Портрет Дориана Грея
Preface
Weliveinanagewhenmentreatartasifitweremeanttobeaformofautobiography. Wehavelosttheabstractsenseofbeauty. SomedayIwillshowtheworldwhatitis; andforthatreasontheworldshallneverseemyportraitofDorianGray."
"Ithinkyouarewrong,Basil,butIwon’targuewithyou. Itisonlytheintellectuallylostwhoeverargue. Tellme,isDorianGrayveryfondofyou?"
Thepainterconsideredforafewmoments."Helikesme,"heanswered,afterapause;"Iknowhelikesme.OfcourseIflatterhimdreadfully. IfindastrangepleasureinsayingthingstohimthatIknowIshallbesorryforhavingsaid. Asarule,heischarmingtome,andwesitinthestudioandtalkofathousandthings. Nowandthen,however,heishorriblythoughtless,andseemstotakearealdelightingivingmepain. ThenIfeel,Harry,thatIhavegivenawaymywholesoultosomeonewhotreatsitasifitwereaflowertoputinhiscoat,abitofdecoration tocharmhisvanity,anornamentforasummer’sday."
"Daysinsummer,Basil,areapttolinger,"murmuredLordHenry. "Perhapsyouwilltiresoonerthanhewill.Itisasadthingtothinkof,butthereisnodoubtthatGeniuslastslongerthanBeauty. Thataccountsforthefactthatwealltakesuchpainstoover-educateourselves. Inthewildstruggleforexistence,wewanttohavesomethingthatendures,andsowefillourmindswithrubbishandfacts,inthesillyhopeofkeepingourplace. Thethoroughlywell-informedman—thatisthemodernideal.Andthemindofthethoroughlywell-informedmanisadreadfulthing. Itislikeabric-à-bracshop,allmonstersanddust,witheverythingpricedaboveitspropervalue. Ithinkyouwilltirefirst,allthesame.
