming　rules　life　for　us　now。〃　then　she　paused。　a　rose　shook　in　her　blood　and　shadowed　her　cheeks。　quick　breath　parted　the　petals　of　her　lips。　they　trembled。　some　southern　wind　of　passion　swept　over　her　and　stirred　the　dainty　folds　of　her　dress。　〃i　love　him；〃　she　said　simply。

〃foolish　child！　foolish　child！〃　was　the　parrot…phrase　flung　in　answer。　the　waving　of　crooked；　false…jewelled　fingers　gave　grotesqueness　to　the　words。

the　girl　laughed　again。　the　joy　of　a　caged　bird　was　in　her　voice。　her　eyes　caught　the　melody　and　echoed　it　in　radiance；　then　closed　for　a　moment；　as　though　to　hide　their　secret。　when　they　opened；　the　mist　of　a　dream　had　passed　across　them。

thin…lipped　wisdom　spoke　at　her　from　the　worn　chair；　hinted　at　prudence；　quoted　from　that　book　of　cowardice　whose　author　apes　the　name　of　mon　sense。　she　did　not　listen。　she　was　free　in　her　prison　of　passion。　her　prince；　prince　charming；　was　with　her。　she　had　called　on　memory　to　remake　him。　she　had　sent　her　soul　to　search　for　him；　and　it　had　brought　him　back。　his　kiss　burned　again　upon　her　mouth。　her　eyelids　were　warm　with　his　breath。

then　wisdom　altered　its　method　and　spoke　of　espial　and　discovery。　this　young　man　might　be　rich。　if　so；　marriage　should　be　thought　of。　against　the　shell　of　her　ear　broke　the　waves　of　worldly　cunning。　the　arrows　of　craft　shot　by　her。　she　saw　the　thin　lips　moving；　and　smiled。

suddenly　she　felt　the　need　to　speak。　the　wordy　silence　troubled　her。　〃mother；　mother；〃　she　cried；　〃why　does　he　love　me　so　much？　i　know　why　i　love　him。　i　love　him　because　he　is　like　what　love　himself　should　be。　but　what　does　he　see　in　me？　i　am　not　worthy　of　him。　and　yetwhy；　i　cannot　tellthough　i　feel　so　much　beneath　him；　i　dont　feel　humble。　i　feel　proud；　terribly　proud。　mother；　did　you　love　my　father　as　i　love　prince　charming？〃

the　elder　woman　grew　pale　beneath　the　coarse　powder　that　daubed　her　cheeks；　and　her　dry　lips　twitched　with　a　spasm　of　pain。　sybil　rushed　to　her；　flung　her　arms　round　her　neck；　and　kissed　her。　〃forgive　me；　mother。　i　know　it　pains　you　to　talk　about　our　father。　but　it　only　pains　you　because　you　loved　him　so　much。　dont　look　so　sad。　i　am　as　happy　to…day　as　you　were　twenty　years　ago。　ah！　let　me　be　happy　for　ever！〃

〃my　child；　you　are　far　too　young　to　think　of　falling　in　love。　besides；　what　do　you　know　of　this　young　man？　you　dont　even　know　his　name。　the　whole　thing　is　most　inconvenient；　and　really；　when　james　is　going　away　to　australia；　and　i　have　so　much　to　think　of；　i　must　say　that　you　should　have　shown　more　consideration。　however；　as　i　said　before；　if　he　is　rich　。　。　。〃

〃ah！　mother；　mother；　let　me　be　happy！〃

mrs。　vane　glanced　at　her；　and　with　one　of　those　false　theatrical　gestures　that　so　often　bee　a　mode　of　second　nature　to　a　stage…player；　clasped　her　in　her　arms。　at　this　moment；　the　door　opened　and　a　young　lad　with　rough　brown　hair　came　into　the　room。　he　was　thick…set　of　figure；　and　his　hands　and　feet　were　large　and　somewhat　clumsy　in　movement。　he　was　not　so　finely　bred　as　his　sister。　one　would　hardly　have　guessed　the　close　relationship　that　existed　between　them。　mrs。　vane　fixed　her　eyes　on　him　and　intensified　her　smile。　she　mentally　elevated　her　son　to　the　dignity　of　an　audience。　she　felt　sure　that　the　tableau　was　interesting。

〃you　might　keep　some　of　your　kisses　for　me；　sibyl；　i　think；〃　said　the　lad　with　a　good…natured　grumble。

