英语听力：多里安·格雷的画像 17

　　17

　　At home he thought about his conversation with Lord¹ Henry．Could he really change， he wondered？ He had lived an evil² life，and had destroyed other people's lives as well．Was there any hope for him？

　　Why had he ever made that wish about the picture？ He had kept his youth³ and beauty⁴， but he had paid a terrible price for it．His beauty had destroyed his soul⁵．He picked up a mirror and stared⁶ at his face．What was he now？ A face without a heart． Suddenly he hated his own beauty， and dropped the mirror on the floor where it broke into many small pieces．

　　James Vane，Basil Hallward，Sybil Vane—these deaths were not important to him now． It was better not to think of the past． Nothing could change that． He must think of himself．'Perhaps，'he thought，'if I live a better life， the picture will become less ugly．'He remembered the pretty village girl—he had not destroyed her young life．He had done one good thing． Perhaps the picture had already begun to look better．

　　He went quietly upstairs to the locked room． Yes， he would live a good life，and he need not be afraid any more of the evil face of his soul． But when he uncovered⁷ the picture， he gave a cry of pain． There was no change． The face in the picture was still terrible—more hateful，if possible， than before—and the red on the hand seemed brighter， like new blood．

　　He stared at the picture with hate and fear in his eyes．Years ago he had loved to watch it changing and growing old；now he could not sleep because of it．It had stolen every chance of peace or happiness⁸ from him．He must destroy it．

　　He looked round and saw the knife that had killed Basil Hallward．'Now it will kill the artist's work，'he said to himself．'It will kill the past， and when that is dead， I will be free．'He picked up the knife and dug⁹ it into the picture．

　　There was a terrible cry， and a loud crash¹⁰．The servants woke，and two gentlemen，who were passing in the road below， stopped and looked up at the house． A policeman came by， and they asked him：

　　'Whose house is that？'

　　'Mr Dorian Gray's，sir，'was the answer．

　　The two gentlemen looked at each other， then turned away from the house and walked on．

　　Inside the house the servants talked in low， frightened voices． After some minutes they went up to the room． They knocked， but there was no reply． They called out． Nothing．They could not open the door， so they climbed down from the roof¹¹ and got in through the window．

　　Against the wall they saw a fine portrait¹² of the young Dorian Gray， in all his wonderful youth and beauty． Lying on the floor was a dead man， with a knife in his heart． His face was old and ugly and yellow with disease¹³．

　　Only the rings on his fingers told them who he was．

　　17

　　回到家他思考着和亨利勋爵的谈话。他真的能改变吗？他想着。他曾有过邪恶的生活，也曾毁掉过他人的生活，他还有希望吗？

　　他为什么对画像许了那个愿？他保住了青春和美貌，但却为此付出了可怕的代价。他的美貌毁了他的灵魂。他拿起一面镜子看着自己的脸。他现在成了什么？一张没有心的脸。突然他恨自己的美貌，便把镜子扔在地上，摔成了碎片。

　　詹姆斯·文、巴兹尔·霍尔沃德和西比尔·文——他们的死现在对他已不重要。最好不再想起过去，那已无法改变。他必须想想自己。他想：“如果我过一种好一点的生活，画像会变得不那么丑陋。”他想起了那个可爱的乡下姑娘——他没有毁掉她的生活，他做了一件好事，可能画像已经开始好看些。

　　他快步上楼奔向那间锁着的房间。是的，他要过好人的生活，他再不必害怕他灵魂的那张邪恶的脸了。但当他掀开画像，他痛苦地喊出了声。没有变化。画像的脸依旧可怕——可能比以前更可憎——手上的红色似乎更鲜亮，像新鲜的血。

