The next morning Lord Henry went to visit his aunt，Lady Agatha．She was surprised to see him．

　　'I thought you fashionable young men never got up until the afternoon，'she said．

　　'Ah，but my dear aunt，I need some information，you see，'replied Lord Henry．'I met Dorian Gray yesterday，and I'd like to know more about him．'

　　'Oh，he's Lord Kelso's grandson，'said Lady Agatha．'His mother was Lady Margaret Devereux，a very beautiful woman．She ran away from home to marry a poor soldier．He was killed a few months later and she died soon after her son was born．She was a lovely woman．Dorian Gray has her beauty and he will，I understand，have his grandfather's money．'

　　'He is，'agreed Lord Henry，'extraordinarily good－looking．'

　　'Come to lunch，'invited his aunt．'Dorian Gray will be here and you can meet him again．'

　　'I'd love to come，'smiled Lord Henry．

　　As he left，Lord Henry thought about this sad story．He became more interested than ever in this beautiful young man，Dorian Gray．He remembered the night before，when Dorian had watched him with his bright blue eyes，half wondering，half afrald．'He does not yet know himself，'thought Lord Henry，with a smile．'But I can teach him．Yes，I can influence him in any way that I please．I will teach him to discover the fire of youth，and love，and life．'

　　The conversation among the fashionable people at Lady Agatha's lunch was quick and clever．Lord Henry talked，in his lazy，amusing way，and knew that Dorian Gray was watching and listening．

　　After a while the conversation turned to a friend's plans to marry an American girl．

　　'Why can't these American women stay in their own country？They're always telling us that it's a paradise for women，'said Lord Burdon．

　　'It is，'said Lord Henry．'That's the reason why they're so happy to escape from it．'

　　'They say，'laughed the man next to Lady Agatha，'that when good Americans die，they go to Paris．'

　　'Really！And where do bad Americans go to when they die？'asked Lady Agatha．

　　'They go to America，'said Lord Henry．

　　People smiled，and the conversation moved on to other things．Lord Henry took ideas and played with them；he gave them wings，and they flew like brightly coloured birds around the room．People laughed，and smiled，and told him that he should be more serious．But Dorian Gray never took his eyes away from Lord Henry．

　　After lunch Lord Henry said that he was going to the park and as he left the room，Dorian Gray touched his arm．'May I come with you？'he asked．

　　'But I thought you'd promised to go and see Basil Hallward，'Lord Henry replied．

　　'Yes，but I'd prefer to come with you．Please let me，'said Dorian．'I want to listen to you talking．Nobody speaks as well as you do． '

　　'Ah！I've talked enough for today．'Lord Henry smiled．'But you may come with me if you want to．'

　　5

　　第二天早上，亨利勋爵去拜访他的姨妈阿加莎夫人。姨妈见到他很吃惊。

　　“我以为你们这些时髦的年轻人不到下午不起床。”她说。

　　“啊，可是亲爱的姨妈，要知道我需要些消息。”亨利勋爵答道。“昨天我见到了多里安·格雷，我想更多地了解他。”

　　“哦，他是凯尔索勋爵的外孙子。”阿加莎夫人说。“他的母亲是玛格丽特·德弗罗女士，一个非常漂亮的女人。她离家出走嫁给了一个穷士兵。士兵在几个月后被杀，她在儿子出生后也很快死去了。她是一个可爱的女人，多里安·格雷有着她的美貌，而且我认为他会拥有他外公的财产。”

　　“他是非常好看。”亨利勋爵表示赞同。

　　“过来吃午餐。”姨妈邀请道，“多里安·格雷要来这儿，你会再见到他。”

　　“好吧。”亨利勋爵笑着。

　　起身时，亨利勋爵想着这个伤感的故事。他更对多里安·格雷这个漂亮的年轻人感兴趣了。他记得前一天晚上多里安用他那明亮的蓝眼睛注视自己的神情，一半是探询，一半是畏惧。“他还不了解他自己。”亨利勋爵想着，面带笑容。“但是我能教他，是的，我可以用我喜欢的任何方式影响他。我要教他发现青春、爱和生活的火焰。”

　　在阿加莎夫人的家里，餐桌上时髦年轻人的谈话又活泼又聪慧。亨利勋爵用懒散、逗人的方式说话，并且知道多里安·格雷在注视并听着。

　　过了一会儿，谈话转向一个朋友要娶一个美国姑娘的打算。

　　“这些美国女人为什么不呆在自己的国家？她们总是对我们说美国是女人的天堂。”伯登勋爵说。

　　“是这样。”亨利勋爵说。“这正是她们乐于离开美国的原因。”

　　阿加莎夫人旁边的男人笑道：“她们说，好美国人死后去巴黎。”

　　“真的吗！那么坏美国人在死后又去哪儿呢？”阿加莎夫人问。

　　“他们去美国。”亨利勋爵说。

　　人们笑着，谈话转向其它事情。亨利勋爵把握并摆布着思想；他给它们安上翅膀，使它们像颜色鲜艳的鸟在屋子里飞翔。人们大笑、微笑，并告诉他应该正经一些。但是多里安·格雷从没把视线从亨利勋爵身上移开。

　　午餐后，亨利勋爵说要去公园。离开房间时，多里安·格雷触了一下他的胳膊。“我可以和你一起去吗？”他问。

　　“但我认为你已经许诺要去看巴兹尔·霍尔沃德。”亨利勋爵回答道。

　　“是的，但我喜欢和你在一起。请答应我。”多里安说，“我想听你谈话，没人说得像你那样好。”

　　“啊！我今天说得够多了。”亨利勋爵笑了，“如果你愿意，你可以和我一起去公园。”