Портрет Доріана Грея
Chapter 3
Experiencewasofnoethicalvalue.Itwasmerelythenamemengavetotheirmistakes. Moralistshad,asarule,regardeditasamodeofwarning,hadclaimedforitacertainethicalefficacyintheformationofcharacter, hadpraiseditassomethingthattaughtuswhattofollowandshoweduswhattoavoid. Buttherewasnomotivepowerinexperience.Itwasaslittleofanactivecauseasconscienceitself. Allthatitreallydemonstratedwasthatourfuturewouldbethesameasourpast, andthatthesinwehaddoneonce,andwithloathing,wewoulddomanytimes,andwithjoy.
Itwascleartohimthattheexperimentalmethodwastheonlymethodbywhichonecouldarriveatanyscientificanalysisofthepassions; andcertainlyDorianGraywasasubjectmadetohishand,andseemedtopromiserichandfruitfulresults. HissuddenmadloveforSibylVanewasapsychologicalphenomenonofnosmallinterest. Therewasnodoubtthatcuriosityhadmuchtodowithit,curiosityandthedesirefornewexperiences;yetitwasnotasimplebutratheraverycomplexpassion. Whattherewasinitofthepurelysensuousinstinctofboyhoodhadbeentransformedbytheworkingsoftheimagination, changedintosomethingthatseemedtotheladhimselftoberemotefromsense,andwasforthatveryreasonallthemoredangerous. Itwasthepassionsaboutwhoseoriginwedeceivedourselvesthattyrannisedmoststronglyoverus. Ourweakestmotiveswerethoseofwhosenaturewewereconscious. Itoftenhappenedthatwhenwethoughtwewereexperimentingonotherswewerereallyexperimentingonourselves.
WhileLordHenrysatdreamingonthesethings,aknockcametothedoor,andhisvaletentered,andremindedhimitwastimetodressfordinner. Hegotupandlookedoutintothestreet. Thesunsethadsmittenintoscarletgoldtheupperwindowsofthehousesopposite.
