Портрет Доріана Грея
Chapter 7
Theymakeonebelieveintherealityofthethingsweallplaywith,suchasromance,passion,andlove."
"Iwasterriblycrueltoher. Youforgetthat."
"Iamafraidthatwomenappreciatecruelty,downrightcruelty,morethananythingelse. Theyhavewonderfullyprimitiveinstincts. Wehaveemancipatedthem,buttheyremainslaveslookingfortheirmasters,allthesame. Theylovebeingdominated. Iamsureyouweresplendid. Ihaveneverseenyoureallyandabsolutelyangry,butIcanfancyhowdelightfulyoulooked. And,afterall,yousaidsomethingtomethedaybeforeyesterdaythatseemedtomeatthetimetobemerelyfanciful,butthatIseenowwasabsolutelytrue,anditholdsthekeytoeverything."
"Whatwasthat,Harry?"
"YousaidtomethatSibylVanerepresentedtoyoualltheheroinesofromance —thatshewasDesdemonaonenight,andOpheliatheother;thatifshediedasJuliet,shecametolifeasImogen."
"Shewillnevercometolifeagainnow,"mutteredthelad,buryinghisfaceinhishands.
"No,shewillnevercometolife. Shehasplayedherlastpart. Butyoumustthinkofthatlonelydeathinthetawdrydressing-roomsimplyasastrangeluridfragmentfromsomeJacobeantragedy,asawonderfulscenefromWebster,orFord,orCyrilTourneur. Thegirlneverreallylived,andsoshehasneverreallydied. Toyouatleastshewasalwaysadream,aphantomthatflittedthroughShakespeare’splaysandleftthemlovelierforitspresence,areedthroughwhichShakespeare’smusicsoundedricherandmorefullofjoy.