Портрет Дориана Грея

           Indeed,whatrighthadBasiltohavespokentohimashehaddone? WhohadmadehimaJudgeoverothers? Hehadsaidthingsthatweredreadful,horrible,nottobeendured. 

           Onandonploddedthehansom,goingslower,itseemedtohim,ateachstep. Hethrustupthetrap,andcalledtothemantodrivefaster. Thehideoushungerforopiumbegantognawathim. Histhroatburned,andhisdelicatehandstwitchednervouslytogether. Hestruckatthehorsemadlywithhisstick. Thedriverlaughed,andwhippedup. Helaughedinanswer,andthemanwassilent. 

           Thewayseemedinterminable,andthestreetsliketheblackwebofsomesprawlingspider. Themonotonybecameunbearable,and,asthemistthickened,hefeltafraid. 

           Thentheypassedbylonelybrickfields. Thefogwaslighterhere,andhecouldseethestrangebottle-shapedkilnswiththeirorangefan-liketonguesoffire. Adogbarkedastheywentby,andfarawayinthedarknesssomewanderingsea-gullscreamed. Thehorsestumbledinarut,thenswervedaside,andbrokeintoagallop. 

           Aftersometimetheylefttheclayroad,andrattledagainoverrough-pavenstreets. Mostofthewindowsweredark,butnowandthenfantasticshadowsweresilhouettedagainstsomelamp-litblind. Hewatchedthemcuriously. Theymovedlikemonstrousmarionettes,andmadegestureslikelivethings. Hehatedthem. Adullragewasinhisheart. Astheyturnedacornerawomanyelledsomethingatthemfromanopendoor,andtwomenranafterthehansomforaboutahundredyards. Thedriverbeatatthemwithhiswhip.