道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第39章

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having　reached　the　door；　he　turned　the　key　and　opened　it。　he　did　not　even　glance　at　the　murdered　man。　he　felt　that　the　secret　of　the　whole　thing　was　not　to　realize　the　situation。　the　friend　who　had　painted　the　fatal　portrait　to　which　all　his　misery　had　been　due　had　gone　out　of　his　life。　that　was　enough。

then　he　remembered　the　lamp。　it　was　a　rather　curious　one　of　moorish　workmanship；　made　of　dull　silver　inlaid　with　arabesques　of　burnished　steel；　and　studded　with　coarse　turquoises。　perhaps　it　might　be　missed　by　his　servant；　and　questions　would　be　asked。　he　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　he　turned　back　and　took　it　from　the　table。　he　could　not　help　seeing　the　dead　thing。　how　still　it　was！　how　horribly　white　the　long　hands　looked！　it　was　like　a　dreadful　wax　image。

having　locked　the　door　behind　him；　he　crept　quietly　downstairs。　the　woodwork　creaked　and　seemed　to　cry　out　as　if　in　pain。　he　stopped　several　times　and　waited。　no：　everything　was　still。　it　was　merely　the　sound　of　his　own　footsteps。

when　he　reached　the　library；　he　saw　the　bag　and　coat　in　the　corner。　they　must　be　hidden　away　somewhere。　he　unlocked　a　secret　press　that　was　in　the　wainscoting；　a　press　in　which　he　kept　his　own　curious　disguises；　and　put　them　into　it。　he　could　easily　burn　them　afterwards。　then　he　pulled　out　his　watch。　it　was　twenty　minutes　to　two。

he　sat　down　and　began　to　think。　every　yearevery　month；　almost　men　were　strangled　in　england　for　what　he　had　done。　there　had　been　a　madness　of　murder　in　the　air。　some　red　star　had　e　too　close　to　the　earth。　。　。　。　and　yet；　what　evidence　was　there　against　him？　basil　hallward　had　left　the　house　at　eleven。　no　one　had　seen　him　e　in　again。　most　of　the　servants　were　at　selby　royal。　his　valet　had　gone　to　bed。。。。　paris！　yes。　it　was　to　paris　that　basil　had　gone；　and　by　the　midnight　train；　as　he　had　intended。　with　his　curious　reserved　habits；　it　would　be　months　before　any　suspicions　would　be　roused。　months！　everything　could　be　destroyed　long　before　then。

a　sudden　thought　struck　him。　he　put　on　his　fur　coat　and　hat　and　went　out　into　the　hall。　there　he　paused；　hearing　the　slow　heavy　tread　of　the　policeman　on　the　pavement　outside　and　seeing　the　flash　of　the　bulls…eye　reflected　in　the　window。　he　waited　and　held　his　breath。

after　a　few　moments　he　drew　back　the　latch　and　slipped　out；　shutting　the　door　very　gently　behind　him。　then　he　began　ringing　the　bell。　in　about　five　minutes　his　valet　appeared；　half…dressed　and　looking　very　drowsy。

〃i　am　sorry　to　have　had　to　wake　you　up；　francis；〃　he　said；　stepping　in；　〃but　i　had　forgotten　my　latch…key。　what　time　is　it？〃

〃ten　minutes　past　two；　sir；〃　answered　the　man；　looking　at　the　clock　and　blinking。

〃ten　minutes　past　two？　how　horribly　late！　you　must　wake　me　at　nine　to…morrow。　i　have　some　work　to　do。〃

〃all　right；　sir。〃

〃did　any　one　call　this　evening？〃

〃mr。　hallward；　sir。　he　stayed　here　till　eleven；　and　then　be　went　away　to　catch　his　train。〃

〃oh！　i　am　sorry　i　didnt　see　him。　did　he　leave　any　message？〃

〃no；　sir；　except　that　he　would　write　to　you　from　paris；　if　he　did　not　find　you　at　the　club。〃

〃that　will　do；　francis。　dont　forget　to　call　me　at　nine　to…morrow。〃

〃no；　sir。〃

the　man　shambled　down　the　passage　in　his　slippers。

dorian　gray　threw　his　hat　and　coat　upon　the　table　and　passed　into　the　library。　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　biting　his　lip　and　thinking。　then　he　took　down　the　blue　book　from　one　of　the　shelves　and　began　to　turn　over　the　leaves。　〃alan　campbell；　152；　hertford　street；　mayfair。〃　yes；　that　was　the　man　he　wanted。

