Портрет Дориана Грея

           Idowanttopreachtoyou. Iwantyoutoleadsuchalifeaswillmaketheworldrespectyou. Iwantyoutohaveacleannameandafairrecord. Iwantyoutogetridofthedreadfulpeopleyouassociatewith. Don’tshrugyourshoulderslikethat.Don’tbesoindifferent. Youhaveawonderfulinfluence. Letitbeforgood,notforevil. Theysaythatyoucorrupteveryonewithwhomyoubecomeintimate,andthatitisquitesufficientforyoutoenterahouse,forshameofsomekindtofollowafter. Idon’tknowwhetheritissoornot. HowshouldIknow? Butitissaidofyou. Iamtoldthingsthatitseemsimpossibletodoubt. LordGloucesterwasoneofmygreatestfriendsatOxford. HeshowedmealetterthathiswifehadwrittentohimwhenshewasdyingaloneinhervillaatMentone. YournamewasimplicatedinthemostterribleconfessionIeverread. Itoldhimthatitwasabsurd—thatIknewyouthoroughly,andthatyouwereincapableofanythingofthekind. Knowyou? IwonderdoIknowyou? BeforeIcouldanswerthat,Ishouldhavetoseeyoursoul." 

           "Toseemysoul! "mutteredDorianGray,startingupfromthesofaandturningalmostwhitefromfear. 

           "Yes,"answeredHallward,gravely,andwithdeep-tonedsorrowinhisvoice—"toseeyoursoul. ButonlyGodcandothat." 

           Abitterlaughofmockerybrokefromthelipsoftheyoungerman. "Youshallseeityourself,to-night!"hecried,seizingalampfromthetable. "Come:itisyourownhandiwork. Whyshouldn’tyoulookatit? Youcantelltheworldallaboutitafterwards,ifyouchoose. Nobodywouldbelieveyou. Iftheydidbelieveyou,theywouldlikemeallthebetterforit. Iknowtheagebetterthanyoudo,thoughyouwillprateaboutitsotediously. Come,Itellyou. Youhavechatteredenoughaboutcorruption. Nowyoushalllookonitfacetoface."