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and one who had cheated his father at dice when gambling
with him for his own soul; Giambattista Cibo, who in mock-
ery took the name of Innocent and into whose torpid veins
the blood of three lads was infused by a Jewish doctor;
Sigismondo Malatesta, the lover of Isotta and the lord of
Rimini, whose effigy was burned at Rome as the enemy of
God and man, who strangled Polyssena with a napkin, and
gave poison to Ginevra d’Este in a cup of emerald, and in
honour of a shameful passion built a pagan church for Chris-
tian worship; Charles VI, who had so wildly adored his
brother’s wife that a leper had warned him of the insanity
that was coming on him, and who, when his brain had sick-
ened and grown strange, could only be soothed by Saracen
cards painted with the images of love and death and mad-
ness; and, in his trimmed jerkin and jewelled cap and
acanthuslike curls, Grifonetto Baglioni, who slew Astorre with
his bride, and Simonetto with his page, and whose comeli-
ness was such that, as he lay dying in the yellow piazza of
Perugia, those who had hated him could not choose but weep,
and Atalanta, who had cursed him, blessed him.
There was a horrible fascination in them all. He saw them
at night, and they troubled his imagination in the day. The
Renaissance knew of strange manners of poisoning—poi-
soning by a helmet and a lighted torch, by an embroidered
glove and a jewelled fan, by a gilded pomander and by an
amber chain. Dorian Gray had been poisoned by a book.
There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a
mode through which he could realize his conception of the
beautiful.
130
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde
bed, as he let me out. I am off to Paris by the midnight train,
CHAPTER 12
and I particularly wanted to see you before I left. I thought it
was you, or rather your fur coat, as you passed me. But I
IT WAS ON THE NINTH of November, the eve of his own thirty-
wasn’t quite sure. Didn’t you recognize me?”
eighth birthday, as he often remembered afterwards.
“In this fog, my dear Basil? Why, I can’t even recognize
He was walking home about eleven o’clock from Lord
Grosvenor Square. I believe my house is somewhere about
Henry’s, where he had been dining, and was wrapped in heavy
here, but I don’t feel at all certain about it. I am sorry you are
furs, as the night was cold and foggy. At the corner of
going away, as I have not seen you for ages. But I suppose
Grosvenor Square and South Audley Street, a man passed
you will be back soon?”
him in the mist, walking very fast and with the collar of his
“No: I am going to be out of England for six months. I
grey ulster turned up. He had a bag in his hand. Dorian
intend to take a studio in Paris and shut myself up till I have
recognized him. It was Basil Hallward. A strange sense of
finished a great picture I have in my head. However, it wasn’t
fear, for which he could not account, came over him. He
about myself I wanted to talk. Here we are at your door. Let
made no sign of recognition and went on quickly in the di-
me come in for a moment. I have something to say to you.”
rection of his own house.
“I shall be charmed. But won’t you miss your train?” said
But Hallward had seen him. Dorian heard him first stop-
Dorian Gray languidly as he passed up the steps and opened
ping on the pavement and then hurrying after him. In a few
the door with his latch-key.
moments, his hand was on his arm.
The lamplight struggled out through the fog, and Hallward
“Dorian! What an extraordinary piece of luck! I have been
looked at his watch. “I have heaps of time,” he answered. “The
waiting for you in your library ever since nine o’clock. Fi-
train doesn’t go till twelve-fifteen, and it is only just eleven. In
nally I took pity on your tired servant and told him to go to
fact, I was on my way to the club to look for you, when I met
131
The Picture of Dorian Gray
you. You see, I shan’t have any delay about luggage, as I have
dressmaker. Anglomania is very fashionable over there now,
sent on my heavy things. All I have with me is in this bag, and
I hear. It seems silly of the French, doesn’t it? But—do you
I can easily get to Victoria in twenty minutes.”
know?—he was not at all a bad servant. I never liked him,
Dorian looked at him and smiled. “What a way for a fash-
but I had nothing to complain about. One often imagines
ionable painter to travel! A Gladstone bag and an ulster! Come
things that are quite absurd. He was really very devoted to
in, or the fog will get into the house. And mind you don’t
me and seemed quite sorry when he went away. Have an-
talk about anything serious. Nothing is serious nowadays.
other brandy-and-soda? Or would you like hock-and-selt-
At least nothing should be.”
zer? I always take hock-and-seltzer myself. There is sure to
Hallward shook his head, as he entered, and followed
be some in the next room.”
Dorian into the library. There was a bright wood fire blazing
“Thanks, I won’t have anything more,” said the painter,
in the large open hearth. The lamps were lit, and an open
taking his cap and coat off and throwing them on the bag
Dutch silver spirit-case stood, with some siphons of soda-
that he had placed in the corner. “And now, my dear fellow,
water and large cut-glass tumblers, on a little marqueterie
I want to speak to you seriously. Don’t frown like that. You
table.
make it so much more difficult for me.”
“You see your servant made me quite at home, Dorian. He
“What is it all about?” cried Dorian in his petulant way, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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