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〃we are talking about poor dartmoor； lord henry；〃 cried the duchess； nodding pleasantly to him across the table。 〃do you think he will really marry this fascinating young person？〃
〃i believe she has made up her mind to propose to him； duchess。〃
〃how dreadful！〃 exclaimed lady agatha。 〃really； some one should interfere。〃
〃i am told； on excellent authority； that her father keeps an american dry…goods store；〃 said sir thomas burdon； looking supercilious。
〃my uncle has already suggested pork…packing sir thomas。〃
〃dry…goods！ what are american dry…goods？〃 asked the duchess； raising her large hands in wonder and accentuating the verb。
〃american novels；〃 answered lord henry； helping himself to some quail。
the duchess looked puzzled。
〃dont mind him； my dear；〃 whispered lady agatha。 〃he never means anything that he says。〃
〃when america was discovered；〃 said the radical member and he began to give some wearisome facts。 like all people who try to exhaust a subject； he exhausted his listeners。 the duchess sighed and exercised her privilege of interruption。 〃i wish to goodness it never had been discovered at all！〃 she exclaimed。 〃really； our girls have no chance nowadays。 it is most unfair。〃
〃perhaps； after all； america never has been discovered；〃 said mr。 erskine； 〃i myself would say that it had merely been detected。〃
〃oh！ but i have seen specimens of the inhabitants；〃 answered the duchess vaguely。 〃i must confess that most of them are extremely pretty。 and they dress well； too。 they get all their dresses in paris。 i wish i could afford to do the same。〃
〃they say that when good americans die they go to paris；〃 chuckled sir thomas； who had a large wardrobe of humours cast…off clothes。
〃really！ and where do bad americans go to when they die？〃 inquired the duchess。
〃they go to america；〃 murmured lord henry。
sir thomas frowned。 〃i am afraid that your nephew is prejudiced against that great country；〃 he said to lady agatha。 〃i have travelled all over it in cars provided by the directors； who； in such matters； are extremely civil。 i assure you that it is an education to visit it。〃
〃but must we really see chicago in order to be educated？〃 asked mr。 erskine plaintively。 〃i dont feel up to the journey。〃
sir thomas waved his hand。 〃mr。 erskine of treadley has the world on his shelves。 we practical men like to see things； not to read about them。 the americans are an extremely interesting people。 they are absolutely reasonable。 i think that is their distinguishing characteristic。 yes； mr。 erskine； an absolutely reasonable people。 i assure you there is no nonsense about the americans。〃
〃how dreadful！〃 cried lord henry。 〃i can stand brute force； but brute reason is quite unbearable。 there is something unfair about its use。 it is hitting below the intellect。〃
〃i do not understand you；〃 said sir thomas； growing rather red。
〃i do； lord henry；〃 murmured mr。 erskine； with a smile。
〃paradoxes are all very well in their way。。。 。〃 rejoined the baronet。
〃was that a paradox？〃 asked mr。 erskine。 〃i did not think so。 perhaps it was。 well； the way of paradoxes is the way of truth。 to test reality we must see it on the tight rope。 when the verities bee acrobats； we can judge them。〃
〃dear me！〃 said lady agatha； 〃how you men argue！ i am sure i never can make out what you are talking about。 oh！ harry； i am quite vexed with you。 why do you try to persuade our nice mr。 dorian gray to give up the east end？ i assure you he would be quite invaluable。 they would love his playing。〃
〃i want him to play to me；〃 cried lord henry； smiling； and he looked down the table and caught a bright answering glance。
〃but they are so unhappy in whitechapel；〃 continued lady agatha。
〃i can sympathize with everything except suffering；〃 said lord henry； shrugging his shoulders。 〃i cannot sympathize with that。 it is too ugly； too horrible； too distressing。 there is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain。 one should sympathize with the colour； the beauty； the joy of life。 the less said about lifes sores； the better。〃
〃still； the east end is a very important problem；〃 remarked sir thomas with a grave shake of the head。
〃quite so；〃 answered the young lord。 〃it is the problem of slavery； and we try to solve it by amusing the slaves。〃
the politician looked at him keenly。 〃what change do you propose； then？〃 he asked。
lord henry laughed。 〃i dont desire to change anything in england except the weather；〃 he answered。 〃i am quite content with philosophic contemplation。 but； as the nineteenth century has gone bankrupt through an over…expenditure of sympathy； i would suggest that we should appeal to science to put us straight。 the advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray； and the advantage of science is that it is not emotional。〃
〃but we have such grave responsibilities；〃 ventured mrs。 vandeleur timidly。
〃terribly grave；〃 echoed lady agatha。
lord henry looked over at mr。 erskine。 〃humanity takes itself too seriously。 it is the worlds original sin。 if the caveman had known how to laugh； history would have been different。〃
〃you are really very forting；〃 warbled the duchess。 〃i have always felt rather guilty when i came to see your dear aunt； for i take no interest at all in the east end。 for the future i shall be able to look her in the face without a blush。〃
〃a blush is very being； duchess；〃 remarked lord henry。
〃only when one is young；〃 she answered。 〃when an old woman like myself blushes； it is a very bad sign。 ah！ lord henry； i wish you would tell me how to bee young again。〃
he thought for a moment。 〃can you remember any great error that you mitted in your early days； duchess？〃 he asked； looking at her across the table。
〃a great many； i fear；〃 she cried。
〃then mit them over again；〃 he said gravely。 〃to get back ones youth； one has merely to repeat ones follies。〃
〃a delightful theory！〃 she exclaimed。 〃i must put it into practice。〃
〃a dangerous theory！〃 came from sir thomass tight lips。 lady agatha shook her head； but could not help being amused。 mr。 erskine listened。
