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！
tly。〃
〃i dont agree with a single word that you have said； and； what is more； harry； i feel sure you dont either。〃
lord henry stroked his pointed brown beard and tapped the toe of his patent…leather boot with a tasselled ebony cane。 〃how english you are basil！ that is the second time you have made that observation。 if one puts forward an idea to a true englishman……always a rash thing to do……he never dreams of considering whether the idea is right or wrong。 the only thing he considers of any importance is whether one believes it oneself。 now； the value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it。 indeed； the probabilities are that the more insincere the man is； the more purely intellectual will the idea be； as in that case it will not be coloured by either his wants； his desires； or his prejudices。 however； i dont propose to discuss politics； sociology； or metaphysics with you。 i like persons better than principles； and i like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world。 tell me more about mr。 dorian gray。 how often do you see him？〃
〃every day。 i couldnt be happy if i didnt see him every day。 he is absolutely necessary to me。〃
〃how extraordinary！ i thought you would never care for anything but your art。〃
〃he is all my art to me now；〃 said the painter gravely。 〃i sometimes think； harry； that there are only two eras of any importance in the worlds history。 the first is the appearance of a new medium for art； and the second is the appearance of a new personality for art also。 what the invention of oil…painting was to the venetians； the face of antinous was to late greek sculpture； and the face of dorian gray will some day be to me。 it is not merely that i paint from him； draw from him； sketch from him。 of course； i have done all that。 but he is much more to me than a model or a sitter。 i wont tell you that i am dissatisfied with what i have done of him； or that his beauty is such that art cannot express it。 there is nothing that art cannot express； and i know that the work i have done； since i met dorian gray； is good work； is the best work of my life。 but in some curious way……i wonder will you understand me？……his personality has suggested to me an entirely new manner in art； an entirely new mode of style。 i see things differently； i think of them differently。 i can now recreate life in a way that was hidden from me before。 a dream of form in days of thought……who is it who says that？ i forget； but it is what dorian gray has been to me。 the merely visible presence of this lad……for he seems to me little more than a lad； though he is really over twenty…… his merely visible presence……ah！ i wonder can you realize all that that means？ unconsciously he defines for me the lines of a fresh school； a school that is to have in it all the passion of the romantic spirit； all the perfection of the spirit that is greek。 the harmony of soul and body…… how much that is！ we in our madness have separated the two； and have invented a realism that is vulgar； an ideality that is void。 harry！ if you only knew what dorian gray is to me！ you remember that landscape of mine； for which agnew offered me such a huge price but which i would not part with？ it is one of the best things i have ever done。 and why is it so？ because； while i was painting it； dorian gray sat beside me。 some subtle influence passed from him to me； and for the first time in my life i saw in the plain woodland the wonder i had always looked for and always missed。〃
〃basil； this is extraordinary！ i must see dorian gray。〃
hallward got up from the seat and walked up and down the garden。 after some time he came back。 〃harry；〃 he said； 〃dorian gray is to me simply a motive in art。 you might see nothing in him。 i see everything in him。 he is never more present in my work than when no image of him is there。 he is a suggestion； as i have said； of a new manner。 i find him in the curves of certain lines； in the loveliness and subtleties of certain colours。 that is all。〃
〃then why wont you exhibit his portrait？〃 asked lord henry。
〃because； without intending it； i have put into it some expression of all this curious artistic idolatry； of which； of course； i have never cared to speak to him。 he knows nothing about it。 he shall never know anything about it。 but the world might guess it； and i will not bare my soul to their shallow prying eyes。 my heart shall never be put under their microscope。 there is too much of myself in the thing； harry……too much of myself！〃
〃poets are not so scrupulous as you are。 they know how useful passion is for publication。 nowadays a broken heart will run to many editions。〃
〃i hate them for it；〃 cried hallward。 〃an artist should create beautiful things； but should put nothing of his own life into them。 we live in an age when men treat art as if it were meant to be a form of autobiography。 we have lost the abstract sense of beauty。 some day i will show the world what it is； and for that reason the world shall never see my portrait of dorian gray。〃
〃i think you are wrong； basil； but i wont argue with you。 it is only the intellectually lost who ever argue。 tell me； is dorian gray very fond of you？〃
the painter considered for a few moments。 〃he likes me；〃 he answered after a pause； 〃i know he likes me。 of course i flatter him dreadfully。 i find a strange pleasure in saying things to him that i know i shall be sorry for having said。 as a rule； he is charming to me； and we sit in the studio and talk of a thousand things。 now and then； however； he is horribly thoughtless； and seems to take a real delight in giving me pain。 then i feel； harry； that i have given away my whole soul to some one who treats it as if it were a flower to put in his coat； a bit of decoration to charm his vanity； an ornament for a summers day。〃
〃days in summer； basil； are apt to linger；〃 murmured lord henry。 〃perhaps you will tire sooner than he will。 it is a sad thing to think of； but there is no doubt that genius lasts longer than beauty。 that accounts for the fact that we all take such pains to over…educate ourselves。 in the wild struggle for existence； we want to have something that endures； and s