· THE PICTURE

OF DORIAN GRAY

OSCAR WILDE
P.ENGl!JIN . . . -
V -
Contents

page

Introduction V

Chapter 1 An Extraordinarily Beautiful Young Man 1

Chapter 2 Jealous of his Own Portrait 5
Chapter 3 Dorian in Love 14
Chapter 4 The Worship of Sybil Vane 19
Chapter 5 Dorian Leaves Sybil 22
Chapter 6 Love Becomes Tragedy 27
Chapter 7 'What Is Past Is Past' 32
Chapter 8 The Portrait Is Hidden 38
Chapter 9 'I Will Show You my Soul' 42
Chapter 10 Basil Sees the Portrait 47
Chapter 11 The Problem of the Body 52
Chapter 12 'Why Do You Look so Young?' 56
Chapter 13 'To Kill the Past'
61
Activities
67
 Introduction

If I could stay young and the picture grow old! For that - for that - I would
.~ive everything I would give my soul for that!

When Basil Hallward paints a picture of the young and handsome

Dorian Gray, he thinks it is the most important work of his life. But
he cannot guess how important it will be to Dorian Gray himself.
Because when Dorian sees the finished portrait, he makes a terrible
wish: that the beautiful young n1an in the picture in front of him
will grow old and that he will look young for ever. Unfortunately
for Dorian, and everyone he knows, his wish comes true - in a most
terrible way ...

One of the most important Irish writers of the nineteenth century,

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1854. His fathe1 was a
doctor and his mother a writer and translator. H e went to Dublin
and Oxford Universities, where he was an unusually clever student.
At O:,.._-ford he won an in1portant prize but he was even more
famous for his unusual personal style. His long hair, bright clothes,
amusing conversation and ideas about art won him many followers.
His habit of making fun of people also won him enemies.
His first book of poen1S appeared in 1881 but it did not bring
him much n1oney. He went on a tour of the United States, where
he gave talks on art and society.
In 1884 Wilde married Constance Lloyd, and they decided to
live in London. Constance later gave birth to two sons, Cyril and
Vyvyan.
Wilde began to work seriously at his writing in 1887, beginning
with a story, The Canterville Ghost. He wrote many other stories.
among them T1ie Picture of Dorian Gray (1892) . He also wrote plays
about fashionable society, including Lady Windermere's Fan (1892),

V
A Woman of No Importance (1893) and An Ideal Husband (1895).
Most popular of all was The Importance of Being Earnest, which many
people think is one of the funniest plays ever written in English.
Wilde also wrote a play in French, Salome (1893), which takes the
story of King Herod's daughter fro1n the Bible.
But in 1895 everything changed and Oscar Wilde's success in
public life was over. Wilde had become a close friend ofLord Alfred
Douglas, a young man from a wealthy family. Douglas's father,
the Marquess of Queensberry, found some letters from Wilde to
Douglas and realized that the two men were lovers. He did
everything he could to ruin Wilde. Three court cases followed, and
they received much publicity in the national newspapers. Douglas
escaped any kind of punishment but Wilde was sent to prison for
two years. After this many of his friends turned their backs on him
and nobody was willing to put on his plays.
Wilde suffered terribly during his time in prison. He became ill
and his confidence, both as a person and an artist, was destroyed. At
first he was not allowed to do any writing but later he produced a
long poem called TI1e Ballad of Reading Gaol. It describes the crime
of a poor soldier and the cruelty of life in prison. When the poem
appeared in 1898, it was a best-seller.
In 1897, when Wilde came out of prison, he was a broken man.
He wanted to go back to his wife but she refused to have him,
although she did give him some money to live on. It was impossible
for him to live in England, so he lived for a time in northern France.
A few loyal friends visited him there. He managed to spend a few
n1onths with Douglas, against the wishes of both families, but soon
they had no n1oney: neither had ever learned how to live cheaply.
Wilde spent the last years of his life in Paris, living in cheap hotels
and asking his friends for money. During the years after leaving
prison, he produced no literary work. He died in Noven1ber 1900,
at the age of forty-six.
♦

Vl
Today Oscar Wilde's sexual behaviour is no longer criticized as it
was in his lifetime. Instead, he }s remembered for his writings and
for his daring ideas. As a thinker, he believed strongly in the value
of beauty, in life as well as in art, although The Picture of Dorian Gray
shows the dangers of such beliefs. Wilde is admired for his
imaginative stories, plays and humorous sayings, which both
shocked and entertained people.

vii
 Chapter 1 An Extraordinarily Beautiful Young Man

-
The roon1 ,:vas filled with the smell of roses. Sitting on a sofa,
smoking a cigarette, was Lord Henry Wotton. Through the open
door came the distant sounds of the London streets.
In the centre of the room stood a portrait of an extraordinarily
beautiful young man. Sitting a little distance in front of it was the
artist himself, Basil Hallward. As the painter looked at the portrait,
he smiled.
'It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,'
said Lord Henry, slowly. 'You really must send it next year to the
Grosvenor. The Grosvenor is really the only place to exhibit a
painting like that.'
' I don't think I shall send it anywhere,' the painter answered,
moving his head in that odd way that used to make his friends laugh
at him at Oxford University. 'No: I won't send it anywhere.'
Lord Henry looked at him in surprise through the thin blue
smoke of his cigarette. 'Not send it anywhere? My dear man, why
not? What odd people you painters are!'
'I know you will laugh at me,' Basil replied, 'but I really can't
exhibit it. I have put too much of myself into it.'
Lord Henry stretched himself out on the sofa and laughed. 'Too
, much ofyourself in it! Basil, this man is truly beautiful. He does not
look like you.'
'You don't understand me, Harry,' answered the artist. ' Of
course I am not like him. I would be sorry to look like hin1. It is
better not to be different from other people. The stupid and ugly
have the best of this world. Dorian Gray - '
'Dorian Gray? Is that his name?' asked Lord H enry, walking
across the room towards Basil Hallward.
'Yes, that is his name. I wasn 't going to tell you.'

1
 denly realized that someone was loolcing at
'But why not?' . minutes I su d • Wh
,1 boutten •d d w Dorian Gray for tl,e first ume. en
'Oh, I c.n·c <'xplam When I hke people enormously I never teU ed aroun an sa . b
me. I turn r 1 -Le blood Jeavmg my face. I knew that this oy
their names to anyone. I suppose vou thmk that's very foolish?' •yes met, I ,et w . lf'
our c · h le soul my whole arc itse .
"Noc at aJI.' answered Lord Henry, ·not at all, my dear Basil. You would become my w o •
forget that I .tm married so my life is full of secrets. I never know 'What did you do?' . I
·te close almost couching. Our eyes met agam.
where my wife is, and my wife never knows what I am doing. 'We were qul • . ,
randon to introduce me to him.
When we meet we tell each otha lies wtth the most serious faces.' asketI La dy B · Gra ,,
'I hate the wav you ulk about your married hfe. Harry,' said \ ·What did Lady Brandon say about Mr Donan , Y· h
"Charming boy. I don t know w at
Basil Hallward, walking cowards the door that led into the garden. 'I •oh sometlung like
• - I think he doesn't do anything. Oh, yes, he plays the
hl'h~ve you .uc really a very good hu,band, buL Lhat you are I,e does ,.. D · d I boili
· t -Le violin dear Mr Gray. onan an
ashamed of it. You never say a good thmg, and you never do a piano - or 1s I u1 •

wrong tlung.' 1aughed and we became friends at once.' fi fr' dsh. ' 'd the
Lord Henry laughed and the two men went out mto the garden 'Laughter is not at all a bad beginning or a ien ip, s~1
together. After a pause. Lord Henry pulled out his watch. 'l am young lord, picking anotl,er flower, 'and it is ilie best ending for
afraid I have to go. Basil,' he said ma quiet voice. 'But before I go I one.' · dshi
want you to explain to me why you won't exhibit Dorian Gray's Hallward shook his head. 'You don't understand what fr1en P
picture. I want the real reason.' 1s, Harry. Everyone is tl,e same co you.'
'I told you the real reason.' 'That's not cruel' cried Lord Henry, pushing his hat back, and
'No, you did not. You said that it was because there was too look.mg at tl,e summer sky. 'I choose my friends for their beauty
much of yourself in it. Now, that 1s chiJdjsh. • and my enemies for their intelligence. A man cannot be coo careful
'Harry,' said Basil Hallward. looking him straight in the face, in choosing his enemies. Of course, I hate my relations. And I hate
'every portrait that is painted with feeling 1s a portrait of tl1e artist. poor people because tl,ey are ugly. sropid and drunk-•
not the sitter. I wiU not exhibit this picture because I am afraid chat J ·1 don't agree with a word you have said. And I feel sure that you
have shown in 1t the secret of my own soul.' don't agree either.'
Lord Henry laughed. 'And what is that?' he asked. Lord Henry touched his pointed brown beard witl, his fmger,
'Oh. there 1s really very little to tell, Harry,' answered the paincerJ and the toe of his boot with his stick. 'How Engfuh you are, Basil!
'and I don't chink you will understand. Perhaps you won't I An Englishman is only interested in whether he agrees with an idea,
believe it.' not whether it is right or wrong. But tell me more about Mr
Lord Henry smiled and picked a flower from the grass. ' I am Dorian Gray. How often do you see hun?'
quite sure I'll understand it,' he replied, staring at the flower, 'and I 'Every day. I couldn't be happy ifl didn't see him every day.'
can believe anything.' 'How extraordinary! I thought you only cared about your art.'
'The story IS simply this,' said the painter. 'Two months ago J 'He is all my art to me now.' said tl,e painter. 'I know that the
went to a party at Lady 1:lrandon's. After I had been in the room for work I have done since I met Dorian Gray is the best work of my

2 3
 ht~. In some strangi: way his personality h,1s \hown me a new kind )'
'Remembered what, H arry. . ,
of Jrt. He seems hke a little boy - though he is really more than 'Where I heard the name ofDonan Gray.
twenty - and when he i~ wuh me I sec the world differently.'
'Where was 1•t''•
asked Hallward with a frown. , h ,
'Basil, this 1s extraordmary! I must see Dorian Gray.' '!)on,t 1ook so aiigry , Basil. It was at
. my aunts, Lady Agat a s.
Hallward got up from lus seat and walked up and down the h had discovered this wonderful
She told me t h at s e .
young man. He
garden. Afii:r some tnnc he came back. 'Harry.' he said. 'Dorian · • h I her work with the poor people m the East End of
was gomg to e P · , kn ·
Gray is the reason for my arc. You might see nothing in him. I see London,an d his name was Dorian Gray. Ofcourse I didn t ow 1t
everythmg in hun.'
was your friend.'
'Then why won't you exhibit his portrait?" asked Lord Henry. 'I am very glad you didn't,Harry.'
'An artist should pamt beauoful tlungs. but he should put 'Why'·
nothmg oflm own hfe into them. Some day I will show the world •1 don't want you to meet him.'
what that beauty 1s. For that rt·ason the world will never see my A servant came into the garden. ' Mr Dorian Gray is waiting in
portrait of Dorian Gray.' the house, sir,' he sajd_
. 'I thmk you are" rong.Basil. but I won't argue with you. Tell me, 'You must introduce me now,' cried Lord Henry, laughing.
1s Dorian Gray very fond of you?' The painter turned to his servant.• Ask Mr Gray to wait, Parker. I .
The pamter thought for a few moments. 'He likes me.' he will come in in a few moments.'
answered, after a pause. 'I know he likes me. Of course I Ratter him Then he looked at Lord Henry. 'Dorian Gray is my dearest
too much ,nd tell him tlungs that I should not. He is usually very friend,' he said. 'He is a beautiful person. Don't spoil him. Don't try
charm.ing to me, and we spend thousands of wondcrfol hours and influence him. Your influence would be bad. Don't take away
together. But sometimes he can be horribly thoughtless and seems from me the one person who makes me a true artist.'
to enjoy causmg me pain. Then I fecl;Harry, that I have given my 'What silly things you say!' said Lord Henry. Smiling, he took
wholi: mul to someone who uses it like a Rower to put in his coat Hallward by the arm and ahnost led him into the house.
on a summer's day.'
'Summer days are long, Basil,' said Lord Henry in a quiet voice.
'Perhaps you will get bored before he will. Intelligence lives longer Chapter 2 Jealous ofhis Own Portrait
than beauty. One day you will look at your friend and you won't
like l11S colour or something. And then you will begin to think that As they entered they saw Dorian Gray. He was sitting at the piano,
he hds behaved badly to,vards you-·
with his back to them, and he was turn.ing the pages ofsome music
'Harry. don't talk like that. As long as I live, Dorian Gray will be by Schumann. 'You must lend me these, Basil,' he cried. 'I want to
everything to me. You can't feel what I feel. You change too often.' learn them. They are perfectly charming.'
'My dear Basil, that is exactly why I can feel it.' Lord Henry tot>k 'Perhaps if you sit well for me today, Dorian.'
a cigarette from his pretty silver box and lit it. Then he turned to 'Oh, I am bored with -sitting, and I don't want a portrait of
Hallward and said, 'I have just remembered.'
myself,' answered the boy, turning quickly. When he saw Lord

