«Портрет Дориана Грея / The Picture of Dorian Gray» adlı sesli kitaptan alıntılar, sayfa 3

they entered they saw Dorian Gray. He was sitting at the piano, with his back to them, and he was turning the pages of some music by Schumann. “You must lend me these, Basil,” he cried. “I want to learn them. They are perfectly charming.” “That entirely depends on how you sit today,[11] Dorian.” “Oh, I am bored with sitting, and I don’t want a portrait of myself,” answered the boy, turning quickly. When he caught sight of Lord Henry, his face went red for a moment. “I am sorry, Basil, I didn’t know that you had anyone with you.” “This is Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian, an old Oxford friend of mine.[12] I have just been telling him what a good sitter you were,[13] and now you have spoiled everything.” “You have not spoiled my pleasure in meeting you, Mr. Gray,” said Lord Henry, stepping forward and offering his hand. “My aunt has often spoken to me about you. You are one of her favourites, and, I am afraid, one of her victims also.” “I am in Lady Agatha’s black books at present,[14]” answered Dorian. “I promised to go to a club in Whitechapel[15] with her last Tuesday, and I forgot all about it. I don’t know what she will say to me. I am far

But Juliet was a beautiful young actress. She was about seventeen years old.

a few minutes you will see the girl to whom I am going to give all my life, to whom I have given everything that is good in me.”

“He should have a lot of money waiting for him.

“Whose is it?” “Dorian’s, of course,” answered the painter. “He is a very lucky fellow.” “How sad it is!” said Dorian Gray, who was still staring at his own portrait. “I will grow old and horrible. But this painting will always stay young. It will never be older than this day in June… If only it were the other way!” “What do you mean?” asked Hallward. “If I could stay young and the picture grow old! For that – for that – I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” “I don’t think you would like that, Basil!” cried Lord Henry,

And yet, what was there to be afraid of? He was not a schoolboy or a girl. It was silly to be afraid. “Let us go and sit out of the sun. I don’t want you to be burnt by the sun.” “What does that matter?” cried Dorian Gray, laughing as he sat down on the seat at the end of the garden. “It should matter very much to you, Mr. Gray.” “Why?” “Because you are young, and youth is the best thing in the world.” “I don’t feel that, Lord Henry.” “No, you don’t feel it now. Some day when you are old and ugly you will feel it terribly. Now, wherever you go, you charm the world. Will it always be so? You have a wonderfully beautiful face, Mr. Gray.” “I don’t think.” “Don’t frown. It is true. The gods have been good to you. But what the gods give they quickly take away.[18] You have only a few years in which to really live, perfectly and fully. Live your life now, while you are still young!” Suddenly the painter appeared at the door and waved at them to come in. They turned to each other and smiled. “I am waiting,” he cried. “Do come in. The light is quite perfect, and you can bring your drinks.”

And yet it seems to me to be the one thing I have been looking for all my life.”

the conversation and only knew that there was a new look on the boy’s face. “And yet,” continued Lord Henry, in his low musical voice, “I believe that if one man lived his life fully and completely he could change the world. He would be a work of art greater than anything we have ever imagined. But the bravest man among us is afraid of himself. You, Mr. Gray, are very young but you have had passions that have made you afraid, dreams —” “Stop!” cried Dorian Gray, “I don’t know what to say. There is some answer to you, but I cannot find it. Don’t speak. Let me think. Or, rather, let me try not to think.” For nearly ten minutes he stood there with his lips open and his eyes strangely bright. The words that Basil’s friend had spoken had touched his soul. Yes, there had been things in his boyhood that he had not understood. He understood them now. With his smile, Lord Henry watched him. He knew the exact moment when to say nothing. He was surprised at the sudden effect of his words on the boy. How fascinating the boy was! Hallward continued painting and did not notice that the others were silent. “Basil, I am tired of standing,” cried Dorian Gray suddenly. “I must go out and sit in the garden. The air is stifling here.” “My dear fellow, I am so sorry. When I am painting, I can’t think of anything else. But you never sat better.

You used to be so kind and innocent.

“I have never searched for happiness. Who wants happiness? I have searched for pleasure.”