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； there are certain temperaments that marriage makes more plex。 they retain their egotism； and add to it many other egos。 they are forced to have more than one life。 they bee more highly organized； and to be highly organized is； i should fancy； the object of mans existence。 besides； every experience is of value； and whatever one may say against marriage； it is certainly an experience。 i hope that dorian gray will make this girl his wife； passionately adore her for six months； and then suddenly bee fascinated by some one else。 he would be a wonderful study。〃
〃you dont mean a single word of all that； harry； you know you dont。 if dorian grays life were spoiled； no one would be sorrier than yourself。 you are much better than you pretend to be。〃
lord henry laughed。 〃the reason we all like to think so well of others is that we are all afraid for ourselves。 the basis of optimism is sheer terror。 we think that we are generous because we credit our neighbour with the possession of those virtues that are likely to be a benefit to us。 we praise the banker that we may overdraw our account； and find good qualities in the highwayman in the hope that he may spare our pockets。 i mean everything that i have said。 i have the greatest contempt for optimism。 as for a spoiled life； no life is spoiled but one whose growth is arrested。 if you want to mar a nature； you have merely to reform it。 as for marriage； of course that would be silly； but there are other and more interesting bonds between men and women。 i will certainly encourage them。 they have the charm of being fashionable。 but here is dorian himself。 he will tell you more than i can。〃
〃my dear harry； my dear basil； you must both congratulate me！〃 said the lad； throwing off his evening cape with its satin…lined wings and shaking each of his friends by the hand in turn。 〃i have never been so happy。 of course； it is sudden…… all really delightful things are。 and yet it seems to me to be the one thing i have been looking for all my life。〃 he was flushed with excitement and pleasure； and looked extraordinarily handsome。
〃i hope you will always be very happy； dorian；〃 said hallward； 〃but i dont quite forgive you for not having let me know of your engagement。 you let harry know。〃
〃and i dont forgive you for being late for dinner；〃 broke in lord henry； putting his hand on the lads shoulder and smiling as he spoke。 〃e； let us sit down and try what the new chef here is like； and then you will tell us how it all came about。〃
〃there is really not much to tell；〃 cried dorian as they took their seats at the small round table。 〃what happened was simply this。 after i left you yesterday evening； harry； i dressed； had some dinner at that little italian restaurant in rupert street you introduced me to； and went down at eight oclock to the theatre。 sibyl was playing rosalind。 of course； the scenery was dreadful and the orlando absurd。 but sibyl！ you should have seen her！ when she came on in her boys clothes； she was perfectly wonderful。 she wore a moss…coloured velvet jerkin with cinnamon sleeves； slim； brown； cross…gartered hose； a dainty little green cap with a hawks feather caught in a jewel； and a hooded cloak lined with dull red。 she had never seemed to me more exquisite。 she had all the delicate grace of that tanagra figurine that you have in your studio； basil。 her hair clustered round her face like dark leaves round a pale rose。 as for her acting……well； you shall see her to…night。 she is simply a born artist。 i sat in the dingy box absolutely enthralled。 i forgot that i was in london and in the nineteenth century。 i was away with my love in a forest that no man had ever seen。 after the performance was over； i went behind and spoke to her。 as we were sitting together； suddenly there came into her eyes a look that i had never seen there before。 my lips moved towards hers。 we kissed each other。 i cant describe to you what i felt at that moment。 it seemed to me that all my life had been narrowed to one perfect point of rose…coloured joy。 she trembled all over and shook like a white narcissus。 then she flung herself on her knees and kissed my hands。 i feel that i should not tell you all this； but i cant help it。 of course； our engagement is a dead secret。 she has not even told her own mother。 i dont know what my guardians will say。 lord radley is sure to be furious。 i dont care。 i shall be of age in less than a year； and then i can do what i like。 i have been right； basil； havent i； to take my love out of poetry and to find my wife in shakespeares plays？ lips that shakespeare taught to speak have whispered their secret in my ear。 i have had the arms of rosalind around me； and kissed juliet on the mouth。〃
〃yes； dorian； i suppose you were right；〃 said hallward slowly。
〃have you seen her to…day？〃 asked lord henry。
dorian gray shook his head。 〃i left her in the forest of arden； i shall find her in an orchard in verona。〃
lord henry sipped his champagne in a meditative manner。 〃at what particular point did you mention the word marriage； dorian？ and what did she say in answer？ perhaps you forgot all about it。〃
〃my dear harry； i did not treat it as a business transaction； and i did not make any formal proposal。 i told her that i loved her； and she said she was not worthy to be my wife。 not worthy！ why； the whole world is nothing to me pared with her。〃
〃women are wonderfully practical；〃 murmured lord henry； 〃much more practical than we are。 in situations of that kind we often forget to say anything about marriage； and they always remind us。〃
hallward laid his hand upon his arm。 〃dont； harry。 you have annoyed dorian。 he is not like other men。 he would never bring misery upon any one。 his nature is too fine for that。〃
lord henry looked across the table。 〃dorian is never annoyed with me；〃 be answered。 〃i asked the question for the best reason possible； for the only reason； indeed； that excuses one for asking any question…… simple curiosity。 i have a theory that it is always the women who propose to us； and not we who propose to the women。 except； of course； in middle…class life。 but then the middle classes are not modern。〃
dorian gray laughed； and tossed his head。 〃you are