Портрет Дориана Грея

           Itissaidthatpassionmakesonethinkinacircle. CertainlywithhideousiterationthebittenlipsofDorianGrayshapedandreshapedthosesubtlewordsthatdealtwithsoulandsense, tillhehadfoundinthemthefullexpression,asitwere,ofhismood,andjustified,byintellectualapproval,passionsthatwithoutsuchjustificationwouldstillhavedominatedhistemper. Fromcelltocellofhisbraincrepttheonethought; andthewilddesiretolive,mostterribleofallman’sappetites,quickenedintoforceeachtremblingnerveandfibre. Uglinessthathadoncebeenhatefultohimbecauseitmadethingsreal,becamedeartohimnowforthatveryreason. Uglinesswastheonereality. Thecoarsebrawl,theloathsomeden,thecrudeviolenceofdisorderedlife,theveryvilenessofthiefandoutcast, weremorevivid,intheirintenseactualityofimpression,thanallthegraciousshapesofArt,thedreamyshadowsofSong. Theywerewhatheneededforforgetfulness. Inthreedayshewouldbefree. 

           Suddenlythemandrewupwithajerkatthetopofadarklane. Overthelowroofsandjaggedchimneystacksofthehousesrosetheblackmastsofships. Wreathsofwhitemistclunglikeghostlysailstotheyards. 

           "Somewhereabouthere,sir,ain’tit? "heaskedhuskilythroughthetrap. 

           Dorianstarted,andpeeredround. "Thiswilldo,"heanswered,and,havinggotouthastily,andgiventhedrivertheextrafarehehadpromisedhim,hewalkedquicklyinthedirectionofthequay. Hereandtherealanterngleamedatthesternofsomehugemerchantman. Thelightshookandsplinteredinthepuddles. Aredglarecamefromanoutward-boundsteamerthatwascoaling. Theslimypavementlookedlikeawetmackintosh.