道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第49部分

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　on　the　table　to…night。　how　absurdly　nervous　you　are；　my　dear　fellow！　you　must　e　and　see　my　doctor；　when　we　get　back　to　town。〃

dorian　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　as　he　saw　the　gardener　approaching。　the　man　touched　his　hat；　glanced　for　a　moment　at　lord　henry　in　a　hesitating　manner；　and　then　produced　a　letter；　which　he　handed　to　his　master。　〃her　grace　told　me　to　wait　for　an　answer；〃　he　murmured。

dorian　put　the　letter　into　his　pocket。　〃tell　her　grace　that　i　am　ing　in；〃　he　said；　coldly。　the　man　turned　round　and　went　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　house。

〃how　fond　women　are　of　doing　dangerous　things！〃　laughed　lord　henry。　〃it　is　one　of　the　qualities　in　them　that　i　admire　most。　a　woman　will　flirt　with　anybody　in　the　world　as　long　as　other　people　are　looking　on。〃

〃how　fond　you　are　of　saying　dangerous　things；　harry！　in　the　present　instance；　you　are　quite　astray。　i　like　the　duchess　very　much；　but　i　dont　love　her。〃

〃and　the　duchess　loves　you　very　much；　but　she　likes　you　less；　so　you　are　excellently　matched。〃

〃you　are　talking　scandal；　harry；　and　there　is　never　any　basis　for　scandal。〃

〃the　basis　of　every　scandal　is　an　immoral　certainty；〃　said　lord　henry；　lighting　a　cigarette。

〃you　would　sacrifice　anybody；　harry；　for　the　sake　of　an　epigram。〃

〃the　world　goes　to　the　altar　of　its　own　accord；〃　was　the　answer。

〃i　wish　i　could　love；〃　cried　dorian　gray　with　a　deep　note　of　pathos　in　his　voice。　〃but　i　seem　to　have　lost　the　passion　and　forgotten　the　desire。　i　am　too　much　concentrated　on　myself。　my　own　personality　has　bee　a　burden　to　me。　i　want　to　escape；　to　go　away；　to　forget。　it　was　silly　of　me　to　e　down　here　at　all。　i　think　i　shall　send　a　wire　to　harvey　to　have　the　yacht　got　ready。　on　a　yacht　one　is　safe。〃

〃safe　from　what；　dorian？　you　are　in　some　trouble。　why　not　tell　me　what　it　is？　you　know　i　would　help　you。〃

〃i　cant　tell　you；　harry；〃　he　answered　sadly。　〃and　i　dare　say　it　is　only　a　fancy　of　mine。　this　unfortunate　accident　has　upset　me。　i　have　a　horrible　presentiment　that　something　of　the　kind　may　happen　to　me。〃

〃what　nonsense！〃

〃i　hope　it　is；　but　i　cant　help　feeling　it。　ah！　here　is　the　duchess；　looking　like　artemis　in　a　tailor…made　gown。　you　see　we　have　e　back；　duchess。〃

〃i　have　heard　all　about　it；　mr。　gray；〃　she　answered。　〃poor　geoffrey　is　terribly　upset。　and　it　seems　that　you　asked　him　not　to　shoot　the　hare。　how　curious！〃

〃yes；　it　was　very　curious。　i　dont　know　what　made　me　say　it。　some　whim；　i　suppose。　it　looked　the　loveliest　of　little　live　things。　but　i　am　sorry　they　told　you　about　the　man。　it　is　a　hideous　subject。〃

〃it　is　an　annoying　subject；〃　broke　in　lord　henry。　〃it　has　no　psychological　value　at　all。　now　if　geoffrey　had　done　the　thing　on　purpose；　how　interesting　he　would　be！　i　should　like　to　know　some　one　who　had　mitted　a　real　murder。〃

〃how　horrid　of　you；　harry！〃　cried　the　duchess。　〃isnt　it；　mr。　gray？　harry；　mr。　gray　is　ill　again。　he　is　going　to　faint。〃

dorian　drew　himself　up　with　an　effort　and　smiled。　〃it　is　nothing；　duchess；〃　he　murmured；　〃my　nerves　are　dreadfully　out　of　order。　that　is　all。　i　am　afraid　i　walked　too　far　this　morning。　i　didnt　hear　what　harry　said。　was　it　very　bad？　you　must　tell　me　some　other　time。　i　think　i　must　go　and　lie　down。　you　will　excuse　me；　wont　you？〃

they　had　reached　the　great　flight　of　steps　that　led　from　the　conservatory　on　to　the　terrace。　as　the　glass　door　closed　behind　dorian；　lord　henry　turned　and　looked　at　the　duchess　with　his　slumberous　eyes。　〃are　you　very　much　in　love　with　him？〃　he　asked。

she　did　not　answer　for　some　time；　but　stood　gazing　at　the　landscape。　〃i　wish　i　knew；〃　she　said　at　last。

he　shook　his　head。　〃knowledge　would　be　fatal。　it　is　the　uncertainty　that　charms　one。　a　mist　makes　things　wonderful。〃

〃one　may　lose　ones　way。〃

〃all　ways　end　at　the　same　point；　my　dear　gladys。〃

〃what　is　that？〃

〃disillusion。〃

〃it　was　my　debut　in　life；〃　she　sighed。

〃it　came　to　you　crowned。〃

〃i　am　tired　of　strawberry　leaves。〃

〃they　bee　you。〃

〃only　in　public。〃

〃you　would　miss　them；〃　said　lord　henry。

〃i　will　not　part　with　a　petal。〃

〃monmouth　has　ears。〃

〃old　age　is　dull　of　hearing。〃

〃has　he　never　been　jealous？〃

〃i　wish　he　had　been。〃

he　glanced　about　as　if　in　search　of　something。　〃what　are　you　looking　for？〃　she　inquired。

