道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第43章

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or　you；〃　and　now　and　then　lord　henry　looked　across　at　him；　wondering　at　his　silence　and　abstracted　manner。　from　time　to　time　the　butler　filled　his　glass　with　champagne。　he　drank　eagerly；　and　his　thirst　seemed　to　increase。

〃dorian；〃　said　lord　henry　at　last；　as　the　chaud…froid　was　being　handed　round；　〃what　is　the　matter　with　you　to…night？　you　are　quite　out　of　sorts。〃

〃i　believe　he　is　in　love；〃　cried　lady　narborough；　and　that　he　is　afraid　to　tell　me　for　fear　i　should　be　jealous。　he　is　quite　right。　i　certainly　should。〃

〃dear　lady　narborough；〃　murmured　dorian；　smiling；　〃i　have　not　been　in　love　for　a　whole　weeknot；　in　fact；　since　madame　de　ferrol　left　town。〃

〃how　you　men　can　fall　in　love　with　that　woman！〃　exclaimed　the　old　lady。　〃i　really　cannot　understand　it。〃

〃it　is　simply　because　she　remembers　you　when　you　were　a　little　girl；　lady　narborough；〃　said　lord　henry。　〃she　is　the　one　link　between　us　and　your　short　frocks。〃

〃she　does　not　remember　my　short　frocks　at　all；　lord　henry。　but　i　remember　her　very　well　at　vienna　thirty　years　ago；　and　how　d茅collet茅e　she　was　then。〃

〃she　is　still　d茅collet茅e；〃　he　answered；　taking　an　olive　in　his　long　fingers；　〃and　when　she　is　in　a　very　smart　gown　she　looks　like　an　茅dition　de　luxe　of　a　bad　french　novel。　she　is　really　wonderful；　and　full　of　surprises。　her　capacity　for　family　affection　is　extraordinary。　when　her　third　husband　died；　her　hair　turned　quite　gold　from　grief。〃

〃how　can　you；　harry！〃　cried　dorian。

〃it　is　a　most　romantic　explanation；〃　laughed　the　hostess。　〃but　her　third　husband；　lord　henry！　you　dont　mean　to　say　ferrol　is　the　fourth？〃

〃certainly；　lady　narborough。〃

〃i　dont　believe　a　word　of　it。〃

〃well；　ask　mr。　gray。　he　is　one　of　her　most　intimate　friends。〃

〃is　it　true；　mr。　gray？〃

〃she　assures　me　so；　lady　narborough；〃　said　dorian。　〃i　asked　her　whether；　like　marguerite　de　navarre；　she　had　their　hearts　embalmed　and　hung　at　her　girdle。　she　told　me　she　didnt；　because　none　of　them　had　had　any　hearts　at　all。〃

〃four　husbands！　upon　my　word　that　is　trop　de　z猫le。〃

〃trop　daudace；　i　tell　her；〃　said　dorian。

〃oh！　she　is　audacious　enough　for　anything；　my　dear。　and　what　is　ferrol　like？　i　dont　know　him。〃

〃the　husbands　of　very　beautiful　women　belong　to　the　criminal　classes；〃　said　lord　henry；　sipping　his　wine。

lady　narborough　hit　him　with　her　fan。　〃lord　henry；　i　am　not　at　all　surprised　that　the　world　says　that　you　are　extremely　wicked。〃

〃but　what　world　says　that？〃　asked　lord　henry；　elevating　his　eyebrows。　〃it　can　only　be　the　next　world。　this　world　and　i　are　on　excellent　terms。〃

〃everybody　i　know　says　you　are　very　wicked；〃　cried　the　old　lady；　shaking　her　head。

lord　henry　looked　serious　for　some　moments。　〃it　is　perfectly　monstrous；〃　he　said；　at　last；　〃the　way　people　go　about　nowadays　saying　things　against　one　behind　ones　back　that　are　absolutely　and　entirely　true。〃

〃isnt　he　incorrigible？〃　cried　dorian；　leaning　forward　in　his　chair。

〃i　hope　so；〃　said　his　hostess；　laughing。　〃but　really；　if　you　all　worship　madame　de　ferrol　in　this　ridiculous　way；　i　shall　have　to　marry　again　so　as　to　be　in　the　fashion。〃

〃you　will　never　marry　again；　lady　narborough；〃　broke　in　lord　henry。　〃you　were　far　too　happy。　when　a　woman　marries　again；　it　is　because　she　detested　her　first　husband。　when　a　man　marries　again；　it　is　because　he　adored　his　first　wife。　women　try　their　luck；　men　risk　theirs。〃

〃narborough　wasnt　perfect；〃　cried　the　old　lady。

〃if　he　had　been；　you　would　not　have　loved　him；　my　dear　lady；〃　was　the　rejoinder。　〃women　love　us　for　our　defects。　if　we　have　enough　of　them；　they　will　forgive　us　everything；　even　our　intellects。　you　will　never　ask　me　to　dinner　again　after　saying　this；　i　am　afraid；　lady　narborough；　but　it　is　quite　true。〃

〃of　course　it　is　true；　lord　henry。　if　we　women　did　not　love　you　for　your　defects；　where　would　you　all　be？　not　one　of　you　would　ever　be　married。　you　would　be　a　set　of　unfortunate　bachelors。　not；　however；　that　that　would　alter　you　much。　nowadays　all　the　married　men　live　like　bachelors；　and　all　the　bachelors　like　married　men。〃

