Портрет Доріана Грея
Chapter 9
"InquestonanActress. —AninquestwasheldthismorningattheBellTavern,HoxtonRoad,byMr.Danby,theDistrictCoroner,onthebodyofSibylVane,ayoungactressrecentlyengagedattheRoyalTheatre,Holborn. Averdictofdeathbymisadventurewasreturned. Considerablesympathywasexpressedforthemotherofthedeceased,whowasgreatlyaffectedduringthegivingofherownevidence,andthatofDr.Birrell,whohadmadethepost-mortemexaminationofthedeceased."
Hefrowned,and,tearingthepaperintwo,wentacrosstheroomandflungthepiecesaway. Howuglyitallwas! Andhowhorriblyrealuglinessmadethings! HefeltalittleannoyedwithLordHenryforhavingsenthimthereport. Anditwascertainlystupidofhimtohavemarkeditwithredpencil. Victormighthavereadit. ThemanknewmorethanenoughEnglishforthat.
Perhapshehadreadit,andhadbeguntosuspectsomething. And,yet,whatdiditmatter? WhathadDorianGraytodowithSibylVane’sdeath? Therewasnothingtofear. DorianGrayhadnotkilledher.
HiseyefellontheyellowbookthatLordHenryhadsenthim. Whatwasit,hewondered. Hewenttowardsthelittlepearl-colouredoctagonalstand,thathadalwayslookedtohimliketheworkofsomestrangeEgyptianbeesthatwroughtinsilver, andtakingupthevolume,flunghimselfintoanarm-chair,andbegantoturnovertheleaves. Afterafewminuteshebecameabsorbed. Itwasthestrangestbookthathehadeverread. Itseemedtohimthatinexquisiteraiment,andtothedelicatesoundofflutes,thesinsoftheworldwerepassingindumbshowbeforehim. Thingsthathehaddimlydreamedofweresuddenlymaderealtohim. Thingsofwhichhehadneverdreamedweregraduallyrevealed.
