Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-08-22
THE
OF DORIAN GRAY

PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY.
Dr OSCAR wILDE.
"well then, you and I will go alone, Mr..
Gray
81 should like that awfully.n
Basil Hallward bit his lip and walked
ver, cup in hand TO the picture. IL will
stay with the real Dorian, be said sadly.
at is the real Dorian ~ cried the original
If the portrait, running across 70 him. IAN
really like that"
Eyes; you are Just like that"
elbow wonderful, Basil"
"At least you are like it in appearance.
But ii will never alter" said .Hal ward.
'That is something"
"What a fuss people make about fdelity!"
nurmured Lord Henry. "And, after all, it
$ purely a question for physiology. II has
pothing to do with our own will. 1t is
either an unfortunate accident, or an I'M
pleasant result Of ten rameut. Young
men want 10 be faithful, and are hot; old
men want to be faithless, and can not; that
q all one can say"
Dpt Y ~ W ~ AA'eNA ~ H. - Aufs
,aid Hsllward. stop and dine with me-"
81 can't, really"
"Whyl"
because 7 have promised Lord Henry to
go with him"
"He won't like you better for keeping your
promises. He always breaks his own. /
Deg you not TO go"
Dorian Gray laughed and shook his head.
~ entreat you"
The lad hesitated. and looked over at Lord
Henry, who was watching them from the
tea-table with an amusing smile.
~ must go, Basil, he answered.
avery we'll" said Hallward; and he
walked over and laid his cup on the tray.
1T is rather late, and, IA you have 10 dress.
sou had better lose no time. Good bye,
Harry; goodbye, Dorian. Come and see me
soon. Come tomorrow"
Certainly"
"Youw won't forgeti"
"No, of course not"
"~And-Harryl"
"Yes, Basill"
Remember what I asked you, when in the
garden this morning"
II have forgotten it,"
Il trust you"
81 wish / could trust myself" said Lord
Henry, laughing. 'Come, Mr.. Gray, my
hanson is outside, and / can drop you at
your w place. Goodbye, Basil. 1t has
been a most interesting afternoon
As the door closed behind them, Hallward
flung himself down on a sofa, and u look OF
pain came into his face.
CHAPTER III.
One afternoon "a month later, Dorian Gray
Gas reclining in a luxurious armchair, IN
the library of Lord Henry's house in Curzon
Street. II was, in its way. a very charming
room, with its high paneled wainscoting OF
olive-stained oak, its cream-colored frieze
and ceiling Of raised plaster-work, and its
brick-dust felt carpet strewn with long
fringed silk Persian rugs. On a tiny satin.
wood table stood a statuette by Clodion. and
beside IL lay q copy of lies Cent Nouvelles,'
bound for Margaret of Valois by Clovis
Eve, and powdered with gilt daisies that the
queen had selected for her device. Some
large blue china jars, filed with parrot
tulips, were ranged on the mantel-shelf, and
through the small loaded panes Of the win.
dow streamed the apricot-colored light of 0
summers day in London.
Lord Henry had not come in yet. He was
always late on principle, his principle being
that punctuality is the thief of time. So the
lad was looking rather sulky, as with list
less fingers he turned over the pages Of an
deliberately illustrated edition Of 'Manon
Lescaut" hat he had found in one Of the
bookcases. The formal monotonous tick.
ing Of the Louis Quatorze clock annoyed
him. Once or twice he thought Of going
away.
At last he heard a light step outside, and
| the door opened HON Late -you aye
He glanced quickly round, and rose to his
feet. Il beg pardon. l thought"
you thought it was my husband. IL is
only his wife. You must let me introduce
myself. l know you quite well by your
photographs. l think my husband has got
twenty-seven OF them"
''Not twenty-seven, Lady Henryi"
sWell, twenty-six, then. And / saw you
with him the other night at the opera" She
laughed nervously. as she spoke, and
watched him with her vague forget-me-not
eyes. She was a curious woman, whose
dresses always looked as as il they hac
been designed in a rage and put on in .
tempest. She was always in love with
somebody, and, as her passion was never re-
turned, she had kept all her illusions. She
tried to look picturesque, but only sue
ceeded in being untidy. Her name was
Victoria. and she had a perfect mania foi
going TO church.
THAT was at Lohengrin,' Lady Henry, J
thinki'
s'Yes; it was at dear Lohengrin.' I like
Wagner's music better than any other
music. 1t is so loud that one can talk the
whole time, without people hearing what
one says. That is a great advantage; don't
you think so, Mr.. Gray'"
The same nervous staccato laugh broke
from her thin lips, and her fingers began t
play with a long paper-knife.
Dorian smiled and shook his head. II am
afraid l don't think so, Lady Henry. ]
never ak during music-at least during
good music. II one hears bad music, it IL
ones duty to drown it by conversation
.sAhl that is one of Harry's views, isn't
Ii Mr.. Grayi But you must not think ]
don't ike good music. / adore it, but 1 am
afraid of it. 1t makes me too romantic. ]
have simply w~orshiped pianists-two at 9
time sometimes. / don't know what il Is
about them. Perhaps it is hat they are
foreigners. They all are, aren't theyi Ever
those that are born in England become for
~eigners after a time don't theyi 1t is sc
clever of them, and such a compliment u
art. Makes it quite cosmopolitan, doesn',
iti You have never been to any of my
parties, have you. Mr.. Grayt You mus
come. can't afford orchids, but l spare nj
expense in foreigners. They make one.
rooms look so picturesque. But here b
Harry Harry, l came in to look for you Il
ask you something-I forgot what it was
and / found MIR. Gray here. We have hat
such q pleasant chat about music. We have
quite tho same views. No; l him ow
views are quite different. But he has been
most pleasant. am so glad I've seen him.
~ am charmed, my love, quite charmed
said Lord Henry, elevating his dark
crescent-shaped eyebrows and looking al
them both with an amused smile. sc
sorry I ar late, Dorian. l went TO look al
q piece Of old brocade in Wardour Street
and had to bargain for hours for 1t. Nova
!, days people know the price of everything
and the value of nothing"
~ am afraid I must be going" exclaimed
, Lady Henry, after an awkward silence
! with her silly sudden laugh II have
) nromise6 IN drive with the duchess. Good