The picture of Dorian Gray - The Young man in love
‘I’ve heard about a gentleman who visits you every night at the theatre,’ he said
to his sister. ‘Who is he? What does he want?’
‘Oh, James, don’t be angry with me today,’ cried Sybil. ‘You’re leaving for
Australia tomorrow, and today is your last day. Come for a walk with me in the
park. I’ll go and get ready.’ She danced out of the room and her mother
and brother could hear her singing as she ran upstairs. James Vane turned to
his mother. ‘My new life as a sailor will keep me away from England for many
years,’ he said. ‘But I don’t like to leave Sybil alone.’ ‘Sybil has
me, her mother, you know,’ said Mrs Vane quietly. ‘Then Take care of
her.’ James Vane gave his mother a long, hard look. ‘If that man hurts my
sister, I’ll find him and kill him like a dog.’
As they waited for Dorian Gray the next night, Lord Henry and Basil Hallward
discussed Sybil Vane. Basil had not been happy at the news of Dorian’s
marriage plans.
‘An actress!’ he had cried.
‘But Dorian is a gentleman, the grandson of Lord Kelso. He can’t marry an
actress.’ ‘Why not?’ Lord Henry had said coolly. ‘He’ll love her
wildly for six months, and then suddenly he’ll be in love with another
woman. It will be very amusing to watch.’ But when Dorian arrived and told
the story of his love, Basil became a little happier. ‘You are right,’ he
told Dorian. ‘The woman that you love must be wonderful. I can see already
that she’s changed you.’ ‘Yes,’ said Dorian happily, ‘yes, Sybil has
changed me. From this moment I shall be good. I’ll never listen again,
Harry, to your dangerous ideas about life and pleasure.’ Lord Henry smiled.
‘Ah,’ he said, ‘when we are happy, we are always good, but when we are
good, we are not always happy.’ Basil Hallward shook his head at this, but
Dorian laughed. ‘You cut life to pieces with your clever words, Harry.’
