# ■ 5

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，亨利勳爵去拜訪他的姨媽阿加莎夫人。姨媽見到他很吃驚。

“我以為你們這些時髦的年輕人不到下午不起床。”她說。

“啊，可是親愛的姨媽，要知道我需要些消息。”亨利勳爵答道。“昨天我見到了多裡安·格雷，我想更多地瞭解他。”

“哦，他是凱爾索勳爵的外孫子。”阿加莎夫人說。“他的母親是瑪格麗特·德弗羅女士，一個非常漂亮的女人。她離家出走嫁給了一個窮士兵。士兵在幾個月後被殺，她在兒子出生後也很快死去了。她是一個可愛的女人，多裡安·格雷有著她的美貌，而且我認為他會擁有他外公的財產。”

“他是非常好看。”亨利勳爵表示贊同。

“過來吃午餐。”姨媽邀請道，“多裡安·格雷要來這兒，你會再見到他。”

“好吧。”亨利勳爵笑著。

起身時，亨利勳爵想著這個傷感的故事。他更對多裡安·格雷這個漂亮的年輕人感興趣了。他記得前一天晚上多裡安用他那明亮的藍眼睛注視自己的神情，一半是探詢，一半是畏懼。“他還不瞭解他自己。”亨利勳爵想著，面帶笑容。“但是我能教他，是的，我可以用我喜歡的任何方式影響他。我要教他發現青春、愛和生活的火焰。”

在阿加莎夫人的家裡，餐桌上時髦年輕人的談話又活潑又聰慧。亨利勳爵用懶散、逗人的方式說話，並且知道多裡安·格雷在注視並聽著。

過了一會兒，談話轉向一個朋友要娶一個美國姑娘的打算。

“這些美國女人為什麼不呆在自己的國家？她們總是對我們說美國是女人的天堂。”伯登勳爵說。

“是這樣。”亨利勳爵說。“這正是她們樂於離開美國的原因。”

阿加莎夫人旁邊的男人笑道：“她們說，好美國人死後去巴黎。”

“真的嗎！那麼壞美國人在死後又去哪兒呢？”阿加莎夫人問。

“他們去美國。”亨利勳爵說。

人們笑著，談話轉向其它事情。亨利勳爵把握並擺佈著思想；他給它們安上翅膀，使它們像顏色鮮豔的鳥在屋子裡飛翔。人們大笑、微笑，並告訴他應該正經一些。但是多裡安·格雷從沒把視線從亨利勳爵身上移開。

午餐後，亨利勳爵說要去公園。離開房間時，多裡安·格雷觸了一下他的胳膊。“我可以和你一起去嗎？”他問。

“但我認為你已經許諾要去看巴茲爾·霍爾沃德。”亨利勳爵回答道。

“是的，但我喜歡和你在一起。請答應我。”多裡安說，“我想聽你談話，沒人說得像你那樣好。”

“啊！我今天說得夠多了。”亨利勳爵笑了，“如果你願意，你可以和我一起去公園。”

■ The Young Man In Love

■ 戀愛中的年輕人

“愛比藝術更美妙。”