Chapter 10

           Foryears,DorianGraycouldnotfreehimselffromtheinfluenceofthisbook. Orperhapsitwouldbemoreaccuratetosaythatheneversoughttofreehimselffromit. HeprocuredfromParisnolessthanninelarge-papercopiesofthefirstedition,andhadthemboundindifferentcolours, sothattheymightsuithisvariousmoodsandthechangingfanciesofanatureoverwhichheseemed,attimes,tohavealmostentirelylostcontrol. Thehero,thewonderfulyoungParisian,inwhomtheromanticandthescientifictemperamentsweresostrangelyblended, becametohimakindofprefiguringtypeofhimself. And,indeed,thewholebookseemedtohimtocontainthestoryofhisownlife,writtenbeforehehadlivedit. 

           Inonepointhewasmorefortunatethanthenovel’sfantastichero. Heneverknew—never,indeed,hadanycausetoknow—thatsomewhatgrotesquedreadofmirrors,andpolishedmetalsurfaces,andstillwater, whichcameupontheyoungParisiansoearlyinhislife,andwasoccasionedbythesuddendecayofabeautythathadonce,apparently,beensoremarkable. Itwaswithanalmostcrueljoy—andperhapsinnearlyeveryjoy,ascertainlyineverypleasure,crueltyhasitsplace —thatheusedtoreadthelatterpartofthebook,withitsreallytragic,ifsomewhatover-emphasised,accountofthesorrowanddespairofone whohadhimselflostwhatinothers,andintheworld,hehadmostdearlyvalued. 

           ForthewonderfulbeautythathadsofascinatedBasilHallward,andmanyothersbesideshim,seemednevertoleavehim. Eventhosewhohadheardthemostevilthingsagainsthim,andfromtimetotimestrangerumoursabouthismodeoflifecreptthroughLondon andbecamethechatteroftheclubs,couldnotbelieveanythingtohisdishonourwhentheysawhim.