按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it seemed to him that he had grown years older。
。。
Chapter 7
小说
chapter 7
for some reason or other； the house was crowded that night； and the fat jew manager who met them at the door was beaming from ear to ear with an oily tremulous smile。 he escorted them to their box with a sort of pompous humility； waving his fat jewelled hands and talking at the top of his voice。 dorian gray loathed him more than ever。 he felt as if he had e to look for miranda and had been met by caliban。 lord henry； upon the other hand； rather liked him。 at least he declared he did； and insisted on shaking him by the hand and assuring him that he was proud to meet a man who had discovered a real genius and gone bankrupt over a poet。 hallward amused himself with watching the faces in the pit。 the heat was terribly oppressive； and the huge sunlight flamed like a monstrous dahlia with petals of yellow fire。 the youths in the gallery had taken off their coats and waistcoats and hung them over the side。 they talked to each other across the theatre and shared their oranges with the tawdry girls who sat beside them。 some women were laughing in the pit。 their voices were horribly shrill and discordant。 the sound of the popping of corks came from the bar。
〃what a place to find ones divinity in！〃 said lord henry。
〃yes！〃 answered dorian gray。 〃it was here i found her； and she is divine beyond all living things。 when she acts； you will forget everything。 these mon rough people； with their coarse faces and brutal gestures； bee quite different when she is on the stage。 they sit silently and watch her。 they weep and laugh as she wills them to do。 she makes them as responsive as a violin。 she spiritualizes them； and one feels that they are of the same flesh and blood as ones self。〃
〃the same flesh and blood as ones self！ oh； i hope not！〃 exclaimed lord henry； who was scanning the occupants of the gallery through his opera…glass。
〃dont pay any attention to him； dorian；〃 said the painter。 〃i understand what you mean； and i believe in this girl。 any one you love must be marvellous； and any girl who has the effect you describe must be fine and noble。 to spiritualize ones age……that is something worth doing。 if this girl can give a soul to those who have lived without one； if she can create the sense of beauty in people whose lives have been sordid and ugly； if she can strip them of their selfishness and lend them tears for sorrows that are not their own； she is worthy of all your adoration； worthy of the adoration of the world。 this marriage is quite right。 i did not think so at first； but i admit it now。 the gods made sibyl vane for you。 without her you would have been inplete。〃
〃thanks； basil；〃 answered dorian gray； pressing his hand。 〃i knew that you would understand me。 harry is so cynical； he terrifies me。 but here is the orchestra。 it is quite dreadful； but it only lasts for about five minutes。 then the curtain rises； and you will see the girl to whom i am going to give all my life； to whom i have given everything that is good in me。〃
a quarter of an hour afterwards； amidst an extraordinary turmoil of applause； sibyl vane stepped on to the stage。 yes； she was certainly lovely to look at…… one of the loveliest creatures； lord henry thought； that he had ever seen。 there was something of the fawn in her shy grace and startled eyes。 a faint blush； like the shadow of a rose in a mirror of silver； came to her cheeks as she glanced at the crowded enthusiastic house。 she stepped back a few paces and her lips seemed to tremble。 basil hallward leaped to his feet and began to applaud。 motionless； and as one in a dream； sat dorian gray； gazing at her。 lord henry peered through his glasses； murmuring； 〃charming！ charming！〃
the scene was the hall of capulets house； and romeo in his pilgrims dress had entered with mercutio and his other friends。 the band； such as it was； struck up a few bars of music； and the dance began。 through the crowd of ungainly； shabbily dressed actors； sibyl vane moved like a creature from a finer world。 her body swayed； while she danced； as a plant sways in the water。 the curves of her throat were the curves of a white lily。 her hands seemed to be made of cool ivory。
yet she was curiously listless。 she showed no sign of joy when her eyes rested on romeo。 the few words she had to speak……
good pilgrim； you do wrong your hand too much；
which mannerly devotion shows in this；
for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch；
and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss……
with the brief dialogue that follows； were spoken in a thoroughly artificial manner。 the voice was exquisite； but from the point of view of tone it was absolutely false。 it was wrong in colour。 it took away all the life from the verse。 it made the passion unreal。
dorian gray grew pale as he watched her。 he was puzzled and anxious。 neither of his friends dared to say anything to him。 she seemed to them to be absolutely inpetent。 they were horribly disappointed。
yet they felt that the true test of any juliet is the balcony scene of the second act。 they waited for that。 if she failed there； there was nothing in her。
she looked charming as she came out in the moonlight。 that could not be denied。 but the staginess of her acting was unbearable； and grew worse as she went on。 her gestures became absurdly artificial。 she overemphasized everything that she had to say。 the beautiful passage……
thou knowest the mask of night is on my face；
else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
for that which thou hast heard me speak to…night……
was declaimed with the painful precision of a schoolgirl who has been taught to recite by some second…rate professor of elocution。 when she leaned over the balcony and came to those wonderful lines……
although i joy in thee；
i have no joy of this contract to…night：
it is too rash； too unadvised； too sudden；
too like the lightning； which doth cease to be
ere one can say； 〃it lightens。〃 sweet； good…night！
this bud of love by summers ripening breath
may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet……
she spoke the words as though they conveyed no meaning to her。 it was not nervousness