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

NJ OSCAR WILDE.
NO: ! am going TO be out OF England for
six months. intend to TAX "A studio in
Paris, and shut myself up till ! have finished
20 great picture ! have in my head. How
ever, II wasn't about myself i wanted 70
talk. Here we are at your door. Let me
come in for a moment. ! have something TO
say to you"
II shall be charmed. But won't you miss
your train ~ said Dorian Gray. l~anguidly. as
he passed up the steps and opened the door
with his latch-key.
The lamp-light struggled out through the
fog. and Hallward looked at his watch. II
AVE heaps Of time" he answered. The
train doesn't go till twelve fifteen. and 1t is
only Just eleven. In fact, | was on my way
10 the club 10 look for You, when ] met you.
You see, I sha'n't have any delay about
luggage, as | have sent on my heavy things.
All / nave with me is this bag, M | can
easily get To Victoria in twenty minutes"
Dorian looked at him aud smiled. What
q way for a fashionable painter to travel! A
Gladstone bag, and an ulsteri Come Ia, or
the fog will get into the honse. And mind
YOU ODn I Idih hDOul ally lulilR SCIiOuS. kNOlu-
ing is serious nowadays. At 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 s%piritcase stood, with
some siphons Of saltwater and large cut
glass tumblers, OF a little table.
'You see your servant maze me quite a,
home. Dorian. He gave me everything I
wanted, including your best cigarettes. lie
is a most hospitablc creature. like him
much better than the Frenchman you used
70 have. What has become OF the French
man, by the byel"
Dorian shrugged his shoulders. II be-
lieve he married Lady Ashton's maid, and
has established her IN Paris as All English
dress maker. AngfOmdnEe is very fashion
able over there now | hear. IL seems silly
Of the French, doesn't itf But-do you
knowf-he was not at all "a bad servant. j
never liked him, but had nothing TO com
plain about. One often imagines things
that are quite absurd. He was really very
devoted TO me, and seemed quite sorry
when he went away. Have another brandy
~ w vi NOulh apb liH' "'"h
settler. ] always take hook and seltzer
myself. There is sure 10 he some In the
next room
Thanks. ] won't have anything more"
said Hallward. taking his cap aud coat OF,
and throwing them on the bag that he had
placed in the corner. ''And now, my dear
fellow, ! want Ia speak 10 you seriously.
Don't frown like that. You make it 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.
I am tired OF myself tonight. should like
20 be somebody else
ut is about Yourself answered Hall
ward, In bis grave. deep voice. land | must
say it 10 sod. shall only keep you half an
hour"
Dorian sighed. and lighted a cigarette.
"Esalf an houri" he murmured.
at is not much 10 ask Of YOU, Dorian. and
II Is entirely for your own sake that ] am
speaking. I think II right that you should
know that the most dreadful things are be-
ing said abou you in London--things that ]
could hardly repeat TO YOU"
IL don't wish TO know anything about
hlAtAh y ' ~ dilNa4R NJ pNhtA DtoBits
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. OF course
you have your position. and your wealth,
and all that kind Of thing. But position
and wealth are not everything. Mind YOU,
j don't believe these rumors at all. Al
least, ] can't believe them when ! see you.
Sin is u thing that writes itself across a
mans face. 1t can not be concealed. Peo-
pie talk Of secret vices. There are no such
things as secret vices. II a wretched man
has a vice, il 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 10 have his por-
trait done. had never seen him before,
and had never heard anything about him,
at the time, though | have heard good deal
since. He offered an ~extravagant price. |
refused him. There was something in the
shape of his fingers that ] hated. ! know
now that was quite right in what ! fancied
about him, His life Is dreadful. Blu you.
Dorian, with your pure, bright, isnocent
face, and your marvellous untroubled youth
Il can't believe anything against you.
And yet | see you very seldom, and you
never come down 10 the studio now, and
when am away from you, and ! hear all
those things that people are whispering
about you, / don't know what to say. Why
Is II, Dorian, that a man like the Duke of
Berwick leaves the room Of a club when
you enter III Why is il that so many gen.
tlemen In London viii neither go to your
house nor invite you 10 theirsi Dorian,
you dealt know what is said about you. ]
won't tell you that i don't a TO preach
TO you. l remember Harry saying once
that every man who turned himself into an
Amateur curate for the moment always said
that, and then broke his word. I do want
TO preach to you. l want you to lead such q
life as will make the world respect you. !
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 q 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 a house, for shame Of some kind
to follow after you. don't know whether
u Ii so or not. How should l knowi But
itis said Of you. l Am told things that il
scen,s impossible TO doubt. Lord Gloucester
was one Of my greatest friends at Oxford.
He showed ne u letter that his wife had
writtcn TO him when she was dying alone In
her villa at Mentone. Your name was iiA-
plicoted In the most terrible confession ]