　　他凝视着画像，眼里饱含憎恨和恐惧。数年前他还喜欢看画像变老；现在他因为画像简直不能入睡。画像偷走了他每一次平静快乐的机会，他要毁掉画像。

　　他四周张望，看见了杀死巴兹尔·霍尔沃德的那把刀。“现在这把刀要扼杀画家的作品。”他自言自语，“这刀要杀死过去。过去死后，我将会自由。”他拿起刀刺进了画像。

　　一声可怕的喊叫和一阵猛烈的碰撞声。仆人们醒了；两个正路过的绅士停住向上看着房间。一个警察走过来，他们问他：

　　“那是谁的房子？”

　　他们回答：“多里安·格雷先生的。”

　　两个绅士互相看了一眼，然后转身离开房子走了。

　　房子里仆人用低沉、害怕的声音说话。过了几分钟他们上楼来到那个房间。他们敲了敲门，可是没有回答。他们用力喊，没任何答复。他们打不开门，就从房顶向下爬，从窗户进了屋。

　　他们看见了靠墙而立的年轻的多里安·格雷的精美画像，青春无比，美貌动人。躺在地上的是一个死人，心脏上插着一把刀。他的脸又老又丑而且病得发黄。

　　只有他手上的戒指告诉了他们他是谁。 

1 lord   

n.上帝，主；主人，长官；君主，贵族

参考例句：

• I know the Lord will look after him.我知道上帝会眷顾他的。
• How good of the Lord not to level it beyond repair!上帝多么仁慈啊，竟没有让这所房子损毁得不可收拾！

2 evil   

n.邪恶，不幸，罪恶；adj.邪恶的，不幸的，有害的，诽谤的

参考例句：

• We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
• Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。

3 youth   

n.青年，青年时期，初期，少年，青年们

参考例句：

• Leifeng set a good example to the youth.雷锋为青年人树立了好榜样。
• Youth is the season of hope.青春是希望的季节。

4 beauty   

n.美；美景；美好的人或事物

参考例句：

• We enjoyed the beauty of nature.我们欣赏大自然的美。
• She was famous for her beauty.她以美丽而出名。

5 soul   

n.灵魂，心灵，精神，精髓，精华；人，化身，典型；鬼魂；adj.黑人的；（尤指在黑人文化中）激发情感的

参考例句：

• A dancer must throw herself heart and soul into every performance.舞蹈演员对每一场演出都必须尽心尽力。
• He was heart and soul against the new rules.他完全反对新规定。

6 stared   

v.凝视，瞪视( stare的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She stared out of the window, lost in a daydream. 她凝视窗外，沉浸在幻想之中。
• He stared at me in disbelief . 他满腹疑惑地盯着我。

7 uncovered   

adj.无盖的，未保险的v.揭开…的盖子( uncover的过去式和过去分词 )；揭露，发现

参考例句：

• His head was uncovered. 他光着头。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police. 暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 happiness   

n.幸福感；快乐；幸运

参考例句：

• I wish you the life of happiness and prosperity.我祝你生活幸福、万事如意。
• We all desire happiness and health.我们都想得到幸福和健康。

9 dug   

n.动物的乳房[乳头]v.挖，掘( dig的过去式和过去分词 )；（如用铲、锨或推土机等）挖掘；挖得；寻找

参考例句：

• He dug a deep hole in the garden. 他在花园里挖了个深坑。
• We dug a deep pit in the yard. 我们在院子中挖了个深洞。

10 crash   

n.碰撞，坠落，坠毁；撞击声，爆裂声；失败，瓦解；vt.碰撞，坠落，坠毁；vi.碰撞

参考例句：

• There was a serious car crash this morning.今晨发生了一起严重的撞车事故。
• The cars hit with loud crash.汽车相撞发出巨大的轰隆声。

11 roof   

n.屋顶；v.给...覆以屋顶，覆盖

参考例句：

• A cat is on the roof.一只小猫在屋顶上。
• Move back! The roof is falling!往后退，屋顶要塌了！

12 portrait   

n.像；人物画像

参考例句：

• There is a portrait of King Charles on the wall.墙上挂着查尔斯国王的画像。
• She painted a beautiful portrait for us.她为我们画了一幅漂亮的肖像。

13 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。