Портрет Доріана Грея

           "Thisplaywasgoodenoughforus,Harry.Itwas‘RomeoandJuliet.’ ImustadmitthatIwasratherannoyedattheideaofseeingShakespearedoneinsuchawretchedholeofaplace. Still,Ifeltinterested,inasortofway.Atanyrate,Ideterminedtowaitforthefirstact. Therewasadreadfulorchestra,presidedoverbyayoungHebrewwhosatatacrackedpiano,thatnearlydrovemeaway,butatlastthedrop-scenewasdrawnup,andtheplaybegan. Romeowasastoutelderlygentleman,withcorkedeyebrows,ahuskytragedyvoice,andafigurelikeabeer-barrel. Mercutiowasalmostasbad.Hewasplayedbythelow-comedian,whohadintroducedgagsofhisownandwasonmostfriendlytermswiththepit. Theywerebothasgrotesqueasthescenery,andthatlookedasifithadcomeoutofacountry-booth. ButJuliet!Harry,imagineagirl,hardlyseventeenyearsofage,withalittleflower-likeface,asmallGreekheadwithplaitedcoilsofdark-brownhair, eyesthatwerevioletwellsofpassion,lipsthatwerelikethepetalsofarose. ShewastheloveliestthingIhadeverseeninmylife. Yousaidtomeoncethatpathosleftyouunmoved,butthatbeauty,merebeauty,couldfillyoureyeswithtears. Itellyou,Harry,Icouldhardlyseethisgirlforthemistoftearsthatcameacrossme. Andhervoice—Ineverheardsuchavoice. Itwasverylowatfirst,withdeepmellownotes,thatseemedtofallsinglyuponone’sear. Thenitbecamealittlelouder,andsoundedlikeafluteoradistanthautbois. Inthegarden-sceneithadallthetremulousecstasythatonehearsjustbeforedawnwhennightingalesaresinging. Thereweremoments,lateron,whenithadthewildpassionofviolins.Youknowhowavoicecanstirone. YourvoiceandthevoiceofSibylVanearetwothingsthatIshallneverforget. WhenIclosemyeyes,Ihearthem,andeachofthemsayssomethingdifferent. Idon’tknowwhichtofollow.WhyshouldInotloveher? Harry,Idoloveher.Sheiseverythingtomeinlife.