Портрет Доріана Грея
Chapter 2
"Wasthataparadox?"askedMr.Erskine. "Ididnotthinkso.Perhapsitwas.Well,thewayofparadoxesisthewayoftruth. TotestRealitywemustseeitonthetight-rope. WhentheVeritiesbecomeacrobatswecanjudgethem."
"Dearme!"saidLadyAgatha,"howyoumenargue!IamsureInevercanmakeoutwhatyouaretalkingabout. Oh!Harry,Iamquitevexedwithyou.WhydoyoutrytopersuadeourniceMr.DorianGraytogiveuptheEastEnd? Iassureyouhewouldbequiteinvaluable.Theywouldlovehisplaying."
"Iwanthimtoplaytome,"criedLordHenry,smiling,andhelookeddownthetableandcaughtabrightansweringglance.
"ButtheyaresounhappyinWhitechapel,"continuedLadyAgatha.
"Icansympathisewitheverything,exceptsuffering,"saidLordHenry,shrugginghisshoulders. "Icannotsympathisewiththat.Itistoougly,toohorrible,toodistressing.Thereissomethingterriblymorbidinthemodernsympathywithpain. Oneshouldsympathisewiththecolour,thebeauty,thejoyoflife.Thelesssaidaboutlife’ssoresthebetter."
"Still,theEastEndisaveryimportantproblem,"remarkedSirThomas,withagraveshakeofthehead.
"Quiteso,"answeredtheyounglord. "Itistheproblemofslavery,andwetrytosolveitbyamusingtheslaves."
Thepoliticianlookedathimkeenly. "Whatchangedoyoupropose,then?"heasked.
LordHenrylaughed. "Idon’tdesiretochangeanythinginEnglandexcepttheweather,"heanswered.