Cer 12

    It y-eigen remembered afterwards.

    eleven oclock from Lord   treet, a man passed ,  and er turned up.  , came over ion and  on quickly in tion of his own house.

    But  stopping on t and ter s, his hand was on his arm.

    quot;Dorian!  an extraordinary piece of luck! I ing for you in your library ever since nine oclock. Finally I took pity on your tired servant and told o go to bed, as  me out. I am off to Paris by t train, and I particularly ed to see you before I left. I t it , as you passed me. But I  quite sure. Didnt you recognize me?quot;

    quot;In t even recognize Grosvenor Square. I believe my   I dont feel at all certain about it. I am sorry you are going a I suppose you ;

    quot;No: I am going to be out of England for six montend to take a studio in Paris and s myself up till I  picture I   about myself I ed to talk.  your door. Let me come in for a moment. I o say to you.quot;

    quot;I s  you miss your train?quot; said Dorian Gray languidly as eps and opened tch-key.

    t struggled out t c;I ime,quot; ;train doesnt go till teen, and it is only just eleven. In fact, I o to look for you, o Victoria in ty minutes.quot;

    Dorian looked at ; a o travel! A Gladstone bag and an ulster! Come in, or t into t talk about anyt least not;

    ered, and folloo t , and an open Dutc-case stood, er and large cut-glass tumblers, on a little marqueterie table.

    quot;You see your servant made me quite at ed, including your best gold-tipped cigarettes.  able creature. I like ter to  ;

    Dorian s;I believe ablis seems silly of t it? But--do you kno all a bad servant. I never liked  I o complain about. One often imagines t are quite absurd. ed to me and seemed quite sorry ake zer myself. to be some in t room.quot;

    quot;t ; said ter, taking  off and t ;And no to speak to you seriously. Dont fro. You make it so muc for me.quot;

    quot; is it all about?quot; cried Dorian in ulant  about myself. I am tired of myself to-nigo be somebody else.quot;

    quot;It is about yourself,quot; ans say it to you. I s;

    Dorian sig a cigarette. quot;; he murmured.

    quot;It is not muco ask of you, Dorian, and it is entirely for your o I am speaking. I t rig you s t dreadful t you in London.quot;

    quot;I dont  t ot scandals about myself dont interest me. t got ty.quot;

    quot;t interest you, Dorian. Every gentleman is interested in   people to talk of you as sometion, and your  kind of t position and  everyt believe t all. At least, I cant believe t es itself across a mans face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. tc sself in t mention  you kno year to rait done. I   time, travagant price. I refused  I ed. I kno I e rig I fancied about  you, Dorian, , innocent face, and your marvellous untroubled yout believe anyt you. And yet I see you very seldom, and you never come doo tudio no knoo say. , Dorian, t a man like ter it?  t so many gentlemen in London o your e you to to be a friend of Lord Staveley. I met  dinner last ion, in connection ures you  to tion at taveley curled  you mig artistic tastes, but t you  I  o young men? t cted suicide. You on, arnis about Adrian Singleton and  about Lord Kents only son and  erday in St. Jamess Street.  about t sort of life  noleman e ;

    quot;Stop, Basil. You are talking about t; said Dorian Gray, biting e of infinite contempt in ;You ask me . It is because I kno  because  mine. it on and young Perteacs silly son takes reets,  to me? If Adrian Singleton es ter in England. tables, and ters in order to try and pretend t t society and on intimate terms ry, it is enougo inction and brains for every common tongue to   sort of lives do t t ive land of te.quot;

    quot;Dorian,quot; cried ;t is not tion. England is bad enougy is all  is t you to be fine. You  been fine. One  to judge of a man by t o lose all sense of y. You o t you can smile, as you are smiling no reason, if for none ot ers name a by-;

    quot;take care, Basil. You go too far.quot;

    quot;I must speak, and you must listen. You sen.  Lady G a breatouc o live ories-- stories t you  da of dreadful o t dens in London. Are true? Can true?   about your country- is led t kno you. I  tell you t I dont  to preaco you. I remember  every man eur curate for t al, and to break  to preaco you. I  you to lead suc you. I  you to  you to get rid of te  s. Dont be so indifferent. You  it be for good, not for evil. t you corrupt every one imate, and t it is quite sufficient for you to enter a o folloer. I dont kno.  it is said of you. I am told t it seems impossible to doubt. Lord Gloucester est friends at Oxford. ter t ten to  Mentone. Your name ed in t terrible confession I ever read. I told  it  I kne you , I so see your soul.quot;

    quot;to see my soul!quot; muttered Dorian Gray, starting up from turning almost we from fear.

    quot;Yes,quot; anso see your soul. But only God can do t.quot;

    A bitter laug;You s yourself, to-nig; able. quot;Come: it is your o it? You can tell t it afterer for it. I knoter te about it so tediously. Come, I tell you. You tered enoug corruption. Noo face.quot;

    ttered. amped  upon t manner.  a terrible joy at t t some one else o s, and t ted trait t o be burdened for t of  he had done.

    quot;Yes,quot; inued, coming closer to eadfastly into ern eyes, quot;I s you fancy only God can see.quot;

    arted back. quot;t; ;You must not say t. t mean anyt;

    quot;You t; he laughed again.

    quot;I knoo you to-nig for your good. You kno;

    quot;Dont touc you o say.quot;

    A ted flas across ters face. , and a y came over er all, o tit   raigo tood t tlike ashrobbing cores of flame.

    quot;I am ing, Basil,quot; said the young man in a hard clear voice.

    urned round. quot; I o say is t; ;You must give me some anso t are made against you. If you tell me t tely untrue from beginning to end, I s you see  tell me t you are bad, and corrupt, and s;

    Dorian Gray smiled. tempt in ;Come upstairs, Basil,quot; ly. quot;I keep a diary of my life from day to day, and it never leaves t is ten. I s to you if you come ;

    quot;I s. I see I rain. t makes no matter. I can go to-morro dont ask me to read anyto-nig is a plain anso my question.quot;

    quot;t so you upstairs. I could not give it  o read long.quot;