Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-10-24
THE
OF DORIAN GRAY.
ny OSCAR WILDE.

'No: I AM going TO be out OF England for
six months. / intend 10 take a studio in
Paris. and shut myself up till ] have finished
o great picture | have in my head. How
eveg, It wasn't about myself ! wanted 20
talk. Here we are at your door. Let me
come in for a moment. | have something TO
say to you"
II shall be char med. But won't you miss
| your train ~ said Dorian Gray, languidly. as
be passed up the steps and opened the door
with his l%atch-key.
The lanp-light struggled out through the
fog, and Hallward looked at his watch. Il
have heaps OF time" he answered. The
train doesn't go till twelve-fftecn, and it 10
only just eleven. In fact, | was on my way
70 the club To look for you. when ! met you.
You see, | sha'n't have any delay about
luggage, as | have sent on my heavy things.
All ! have with me is this bag, and 1 can
easily get 10 Victoria In twenty minutes"
Dorian looked at him and smiled. What
q way for a fashionable painter to travel A
Gladstone bag, and al ulsterl Conic in. or
the fog will get into the house. And mind
you don't talk about anything serious. Moth
ing is serious nowadays. Al least nothing
should be-"
Hallward shook his head. as he entered.
and followed Dorian into the library. There
was a bright wood fire blazing in the open
hearth. The lamps were lighted. aud an
open Dutch silver spirit-case stood, with
some siphons OF saltwater and large cut
glass tumblers. Oh "A little table.
you see your servant maze me quite at
home. Dorian. He gave me everything J
wanted, including your best cigarettes. lie
N a most hospitablc creature. ] like him
much better than the trenchTnan you used
70 have. What has become Of the French
man, by the byc.N
Dorian shrugged his shoulders. II be-
lieve he married Lady Ashton's maid, and
has established her u Paris Us an English
dress-maker. AnDiomdni is very fashion
able over there now. ! hear. II seems silly
OF the French. doesn't il, But--do you
knowt-he was not at all a bad servant. !
never liked him, but | had nothing To com
plain about. One often imsgines things
that are quite absurd. He was really very
devoted to me. and seemed quite sorry
when he went away. Have another brandy
and sodai Or would YOU like hook ana
settler ] always take hook and settler
myself. There is sure 10 be- some in the
next ROOM
mum "bu I nav any ADiuk iANits
said Hallwsrd. taking his cap and coat of.
and throwing them on the bag that he had
placed in the corner, And now. my dear
fellow. | want to speak TO YOU seriously.
Don't frown like that. You make il so
much more difficult for me"
\ What is il all about" cried Dorian, in
his petulant way. finging himself down on
the sofa. II hope IL is not about myself.
am tired Of myself tonight. | should like
10 be somebody else"
at is about yourself answered Hall
ward, in his grave. deep voice. and I must
say il TO you. shall only keep you half an
hour"
Dorian sighed. and lighted a cigarette.
"Hslf an houri" he murmured.
1T is not much TO ask Of you, Dorian. and
II is entirely for your own sake that | am
speaking. | think it right that you should
know that the most dreadful things are be-
ing said about you in London--things that /
could hardly repeat TO YOU"
IL don't wish to know anything about
them. love scandals about other people,
but scandals about myself don't interest
me. They have not got the charm Of
novelty
They must interest you. Dorian. Every
gentleman is interested in his good name.
You don't want people TO talk of you as
something vile and degraded. or course
you have your position, and your wealth,
and all that kiI.i Of thing. But position
and wealth are not everything. Mind you,
j don't believe these rumors at all. At
i sas i | / e sa,hr ps 9k 1 M shs{R wh Rsar | f astoyys sna
mans face. II can not be- concealed. Peo-
MIA tall ~ aa..t,at Ni..ag Thaf.a y M Snah
things rs secret vices. IL a wretched man
has q vice, It shows itself in the lines of his
mouth, the droop OF his eyelids, the molding
Of his hands even. Somebody won't
mention his name, but you know him
came to me last year to have his por-
trait done. had never seen him before.
and had never heard anything about him,
At the time. though | have heard a good deal
since. He offered an extravaganza prize. l
refused him. There was something ia the
| shape of his fingers that ! hated. | know
now that l was quite right in what l fancied
about him. His life is dreadful. But you.
Dorian, with your pure. bright, i.nocent
face. and your marvellous untroubled youth
II cam believe anything against you.
And yet ! see you very seldom, and you
never come down to the studio now, and
when | an AVA from you, and l hear all
these things that people are whispering
about yeu, l don't know what TO say. Why
Is IL, Dorian, that a man like the Duke Of
Berwick leaves the room Of a club when
you enter it, Why is il that so many gen.
tlemen In London will neither go TO your
house nor invite you tO theirs. Dorian,
you dent know what is said about you. /
won't tell you that ! don't want to preach
70 YOU. l remember Harry saying once
that every man who turned himself into an
smateur curate for the moment always said
that, and then broke his word. l do want
to preach TO you want you to lead such q
life as will make the world respect you. l
want you to get rid Of the dreadful people
you associate with. Don't shrug your
shoulders like that. Don't be Indifferent.
You have a wonderful influence. Let it be
for good, not for evil. They say that you
corrupt every one whom you become init
mate with, and that it is quite sufficient for
you to enter q house, for shame Of some kind
TO follow after you. ! don't know whether
Il II so or not. How should / know, But
itis said Of you. 1 am told things that il
seems impossible TO doubt. Lord Gloucester
was one Of my greatest friends at Oxford.
He showed ne q letter that his wife had
written 70 him when she was dying alone In
h6r villa at Mentone. Your name was inn
pltcated In the most terrible confession l
ever read. told him that it was absurd
that ] knew yon thoroughly, and that you
were incapable Of anything Of the kind.
Know y0ui l wonder do ! know youf Be
foro I could answer that, l should have TO
zee your soul"
ITO see my soul y muttered Dorian Gray,
starting up from the sofa and turning al
moet white from fear.
'Yes," answered Hellward, gravely, and
with infinite sorrow In his voice-''to see
your soul. But only God can do that"
A bitter laugh Of mockery broke from the
lips Of the younger man. You shall see IL
yourself, tonight" he cried. seizing a lamp
from the table. Come: il is your own
handiwork. Why shouldn't YOU look at i'll
You can tell the world all about IL after
ward, II you choose. Nobody would believe
you. II they did believe you, they'd like
me all the better for 1t. l know the age
bcttsr than than you do, though you will
pirate about il so tendiously. Come, l tell
you. You have Chartered enough about
r-l GA.A