。；



Chapter　14

锝炲皬　　璇磘　　xt　澶�；鍫�
chapter　14

at　nine　oclock　the　next　morning　his　servant　came　in　with　a　cup　of　chocolate　on　a　tray　and　opened　the　shutters。　dorian　was　sleeping　quite　peacefully；　lying　on　his　right　side；　with　one　hand　underneath　his　cheek。　he　looked　like　a　boy　who　had　been　tired　out　with　play；　or　study。

the　man　had　to　touch　him　twice　on　the　shoulder　before　he　woke；　and　as　he　opened　his　eyes　a　faint　smile　passed　across　his　lips；　as　though　he　had　been　lost　in　some　delightful　dream。　yet　he　had　not　dreamed　at　all。　his　night　had　been　untroubled　by　any　images　of　pleasure　or　of　pain。　but　youth　smiles　without　any　reason。　it　is　one　of　its　chiefest　charms。

he　turned　round；　and　leaning　upon　his　elbow；　began　to　sip　his　chocolate。　the　mellow　november　sun　came　streaming　into　the　room。　the　sky　was　bright；　and　there　was　a　genial　warmth　in　the　air。　it　was　almost　like　a　morning　in　may。

gradually　the　events　of　the　preceding　night　crept　with　silent；　blood…stained　feet　into　his　brain　and　reconstructed　themselves　there　with　terrible　distinctness。　he　winced　at　the　memory　of　all　that　he　had　suffered；　and　for　a　moment　the　same　curious　feeling　of　loathing　for　basil　hallward　that　had　made　him　kill　him　as　he　sat　in　the　chair　came　back　to　him；　and　he　grew　cold　with　passion。　the　dead　man　was　still　sitting　there；　too；　and　in　the　sunlight　now。　how　horrible　that　was！　such　hideous　things　were　for　the　darkness；　not　for　the　day。

he　felt　that　if　he　brooded　on　what　he　had　gone　through　he　would　sicken　or　grow　mad。　there　were　sins　whose　fascination　was　more　in　the　memory　than　in　the　doing　of　them；　strange　triumphs　that　gratified　the　pride　more　than　the　passions；　and　gave　to　the　intellect　a　quickened　sense　of　joy；　greater　than　any　joy　they　brought；　or　could　ever　bring；　to　the　senses。　but　this　was　not　one　of　them。　it　was　a　thing　to　be　driven　out　of　the　mind；　to　be　drugged　with　poppies；　to　be　strangled　lest　it　might　strangle　one　itself。

when　the　half…hour　struck；　he　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead；　and　then　got　up　hastily　and　dressed　himself　with　even　more　than　his　usual　care；　giving　a　good　deal　of　attention　to　the　choice　of　his　necktie　and　scarf…pin　and　changing　his　rings　more　than　once。　he　spent　a　long　time　also　over　breakfast；　tasting　the　various　dishes；　talking　to　his　valet　about　some　new　liveries　that　he　was　thinking　of　getting　made　for　the　servants　at　selby；　and　going　through　his　correspondence。　at　some　of　the　letters；　he　smiled。　three　of　them　bored　him。　one　he　read　several　times　over　and　then　tore　up　with　a　slight　look　of　annoyance　in　his　face。　〃that　awful　thing；　a　womans　memory！〃　as　lord　henry　had　once　said。

after　he　had　drunk　his　cup　of　black　coffee；　he　wiped　his　lips　slowly　with　a　napkin；　motioned　to　his　servant　to　wait；　and　going　over　to　the　table；　sat　down　and　wrote　two　letters。　one　he　put　in　his　pocket；　the　other　he　handed　to　the　valet。

〃take　this　round　to　152；　hertford　street；　francis；　and　if　mr。　campbell　is　out　of　town；　get　his　address。〃

as　soon　as　he　was　alone；　he　lit　a　cigarette　and　began　sketching　upon　a　piece　of　paper；　drawing　first　flowers　and　bits　of　architecture；　and　then　human　faces。　suddenly　he　remarked　that　every　face　that　he　drew　seemed　to　have　a　fantastic　likeness　to　basil　hallward。　he　frowned；　and　getting　up；　went　over　to　the　book…case　and　took　out　a　volume　at　hazard。　he　was　determined　that　he　would　not　think　about　what　had　happened　until　it　became　absolutely　necessary　that　he　should　do　so。

when　he　had　stretched　himself　on　the　sofa；　he　looked　at　the　title…page　of　the　book。　it　was　gautiers　emaux　et　camees；　charpentiers　japanese…paper　edition；　with　the　jacquemart　etching。　the　binding　was　of　citron…green　leather；　with　a　design　of　gilt　trellis…work　and　dotted　pomegranates。　it　had　been　given　to　him　by　adrian　singleton。　as　he　turned　over　the　pages；　his　eye　fell　on　the　poem　about　the　hand　of　lacenaire；　the　cold　yellow　hand　〃du　supplice　encore　mal　lav茅：e；〃　with　its　downy　red　hairs　and　its　〃doigts　de　faune。〃　he　glanced　at　his　own　white　taper　fingers；　shuddering　slightly　in　spite　of　himself；　and　passed　on；　till　he　came　to　those　lovely　stanzas　upon　venice：

sur　une　gamme　chromatique；

le　sein　de　peries　ruisselant；

la　v茅nus　de　ladriatique

sort　de　leau　son　corps　rose　et　blanc。

les　d？mes；　sur　lazur　des　ondes

suivant　la　phrase　au　pur　contour；

senflent　me　des　gorges　rondes

que　soul猫ve　un　soupir　damour。

lesquif　aborde　et　me　d茅pose；

jetant　son　amarre　au　pilier；

devant　une　fa？ade　rose；

sur　le　marbre　dun　escalier。　

how　exquisite　they　were！　as　one　read　them；　one　seemed　to　be　floating　down　the　green　water…ways　of　the　pink　and　pearl　city；　seate