4
5
 Henry, Im face ,vent red for a moment. 'I am sorry, Basil. I didn't b Mr Gray. Come and see me one afternoon in Curzon
go Good ye, , k,
know that yo" had anyone with you.' · n nearly always at home at five o c1oc •
Street. 1 a, I ·11
'This is lord Henry Wotton.Dorian. He's an old friend of mine. 'Bas,·i ' , cne
· d Dorian Gray' 'if Lord Henry Wotton . goes,
. w1 . go
.
We went to Oxford together. I have just been telling him what a en your lips while you are pamtmg, and It 1s
coo. You never o P . ,
good sitter you were, and now you have spoiled everything.'
I1orr1.bly boring just standing here. Ask him D .
to stay•
d f, • ·d
"You have not spoiled mv pleasure in meeting you, Mr Gray,' said ,All right, please stay, H arry. For onan an or me, SaJ
Lord Henry. stepping forward and offering his hand. 'My aunt has Hallward, staring at ms picture. 'It is true that I never talk_when I am
often spoken to me about you.· . and never listen either. It must be very ,bonng for my
\VOfk1ng, .
'I am afraid Lady Agatha 1s annoyed with me at the moment. ·
sitters. s t·t do,vn again • Harry. And Donan don t move about
I pronu;ed to go to a dub 111 Whitechapcl with her last Tuesday, too much, or listen to what Lord Henry says. He has a very bad
and I forgot all about It. I don't know what she will say to influence over all his friends.'
ine.•
Dorian Gray stood while Hallward finished his portrait. H e liked
Lore! Henry looked at him. Yes, he was certainly wonderfully what he had seen of Lord Henry. He was so different to Basil! And
handsome, '"1th his curved red lips, honest blue eyes and gold hair. he had such a beautiful voice. After a few moments he said to him,
'Oh, don't worry about my aunt. You are one of her favourite 'Have you really a very bad influence, Lord H enry? As bad as Basil
people. And you are too charming to waste time working for poor says''
peopk"
'Influence is always bad.'
Lord Henry sat down on the sofa and opened his cigarette box. 'Why?'
The painter was busy mixing colours and getti.ng his brushes ready. 'Because to influence someone is to give them your soul. Each
Suddenly, he looked at lord Henry and said, 'Harry, I wane to person must have his own personality.'
fm.ish this picture today. Would you think ,t very rude of me if I 'Turn your head a little more to the right, Dorian,' said the
asked you to go away'' parnter. He was not listening to the conversation and only knew
lord Henry smiled, and looked at Dorian Gray. 'Shall I go, Mr that there was a new look on the boy's face.
Gray?' he asked. ·And yet,' continued Lord H enry, in his low musical voice, 'I
'Oh, please don't, Lord Henry. I see that Basil is in one of his believe that if one man lived his life fully and completely he could
difficult moods, and I hate it when he is difficult. And I want you to change the world. He would be a work of art greater than anything
tell me why I should not help the poor people.' we have ever imagined. But the bravest man among us is afraid of
That would be very boring, Mr Gray. But I certainly will not himself. You, Mr Gray, are very young but you have had passions
run away if you do not want me to. Is that all right, Basil? You have that have made yoi1 afraid, dreams -'
often told me that you like your sitters to have someone to talk to.' 'Stop!' cried Dorian Gray, ' I don't understand what you are
Hallward bit his lip. 'If that is what Dorian wants. Dorian always saying. 1 need to think.'
gets what he wants.'
For nearly ten minutes he stood there with his lips open and his
Lord Henry picked up his hat and gloves. 'No, I am afraid I must eyes strangely bright. The words that Basil's friend had spoken had

6 7
 ,. 9
**j~··p_5
· soul Yes there had been things in his boyhood that he
couc h c d 1ns . •
had not understood. He understood them now.
·1 I ·"e Lord Henry watched him. He knew the exact
w,r1 m snw, .
say nothing. He was surprised at the sudden
moment w 11 en to
effect of his words on the boy. How fascinating the boy was!
!-lallward continued painting and did not nottce that the others
were )i}ent. .
•Basil, I am tired.' cried Dorian Gray, suddenly. 'I must go and sit
,n the garden. There is no air in here.' .
·My dear boy. I am sorry. When I am painting, my work 1S all I
c.,n t111 nk about. But you never sat better. I don't know what Harry
has been saying to you, but there is a wonderful bright look in your
eye,. I suppose he has been flattering you. You shouldn't believe a
word he says.'
·He has certainly not been flattering me. Perhaps that is why I
don ·1 believe anything he has told me.'
·You know you believe it all,' said Lord Henry, looking at him
with 1111 dreamy eyes. 'I will go out to the garden with you. It's
hornbly hot in this room.'
'Don't keep Dorian too long,' said the painter. 'This is going to
be my best painting.'
Lord Henry went out to the garden, and found Dorian Gray
holding a flower to his face. He came close to him, and put his hand
on his shoulder.
Dorian Gray frowned and turned away. He liked the tall young
man who was standing by him. His dark, romantic face interested
h1111. There was something in his low, musical voice that was
f,1,cinanng. But he felt a little afraid. Why was this stranger having a
strong mfluence on him like this? He had known Basil Hallward for
months. but the friendship berween them had not changed him.
Suddenly someone had come into his life and turned it upside
Lord Henry watched him. He kne11, the exaa moment when to down. Someone who seemed to have the key to the mystery of life
say nothing. Itself.

9
 And yet, what was there to be afraid 0 p He was h
. · not a sc oolboy over and examined the picture. It was certainly
or a girl. It was silly to be afraid. Lord Henry came
'Let us go and sit out of the sun. I don't want you to be bur b wonderful work of art. . . M
~=-· nty
3
, h
·My dear man, e sa1 .
·d 'It is the best portrait of our ame. r
Gn come over and look at yourself.'_ . .
'What does that matter?' cried Dorian Gray, laugL:.
1w1g as he sat . y, valk d across to look at the painting. When he saw it his
down on the seat at the end of the garden. Donan ' e · d 1·
.th pleasure He felt chat he recogmze us own
'It should matter very much to you. Mr Gray.' checks went red wi · L d
h first time. But then he remembered what or
'Why?' beauty tior t e i t:: t::
.d His beauty would only be there ,or a ,ew years.
Henry h ad sa1 .
'Be~ause you are young, and to be young is the best thing in the
world. One day he would be old and ugly. .
'Don't you like it?' cried Hallward, not understanding why the
'I don't feel that, Lord Henry.'
boy was silent.
'No, you don't feel it now. Some day when you are old and ugly ·of course he likes it,' said Lord Henry. 'It is one of the greatest
you will feel it terribly. Now, wherever you go, you charm the paintings in modern art. I will pay anything you ask for It. I must
world. Will it always be so? ... You have a wonderfully beautiful
have it.'
face, Mr Gray.'
'It is not mine to sell, Harry.'
'I don't think-'
'Whose is it?'
'Don't frown. It is true. The gods have been good to you. But 'Dorian's, of course,' answered the painter.
what the gods give they quickly take away. You have only a few · He is very lucky.'
years m which to really live, perfectly and fully. Live your life now 'How sad it is!' said Dorian Gray, who was still staring at his own
while you are still youngJ.:_ ' portrait. 'I will grow old and horrible. But this painting wi~ always
Suddenly the painter appeared at the door and waved at them to stay young. It will never be older than this day in June . .. tf only It
come in. They turned to each ocher and smiled. were the other way!'
'I am waiting.' he cried. 'Please come in. The light is perfect.' 'What do you mean?' asked Hallward.
They got up and walked towards the house together. 'If I could stay young and the picture grow old! For that -
'You are glad you have met me, Mr Gray,' said Lord Henry, for chat - I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in
looking at him. the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for
'Yes, I am glad now. I wonder whether I will always be glad.' that!'
'Always! That is a terrible word. Women are so fond of 'I don't think you would like that, Basil,' cried Lord H enry,
using it.' ~ laughing.
Twenry minutes later Hallward stopped painting. He stood back 'I certainly would not, Harry,' said Hallward.
and looked at the portrait for a few moments. Then he bent down Dorian Gray turned and looked at him. 'You like your art better
and signed his name in red paint on the bottom left-hand corner. than your friends.'
'It is finished,' he cried. The painter stared in surprise. Why was Dorian speaking like

10 11
that? What had happened? His face was red and he d •
angry. , seeme quite

'You will alwiys like this painting. But how long will you l'k
? U ·1 . I e
me. ntl I start gettmg old. Lord Henry Wotton is perfectly right.
When I lose my beauty, I will lose everything. I shall kill myself
before I get old.'
Hallward turned white, and caught his hand. 'Dorian! Dorian!'
he cried. 'Don't talk like that. I have never had a friend like you, and
I will never have another. How can you be jealous of a painting?
You are more beautiful than any work of art.'
'I am jealous of everything whose beauty does not die. I am
j ealous of the portrait you have painted of me. Why should it keep
what I must lose?' Hot tears came into his eyes as he threw himself
on the sofa.
'You did this, Harry,' said the painter, angrily.
Lord Henry shook his head. ' It is the real Dorian Gray - that is
all.'
'Harry. I can't argue with two of my best friends at once.
Between you both you have made me hate the be.st piece of work I
have ever done. I will destroy it.'
Dorian Gray watched as Hallward walked over to the painting-
table and picked up a knife. The boy jumped from the sofa, tore the
knife from Hallward's hand and threw it across the room. 'Don't,
Basil!' he cried. 'Don't murder it!'
'I am glad that you like my work at last, Dorian,' said the painter
coldly. 'I never thought you would.' ,
'Like it? I am in love with it, Basil. It is part of myself. I feel that.
'What silly people you are, both of you!' said Lord Henry. 'Let's
forget about the painting for one night and go to the theatre.'
'I would like to come to the theatre with you,Lord Henry.'
'And you will come too, wont ' you Basil'' ·
'I can't,' said Hallward. 'I have too much work to do.' 'D011' 1, Basil!' lie cried. 'Don't murder it!'
'Well, you and J will go together, Mr Gray.'

12
 The painter brt hrs lip and walked over to the picture.
·r wiU stay with the real Dorian,' he said sadly.

Chapter 3 Dorian in Love

One afternoon, a month lacer, Dorian Gray was sitting in the little
library of Lord Henry's house in Mayfair. Lord Henry had nor yer
come in. He w;is always late. Dorian Gray was bored and once or
twice he thought of going away.
At last he heard a step outside and the door opened. 'How late
you are, Harry!' he said.
Tm afr:ud it is not Harry. Mr Gray. I t is only his wife.'
He looked around quickly and got to his feet. 'I am sorry. I
thought-'

'I know you quite weU by your photographs. I think my husband

has got seventeen of them.'
'Seventeen. Lady Henry?'
'Well, eighteen, then. And I saw you with him the other night at
the theatre. Bue here is Harry!'
Lord Henry smiled at them both. 'So sorry I Jill late, Dorian.'
'I am afraid I muse go,' said Lady Harry. 'Goodbye, Mr Gray.
Goodbye, Harry. You are eatmg out, I suppose? I am too. Perhaps I
will see you later.'
'Perhaps, my dear,' sa1d Lord Harry, shutting the door behind
her. Then he la a cigarette and threw himself down on the sofa.
'Never marry a woman with farr hair, Donan,' he said.
'Why, Harry?'
'Because they are romantic.'
'But I like romantic people.'
'Never marry at all, Donan.'
'I don't thmk I will marry, Harry. I am too much in love.'
'Who are you in love with?' asked Lord Henry, after a pause. 'l ll'i/1 stay 111it/r 1/re real Dorian,' lie said sadly.

