In the house Basil Hallward stood in front of the portrait of Dorian Gray．'It's finished，'he said．He wrote his name in the corner of the picture．

　　Lord Henry studied the picture carefully．'Yes，'he said．It's your best work．It's excellent．Mr Gray，come and look at yourself．'

　　Dorian looked at the picture for a long time．He smiled as he saw the beautiful face in front of him，and for a moment he felt happy．But then he remembered Lord Henry's words．'How long，'he thought，'will I look like the picture？Time will steal my beauty from me．I will grow old，but the picture will always be young．'And his heart grew cold with fear．

　　'Don't you like it，Dorian？'asked Basil at last．

　　'Of course he likes it，'said Lord Henry．'It's a very fine work of art．I'd like to buy it myself．'

　　'It's not mine to sell，Harry．The picture is Dorian's．'

　　'I wish，'cried Dorian suddenly，'I wish that I could always stay young and that the picture could grow old．'

　　Lord Henry laughed．'I don't think you would like that，Basil，would you？'

　　'No，I wouldn't like it at all，'agreed Basil with a smile．

　　Dorian turned，his face red and angry．'Yes，you like your art better than your friends，'he said to Basil．'How long will you like me？Only while I'm beautiful，I suppose．Lord Henry is right．Youth is the most important thing in the world．Oh，why did you paint this picture？Why should it stay young while I grow old？I wish the picture could change，and I could stay as I am．I would give anything，yes，anything，for that．'He hid his face in his hands．

　　'Dorian，Dorian！'said Basil unhappily．'Don't talk like that．You're my dearest friend．'He turned to Lord Henry．'What have you been teaching him？'he asked angrily．'Why didn't you go away when I asked you？'

　　Lord Henry smiled．'It's the real Dorian Gray—that's all．'

　　Basil turned and walked quickly over to the portrait．'It's my best work，but now I hate it．I will destroy it now，before it destroys our friendship．'He picked up a long knife．

　　But Dorian was there before him．'No，Basil，don't！You can't destroy it．That would be murder！'

　　'So，'said Basil coldly，'you've decided that you like the portrait after all．'

　　'Like it？'said Dorian．'I'm in love with it．I cannot live without it．'

　　Later，during tea，Lord Henry invited Basil and Dorian to go with him to the theatre that night．Basil refused，but Dorian was happy to accept．

　　'Stay and have dinner with me，Dorian，'said Basil，but no，Dorian preferred to go to the theatre with Lord Henry．

　　As the door closed behind Dorian and Lord Henry，Basil turned back to the picture．'I shall stay here with the real Dorian Gray，'he said sadly to himself．

　　4

　　在房子里，巴兹尔·霍尔沃德站在多里安·格雷的画像前面。“完成了。”他说。他在画像的一角写上了自己的名字。

　　亨利勋爵仔细研究着这幅画。“是的，”他说，“这是你最好的作品，妙极了。格雷先生，来看看你自己。”

　　多里安长时间看着这幅画。当他看见前面这张漂亮的面孔时，他笑了，有那么一阵儿他感到高兴。然而他想起了亨利勋爵的话。他想：“我会像画像多久？时间会偷走我的美貌，我会变老，可画像会永远年轻。”因此他的心一冷，充满了恐惧。

　　“你不喜欢它吗，多里安？”巴兹尔终于问道。

　　“他当然喜欢。”亨利勋爵说。“这是一件艺术精品，我想买下它。”

　　“它不属于我，我不能卖，哈里。这幅画属于多里安。”

　　“我希望，”多里安突然喊道，“我希望我会永远年轻，而这幅画像会变老。”

　　亨利勋爵笑道：“我认为你不喜欢那样，巴兹尔，你呢？”

　　“不，我一点也不喜欢那样。”巴兹尔赞同地笑着。

　　多里安转过身，因生气涨红了脸。“是的，你喜欢你的艺术甚过喜欢你的朋友。”他对巴兹尔说。“你会喜欢我多久？只有当我漂亮时，我想。亨利勋爵是对的，青春是世界上最重要的东西。哦，你为什么要画这幅画？为什么我变老时它仍保持年轻？我希望画像会变，而我仍是现在这样。我会用一切，是的，一切，去换取它。”他用双手捂住了脸。

　　“多里安，多里安！”巴兹尔不高兴地说，“别那样说，你是我最亲密的朋友。”他转向亨利勋爵。“你都教了他些什么？”他气愤地问，“我让你走时你为什么不走？”

　　亨利勋爵一笑：“这是真实的多里安·格雷——仅此而已。”

　　巴兹尔转身迅速朝画像走去。“这是我最好的作品，但现在我恨它，我要毁了它，趁它还没毁掉我们的友谊。”他拿起了一把长刀。

　　但是多里安在那儿挡住了他。“不，巴兹尔，不能！你不能毁掉它，这是谋杀！”

　　“那么，”巴兹尔冷酷地说，“你已经决定了你毕竟还是喜欢这幅画像。”

　　“喜欢它？”多里安说，“我爱上了它，没有它我不能活。”

　　后来喝茶时，亨利勋爵邀请巴兹尔和多里安晚上一起去看戏。巴兹尔拒绝了，但多里安愉快地接受了邀请。

　　“留下来和我一起吃晚饭，多里安。”巴兹尔说。但是，多里安宁愿和亨利勋爵去看戏。

　　多里安和亨利勋爵一走，巴兹尔关上了门，回到画像旁。“我要在这儿陪着真正的多里安·格雷。”他难过地自言自语。