Портрет Дориана Грея

           Hewasamarvelloustype,too,thislad,whombysocuriousachancehehadmetinBasil’sstudio;orcouldbefashionedintoamarvelloustype,atanyrate. Gracewashis,andthewhitepurityofboyhood,andbeautysuchasoldGreekmarbleskeptforus. Therewasnothingthatonecouldnotdowithhim.HecouldbemadeaTitanoratoy. Whatapityitwasthatsuchbeautywasdestinedtofade!... AndBasil?Fromapsychologicalpointofview,howinterestinghewas! Thenewmannerinart,thefreshmodeoflookingatlife,suggestedsostrangelybythemerelyvisiblepresenceofonewhowasunconsciousofitall; thesilentspiritthatdweltindimwoodland,andwalkedunseeninopenfield,suddenlyshowingherself,Dryad-likeandnotafraid, becauseinhissoulwhosoughtforhertherehadbeenwakenedthatwonderfulvisiontowhichalonearewonderfulthingsrevealed; themereshapesandpatternsofthingsbecoming,asitwere,refined,andgainingakindofsymbolicalvalue, asthoughtheywerethemselvespatternsofsomeotherandmoreperfectformwhoseshadowtheymadereal:howstrangeitallwas! Herememberedsomethinglikeitinhistory.WasitnotPlato,thatartistinthought,whohadfirstanalysedit? WasitnotBuonarottiwhohadcarveditinthecolouredmarblesofasonnet-sequence?Butinourowncenturyitwasstrange.... Yes;hewouldtrytobetoDorianGraywhat,withoutknowingit,theladwastothepainterwhohadfashionedthewonderfulportrait. Hewouldseektodominatehim—hadalready,indeed,halfdoneso. Hewouldmakethatwonderfulspirithisown. TherewassomethingfascinatinginthissonofLoveandDeath. 

           Suddenlyhestopped,andglancedupatthehouses. Hefoundthathehadpassedhisaunt’ssomedistance,and,smilingtohimself,turnedback. Whenheenteredthesomewhatsombrehallthebutlertoldhimthattheyhadgoneintolunch. Hegaveoneofthefootmenhishatandstick,andpassedintothedining-room.