14
 ·wuh an actress,' said Dorian Gray. She know; nothing of life. Sibyl is the only
·How ordinary.' person in Shakcsp~arc.
·You would not say that 1f you saw her, Harry., thmg I care about. I never have dinner with
'Who 1s she?' ·That is the reason, I suppose, t 1at you . .
h . . ht be someth111g romanoc.
'Her name is Sibyl Vane.' me now. I choug tit nug ther every day,' said Dorian.
'I've never heard of her.' 'My dear Harry. we eat coge
'You always come very late.' .
'No one has. People will some day, t hough . She is an
artist.' ·Well, I have to see SI.byI pa
I y •' he cned
- . . ?'
h ve dinner with me tomght, Donan.
'My dear boy, no woman is an artist. Women never have ·Can youk ha' head 'Torught she is Ophelia,' he answered, 'and
He shoo is ·
anythillg to say bur they say it charmingly. How long have you tomorrow night she will be Juliet.'
known her?'
'When is she Sibyl Vane?'
'About three weeks.'
'Never.'
'And where did you meet her?'
'That's good.' •
'I \vill tell you, Harry, but you must not laugh. After all, it was 'How hornble you are! But when you see her you will
you who gave me a pass10n to know everything about life. For days thmk differently. I wam you and Basil to come and watch h~r
after I met you I searched the streets for beauty. I walked around the tomorrow ru·g1
_ 11. You are certain to recogmze that she 1s
East End until I found a dirty little theatre. I see you are laughing. It
is horrible of you!'
=~~-' . . ,
'All right. Tomorrow evening. Will you see Basil before then. Or
'I am not laughing, Dorian. Go on with your story.' shall I write to him?' .
'The play was Romeo and ]11/ie1. At first I was annoyed at the •Dear Basil! I haven't seen him for a week. It is rather horrible
thought ofseeing Shakespeare in such a terrible place. And when a of me as he sent me my portrait a few days ago. I love looking
fat old gentleman came our as Romeo I nearly walked out. But JC it. Perhaps you should v.,Tite to him. I don't want to see

then I saw Juliet! Harry, she was the loveliest thing I had ever seen him alone. He says things that annoy me. He gives me good
in my life.' advice.'
'When did you meet her'' Lord Henry smiled. 'People are very fond of giving away advice
'I went back the next night and the night after that. On the third they need themselves.'
evening I waited for her outside the theatre.' 'Oh, Basil is a good man, but I don't think he really understands
'What was she like?' about art and beauty. Since I have known you, Harry, I have
'Sibyl? Oh, she was shy and gentle. She is only seventeen and discovered chat.'
there is something ofa child in her. She said to me, "You look like a 'Basil, my dear boy, puts everything that is charming in him into
prince. I must call you Prince Charming".' his work.·
'Miss Sibyl knows how to flatter you.' 'I must go now, Harry. My Juliet is waiting for me. Don't forget
'You don't understand her, Harry. She thinks that I am like a about tomorrow. Goodbye.'

16 17
 rd Henry began to tlunk about what
Lo
A, l)on,111 left the room. I had ever ,mercsted Ju mso
I d Ccrcamly few peop e
h,· ludJU't carne . ..., h ad worslup of th.is actress clid not
l)onm Gra, ,t't t em th b
,nu,I1 a, ·
111,1kc hun anuoyed or JCd1uus.
He w~, pleast"d by it. It made e oy
st
1110,c 1ntcrcstmg to udy h . •ed home from clinncr,
h ht when e arn,
I atcr t .at mg ' the cable near the door. He
I H •nn ,aw a telegram on S'b I
Lon < . h t Dorian Gray was going to marry • y
opened it wd read t a .
Vllll'-

Chapter 4 Th e Worship of Sybil Van e

·1 ,uppo,e you have heard the new,. Bastl'' said Lord Henry the
the cliruno--room of the Bristol
followmg ,·vcumg. T h<:y were 111 "

Hotel.
'No. HJrr,.' .mswered the arnst, gjving his hat and coat to the
w.Htcr. 'What " 1t?'
'Dorian Gray 15 gomg to be mJrried,' said Lord Henry, watching
he ,poke.
111111 JS
H.illward frowned. 'Dorian gomg to be marned!' he cned
'Impossible:!'
·11 b pertcdy true.'
'To whom;•
'lo some httk .acm:,,.'
'13ut 1t would bt: absurd for him to marry someone like
tluc.
'If you wJnt to make 11101 marry this girl tell lum that, Basil. He b
,me to do 11. then. Whenever a man does a completely stupid thing,
1t " .tlwJy> for J good reason.'

'I hope th" girl ,s good. Harry.'

'I want you arrd Basil to come and watch Sibyl tomorrow rright. 'Uh, she 1s better than good - she 1s beautiful,' ,did Lord
You are certam to recognize chat she 1s wo11def,1/. ' Henry. ·Dorian says that she 1s beautiful and he 1~ not often

19
 I told her I loved
wnmg about thc,e things. Your portrait ha~ helped h . d was not a business meeong. '
. 1m un e~tand ·My dear HJrry. it lu to me compared to her.
bt•Juty m other... \Ve are to sce her tomght if that b d ok world is not ng
' ' oy oesn't , I 11e w h
her. ,
forgct.' l)onan - 'D • Harry You
'But my dear L rd Henry's arm. on t .
'But how can Dorian marry an actress. Harry? It is absurd,
}--IJII" ard put
his hand on
.
° t like other men. e
H would never
(ncd the pamter. \\".liking up and down the mom, biting h;s ,d I)ona11. He is no
haVC annoyc d
lip. • • · ever annoye
hann anyone. the table. 'Dorian is n
'Dorian Gray falls in low wtth a beaunful actress who play,Juhct. Henry looked across
Lord d ,
He ask.\ her to marl") him. Why not? I hope that Dorian Gray • he answcre • . Sibyl Vane I don t
wit11 rnc, d 'When I am Wlt11 . .
m.1rnes tlm girl and worships her for six months. Then he can f)onan Gray laughe . h I forget all your fascmaong,
ou have taug t me.
,uddenly bt·comc fasnnated b~ another woman.· bchcvc in anythmg y
'You don ·1 Mean a word of tlut, Harry! I kno\\ you don't really cernbk ideas.' ,. cd Lord Henry, helpmg himself to some
WJnt Donan Gray's hfe to be spoiled. You are much better than you , And those are • · .. ask
pretend to be · ideas about
salad. b I fe your ideas about Iove, .,,our
Lord Henry !Jughcd. 'The reason we all hke to thmk so well of ·Oh. your ideas a out I ' •
our 1de.is, Harry· • b ' he
others 1s because wt· arc afraid for ourselves. But here is Dorian ple.1rnre. All Y h. ti, havmg ideas a out,
h only t mg wor
h11mel( He will tell you more than I can.' 'Pleasure is t e . . 'When we are happy we arc
. h slo,v musical voice. ,
'My dear Harry. mv dear Basil, you must both congratulate me" amwcred . in is . d we are not always happy.
d but when we are goo hi
said rhe boy. thmwmg off his coar and shakmg each of his friends' always goo , , . d Dorian Gray. ' It is to wors P
' I know what pleasure is, cne
hands. 'I 11.t\'e 1:ever been so happy. Of course it 1s sudden - all the
he,t thinb'!> arc. And yet It seems to me to be the one thing I have \OlllCOtle.' rslups you '
'That is cercarnly better than when someone wlik~ . ch
been looking for all my lite.' 'bl I I d 't know why I e you so mu .
'Harry. you are tern e. on . will han e
·1 hopc you will always be very happv. Dorian,' s.ud Hallward, to the theatre. When you see Sibyl you c g
'bur why did you not tell me' You told Harry.' Let us go down
'There really 1s not much to tell,' cned Dorian. 'b,t mght I went your ideas.' · ile 1t
They got up and put on their coats. The pamter was ~ I
to ~ee her .igain. After, when ,w were sirnng together, there came
~nJ thoughtful. He felt very sad. Dorian Gray would never agam be
into her eyes a wonderful look It was somethmg I hJd never St>en to hnn all that he had been in the past. Life had come between
thae before. J,);/e lussed each other I can't describe to you what I
felt at that moment.' them. d h h h d
When he arrived at the theatre It seemed to Hallwar t at e a
'Have you seen her today?' asked Lord Henry.
grown years older.
Dorian Gray shook his head 'I have left her 111 Shakespeare's
forest. I will find her in his garden.'
'At what t'Xact pomt did you ~se the word "marry", Dorian?
And how did she answer? Perh.1p~ you forgot all about it.•
21
20
 , Chapter 5 Dorian Leaves Sybil

Th<· thl'Jtrc was crowded that rughr. It was terrrblv I d

were young people shouting to each other &om 1or an there
W. 1 across seat,
omen were ,1ughmg loudly and their voices sounded hor "bl .
Peo I• · oranges and drinking from bottles rr e.
P e wen: e1nng
'What a pla,·e to find the perfect girl 111!' said Lord He
•v 1· nry.
,es. answered Dorr,111 Gray 'It was here I found her Wh
• en you
see hi:r as Juliet you ",U forger everything. These ugly people
becorne quire clilferenr when she appears.·
' I understand what you mean. Dorian,' said the painter, 'and I
beheve m this girl. Anrone vou love must be wonderful.'
'Thanks. Basil,' an<,wered Donan Gray. 'I knew that you would
understand me. In a few rrunutes you will see the girl who [ am
gomg to give my hfe to. The girl who I have given everythmg that
1s good m me.
Then Sibyl appeared The crowd shouted and called her name.
Yes, she was certamlr lovely to look at, Lord Henry thought. Basil
Hallward Jumped to lus feet excitedly. Donan Gray sat staring at
her like he was 111 a dream.
'Charnung! Charrrung!' cried Lord Henry.
A quarter of an hour later, Lord Henry whispered to Hallward.
'She's one ofrhe loveliest )!;U-b I have ever seen.But she 1s a terrible
actn:ss.'
Dorian Gray's face turned white as he watched her speak.
She was so d:lferenr torught! Now she was not Juliet but a
very bad actress who did not understand Shakespe.ire's
words.
Even the crowd became bored and began to talk loudly.
The only person who did not seem to notice was the actress
herself.
Lord Henry got up from his chaJr and put on his coat. 'She is
beautifi.il, Dorian,' he said, 'but she can't acr. Let's go.' T7rm Sibyl appeared. Yes, sire was certainly lovely ro look at,
Lord Henry tlrouglit.
22
 'I .m1 g,,ing to 't.lY umil th<.' c·nd.' amwc:-red the boy 111 a cold
voice. ' I .mi .1wti.illy sorry th.It I hav,· made you waste an evemng.
H .1rry I .ipolog1ze to rou both.·
',vlv de.1r Don.in. perhaps Mm Vane ,s ill.' said Hallward. 'We
\\ 111 conw some other night.'
'Co111e to the dub \,·,th Baql .ind nwself We will smoke
c1g.1rene, and drink to the beauty of Sibyl Vane. She 1s beautiful.
\Vh.tt more do you wam;•
'( ;o .1w.1y. 1brry. · cried the boy. 'I want to be alone. Can't you
\ee my hearr is breaking?' Hot tear:, came to his eyes as Lord Henry
.rnd Hallw.ini left the theatre
When it wa, OYer. Dorian Gray rushed to \ee Sibyl Vane The g,.rJ
was st.1nding there alone, ,~,th .i look of extraordmary happmess on
her face,
'How badly I acted tomght, Dorian!' she cried.
'Horribly!' he answered, starmg at h.:r. 'le was terrible. Are you
ill? \Vhy did you make me sutfrr like that?'
The girl smiled. ·Donan, don't you u111.kr.tand?'
'Undentand what'' he a\ked, angrily.
"Why I w.is so bad tomght. Why I will always be bad. Why r will
never act well again.·
'You are ill. I suppose. When you are ill, you shouldn 'r act. My
friends were bored. I was bored.'
'Deman. Donan. · ,he cried, 'before r knew you, acnng was the
one 1rnporcanr thing 111 mv life. It was only in the tht'atre that I lived.
J chought that a wa, all true. Tonight. for the first nme in my life I
saw th.u I w.i,, playing ar love Our love for each other is the only
true IC>\·e. fake me away \,,rh you, Dorian! I don't want to be an
actres~ any more.' .
He thre\\ h1111self down on the sofa, and turned away hi) face.
'You ha,·e killed my love,' he said quietly. Then he Jumped u~
and wt·nt to the door. 'My God! How mad I was to love you.
What a fool I have been' You are notlung co me now: I will •·1;1ke me m1•,1y 11111/1 yo11, Dorian! I don't 11~1111 to be an actres.<
<Ill)' lllon· '