〃fin　de　si猫cle；〃　murmured　lord　henry。

〃fin　du　globe；〃　answered　his　hostess。

〃i　wish　it　were　fin　du　globe；〃　said　dorian　with　a　sigh。　〃life　is　a　great　disappointment。〃

〃ah；　my　dear；〃　cried　lady　narborough；　putting　on　her　gloves；　〃dont　tell　me　that　you　have　exhausted　life。　when　a　man　says　that　one　knows　that　life　has　exhausted　him。　lord　henry　is　very　wicked；　and　i　sometimes　wish　that　i　had　been；　but　you　are　made　to　be　good　you　look　so　good。　i　must　find　you　a　nice　wife。　lord　henry；　dont　you　think　that　mr。　gray　should　get　married？〃

〃i　am　always　telling　him　so；　lady　narborough；〃　said　lord　henry　with　a　bow。

〃well；　we　must　look　out　for　a　suitable　match　for　him。　i　shall　go　through　debrett　carefully　to…night　and　draw　out　a　list　of　all　the　eligible　young　ladies。〃

〃with　their　ages；　lady　narborough？〃　asked　dorian。

〃of　course；　with　their　ages；　slightly　edited。　but　nothing　must　be　done　in　a　hurry。　i　want　it　to　be　what　the　morning　post　calls　a　suitable　alliance；　and　i　want　you　both　to　be　happy。〃

〃what　nonsense　people　talk　about　happy　marriages！〃　exclaimed　lord　henry。　〃a　man　can　be　happy　with　any　woman；　as　long　as　he　does　not　love　her。〃

〃ah！　what　a　cynic　you　are！〃　cried　the　old　lady；　pushing　back　her　chair　and　nodding　to　lady　ruxton。　〃you　must　e　and　dine　with　me　soon　again。　you　are　really　an　admirable　tonic；　much　better　than　what　sir　andrew　prescribes　for　me。　you　must　tell　me　what　people　you　would　like　to　meet；　though。　i　want　it　to　be　a　delightful　gathering。〃

〃i　like　men　who　have　a　future　and　women　who　have　a　past；〃　he　answered。　〃or　do　you　think　that　would　make　it　a　petticoat　party？〃

〃i　fear　so；〃　she　said；　laughing；　as　she　stood　up。　〃a　thousand　pardons；　my　dear　lady　ruxton；〃　she　added；　〃i　didnt　see　you　hadnt　finished　your　cigarette。〃

〃never　mind；　lady　narborough。　i　smoke　a　great　deal　too　much。　i　am　going　to　limit　myself；　for　the　future。〃

〃pray　dont；　lady　ruxton；〃　said　lord　henry。　〃moderation　is　a　fatal　thing。　enough　is　as　bad　as　a　meal。　more　than　enough　is　as　good　as　a　feast。〃

lady　ruxton　glanced　at　him　curiously。　〃you　must　e　and　explain　that　to　me　some　afternoon；　lord　henry。　it　sounds　a　fascinating　theory；〃　she　murmured；　as　she　swept　out　of　the　room。

〃now；　mind　you　dont　stay　too　long　over　your　politics　and　scandal；〃　cried　lady　narborough　from　the　door。　〃if　you　do；　we　are　sure　to　squabble　upstairs。〃

the　men　laughed；　and　mr。　chapman　got　up　solemnly　from　the　foot　of　the　table　and　came　up　to　the　top。　dorian　gray　changed　his　seat　and　went　and　sat　by　lord　henry。　mr。　chapman　began　to　talk　in　a　loud　voice　about　the　situation　in　the　house　of　mons。　he　guffawed　at　his　adversaries。　the　word　doctrinaireword　full　of　terror　to　the　british　mind　reappeared　from　time　to　time　between　his　explosions。　an　alliterative　prefix　served　as　an　ornament　of　oratory。　he　hoisted　the　union　jack　on　the　pinnacles　of　thought。　the　inherited　stupidity　of　the　racesound　english　mon　sense　he　jovially　termed　itwas　shown　to　be　the　proper　bulwark　for　society。

a　smile　curved　lord　henrys　lips；　and　he　turned　round　and　looked　at　dorian。

〃are　you　better；　my　dear　fellow？〃　he　asked。　〃you　seemed　rather　out　of　sorts　at　dinner。〃

〃i　am　quite　well；　harry。　i　am　tired。　that　is　all。〃

〃you　were　charming　last　night。　the　little　duchess　is　quite　devoted　to　you。　she　tells　me　she　is　going　down　to　selby。〃

〃she　has　promised　to　e　on　the　twentieth。〃

〃is　monmouth　to　be　there；　too？〃

〃oh；　yes；　harry。〃

〃he　bores　me　dreadfully；　almost　as　much　as　he　bores　her。　she　is　very　clever；　too　clever　for　a　woman。　she　lacks　the　indefinable　charm　of　weakness。　it　is　the　feet　of　clay　that　make　the　gold　of　the　image　precious。　her　feet　are　very　pretty；　but　they　are　not　feet　of　clay。　white　porcelain　feet；　if　you　like。　they　have　been　through　the　fire；　and　what　fire　does　not　destroy；　it　hardens。　she　has　had　experiences。〃

〃how　long　has　she　been　married？〃　asked　dorian。

〃an　eternity；　she　tells　me。　i　believe；　according　to　the　peerage；　it　is　ten　years；　but　ten　years　with　monmouth　must　have　been　like　eternity；　with　time　thrown　in。　who　else　is　ing？〃

〃oh；　the　willoughbys；　lord　rugby　and　his　wife；　our　hostess；　geoffrey　clouston；　the　usual　set。　i