Портрет Дориана Грея

           ButamancanpaintlikeVelasquezandyetbeasdullaspossible. Basilwasreallyratherdull. Heonlyinterestedmeonce,andthatwaswhenhetoldme,yearsago,thathehadawildadorationforyou,andthatyouwerethedominantmotiveofhisart." 

           "IwasveryfondofBasil,"saidDorian,withanoteofsadnessinhisvoice. "Butdon’tpeoplesaythathewasmurdered?" 

           "Oh,someofthepapersdo. Itdoesnotseemtometobeatallprobable. IknowtherearedreadfulplacesinParis,butBasilwasnotthesortofmantohavegonetothem. Hehadnocuriosity. Itwashischiefdefect." 

           "Whatwouldyousay,Harry,ifItoldyouthatIhadmurderedBasil? "saidtheyoungerman.Hewatchedhimintentlyafterhehadspoken. 

           "Iwouldsay,mydearfellow,thatyouwereposingforacharacterthatdoesn’tsuityou. Allcrimeisvulgar,justasallvulgarityiscrime. Itisnotinyou,Dorian,tocommitamurder. IamsorryifIhurtyourvanitybysayingso,butIassureyouitistrue. Crimebelongsexclusivelytothelowerorders. Idon’tblametheminthesmallestdegree. Ishouldfancythatcrimewastothemwhatartistous,simplyamethodofprocuringextraordinarysensations." 

           "Amethodofprocuringsensations? Doyouthink,then,thatamanwhohasoncecommittedamurdercouldpossiblydothesamecrimeagain? Don’ttellmethat." 

           "Oh!anythingbecomesapleasureifonedoesittoooften,"criedLordHenry,laughing. "Thatisoneofthemostimportantsecretsoflife. Ishouldfancy,however,thatmurderisalwaysamistake.