24
never see you again. I will never think of you I ill . ·h h1111 to hate his own soul? Would he t:ver look at it
to you again.' · w never Would it t< ,1t
The girl
went white. ·y,ou are not serious D . ag,1111' lf1 H. would not see Lord Henry again. He
0
• J-k "·ouId ''ave hunse
· • e ·
. her and try to love her agam.
You are acting?' she whispered, putting her hai •d
1
l1alaf b ·k to Sibyl Vane, marry lfi h
arm. on bit "·ould go J~ · I h d Poor child' He had been se 1s
ff· · :I 1ore than 1e a · · .
She b.id ,u ere< n . would be happy together. His life with her
He pushed her back. 'Don't touch me!' he cried. Then he and crud to her. They
and left the room. turned
would be beautiful andh_pur~ . and covered rhe portrait. 'How
. After walking. the streets of London all night , he arrive . d horne H , or up from is c J1r,
c g
. d
. If d h, walked across to rhe wm ow
JUSt after
. sunnse.. As he passed through the library , e saw the
h horrible!' he: s,ud to 1rnme . an c I s he took
portrait that Basil Hallward had painted of him. He stared at it in ·d ·1t When he: stepped out on to t te gras
mel openc • b' d th
surpnse and walked on into Im bedroom. He took his coat offand : deep bre,ith. He thought only of Sibyl. The ir s at were
1· 11 the garden seemed to be celling che flowers about
stood next to his bed. A few moments later he renirned to thi: sin~mg -
picture and looked at it closely. In the poor light the face seemed tel her.
have changed a little. Now the mouth looked cruel. It was certainly
strange.
He walked to the window and opened the curtains. The light
changed the room, but the face stayed the same. In fact, the sunlight ~ Chapter 6 Love Becomes Tragedy
made the mouth look even crueller.
Going back to his bedroom, he found a small mirror that had It was neJrly one o'clock the: next Jfternoon when he woke up. His
been a present from Lord Henry. He looked at his real face and saw servant brought hnn a cup of tea and some letters. One of them w:is

no sign of cruelry. What did it mean' from Lord Henry.and had been brought by hand that morning. He
He threw himself into a chair, and began to think. Suddenly put 11 to one side.
he remembered what he had said in BJsil Hallward's house the He went mto the library for breakfast feeling perfectly happy.
day the picture had been finished. Yes, he remembered it Then he ;aw the open window and the covered portrait. Was it all
perfectly. He had asked that the pamtmg grow old so that he true' Or had it Just been a dream? But he remembered that cruel
hi1mclf could remain young. But such thrngs were impossible. mouth so clearly.
It was terrible even to think about them. And, yet, there was Dorian Gray sent his servant away and locked all the doors. Then
the picture in front of him. There was the crudry in the he pulled the cover off the painting, and saw himself face to face. It
mouth. was true. The portrait had changed.
Cruelty! Had he been crueP No, why think about Sibyl Vane? For hours he did not know what to do or think. Finally. he went
She was nothing to him now. over to the table and wrote a passionate letter to the girl he had
But the picture? What was he to say of that? It hdd the secret of loved. He asked her to forgive him for the terrible things he had
Ins life, and told his story. It had taught him to love his own beauty. said to her.

26 27
 Suddcnlv he heard a knock on the door, and he- heard Lord
Henn·\ ,-oKe outmle. 'My dear boy, J must see you. Let me in at
once
J IL- m.1de no .111s,~er, but remained quite still. The knocking
cononued and grew louder. Ye~. it was better to let Lord Henry in.
He \\'ould explain to hnn the new life he was going to lead. He
jump,d up. covered the ptdure and opened the door.
'I .1111 sorry about 1t all. Dorian,' said Lord Henry, as he entered.
'But you mu,t not tl11nk too much about tt.'
·J)o you me.m 1bout Sibyl Vane?' asked the boy.
'Ye,. of course,' answered Lord Henry, sitting down and slowly
pulling otfhi, yellow gloves. 'It 1s ternble, but you are not to blame.
Tell Ill<', did you go behind and see her after 1t was over?'
·Ye,'
·J fdt ,un· th,1t you had Did you have an argument?'
'I \\JS crud. Harry - ternbly cruel. But it is all right now. I am
not ,orry for .mything that h~, h.ippened. It has taught me to know
my,dt better.·
"Oh. Donan. I am ,o glad chat you sec It that way.'
·1 want to be good, Hlrr). I don't want my soul to be ugly. I am
going to nnrrv Sibyl Vane.'
'M,1rry Sibyl Vane" cried Lord Henry. standing up, and staring at
hun Ill surprise. 'But, my dear Dorian-'
'Yr:,, Harr~, I know what you are going to say. Something
horrible about gcmng married. Don't say it! Sibyl will be my wife!'
'Your \\tfc! Donan! ... Didn't you get my letter? I wrote to you
tlm mormng.'
'Your ktter? Oh. yes, I remember. I have not read it yet, Harry.'
'You know nothing yet then?'
'What do you mean?'
Lord Henry walked across the room and sat down next to

L
Suddenly he h_eard a knock on the door, and he heard Lord Henry's
voice outside. 'A1y dear hoy, I must see you.,
Don.m Gray. Taking both his bands in his own, he held them.
'Dorian,' he said, 'my letter v.'as to tell you that Sibyl Vane is dead.'

29
 A cry of pain came from the boy's lips and he j umped to his feet.
'Dcadl Sibyl dead! It is not true1 It is a horrible lie!'
'ft i, true. Dori,rn.' said Lord Henry. ' It is in alJ tho: morning
ncw~papcr,. The police will be asking questions. and you 1nust
keep your name out of Jny scandal. Things lik e that make a man
fashionable in Paris. Bue III London they arc a disaster for any
gentleman. I suppose they don't know your name at the theatre? If
they don't, It 1s all right. Did anyone see you going round to her
roon1?'
Dorun did not amwer for a few moments. Finally he said
111 a strange voice, 'Harry, did you say that the police are asking
qucstions'What did you mean by tl1at? Did Sibyl-? Oh, H arry this
is ternble!'
·1 am ,ure chat it was not an accident, though it must be described
that way officially. She swallowed something horrible they use at
theatre,.'
'Harry, Harry. it 1s terrible!' cned the boy.
'Yes, it is very sad. of course. but it is nothing co do with you.
Come with me to dinner, and after we will go to the theatre.'
·so I have murdered Sibyl Vane,' said Dorian G ray, half to
himself. 'Yet the roses art! not less lovely. T he birds stilJ smg happily
111 my garden. And tonight I will have dinner w1th you and go to

the theatre. How extraordinary life is! My first passionate love letter
was to a dead girl. Yet why is it that I cannot feel chis tragedy as
much as I want to? I don't think I am heartless. Do you?'
'You have done coo many foolish things in the last fortnight to be
heartless, Don an,' answered Lord Henry, with h is sweet, sad smile.
The boy frowned. 'I don't like that explanation, Harry,' he said,
'but I am glad you don't think I am heartless.'
'A woman has killed herself for the love of you ,' said Lord
Henry. 'That is very beautiful. '
T hey were silent. The evening darkened in the room. After some
A rry f!.{pain ca111efro111 the boy's lips and lie j umped to his feet.
time Dorian Gray looked up. 'How well yo u know me! But we
'Dead! Sibyl dead! It is nM tr11e! It is a horrible lie!'
30
\\ 111 not talk again of what ha~ happened It J1 b
- ' . • · as een so .. t ·rdl)' the pa~t? Dorian, this is horrible! Somethmg
\\'omkrtul. That 1, all. Nm\. [ have to dress H [ fc ·Yoti c,1II HS< ' h
. . . arry. eel too -l , I ;·ou completely. You look exactly the same as t e
eat .mythmg, buc I w1IJ JOlll you later at the theatre., hJ' l 1:tll~tt · [ 15
·
.•1 boy· in mv picrure, but now there 1s no heart m you. t
,n1ntIL'rtll J
A, Lord Henn: closed the door behind him D o rian rus
all Harry\ mflucnce. I see that.'
the portrait and tore off the cover No the
. · · re was no fi,,..1,a. Th<' hoy Wt'nt ro che window and looked out at the garden for a
change Ill the picture. It had received the news ofS·b J " ,--....,-
. . · I Y vane s deadJ (e\, moments.
before he had ki1◊\, n of 1t hm1self. Tears came to his eyes as ~ •H,irrv has taught me many thin~. Basil,' he said at last. 'You
rt:memberc<l her. He brushed them away and looked ·
.
picture.
• mu~ ha,·c· onl~ taught me to love my own beauty.'
'I am trulv sorry for that, Dorian.'
He :.:It the nrne had come to choose. Or had he already chosen? ·1 don't k,now what you mean. Basil,' he said, turning round. 'I
Ye,, hte had dcnded that for him. The portrait w:is going to carry don't know what you want. What do you want?'
his ,hame: that was all. 'I want rhe Dorian Gray I used to paint,' said the arust sadly.
An hour later he was at the theatre, and Lord Henry was sitti 'Ba,il.' ,aid the boy, going over to him and pumng his hand on
beside him. ng Im ,boulder. 'you have come too late. Yesterday when I heard that
Sibd Vane had killed herself-•
'Killed herself! My God! Is there no doubt about that?' cned
Chapter 7 'What Is Past Is Past' H,11lward.
'My d.:,ll' Basil! Of course she killed herself.'
As he was earing bre,1kfast the next morning, l3asil Hallward was Th~ older man put his face in his hands. 'How ternbk, · he said lfl
~h0\\11 mto the room. ,lqmet \'()ICC.
'I ,m1 so gL1d I have found you, Oonan,' h<' said. 'I called last 'No.' ,aid Dor1Jn Gray, 'there 1s nothing ternble about it. It IS
night. anJ they told me th,1t you wt•re at the theatre. Of course f one of the 15re.1t romantic: tragedi.:s of our time. I know you are
knew that WJ, 1mpos,1ble I had a terrible evening worryillf. rnrpmc<l .1t mt' t,ilking to you like this. You h,we not realized how I
wheth.:r one 1ragedy would be followed hy another. I can't tell you h,w c·h,rngcd. I was a boy when you knew me. I ,un a man now. I
h,m heart-bruke11 I .1111 about the whole thmg. Did you go and see h.ivc· llt'W p,1ssio11,, new thoughts, new ideJS -·
the girl\ mother? What did ,ht' ~J)' ,1bout it all?' 'llut Donau -•
'My dear Ba,11. I don't know,' said Dorian Gray. He looked very 'I .1111 d1tfrre11t. but you mmt not hke me less. Ofcourse I am very
l>ored. 'I \\a, .t the theatre.· fond ot Harr). llut I know that you are better than !u: i,. You arc
• 'You went to th e th eatn:'•· ,aid J-lallward. speaking very slow,,.
1-,; nor monger - you ,1re coo afraid of life - but you are better. And
y~~ went to the theatre where Sibyl VJne wa, lymg dead?' hm\ happy we med to be together! Don't leave me, Basil. and don't
•v
'Stop. Basil' I won't h ear It.I' tnecl Donan,Jumpmg
- . .
co Ius
• 1,._e4 ar~ue with me. I .101 what I am.·
H>ll must not speak 0 f h h. .1,;..,
The p.1mtn fdt strangely sad. Donan Gray was extraordmarily
sue t 111gs. What h doue 1s done. What ;g;
p:m 1s past.'
important to bun. The boy had changed !us art. Perhaps his cruel