〃ah！　but　you　dont　like　being　kissed；　jim；〃　she　cried。　〃you　are　a　dreadful　old　bear。〃　and　she　ran　across　the　room　and　hugged　him。

james　vane　looked　into　his　sisters　face　with　tenderness。　〃i　want　you　to　e　out　with　me　for　a　walk；　sibyl。　i　dont　suppose　i　shall　ever　see　this　horrid　london　again。　i　am　sure　i　dont　want　to。〃

〃my　son；　dont　say　such　dreadful　things；〃　murmured　mrs。　vane；　taking　up　a　tawdry　theatrical　dress；　with　a　sigh；　and　beginning　to　patch　it。　she　felt　a　little　disappointed　that　he　had　not　joined　the　group。　it　would　have　increased　the　theatrical　picturesqueness　of　the　situation。

〃why　not；　mother？　i　mean　it。〃

〃you　pain　me；　my　son。　i　trust　you　will　return　from　australia　in　a　position　of　affluence。　i　believe　there　is　no　society　of　any　kind　in　the　colonies　nothing　that　i　would　call　societyso　when　you　have　made　your　fortune；　you　must　e　back　and　assert　yourself　in　london。〃

〃society！〃　muttered　the　lad。　〃i　dont　want　to　know　anything　about　that。　i　should　like　to　make　some　money　to　take　you　and　sibyl　off　the　stage。　i　hate　it。〃

〃oh；　jim！〃　said　sibyl；　laughing；　〃how　unkind　of　you！　but　are　you　really　going　for　a　walk　with　me？　that　will　be　nice！　i　was　afraid　you　were　going　to　say　good…bye　to　some　of　your　friends　to　tom　hardy；　who　gave　you　that　hideous　pipe；　or　ned　langton；　who　makes　fun　of　you　for　smoking　it。　it　is　very　sweet　of　you　to　let　me　have　your　last　afternoon。　where　shall　we　go？　let　us　go　to　the　park。〃

〃i　am　too　shabby；〃　he　answered；　frowning。　〃only　swell　people　go　to　the　park。〃

〃nonsense；　jim；〃　she　whispered；　stroking　the　sleeve　of　his　coat。

he　hesitated　for　a　moment。　〃very　well；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃but　dont　be　too　long　dressing。〃　she　danced　out　of　the　door。　one　could　hear　her　singing　as　she　ran　upstairs。　her　little　feet　pattered　overhead。

he　walked　up　and　down　the　room　two　or　three　times。　then　he　turned　to　the　still　figure　in　the　chair。　〃mother；　are　my　things　ready？〃　he　asked。

〃quite　ready；　james；〃　she　answered；　keeping　her　eyes　on　her　work。　for　some　months　past　she　had　felt　ill　at　ease　when　she　was　alone　with　this　rough　stern　son　of　hers。　her　shallow　secret　nature　was　troubled　when　their　eyes　met。　she　used　to　wonder　if　he　suspected　anything。　the　silence；　for　he　made　no　other　observation；　became　intolerable　to　her。　she　began　to　plain。　women　defend　themselves　by　attacking；　just　as　they　attack　by　sudden　and　strange　surrenders。　〃i　hope　you　will　be　contented；　james；　with　your　sea…faring　life；〃　she　said。　〃you　must　remember　that　it　is　your　own　choice。　you　might　have　entered　a　solicitors　office。　solicitors　are　a　very　respectable　class；　and　in　the　country　often　dine　with　the　best　families。〃

〃i　hate　offices；　and　i　hate　clerks；〃　he　replied。　〃but　you　are　quite　right。　i　have　chosen　my　own　life。　all　i　say　is；　watch　over　sibyl。　dont　let　her　e　to　any　harm。　mother；　you　must　watch　over　her。〃

〃james；　you　really　talk　very　strangely。　of　course　i　watch　over　sibyl。〃

〃i　hear　a　gentleman　es　every　night　to　the　theatre　and　goes　behind　to　talk　to　her。　is　that　right？　what　about　that？〃

〃you　are　speaking　about　things　you　dont　understand；　james。　in　the　profession　we　are　accustomed　to　receive　a　great　deal　of　most　gratifying　attention。　i　myself　used　to　receive　many　bouquets　at　one　time。　that　was　when　acting　was　really　understood。　as　for　sibyl；　i　do　not　know　at　present　whether　her　attachment　is　serious　or　not。　but　there　is　no