The picture of Dorian Gray - The Friend (Second Part)
Dorian Gray listened and wondered. New ideas filled his head. He felt strange, different. At
that moment Basil called them from the house. Lord Henry turned to Dorian.
‘You’re happy that you’ve met me, Mr. Gray,’ he said. ‘Yes, I’m
happy now. Will I always be happy, I wonder?’ ‘Always!’ Lord Henry smiled.
‘’What a terrible word! Women use it much too often. What does it mean?
It’s today that is important.’
In the house Basil Hallward stood in front of the
portrait of Dorian Gray. ‘It’s finished,’ he said. He wrote his name in
the corner of the picture. Lord Henry studied the picture carefully. ‘Yes,’
he said. ‘It’s your best work. It’s excellent. Mr. Gray, come and look at
yourself.’ Dorian looked at the picture for a long time. He smiled as he saw
the beautiful face in front of him, and for a moment he felt happy. But then he
remembered Lord Henry’s words. ‘How long,’ he thought, will I look like
this picture? Time will steal my beauty from me. I will grow old, but the
picture will always be young.’ And his heart grew cold with fear. ‘Don’t
you like it, Dorian?’ asked Basil at last. ‘Of course he likes it,’ said
Lord Henry. ‘It’s a very fine work of art. I’d like to buy it myself.’
‘It’s not mine to sell, Harry. The picture is Dorian’s.’ ‘I wish,’
cried Dorian suddenly, ‘I wish that I could always stay young and that the
picture could grow old.’ Lord Henry laughed. ‘I don’t think you would like
that, Basil, would you?’ No, I wouldn’t like it at all,’ agreed Basil with
a smile.