32 33
 talk ,1bout Sibyl Vane was just a mood that would
,,as
. so muc h 111 h11n that was good. pass away· T he re
'WeU, Dorian,, he said with a o;ad srnile 'I wo 't k
b
ag.un a out t h1, horrible thing. I o1tly hope• that n spea to. you
your name is kept
out of any scandal. Have the police asked to sec you?'
Dorian shook h1, h<"ad. 'They don't even know my name,' he
answered.
'She didn't know your n.1me?'
'Only Ill} first name. and I am sure th.u she did not teU IC to
anyone. She told her family th,u I was Prince Charming. It was
prt·ttv of her You must do me a drawing ofS1bvl, Basil. I would like
to h,l\'e s0111ethmg more of her th,111 the lll<"mory ofa few kisses.'
'I will try and do '>Olllcthing. Donan. lluc you must come and sit
for Ille agam I can't work so well without you.'
' I can never sit 101 you .1gain, 8,1'1L ft is 1111po,siblc!' he cried.
'My dc.ir bey.,, hat 1, rim fooh,hncss 1' HaUward cried 'Did you
not hkc what I did for you? Wht'rt· is it? Why have you covered it?
Lt·t lilt' look ,It it. It 1, the ht•st thmg I hav< ever done. It 1s very bad
of your ,en~int to lndc my work like that. I felt the room looked
d1tfrn·m .1, I c.m1t• i11. ·
'It wa, not my scrv.mt who covered H, ilas1I. I did it ll1}wl( The
light w.1, too ,trong on thl' portrait.'
1
'''foo ,1rcm, '\J, >, ht· light 1, perft·ct m here. Lt·t me St'l' it.' And
f 1.,11,,Jrd w,1lked to\\ ,ird, the t·ornt·r of the mom.
A tnnl>lc c n came frolll Dor1.111 Gr.1y's hp,. ,ind ht• ru,hcd
bet\\t.t'll tht· p,ll;1te1 ,ind tlw cm·t•it·d portrJ1t. 'Basil. you must not
look ,lt 11! I don t \\ ,lilt , ou to.
Nor look it my own work' An· you ,t·nous? \Vhy shouldn't I
look ,It it? n red H.1llw.ml. l.ru!,(h111g.
•If,ou t1 ~ ,md look .1t ir. HJ,11. I pmnme I will nevenpeJk to you
.1g.11n I ,nu ,·t·r ,. ,t·nou~. ·
I IJlh\Jrd looked
· .n Don.111
. (',r.1) . 111
· ,urprise
. · He had ncwr seem
hnn hke tin, bt·fore. Tht' boy's face w.i, white alld .m gry. ,1 rcrrib/,• cry came (r,,111 f),,,i,111 Cr.iy 's lip,, ,.md /,(' nlilrrd /,rfu'em
1/1r J>,1i11tfr ,111,/ tlie ,,wat·d portrait.
 <._)-- I • .....__....,,,
. with wild eyes.
caring at lnm your
Don.m'' . I cht: boy.,. h moment I met you,
1•· ,ri<t from t e I
'Don't spl·.1k!' •(\JSI . did I)onan, . . 111Auence over me.
• V"" •xtraordmary I
'I "'' . l l chc most c e vou spoke to.
.1'
'Bue wh.1t the matter' Of com,e I won't look .it it if\' d . 1i1,· i,1( I u, of c\'eryon .
wJnt me to he ,,·d . ldl . . ou on t prr,,_,ni '. I you I w.1, JO o . f I a· onl)' h,1ppy when I was
. .1 to y, wa1kmg over to the wmdow 'B
'l'e111, rather ab,ur i ti l · ut it ,,-,,r,h1rP~' ha,, c vou aJI to myscl
. • . w •' ·ou were ,till there in my
. < 1,lt onnot ,cc my own work when I " J111,•,I to . , . u wae Jway trom nu: )
gomg to cxh1b1t it Ill l'.1n, 111 thr ,llltmnn.' a111 Wh<'n vo
" 1th y,,i1. .
'To rxhit>1t it? You \\ant to t·xh1b1t it?' nied l)o G
• 11 • •• · • n,m ,ray. A .,rt. d'd tell you
tern) e k.1r wa, bmldmg 111\ldc l11m. W.1, the world <>om t , • •l\,1'11 -' . t ·II vou nm,v what I I not
wcret; \V. • ., g o cc his · •·1k I mu,t ~ , f I put
. . c~< peop1e gmng to ,tare at the mystery of h1, hfe' Tl ·No don t ,p~, · ·onlkrful portrait o you.
was 1mpo,sihle. tat . I d o pamt a " d
then. rhat I dl'CI< c t that picture. I ielt, Dorian, th.it l ha
'Ye,, Gl·mge Petit i, going to exh1b1t all my be,t p1'ct . . I '"" for vou mto ch of mrelf mto 1t So I
o cto b .
er. I)on t worry, it i, only tor one month.'
ures m •
11 ni,· t.:e 1nE-, ,
h I h.1d put coo mu h
t,,ld wo n1uc . h 'b ·c the portrait. I told Harry and . e
, . ·er co ex 1 1 th I
D'.xi.1n Gray i'·'"ed his hand across his face. It felt hot and Wet den,ko n~,
Wh the pKnirc w.i~ 1111,
f hed and 1 sat alone
'
""'1 it,
He tclt tlut hl· wa, about to face horrible: danger. 'You told me a
l.,ug:ht:d. en . L thought that perhaps l was bemg
month .1go that you would never exhibit it.' he cned 'Why have h 11 I -;1 n~ht . .,ter. I • h
idt 1 · " ' • . · ffi ame but I see now that t e
you cl~anged your mmd?' He stopped suddenly .ind ,1 crud look fooli,h and wht:n this Pan, o er c ...
c.ime mto h~, e'.·c,. He h.,d remembl·red ,omethmg Lord Henry . ,r.: cJnnot be shown.' his
had ,.ud to h1111, .risk H,ml 11'11y he won't ex/11/111 yom picture. He told me pidl G . b thed deeplv. The colour came back to
Dlm,m ,r.iy rea ,
,>n<e ,111d it 1. <1 very strangl' st,>ry.' Ye,, perhaps U.NI, too, had his secret. ch.:t:b and J sn11le crossed Ins bps. The danger was over and he was
He would a,k h1111 and try . . ·h·'. What a sad \toP-' Basil had told. Would he ever be so
,ik tor a " uc ' d h
. 'B.1,11.' h( said. coming over quite close, .111d lookmg him straight ." . d b)' the personality of a friend? Lord Henry ha t e
1111111enu.:
m the face. 'We all have secrets. Wh.1t wa, your reason for not ch,m1l of being ,·ery dangerous. But that was all.
wantmg to exh1b1t my picture?' •1t is t·xtraordinary to me, Dorian.' said Hallward, 'that you saw
'Dorian, if I told you. you nught like me less than you do now. elm m the portrait.'
And you would certamly laugh at me. If you don't want me ever to ·1 saw something m it.' he answered, '5omething that seemed to
look at your picture agam, I won't. I have always you to look at. me very ,trange.'
Your friendship is more important to me than exhibiting a 'Well, you don't nund me lookmg at the thing now?'
pamtmg.' Dorian shook his head. 'You must not ask me that, Basil. I cannot
'No,Ba,1I, you must tell me,' s.ud Dorian Gray. His feeling offear lt't you ,tand m front of that p1crure.•
h<1d passed away Now he JUSt wanted to find out Da,il Hallward\ 'You will one day, won't you?'
mystery. 'Never.'
'Dorian,· said the painter, who did not look happy. 'Have you 'Well, perhaps you are nght. And now goodbye, Donan. You
ever noticed someth111g in the picture, something strange?' have been the one person i.n my life who has really mfluenced my

36 37
,lrt. Uut you d,m't know what it tO\t me to teU you all that l have
told you.·
'My dc.u 13.1,11.' ,.11d Donan, 'what have you told me? O nly that
you wor,h1pp,·d llll' ton much. That" not even flactery.'
'It wa\ not me.mt .1, flattny. And now that l have told you,
something \C<'m, to h.1,e gom· out ol me Perhaps you ,hould never
put wh.u ,·ou wor,lup mto word,.'
'You nm\tn 't t.ilk .1bout worship. It 1s fooh\h. You and I are
fncnd,, 13.ml. and we will ahv.1ys be friends.·
You have got I larry,' ,.,id the pamtcr. ,adlv.
'Oh. H.ury!' l.mghed the young man. 'Harry spends his life
saymg and dl>1t1g extr.1ordm.1r, thmg,;. He hvcs the sort of life I
want to lt\'e. But I don't thmk I would go to Harry 1f I was in
trouble I would prefer to go to you, I:h,11.'
'You will ,1t for me aga111''
'lmpo-s1blc! There 1, \On11:th111g ternble about a portrait It has a
life of 1t:<, own. I will ,om<· and h,wc tea with you m,tead.'
.,m
'\X'dl, goodbye then. I ,orry th.lt you won't let me look at the
picnire agam But I undeNand what you feel about 1t.'
A.\ he kft the room. Dorian Gr.1y smiled to himself. Poor Basil!
How little he knew of the true re.1son. And now he unde~tood
more the pamtcr\ wild and Jealous feelrn~.and he felt sorry. There
was 50lllethmg tragic 111 a friend~h1p so corrupted by pass10n.
H e rang the hell to c.ill lm servant. He had to hide the portrait
immediately. It had been m.1d ofh1111 to leave 1t in a place where it
co uld be discovered by he. friend~.

~ Chapter 8 The Portrait Is Hidden

When the servant en tered, D o rian Gray a~ked lum to send M rs Leaf B,ISII' Hi"''
·1cd to J,umt/f. p....,,
tu him in the librar y. Mrs Leaf had been with h is family for many
years. H e asked h er for the key to the old sch oolroom .
As lie ,~r, the room,littleDorianhe Grayof
k11e111
51111

the tnic
re.i<~/1.
·

38
 'The old schoolroom, Mr Dorian'' she cried 'B .
dust! I mmt clean it first.• · · ut it 1s foll of
:r don't want it, cleaned, Mrs Lea( I only want the key.'
Well, sir, you U be covered with dust if you go . .
h , into it It
~~-·asn t been open for nearly five years, not since your gr:indfatj,
~
He frowned at this reminder of his grandfather. He had
bad memories of all his family. 'That does not matter• he
answered. 'I just want to see the place - that is all. Give m~ the
key.'

'Here 1s the key, sir,' said the old lady. 'But you are not going to
live up there, are you, sir?'
'No, no,' he cried. 'Thank you, Mrs Lea( You can go.'
An hour later two men arrived to move the portrait.
'It's very heavy, sir,' said one of the men, as they climbed the
stairs.
'I am afraid 1t is rather heavy,· said Dorian, as he opened the door
ufllu: old schoolroom where he was going to hide the secret of his
corrupted soul.
He had not entered the room since he was a child. It was a large
room built by his grandfather co keep him at a distance. Every
moment of his lonely childhood came back to him as he looked
round.
It was a room full of terrible memories, but it was safe. He
had the key, and no other pcrs011 could enter it. The face in the
porrrait could grow old and ugly. What did it matter? No one could
see it. He humelf would not see it. He did not have to watch the
terrible corruption of his soul. He would May young - that was
enough.
When the men had gone, Dorian locked the door, and
put the key in Im pocket. ~e felt safe now. No· one would
ever look at th at horrible dung. Only he would ever see hii
shame. 'It's very /,eaV)~ sir,• said one of1/,e men, as they climbed the stairs.