〃yes；〃 he continued； 〃that is one of the great secrets of life。 nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping mon sense； and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are ones mistakes。〃
a laugh ran round the table。
he played with the idea and grew wilful； tossed it into the air and transformed it； let it escape and recaptured it； made it iridescent with fancy and winged it with paradox。 the praise of folly； as he went on； soared into a philosophy； and philosophy herself became young； and catching the mad music of pleasure； wearing； one might fancy； her wine…stained robe and wreath of ivy； danced like a bacchante over the hills of life； and mocked the slow silenus for being sober。 facts fled before her like frightened forest things。 her white feet trod the huge press at which wise omar sits； till the seething grape…juice rose round her bare limbs in waves of purple bubbles； or crawled in red foam over the vats black； dripping； sloping sides。 it was an extraordinary improvisation。 he felt that the eyes of dorian gray were fixed on him； and the consciousness that amongst his audience there was one whose temperament he wished to fascinate seemed to give his wit keenness and to lend colour to his imagination。 he was brilliant； fantastic； irresponsible。 he charmed his listeners out of themselves； and they followed his pipe； laughing。 dorian gray never took his gaze off him； but sat like one under a spell； smiles chasing each other over his lips and wonder growing grave in his darkening eyes。
at last； liveried in the costume of the age； reality entered the room in the shape of a servant to tell the duchess that her carriage was waiting。 she wrung her hands in mock despair。 〃how annoying！〃 she cried。 〃i must go。 i have to call for my husband at the club； to take him to some absurd meeting at williss rooms； where he is going to be in the chair。 if i am late he is sure to be furious； and i couldnt have a scene in this bonnet。 it is far too fragile。 a harsh word would ruin it。 no； i must go； dear agatha。 good…bye； lord henry； you are quite delightful and dreadfully demoralizing。 i am sure i dont know what to say about your views。 you must e and dine with us some night。 tuesday？ are you disengaged tuesday？〃
〃for you i would throw over anybody； duchess；〃 said lord henry with a bow。
〃ah！ that is very nice； and very wrong of you；〃 she cried； 〃so mind you e〃； and she swept out of the room； followed by lady agatha and the other ladies。
when lord henry had sat down again； mr。 erskine moved round； and taking a chair close to him； placed his hand upon his arm。
〃you talk books away；〃 he said； 〃why dont you write one？〃
〃i am too fond of reading books to care to write them； mr。 erskine。 i should like to write a novel certainly； a novel that would be as lovely as a persian carpet and as unreal。 but there is no literary public in england for anything except newspapers； primers； and encyclopaedias。 of all people in the world the english have the least sense of the beauty of literature。〃
〃i fear you are right；〃 answered mr。 erskine。 〃i myself used to have literary ambitions； but i gave them up long ago。 and now； my dear young friend； if you will allow me to call you so； may i ask if you really meant all that you said to us at lunch？〃
〃i quite forget what i said；〃 smiled lord henry。 〃was it all very bad？〃
〃very bad indeed。 in fact i consider you extremely dangerous； and if anything happens to our good duchess； we shall all look on you as being primarily responsible。 but i should like to talk to you about life。 the generation into which i was born was tedious。 some day； when you are tired of london； e down to treadley and expound to me your philosophy of pleasure over some admirable burgundy i am fortunate enough to possess。〃
〃i shall be charmed。 a visit to treadley would be a great privilege。 it has a perfect host； and a perfect library。〃
〃you will plete it；〃 answered the old gentleman with a courteous bow。 〃and now i must bid good…bye to your excellent aunt。 i am due at the athenaeum。 it is the hour when we sleep there。〃
〃all of you； mr。 erskine？〃
〃forty of us； in forty arm…chairs。 we are practising for an english academy of letters。〃
lord henry laughed and rose。 〃i am going to the park；〃 he cried。
as he was passing out of the door； dorian gray touched him on the arm。 〃let me e with you；〃 he murmured。
〃but i thought you had promised basil hallward to go and see him；〃 answered lord henry。
〃i would sooner e with you； yes； i feel i must e with you。 do let me。 and you will promise to talk to me all the time？ no one talks so wonderfully as you do。〃
〃ah！ i have talked quite enough for to…day；〃 said lord henry； smiling。 〃all i want now is to look at life。 you may e and look at it with me； if you care to。〃
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Chapter 4
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chapter 4
one afternoon； a month later； dorian gray was reclining in a luxurious arm…chair； in the little library of lord henrys house in mayfair。 it was； in its way； a very charming room； with its high panelled wainscoting of olive…stained oak； its cream…coloured frieze and ceiling of raised plasterwork； and its brickdust felt carpet strewn with silk； long…fringed persian rugs。 on a tiny satinwood table stood a statuette by clodion； and beside it lay a copy of les cent nouvelles； bound for margaret of valois by clovis eve and powdered with the gilt daisies that queen had selected for her device。 some large blue china jars and parrot…tulips were ranged on the mantelshelf； and through the small leaded panes of the window streamed the apricot…coloured light of a summer day in london。
lord henry had not yet e in。 he was always late on principle； his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time。 so the lad was looking rather sulky； as with listless fingers he turned over the pages of an elaborately illustrated edition of manon lescaut that he had found in one of the book…cases。 the formal monotonous ticking of the louis quatorze clock annoyed him。 once or twice he thought of going away。
at last he heard a step outside； and the door opened。 〃how late you are；