〃the　button　from　your　foil；〃　he　answered。　〃you　have　dropped　it。〃

she　laughed。　〃i　have　still　the　mask。〃

〃it　makes　your　eyes　lovelier；〃　was　his　reply。

she　laughed　again。　her　teeth　showed　like　white　seeds　in　a　scarlet　fruit。

upstairs；　in　his　own　room；　dorian　gray　was　lying　on　a　sofa；　with　terror　in　every　tingling　fibre　of　his　body。　life　had　suddenly　bee　too　hideous　a　burden　for　him　to　bear。　the　dreadful　death　of　the　unlucky　beater；　shot　in　the　thicket　like　a　wild　animal；　had　seemed　to　him　to　pre…figure　death　for　himself　also。　he　had　nearly　swooned　at　what　lord　henry　had　said　in　a　chance　mood　of　cynical　jesting。

at　five　oclock　he　rang　his　bell　for　his　servant　and　gave　him　orders　to　pack　his　things　for　the　night…express　to　town；　and　to　have　the　brougham　at　the　door　by　eight…thirty。　he　was　determined　not　to　sleep　another　night　at　selby　royal。　it　was　an　ill…omened　place。　death　walked　there　in　the　sunlight。　the　grass　of　the　forest　had　been　spotted　with　blood。

then　he　wrote　a　note　to　lord　henry；　telling　him　that　he　was　going　up　to　town　to　consult　his　doctor　and　asking　him　to　entertain　his　guests　in　his　absence。　as　he　was　putting　it　into　the　envelope；　a　knock　came　to　the　door；　and　his　valet　informed　him　that　the　head…keeper　wished　to　see　him。　he　frowned　and　bit　his　lip。　〃send　him　in；〃　he　muttered；　after　some　moments　hesitation。

as　soon　as　the　man　entered；　dorian　pulled　his　chequebook　out　of　a　drawer　and　spread　it　out　before　him。

〃i　suppose　you　have　e　about　the　unfortunate　accident　of　this　morning；　thornton？〃　he　said；　taking　up　a　pen。

〃yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　gamekeeper。

〃was　the　poor　fellow　married？　had　he　any　people　dependent　on　him？〃　asked　dorian；　looking　bored。　〃if　so；　i　should　not　like　them　to　be　left　in　want；　and　will　send　them　any　sum　of　money　you　may　think　necessary。〃

〃we　dont　know　who　he　is；　sir。　that　is　what　i　took　the　liberty　of　ing　to　you　about。〃

〃dont　know　who　he　is？〃　said　dorian；　listlessly。　〃what　do　you　mean？　wasnt　he　one　of　your　men？〃

〃no；　sir。　never　saw　him　before。　seems　like　a　sailor；　sir。〃

the　pen　dropped　from　dorian　grays　hand；　and　he　felt　as　if　his　heart　had　suddenly　stopped　beating。　〃a　sailor？〃　he　cried　out。　〃did　you　say　a　sailor？〃

〃yes；　sir。　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been　a　sort　of　sailor；　tattooed　on　both　arms；　and　that　kind　of　thing。〃

〃was　there　anything　found　on　him？〃　said　dorian；　leaning　forward　and　looking　at　the　man　with　startled　eyes。　〃anything　that　would　tell　his　name？〃

〃some　money；　sirnot　much；　and　a　six…shooter。　there　was　no　name　of　any　kind。　a　decent…looking　man；　sir；　but　rough…like。　a　sort　of　sailor　we　think。〃

dorian　started　to　his　feet。　a　terrible　hope　fluttered　past　him。　he　clutched　at　it　madly。　〃where　is　the　body？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃quick！　i　must　see　it　at　once。〃

〃it　is　in　an　empty　stable　in　the　home　farm；　sir。　the　folk　dont　like　to　have　that　sort　of　thing　in　their　houses。　they　say　a　corpse　brings　bad　luck。〃

〃the　home　farm！　go　there　at　once　and　meet　me。　tell　one　of　the　grooms　to　bring　my　horse　round。　no。　never　mind。　ill　go　to　the　stables　myself。　it　will　save　time。〃

in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　dorian　gray　was　galloping　down　the　long　avenue　as　hard　as　he　could　go。　the　trees　seemed　to　sweep　past　him　in　spectral　procession；　and　wild　shadows　to　fling　themselves　across　his　path。　once　the　mare　swerved　at　a　white　gate…post　and　nearly　threw　him。　he　lashed　her　across　the　neck　with　his　crop。　she　cleft　the　dusky　air　like　an　arrow。　the　stones　flew　from　her　hoofs。

at　last　he　reached　the　home　farm。　two　men　were　loitering　in　the　yard。　he　leaped　from　the　saddle　and　threw　the　reins　to　one　of　them。　in　the　farthest　stable　a　light　was　glimmering。　something　seemed　to　tell　him　that　the　body　was　there；　and　he　hurried　to　the　door　and　put　his　hand　upon　the　latch。

there　he　paused　for　a　moment；　feeling　that　he　was　on　the　brink　of　a　discovery　that　would　either　make　or　mar　his　life。　then　he　thrust　the　door　open　and　entered。

on　a　heap　of　sacki