40
 He went back to th 1.b d had the collar of his coat turned up. He
.
In It e I rary and found a fro
was a report fro111 th note m Lord He ilk1ng wry fast. an . d him It was Basil Hallward.
,,.,, "· I. d ])on an rccogmze . . fhi
was officially described as:::::::t:n~r about Sibyl Vane. Her d:~ I I ., h,1g in hi, 1<1n . . lk ff quickly m the direcoon o s
1-" ·, 1·· r made Dorian wa o
He frowned, and tore the a er .. .A, ,tr,Ul~t.: t:,l
the room and threw th . p p m rwo. Then he walked aero o\\n house. . h. D or ian heard him hurrying after
h . e pieces away. How u I it U ss H illwJrd had ~een 1111. .
ornbly real ugliness made th' t g y a. was! And how But . his hand was on h1s arm.
mgs.
Perhaps these
. rvant I1ad read the report, and had be bun. In J few moments
1 What an excraor 1
d nary piece of luck! I have been
•
something. And yet wh t d'd . gun to suspect ·[)on,111. • rbrarv ever since nine o'clock. I am gomg
. ' ' a I It matter? What had D • 111 1
I I eft .
do Wlth Sibyl Vane's death' Th
. .
. onan Gray to
ere was nothing to b fr . w.11cnt!(, for vou
. your
. h . ' d I wanted to see you be1orer
D onan Gray had not killed her. I' , on the midmg t tram. an
e a aid of.
;oth~:ght it was you. o r at le~st you;, coat, as l passed you. But I
w.isn·c sun:. Didn't you recogmze me. .
·111 thl\ fog, my dear Basil? I can't even recogruze Grosven~r
C hapter 9 'I Will Show You my Soul' < • I believe tn)' house is somewhere about here, but I don t
,qu,1rc. . Ih
foci at .ill certam about it. I am sorry you are gomg awa~, as ave
Many years passed. Yet the wonderful beauty that had f: . not se.:n you for such a long time. But I suppose you will be back
B il so ascmated
as . Hallward, stayed with Dorian Gray. Even those who had beard ,oon?'
ternb~e rumours against him, could not believe them when they 'No, I am going to be out of England for six months. Here we are
met him. He always had the look ofsomeone who had kept himself at your door. Let me come in for a momc:nt. I have something to say
pure.
to you.'
Many people suspected that there was something very wrong 'That would be lovely. But won't you miss your train?' said
with Dorian's life, but only he knew about the portrait. Some Dorian Gray. as he went up the steps and opened the door with his
nights he would secretly enter the locked room. Holding a mirror key.
in his hand, he would stand in front of the picture Basil Hallward ' I have plenry of time,' he answered. 'The train doesn't go
had painted. He would look first at the horrible, old face in the until twelve-fifteen, and it is only just eleven. All I have with me
picture, and then at the handsome young face that laughed back at is this bag. and I can easily get to Victoria Station in twenty
him from the mirror. He feU more and more in love with his own mmutes.'
beauty. And more and more interested in the corruption of his own Dorian looked at him and smiled. 'Come in or the fog will get
soul. mto my house.'
Then something happened that changed everything. Hallward followed Dorian into the library. There was a bright
It was on the ninth of November, the day before his wood fire on one side of the room and t\vo lamps on the other.
thirty-eighth birthday. H e was walking home from Lord Henry's 'Would you like a drink?' asked Dorian.
and the night was cold and foggy. At the corner of Grovesnor ' No thanks, 1 won't have anything more,' said the painter, taking
Square and South Audley Street, a man passed him in the fog. He his hat and coat off. 'And now, my dear Dorian, I want to speak to

43
42
 n't frown like that. You make it so much more
,·oll ,cri<'u,ly. J:o
;1,fl1<11lt for inc.I b t'' cried Dorian, throwing himself down on
·WI1 '1t ,, it al . a · ou ·t about myself. I am tired of myse If tomg· h t. I
th<' ,ot:1. •I hope it is no . · ,
, ,fer to be ,omebody different.
"·ouIo pre ,
U d · h' d
. ,rself · answered Ha war , u1 1s eep vo1c ,
· e 'a11d I
•[t ",wout y 0 l ,

"""t ,,iv it tO you. .

Dorian breathed deeply and lit a cigarette. ' Is 1t really necessary,

B.1<1!?'
•1 tlunk you should know some of the terrible things that people

,ire ,.1y111g .,bout you.·

·1 Jon"t want to know anything about them. I love scandals
about other people, but scandals about myself don't interest
n1c.
'Every gentkman is interested in his good name, Dorian. You
don't want people to talk of you as something terrible and corrupt.
But I don't believe these rumours at all. At least l can't believe them
when I see you. Corruption is a thing that ·writes itself across a
man\ face. It cannot be hidden.'
'My dear Basil-·
'And yet, I rarely see you now and you never come to my house.
When I hear all the terrible things people are whispering about
you, l don't know what to say. Why have so many of your friends
killed themselves? Young men from good families like Adrian
Singleton and that poor young soldier?'
'Stop. Basil. You are talking about things of which you know
nothing,' said Dorian. 'I know how people talk in England. This is a
country where people have two faces. They whisper rumours about
people like myself, and then do much worse things when others are
not looking.'
'Dorian,' cried Hallward, 'that is not the question. l lmow
'I think yo11 sho11/d kno111 some or:, tl,e le m'ble tIungs
. that peo le England is bad, but that's the reason l want you to be a good
S11yi11g about yo1t., P are influence on your friends. Instead you have lost all belief .in

45
 il . said the young man, m a hard, clear voice.
goodness
d and honesty. YOL1 h ave fill ed thos -F1 c d • 13as
'I ·un w.11t111~. .
d ·Whlt I have to say is th1s,' he encd . ,v
,ou must
a ma ness for pleasure.. e poor young men with k urnc roun
1 1 ~ , •
,;wcr to .
the hornble things people are saying.
Dorian srruled. ~i,·c• l)ll' \Otll"-
.
11
.. nc chat they are not crue, DonanI Can• t you see
cc

'How can you snu·1c hke

. that' I onl ~-
,.,un,t\Oll, 11
, 1 t;no Ithrough? My God! Don't tell me that you are bad
name. You have a wonderful .·fl y want you to have a clean
rn uence Let it b ,. 01
\\ )1.1t 1 ,1111 ~ ,,.
won d er whether I know , B · e ,or good. Yet I ,uid corrupt ,n1d ,harneful.' . , . . ,
I Id you. ut I can't answ h l)ori, Gray m11Jed. 'Come upsta1rs, Basil, he s:ud, quietly. I
wou need to see your soul ' er t at qucst:Jon. 111
1-c,·p , diJry of my hfe from day co day. I will show it to you if you
,.'To see my soul!' cried D.orian
. Gray H e um d 1
so,a.
,
turning
,
almost white "th ,.
,vi rear.
· J pe up from the come up wtth me.·
·1 will come with you. Dorian, 1f you wish 1t. I see I have
,.,., Yes, answered Hallward· There was a deep sad · his ,,cJ nl) train. It doe~ not matter. I can go tomorrow. But don't
,o see your soul· But onIY GO d can do that ' ness m voice·
1111
.l\k me to read anything tomght. All I want IS a simple answer to my
A bmer laugh came from th Ii f .
see it yourself tomghtl' h . ed ps o _ the younger man. 'You will
, • · · e crie , picking u I 6 quesuon.'
Come: it is your own work Wh h ldn• p a amp rom the table. 'I will give 1t to you upstairs. l could not give it to you here. You
tell the world all abo t .ft yifs ou t you look at it.? You can will not have to read for long.'
u it a er you wa N b d
you. If they do believe you th • ill lik nt. o o y WJll believe
tell you. You have talked e1:oucyh' \ e me be_tter for it. Come, I
see it face to face.' g a out corrup1:1on. Now you will l Chapter 10 Basil Sees the Portrait
There was madness m eve .
debght that someone was . ry word he said. He felt a terrible He passed out of the room and began climbing the stairs. Basil
had painted the . gom~ co share his secn.·c. The man who Hallward followed close behind. They walked softly, as people
portrait was gomg to share h1s sham Th .
would suffer for the rest oflus rr. . h e. e pamcer always do at rught. The lamp m.idc srrangc shadow• on the wall :md
done. J e wn the memory of what he: had
stairs.
When they reached the top, Donan put the lamp down on the
'Yes,' he continued. commg closer to him ·1 vill h
soul. You ~vill see what you think on!Y G o d can ~ s ow you my
. see• floor. He cook the key out of his pocket and turned it in the lock.
'You really want to know, Basil?' he asked in a low voice.
Hallward jumped back. ·
'You
h "bl cannot say things hke that , Dor· 1, h
ian. e cned. 'The 'Yes.'
'I Jm ddJghted,' he answered, smiling. T hen he added. 'You are
orn e and they don't mean anythmg.' · Y are
the one man m the world I want to know everything about me. You
'You think so?' He laughed agam. have m8uenced my life more than you thmk.· Taking up the lamp,
' I know so. Dorian, you have to tell me-'
he opened the door and went in. Cold air passed bet\veen them.
'Don't ~ouch me. Finish what you have co say.'
'Shut the door behind you,' he wluspered,as he placed the lamp on
The pamter felt ei..-traordinarily sad. He walked
and stood there. over to the fire the cable.
47
46
 Hallward looked . ~---
aro und the
clearlv not been Ii d room in surp .
ve Ill for rtse. The . t be somethmg wrong with the paint. I teU
With dust. and ti ' years. The whol I toorn had 111tp<l"'' .
bk 1hcrc mus
. I •
the floor. 1cre were holes in the carpet ~p ace Was covC'tcd • thing 15 1mposs1b e.
, · rnousc ran ,-,,u th, lly impossible?' sa1d the young man, gomg over to
So you think that it is onJ ac¾ .h ,inytlung rea
the cover off the . y God who sees th the window. . ,
Th portratt. and you will e sou[, Basil. T: k ·Yon told me you had destroyed 1c.
e voice that spoke was Id see rrune. • ae
'You co and cruel .1 , 1 w ron g. It has destroyed me.'
' are mad, Dorian,' said Hallwa . . . : l;>:J.t bd:eve 1t 1s my picture. There was n_o thmg bad in it,
You won't take th rd. frowning. 1
e cover off' Tl •I eful . You were perfect to me. Tlus 1s a face from
said the voung . · ten I will do . not Iun~ s 1~1111
, man, throwing ti I a myself•
ground. le o d purple curtain t h, hell.' 11 · h .
•11 1, the face o f my soul. Each of us has Heaven and He m mt,
A . 0 t C
cry offear came from the . ' . llNI.' med Dorian wildly.
th . painters hps , •h h
e portrait. It was Dorian Gra),' r. I , en e saw the face Ill HallwJrd turned agam co the portraJt. and stared at It. 'My God!
h d s ,ace 1e was I k.i
a some of that wonderful b oo ng at, and it still h tlm true?' he cned. 'Is this what you have done with your life?
eaury. But no h
signs o f age a11d corrupnon B 11 t I h w l ere were terrible You mm t be even worse than people s.1y!'
• w10 ad u ·,
up to tl1e picture. In the left hand one I~. H e held the lamp H allward threw himself into the chair by the table and put his
red. corner was his name, painted Ill
t,icc m lus hands. The lamp fell to the Roor and went out.
What had happened' H h d 'Good God, Dorian! What an awful lt:sson! What an awful
h . · e a never don tJ S•
is own picture. H e kne . . e iat. till, it was ks;on!' There was no answer, but he could hear the young man
H .is own picture! Wh wdid it, and It made his bl
. ood turn to ice. aying at the wmdow. 'We must ask God for forgiveness. I
H e turned, and lookedatat D it .
mean' Wh h
. y ad it changed? worshipped you too much. I am purushed for it. You worshipped
man. orian Gray with the eyes of a sick
vourself coo much. We are both punished.'
The young man was standi Dorian Gray turned slowly around and looked at tum. There
h ad taken the Rower out ofhi ng near the waU ' wareh mg ' .
him. H e were tears in his eyes. 'It is too late, Basil.' he said.
'What does this mean?' cr:e~o:a~;d '';; smelling fr. 'But don't you see that hellish thing staring at us?'
sounded high and strange. wa~ • at last. His own voice Donan Gray looked at the picture. Suddenly he telt that he hated
'Years ago, whe11 I was a boy ' sa·d 1
D . Uasil Hallward. He hated the man sitting at the table more than h e
h an d on the Rower 'you met n1e • d R o n ao G I ·
ray, c osmg !11s hated anydung in his life.
• an attercd m y.
love m y beauty. One day you introd d e. ou taught me to He looked wildly around. Somethmg shone on top of the
H e explamed to me h ow wonderfol uce me to a friend f
I o yours. painted cupboard that faced him. It was a knife he had left there
.h d
fi ms t was to be youn "
e a po rtrait of me that showed h g. , ou some days before. He moved slowly towards it, passing Hallward
. me ow wonderful it
be beauuful. In a mad moment I made a wish_, was to as he did so. He took the knife in his hand an d turned around.
'I remember it! Oh, how well J renwmber 1tl N I T . Hallward moved in his chair. He rushed at him, and stuck the knife
. o. he tl1111g is mco his neck again and again.
48
49
 ·re down on the table and stood back. He could
I rew t lie k 01h
I Ic ti d of blood falling on to the carpet. H e
,othing but t e soun .
bc,,r I cl d went out on co the stairS. The house was
o t•ned the oor an
P ,cely quiet. No one was there.
,ornP1t k1 ·t had all been done! Feeling strangely calm, he
How qu1c y 1 .
to the ,vindow and opened it. The wmd had blown
wilkcd over
' • y and the sky was clear. He looked down and saw a
rhc tog awa .
• a)king down the street. He was shining a lamp Ill all the
pohccn1an w
houses. .
Closing the window, he went back into the room. He did not
look at the murdered man. He felt that the secret of the whole thing
W J S not to think about it at all. The friend who had painted the

terrible portrait had gone out of his life. That was enough.
He picked up the lamp and walked out of the room, locking the
door behind him. As he walked down the stairs he thought that he
beard what sounded like cries of pain. He stopped several times, and
waited. No. everything was still.
When he reached the library, he saw the bag and coat in the
corner. They must be hidden away somewhere. He unlocked
a secret cupboard and threw them in. He could easily burn them
later. Then he pulled out his watch. It was twenty minutes to
rwo.
He sat down and began to think. Basil Hallward had left the
house at eleven. No one had seen hin1 come in again. The servants
were in bed ... Paris! Yes. It was to Paris that Basil had gone. And by
the midnight train as he had planned. It would be months before
anyone suspected anything. Months! He could destroy everything
long before then.
Suddenly he had a thought. He put on his coat and hat and went
into the front room. From the window he could see the policeman
passing the house. He waited, and held his breath.
Dorian threw tlte k11!fe down on the table a11d stood back. He cot1{d After a few moments he went out of the house, shutting the door
hear not/,i11g b11t the sou11d of bloodfalli11g on to the carper. very gently behind him. Then he began ringing the bell. In about

