15

　　A week later Dorian Gray was at his house in the country，where he had invited Lord Henry and several other friends．Among them was the pretty Lady Monmouth and her much older husband．Lady Monmouth was amusing and clever，and seemed to like Dorian Gray very much． One afternoon，as they laughed and talked together during tea，Dorian went out to fetch a flower for Lady Monmouth's dress．Lord Henry smiled at Lady Monmouth．

　　'I hope you're not in love with Dorian，my dear．He's very dangerous．'

　　She laughed．'Oh，men are much more interesting when they're dangerous．'

　　Just then they heard the sound of a heavy fall．Lord Henry ran out of the room and found Dorian lying unconscious on the floor．When Dorian opened his eyes， Lord Henry said，'My dear Dorian， you must take care of yourself． You're not well．'

　　Dorian stood up slowly．'I'm all right， Harry．I'm all right．'

　　As he dressed for dinner in his room，Dorian remembered what he had seen and cold fear ran through him like a knife．He had seen a face watching him at the window and he had recognized it．It was the face of James Vane．

　　The next day he did not leave the house．In fact， for most of the day he stayed in his room， sick with fear．Every time he closed his eyes， he saw again the sailor's face． He tried to tell himself that he had dreamt it．Yes，it was impossible．Sybil Vane's brother did not know his name，and was probably on his ship at sea． No，of course he had not seen James Vane's face at the window．

　　But the fear stayed with him， dream or no dream．

　　Two days passed and Dorian grew less afraid． On the third day，a clear，bright winter morning，Dorian joined his friends on a shooting-party．With Lady Monmouth by his side， he walked to the edge of the forest where the men were shooting at birds and small animals．The cold air and the sounds and smells of the forest filled Dorian with happiness．Suddenly one of the men shot into the trees near them． There were two cries in the morning air—the cry of an animal and the cry of a man，both in pain．

　　There were shouts and calls from the men， and then a man's body was pulled from the trees． Dorian turned away in horror． Bad luck seemed to follow him everywhere．

　　People began to walk back towards the house． Lord Henry came over to tell Dorian that the man was dead．

　　Dorian shook his head．'Oh， Harry，'he said slowly，'I feel that something terrible is going to happen to some of us—to me，perhaps．'

　　Lord Henry laughed at this idea．'What could happen to you，Dorian？You have everything in the world that a man can want．Forget about this accident． It was just an accident—not murder．'Then he added with a smile，'But it would be very interesting to meet a person who had murdered somebody．'

　　'What a terrible thing to say！'cried Lady Monmouth．'Don't you agree， Mr Gray？ Mr Gray！ Are you ill again？Your face is so white！'

　　Dorian smiled and tried to speak calmly．'It's nothing，'he said quietly．'But please excuse me． I think I must go and lie down．'

　　Upstairs in his room Dorian's body shook with fear like a leaf in the wind． He felt that he could not stay another night in the house．Death walked there in the sunlight．He decided to return immediately to London and to visit his doctor． His servant came to pack his clothes，and while he was doing this，he told Dorian that the dead man was a sailor， but no one knew his name．

　　'A sailor！'cried Dorian．He jumped to his feet．A wild hope filled him．'I must see the body at once．'

　　He hurried to the house where the body lay，and when he uncovered the face of the dead man， he saw that it was James Vane．He cried with happiness，and knew that now he was safe．

　　15

　　一星期后在乡下的家里，多里安邀请了亨利勋爵和其他几个朋友。他们中间有可爱的蒙茅斯夫人和比她大得多的丈夫。蒙茅斯夫人风趣、聪明，并且似乎很喜欢多里安·格雷。一天下午，他们边喝茶边说笑时，多里安出去给蒙茅斯夫人的衣服摘朵花。亨利勋爵对蒙茅斯夫人笑了。

　　“我希望你没有爱上多里安，亲爱的。他很危险。”

　　她笑道：“哦，男人危险时更有趣。”

　　正在这时他们听见了重重的跌倒声。亨利勋爵跑出房间发现多里安不醒人事，躺在地上。多里安睁开眼时，亨利勋爵说：“亲爱的多里安，你必须多留心自己，你的气色不好。”

　　多里安慢慢站起身。“我没事，哈里，我很好。”

　　当他在自己的房间穿晚宴装时，多里安想起了刚才看见的，于是冰冷的恐惧感像一把刀一样划过他的全身。他看见了一张脸在窗户边注视他。他认识这张脸，是詹姆斯·文的。

　　第二天他没有出门。实际上，他多半天都呆在屋里，他被吓坏了。每次闭上眼睛他都会看见水手的脸。他告诫自己那只是他做的梦。是的，那不可能。西比尔·文的哥哥不知道他的名字，或许他正在海上的船上。不，他当然没有在窗边看见詹姆斯·文的脸。

　　可是不管是不是梦，恐惧一直伴随着他。

　　两天以后多里安不太害怕了。第三天，一个晴朗的冬日的早晨，多里安参加了朋友的狩猎聚会。蒙茅斯夫人陪在一旁，他走向树林边，男人们在那儿射杀鸟和小动物。清凉的空气、打猎声和树林的气息让多里安非常高兴。突然一个人朝他们附近的林子里射击，清晨的空气里传来两声喊叫——一声是动物的叫，一声是人的，都叫得很痛苦。

　　男人们喊了起来，一个人被抬出了树林。多里安害怕地转过身，似乎每到一地恶运都跟着他。

　　人们开始朝房子走去，亨利勋爵走来告诉多里安那个人死了。

　　多里安摇动着头。“哦，哈里，”他慢慢地说，“我觉得某件可怕的事情要发生在我们某些人身上——可能要发生在我身上。”

　　亨利勋爵觉得这个想法可笑。“你会发生什么事，多里安？你拥有一个男人想得到的世界上的任何东西，忘掉这事吧，这只不过是一次意外——不是谋杀。”然后他笑着又补充一句：“可是要是遇上了一个杀过人的人倒是很有趣。”

　　“你说的太可怕了！”蒙茅斯夫人嚷道。“你同意吗，格雷先生？格雷先生！你又病了吗？你的脸真白！”

　　多里安一笑，努力镇静地说，“没什么。”他轻声说，“请原谅我，我想我必须回去躺一躺。”

　　在楼上的房间，多里安的身体像风中的一片叶子在恐惧地发抖。他感觉在屋里一夜也不能多呆，死亡正在阳光里漫步。他决定马上回伦敦去看医生。仆人来给他收拾衣物，一边收拾一边告诉多里安死了的人是一个水手，可是没人知道他的名字。

　　“一个水手！”多里安叫道。他跳起来，一阵疯狂的希望充斥着他。“我要马上看那具尸体。”