# ■ 13

The next morning Dorian wrote two letters． He put one of them into his pocket，and he gave the other to his servant．'Take this to Mr Campbell's house at once，'he said．

While Dorian waited， he picked up a book and tried to read．But after a time the book fell from his hand． Perhaps Alan Campbell was out of England．Perhaps he would refuse to come．He was a very clever scientist，and five years ago he and Dorian had been good friends． But now Alan never smiled when he met Dorian．

Each minute seemed an hour to Dorian，but at last the door opened．Dorian smiled．'Alan！'he said．'Thank you for coming．'

I never wanted to enter your house again，but your letter said that it was a question of life and death，'said Alan Campbell． His voice was hard and cold．

Yes，Alan，it is．Please sit down．'Across the table the two men's eyes met．Dorian was silent for a moment；then，very quietly， he said，'Alan， in a locked room upstairs there is a dead body．I want you to destroy it．There must be nothing left． I know you can do this．'

I don't want to know your terrible secrets．I refuse to help you，'Campbell replied．

But you must， Alan．You're the only person who can help me．'Dorian smiled sadly．He took a piece of paper， wrote something on it，and pushed it across the table to Campbell．

As Campbell read the piece of paper， his face went white．He looked at Dorian with hate and fear in his eyes．

I'm so sorry for you，Alan，'said Dorian gently．'I've already written a letter，and if you don't help me，I'll have to send it．But I think that you will help me．'

Campbell put his face in his hands， and was silent for a long time．Dorian waited．

I'll need some things from my house，'Campbell said at last．

Dorian sent his servant to fetch the things that Campbell needed， and the two men waited silently．When the servant returned， Dorian took the scientist upstairs to the locked room．As they entered， Dorian remembered that the portrait was uncovered．He turned to cover it， then stopped and stared in horror． One of the hands in the picture was red with blood．For Dorian， this was more terrible than the dead body in the room．With shaking hands，he quickly covered the picture．

Leave me now，'ordered Campbell．

Five hours later Campbell came back downstairs．'I've done what you asked me to do，'he said．'And now goodbye．I never want to see you again．'

When Campbell had left，Dorian went upstairs．There was a terrible smell in the room， but the dead body had gone．

■ 13

第二天早上多裡安寫了兩封信。他把一封裝進自己的口袋，將另一封給了僕人。“立刻把這封信送到坎貝爾先生家。”他說。

多裡安等的時候拿起了一本書，試著讀起來。但是，過了一會兒書從他手裡掉了下來。艾倫·坎貝爾可能不在英格蘭，他可能拒絕來這兒。他是一位非常聰明的科學家，五年前還是多裡安的好朋友，但是現在遇見多裡安時，艾倫從來不笑。

對多裡安來說每一分鐘都像一個小時，可是門終於開了。多裡安笑了。“艾倫！”他說，“謝謝你能來。”

“我從不想再進你家，可是你的信上說是有關生和死的事兒。”艾倫·坎貝爾說。他的聲音嚴厲而冷淡。

“是的，艾倫，是這樣的事兒，請坐。”在桌子上方，兩個人的眼神相碰了。多裡安沉默了片刻，然後非常平靜地說：“艾倫，樓上鎖著的屋子裡有一具屍體，我想讓你銷燬它，什麼東西都不剩，我知道你能做到。”

“我不想知道你可怕的祕密，我不願幫助你。”坎貝爾回答。

“但是你必須幫我，艾倫。你是唯一能幫助我的人。”多裡安痛苦地笑著。他拿來一張紙，在上面寫了些字，推給桌子那邊的坎貝爾。

坎貝爾讀這張紙時，臉都變白了。他用憎恨而又懼怕的眼神看著多裡安。

“太對不起了，艾倫。”多裡安溫和地說。“我已經寫了一封信，如果你不幫我，我就寄出這封信，但我想你會幫助我的。”

坎貝爾捂住臉，很長時間沒有說話。多裡安等著。

“我需要家裡的一些東西用。”坎貝爾終於說。

多裡安讓僕人去取坎貝爾需要的東西，於是兩個人靜靜地等著。僕人回來後，多裡安把科學家帶到了樓上鎖著的房間。他們進去後，多裡安記起畫像被掀開了，他轉身蓋上它，然後停在那裡，恐怖地瞪著看。畫像的一隻手沾上了鮮紅的血，這比房間裡的屍體更讓多裡安害怕。他迅速用顫抖的手蓋住了畫像。

坎貝爾走後，多裡安來到樓上。房間裡有一股可怕難聞的味道，但是屍體已經不見了。

■ The Sailor

■ 水手

“我要找到那個人，像殺死一條狗那樣殺死他。”