51
 five nunutes a servant appeared H
very sleepy . e was half dressed and l , cmbered what had happened the night before.
, · ooked ',)o wh· I1e r~m .
' I am sorry l had to wake vou up Francis • ·, w sull ,imng there, and 111 the sunlight now. How
1Ill' d t',lU 111.111 •15
But I have forgotten Ill}' ke}· ·w11 ' t u• . ' he said. stepping u1 va,' Such terrible thmgs were for the darkness, not
'T. . · 0
me 1s 11,• · hmnbI<' t I1.1t' ·
. en nunutes past two, s1r.' answered the m~
1h,· d.1,·
Ten nunmes past two, H o, I ' bl n. looking at a clock ,\ft;.r ht' hJd drunk his cup of chocolate, he went over to the
• · v 1orn y late' y, ·
nme tomorrow I have so k . ou must wake me at , •rote cwo letters. One he put in his pocket, and the other
, · me wor · to do.' 11
C.l l c ,Ulll \v
All ngh t, sir.'
h,· b.imkd to his servant.
:Did anyone ·call tlrn evenmg?' r.ikl' tlm round to 152 H ertford Street, Francis. If Mr Campbell
M r Hallw,ird, m. He stayed he re until el . ,, 1, 111of town. get !us address.'
JWd}'to catch his tram., even, and then he Went Wht·n th,· servant had gone, he lit a cigarette, and began drawing
'Oh! I am sorry I didn't see him o· I h I 0 11 ,1 pit•ce of p,1per. First he drew Rowers, then hou;es, then human
'N . ic e eave any messa ,.
o. m. H e said ht: would wme to you &om p . , ge. fie,·,. <.,11ddenl) he realized tliat every face he drew looked like Basil
That is all, Francis Don't f, ans. H .1Uw,ml. Hl' frowned and went over to lie on the sofa.
'N ,
0,Slr
. orget to call me at nine tomorro"''
~.
An hour went past very slowly. Every second he kept looking up
The man went off to his bedroom. .u the dock. As the minutes went by he became horribly worried.
Dorian Gray threw his hat and coat upon the table d . d H,· got up and walked around the room. His hands were strangely
mto the library. For a quarter of an hour he walked and pdassc cold.
the b' ,_,_ up an own
room, itmg nu lip and clunking. Then he took down a b k At last the door opened, and his servant e ntered.
firom one of the c b d d 00
' Mr Campbell, sir,' said the man.
up oar s, an began to turn the pages 'Al
Campbell, 152 He rtford Street Mayfair , y, th . an The colour came back to lus cheeks.
wanted. ' . es, at was the man he
· A,k him to come in at once, Francis.' He felt hunself again. His
fo.1r h.1d gone away.
In a few moments Ala n Campbell walked in. He looked very
Chapter 11 The Problem of the Body angry and rather worned.
'Alan! This is kind of you. I thank you for coming.'
A t nme o'clock the next morning his servant came in with J cup of ' I hoped neve r to enter your house again, Gray. But you said it
chocolate, and opened the curtains. Dorian was sle~ping was a question oflife and death.' His voice was bard and cold, and
~ quite
peacefully, lying Wlth one hand unde r his cheek. he kept lus hands in the pockets ofhtS coat.
As he opened his eyes a smile passed across his lips• H e turned 'Yes, 1t lS a quesoon oflife and death, Al,111. And to more than one
round, and began to dn nk his chocolate. The November 5 person. Sit down.'
un came
into the room, and the sky was bright. It was almost like a n Campbell took a chair by the table. and Dorian sat opposite him.
1orn111g
in May. The rwo men's eyes met. In Dorian's there was great sadness. He
knew that what he ,vas going to do was te rrible.
52
53
 After a moment of silence D . . W
I k d • onan said very . 1 -~
o c e room at the top ofth. h quiet Y, 'Alan .
H h c ouse. a dead ma • . . , in a ·Yes.' D · G , Th he
e as been dt-ad for ten hours nuw D ' _11 is Sitting at a t,b!c. T iu: same look of <~dness came into onan ray s eyes. . en
m e like that. You don't d k . on t stir, and don't look f paper and wrote something on it. He read 1t over
nee to ·now who th at took a piece o h
need to know how or why he d. d WI is man is. You don't d · cross the table. Then he got up and went over to t e
.md push c 1t a
'Stop, Gray. I don't want to k1:o~v an1yatthiyou have to do is th.is-' window. .
J ng more Id ' Campbell looked at him in surprise and p1c~ed ~p th~ paper. As
w lat you tell me is true or not true I d • . on t care if
Wi K · on t want any part • he read it, his face went white, and he fell bac_k m his ~hair.
e. eep your horrible secrets to yourself The d , .' Ill your
any more.' · Y on t lllterest me After rwo or three nunutes without speaking, Donan came and

'Alan, they will have to interest you. I am awfully sor f, ,cood next to rum. .
•1 am very sorry for you, Alan,' he said, putting his hand on his
Alan. But I can't help myself. You are the one man who c: :~ you,
Alan you a · · v eme shoulder. 'But there is no other way. I have a letter written already.
' re a sc1ennst. iou know about chemistry d hi .
h k" d , an t ngs of Here it is. You see the address. If you don't help me, I will send it.
t at . m . What you have got to do is to destroy the thin th .
upstairs.' g at IS You know what will happen. But you are going to help me. It is
impossible for you to refuse now.'
'You are mad. Dorian. I will have nothing to do with this.'
Campbell put his face in his hands.
'He killed himself, Alan.'
'The thing is quite simple, Alan. It has to be done. Face it, and
:1 am glad ~f that. But who made him do it' You, I suppose.' do it.'
Do you still refuse to do this for me?' A terrible sound came from Campbell's lips.
'Of course I refuse. You have come to the wrong man. Go to ' Come, Alan, you must decide now.'
some of your friends. Don't come to me.' Alan paused for a moment. ' Is there a fire in the room upstairs?'
'Ahn, it was murder. I killed him. You don't know what he made 'Yes, there is a gas fire.'
n1e suffer.' •I must go home and gee some ... things.'
'Murder! Good God, Dorian, is that what you have come to? J 'No, Alan, you must not leave the house. Write out what you
will have nothing to do with it.• want, and my servant will get the things for you.'
'You must have something to do with it. Don't ask any more It was nearly two o'clock when the servant returned with an
questions. I have told you too much already. But you must do this. enormous wooden box filled with the things Campbell had asked
We were friends once, Alan.' for.
'Don't speak of those days, Dorian. They are dead.' 'You can have the rest of the day to yourself, Francis.'
'They will hang me for this, Alan. Don't you understand? They 'Thank you, sir.'
will kill me for what I have done.' When the servant had left, the rwo men carried the box up the
Campbell got up to leave. 'I will not have anything to do with stairs. Dorian took out the key and turned it in the lock. Then he
th.is.' stopped and Campbell saw that his eyes were full of tears. ' I don't
'You refuse?' think I can go in, Alan,' he said.

54 55
 'I don't need you,' said Campbell coldly.
Dorian half opened the door. As he did so, he saw the face of the
portrait staring in the sunlight. He remembered that the mght
before he had forgotten to cover the picture. He was about to msh
forward when he saw something that made him jump back.
There was blood on one of the hands in the portrait. How
horrible it was!
He hurried into the room, trying not to look at the dead man.
Picking the curuin off the floor he threw it over the picture. Then
he rw,hed out of the room and down the stairs.
It was long after seven when Campbell came back into the
library. He was quiet and white in the face, but very calm. 'I have
done what you asked me to do,' he said. 'And now goodbye. Let us
never see each other again.·
'You have saved me, Alan. I cant1ot forget that,' said Dorian,
sunply.
When Campbell had left he went upstairs. There was a horrible
smell in the room. But the thmg that had been sitting at the table
was gone.

V.cbapter 12 'Why Do Yo u Loo k so Yo ung'

'Don't tell me that you are gomg to be good,' cried Lord Henry.
'You're quite perfect. Don't change.'
Dorian Gray shook his head. 'No, Harry, I have done too many
terrible things in my life. I am not going to do any more. But tell
me, what is happening here in London? I have been out of the
country for more than a month.'
'People are still discussing poor Basil's disappearance.'
'Are they not bored with that yet?' said Dorian, pouring Out
some wine and frownillg.
'My dear boy, they have only been talking about it for six weeks. TI1ere was blood 011 011e of the lia11ds in the portrait.
How horrible it was!
56
The Bntish only need one subject of conversation every I3NP' ,,ud the younger man. He ,vatched him carefully after he had
m_onths. They have been very lucky recently though F" thrceth
h , • 1rst ere ,pokcn
was t e scandal of my wife leavmg me. and then Al Cam , . Dorian. you would not murder anyone. It 1s ordinary people
kill d hi an pbell 0
e mself. Now there is the mysterious disappearance of "ho murder. It 1\ their way of finding the extraordinary pleasure
a~t. The British police are saymg that Dasil did take the midnig: th.lt .1rt gives m .·
tram on the nmtl1 of November but the French poli· c. th 't\ w.w offindmg the extraordmary pleasure? Do you thmk that
· c are sure at
he never arrived in Pans at all.' nwi who has murdered could do 1t again. Don't tell me that.'
3
'What do you dunk has happened to Basil?' a.\ked Dorian, 'Oh' Anytlung becomes a pleasure 1fyou do 1t too often,' cried
holding up his wine against the light. Lor<l Henry, laugh mg. 'That 1s one of the most unportant secrets of
'I have no idea. If Basu wants to hide himself, it 15 no business of hti: I bdie,·e, though. that murder 1s ahvay~ a mmake. One should
nune. lfhe 1s dead. 1 don't want to think about him. Death is the never do anythmg one cannot talk about after dinner. But let us
only thing that ever frightens me. 1 hate it.' p,1,s from poor Basil. I w1sh I could believe that he has died some
'Why?' said the younger man, m a tired voice. romantic death, but I can't. He probably fell mto the Seme off a bus.
'Because,' said Lord Henry, 'it is the only thing that 1s final. Let I can see rum now lymg on his back in the dirty green water.
m ha~e our coffee 111 the music room, Dorian. You must play Durmg the last ten years he had not been painting well.'
Chopm to me. The man who ran away with my wife played Lord Henry walked across the room and touched the head of a
Chopin beauttfully. Poor Victona! I was very fond of her. The strange grey bird that he kept in the music room. Then he turned to
house is quite lonely without her.' face Dorian.
Dorian said nothmg, but went into the next room and sat at the 'Yes,' he continued, takmg !us handkerchief out of his pocket.
piano. After the coffee had been brought m, he stopped playing. 'lu s painting seemed to me to have lost something. When you and
'Harry,' he said,lookrng over at Lord Henry. 'Do you think Basil he stopped being great friends, he stopped being a great 3.rtlSt. What
was murdered?' was 1t that separated you? I suppose he bored you. If so, he never
Lord Henry yawned. 'Everyone liked Basil. Who would want to forgave you. By the way, what happened to that wonderful portralt
murder him? H e was not clever enough to have enemies. Ofcourse he did of you? I don't thmk I have ever seen it since he finished it.'
he was a wonderful painter. But a man can paim like Velasquez and 'I told you years ago that it ~vas stolen.'
yet still be rather boring. Basil was really rather bormg. The only 'Oh! I remember. You never got it back? What a shame1 It reall)
thing that interested me about him was that he worshipped you.' was wonderful. I remember I wanted to buy 1t. I wish I had it now.·
'I was very fond ofBasil,' said Dorian sadly. 'But don't people say 'I never really liked it,' said Dorian. 'I am sorry I sat for it. The
he was murdered?' memory of the thing 1s hateful to me.'
'Oh, some newspapers do. But I don't think it 1s hkely. J know 'How sad you look! Don't be so ,erious. Play me some music,
there are awful places in Paris, but Basil was not the sort of nun to Dorian. And, as you play. tell me u1 a low voi~e why you still look
go to them.' so young. I am only ten years older than you are, and I have grey
'What would you say, Harry, if I told you that I had murdered lwr and yellow skin. You are really wonderful, Donan. ·

58 59
 'Harry, please -'
. U I h 11 be here at eleven.' said Dorian. 'Good-night,
'You have never looked mo h ·very we . s a
v re c arming than d
,ou remind me of the da)' I first you o toni..i.. H.1rry.
saw you You w •.._
ab~olutely extraordinary. You have h .d ere very shy, and
c ange , of course b
appearance. You are still the same.' ' ut not ID Chapter 13 'To Kill the Past'
'I am not the same, Harry.,
'Yes, you are the same. I wish I could cha 1 . night He walked home, with his coat on his arm,
Dorian. The world ha~ cried out a . ngebp aces with you, It W,l~ J IO Vely " .

I . gamst us oth, but it has ,mokm~ his cigarette. Two young men 111 eve,ning ~ress passed hin~-
a ways WONh1pped you. It always will worship you. Lu. I b 1 k hcJrd one of them whisper to the other, That 1s Donan Gray -
your an.' e 1as een
k remembered how pleased he used to be when he was stared at,
1
:O~rian got up from the piano, and passed his hand through his or tJlked about. He was ured of bearing his own name now.
hair. , Yes, hfe has been beautiful.' he said quietly 'b I Wlwn he reached home, he found his servant waiting up for him.
h ' , ut am not
go_mg to ave the same hfe, Harry. And you must not say these 1-k ~ent Jum co bed, and threw himself down on the sofa m the
thmgs to me. You don't know everything about me. I think that if hbrJry. He began to think about some of the thmgs that Lord
you d'.d. even you would turn away from me. You laugh. Do11't Henry had said to him.
laugh. WJ~ it reaUy true that one could never change? There had been a
'Why have you stopped playing, Dorian' Let us go to the club. It ume when he had been good and innocent. He had corrupted
has been a charming evening, and we must end it charmingly. himself. and become a terrible influence on others. He had even got
There 1s someone I want to introduce to you - young Lord Poole. pka~un: from this corruption. Yet his soul had once been the purest
He has already
_ _ copied your aes
· and h e very much wants to meet of all. Was all that gone? Was there no hope for him?
you. He is qune charming and he reminds me of you.' In one tcrnble moment of passion. he had asked 10 stay young
_ 'I hop_e not,' said Dorian, with a sad look in his eyes. 'But I am for alJ ume. All his failure had been because of that. H e had not
rued ton.1ght, H arry. I won't go to the club. It is nearly eleven, and I been punished, but perhaps punishment was what he had needed.
want to go to bed early.' Pumshment cleaned the soul.
:Pl~ase stay. You have_ never played so weU as tonight.' The mirror that Lord Henry had given to him, so many years ago
It IS because I am gomg to be good·, he answere d ,snu·.1·mg 'Tam now, was ,uncling on the table. He picked it up, remembering that
a little changed already.' · horrible night when he had first noticed the change in the picture.
'You can't change to me, Dorian' said Lord 1-Ienry '"
' C . IOU :.lit
•
dI Once, someone who had loved him passionately had WTittcn him a
will always be friends. Come round tomorrow. We shall go to mad letter. It had ended with these words: 'The world is changed
lunch.' because you are made of gold. · He repeated them to himself
'Do you reaUy want me to come. Harry?' and suddenly realized that he hated his own beauty-Throwing the
'CertainJy. The park is quite lovely now. I don't think the~ I mirror on the floor. he broke the glass into little pieces wnh lus foot.
"' 1ave
been such flowers since the year I met you.' It was his beauty that had spoiled him.

60 61
 It was better not to think of the past. Nothing could change that. h d destroyed everything belonging to Basil Hallward. He himself
He had to think of his future. Alan Campbell had shot himself one h:d burned the bag and the coat. They would simply say he was
night. and his terrible secret had died with him. The interest in Basil
mad. h 1 · t
Hallward's disappearance would soon pass away. He was perfectly Was this murder to follow him all his life? Was ea ways gom~ ~
safe there. ,utfor because of his past? Yet what could he do? Go to the police.
What womed him was the death of his own soul. Basil had Never.
painted the portrait that had destroyed his life. He could not forgive There was only one thing they could use against him and _that
him that. It was the portrait that had done everything. The murder wa, the picture itself. He would destroy it. Why h_ad he k~pt it so
had just been the madness of the moment. As for Alan Campbell, he long? Once it had given him pleasure to watch tt changing and
had killed himself. It was nothing to do with Dorian Gray. growing old. Recently he had felt no such pleasure. It had kept him
A new life! That was what he wanted. That was what he was awake at night. When he had been away, he had been frightened
waiting for. Perhaps it had begun already. He would never again that another person would see it. Just the memory of it spoiled
spoil innocence. He would be good. many moments of happiness. He would destroy it.
He began to wonder if the portrait in the locked room had He looked around and saw the knife that had killed Basil
changed. Was it still as horrible as it had been? Perhaps if his life Hallward. He had cleaned it many times until there was no mark left
became pure, the face in the portrait would become beautiful again. on it. It was bright, and it shone. It had killed the painter. Now it
He would go and look. would kill the painter's work, and all that it meant. It would kill the
He took the lamp from the table and went upstairs. As he opened past. When that was dead he would be free. He picked up the knife
the door, a smile of happiness passed across his young face. Yes, he and pushed it into the picture.
would be good, and the ugly thing he had locked away would not There was a cry, and a crash. The cry was so horrible that
frighten him any more. He felt happier already. frightened servants woke and came out of their rooms. Two
He went rn quietly, locking the door behind him. Walking gentlemen, who were passing in the Square below, stopped, and
straight over to the portrait, he took off the purple curtain that was looked up at the great house. They hurried on until they met a
covering it. An angry cry of pain came from him. He could see no policeman, and brought hin1 back. The policeman rang the bell
change. The thing was still hatcfol- more hateful, even, than before. several times, but there was no answer. Except for a light in one of
The red mark on the hand seemed brighter and more like new the top windows, the house was all dark. After a time, he went away
blood. And why was the red mark larger than it had been? It was all and stood in the garden of the next house and watched.
over the fingers now. There was blood on the painted feet, and 'Whose house is that?' asked the older of the two gentlemen.
blood on the hand that had not held the knife. 'Mr Dorian Gray"s, sir,' answered the policeman.
What did it all mean? That he should go to the police? That he They looked at each other as they walked away, and laughed
should tell the whole story, and be put to death? He laughed. He cruelly. They knew who Dorian Gray was.
felt the idea was absurd. Ifbe did tell them now, who would believe Inside the house the servants were talking in low whispers to
him? There was nothing Jefi of tbe murdered man anywhere. H e each other. Old Mrs Leaf was crying. Francis was as white as death.

62 63
 After about a quarter of an hour, they went fearfully upstairs.
They lu1ocked, but there was no reply. They called out. Everything
W," still. They tried the door. It was locked. Finally, they got on the
roof ,1nd came into the room through the window.
When they entered the room they found a portrait hanging on
the wall. It showed Mr Dorian Gray as they had last seen him,
,oung and beautiful. Lying on the floor was a dead man in evening
dress. He had a luufe in his heart. H e was old and horribly ugly. It
w,1s not until they saw his rings that they recognized who the man
\Vas.

Lyil~(? 011 thefloor was a dead man ;11 evenino" drPss ;r.
, . H e I1ad a k'11!,e
in /,is heart.
 ACTIVITIES

Chapters 1-3

Before you rea d

1 Look at the pictures in this book. Do you think the story takes place:
a now?
b fifty years ago?
c 100 years ago?
2 These words come in this part of the story. Use a dictionary to learn
their meaning.
exhibit extraordinarily flatter frown
passion portrait soul worship
Find the right meaning for each word.
a very strong feelings like love and anger
b to put on a show
c a painting of a person
d the part of a person that lives after death
e to have a cross look on one's face
f unusually
g to say nice things (not always true!) to someone
h to love someone completely
3 Learn the meaning of these words. Then write sentences with the
words to show their meaning.
a fascinating
b charming
c influence
After you read
4 Answer these questions:
a What are Basil Hallward's feelings for Dorian Gray?
b What are Dorian Gray's feelings for Basil?
c What wish does Dorian make when he sees the finished portrait?
d In Chapter 3, who has Dorian fallen in love with?
e Lord Henry receives a telegram. What information does it contain?

67
 5 What does Lord Henry mean when he says 'some little actress'?

Chapters 4-6
l After you read . .
38
13 'You will sit for me again? (page ) . ?
a What does Basil mean by this question •
Before you read b Why does Dorian refuse? .
14 Describe how Doria~ arranges to hide the portrait.
6 These words come in this part of the story. Use a dictionary to learn
their meaning.
absurd scandal tragedy Chapters ~10
Find the right meaning for each word:
Before you read .
a a situation which is very sad 15 Dorian has decided to hide the portrait. Do you think any of the other
b a situation which shocks people people in the story will be allowed to see it? If so, who? Discuss your
c very silly views with other students.
7 Do you thirk that Dorian and Sybil will really get married? Discuss
this with other students. After you read
16 Why does Basil come to see Dorian?
After you read 17 Who says these words? What does the speaker mean?
8 'I don't want to be an actress any more.' a 'I will show you my soul. You will see what you think only God can
a Why has Sybil changed her mind about acting? see.'
b What effect does this have on Dorian? b 'Is this what you have done with your life?'
c How does th,s cause a tragedy? 16 Why do you think that Dorian kills Basil?
9 'The portra~ was going to carry his shame.' (Chapter 6) What does
this mean? Chapters 11-13
10 Dorian doesn't think he is heartless. What do you think? Discuss this ·
with other students. Before you read
19 Dorian needs to get rid of Basil's dead body. How can he do it?
Chapters 7-8 Discuss your ideas with other students.

Before you read After you read '-

11 To be corrupted means: 20 At first. Alan Campbell refuses to do what Dorian wants. Why'd_oes he
a to become better change his mind? '
b to become bad 21 How does the portrait change after the death of Basil?
c to become important 22 Describe what the servants find when they finally enter the room
12 Look at the picture on page 35. What do you think Basil is sayin 7 where the portrait is.
And what is Dorian saying? g

68
l 69
Writing

23 Sybil Vane was a beautiful and popular actress. Write a newspaper

report of her death.
24 Lord Henry and Basil are both close friends of Dorian. How are their
characters different? Which one do you prefer?
26 You are Dorian. You keep a diary. Write about the day when you
arranged for Alan Campbell to get rid of Basil's body.
26 The changes in the portrait seem to happen by magic. Think of a story
(perhaps a film) in which something magical happens. Tell the story.
27 Dorian seems to think that beauty is important and that kindness is
not. Give three examples of his love of beauty and three examples of
his lack of kindness.
28 Write a note to a friend, describing this book. Say if your friend will like
it or not and why.