Cer 13

    of t, Basil ly, as men do instinctively at nig fantastic saircase. A rising tle.

    op landing, Dorian set taking out turned it in t;You insist on kno; he asked in a low voice.

    quot;Yes.quot;

    quot;I am delig;  ;You are titled to kno me. You o do ;; and, taking up t in. A cold current of air passed t s up for a moment in a flame of murky orange. ;S t; able.

    been lived in for years. A faded Flemisapestry, a curtained picture, an old Italian cassone, and an almost empty book-case--t  it seemed to contain, besides a cable. As Dorian Gray anding on tels t and t t here was a damp odour of mildew.

    quot;So you t it is only God ain back, and you ;

    t spoke ;You are mad, Dorian, or playing a part,quot; muttered hallward, frowning.

    quot;You ? t do it myself,quot; said tore tain from its rod and flung it on the ground.

    An exclamation of ers lips as  t s expression t filled  and loat  ! tever it  entirely spoiled t marvellous beauty. till some gold in t on t somet yet completely passed aic t. Yes, it   afraid. ed candle, and  to ture. In t-raced in long letters of bright vermilion.

    It ire. . Still, it o sluggisure!  did it mean?  altered? urned and looked at Dorian Gray congue seemed unable to articulate.  .

    t telsc strange expression t one sees on t artist is acting. t nor real joy. tator, riumpaken t of , and , or pretending to do so.

    quot; does t; cried  last. his own voice sounded shrill and curious in his ears.

    quot;Years ago,  me, flattered me, and taugo be vain of my good looks. One day you introduced me to a friend of yours, rait of me t revealed to me ty. In a mad moment t, even no kno, I made a ;

    quot;I remember it! O! No! t into ts I used cell you t;

    quot;A is impossible?quot; murmured to t t-stained glass.

    quot;You told me you royed it.quot;

    quot;I  royed me.quot;

    quot;I dont believe it is my picture.quot;

    quot;Cant you see your ideal in it?quot; said Dorian bitterly.

    quot;My ideal, as you call it. . .quot;

    quot;As you called it.quot;

    quot;t, noto me suc again. tyr.quot;

    quot;It is t;

    quot;C!   ;

    quot;Eac; cried Dorian ure of despair.

    urned again to trait and gazed at it. quot;My God! If it is true,quot; ;and t you  be alk against you fancy you to be!quot;  up again to t. to be quite undisturbed and as  it. It ly, t trange quickening of inner life ting tting of a corpse in a ery grave  so fearful.

    s socket on ttering.  on it and put it out. to ty c anding by table and buried his face in his hands.

    quot;Good God, Dorian, ; t  t;Pray, Dorian, pray,quot; ; is it t one augo say in ones boy into temptation. Forgive us our sins. asies. Let us say t togetance will be answered also. I worsoo muc. You worsoo muc;

    Dorian Gray turned slo ear-dimmed eyes. quot;It is too late, Basil,quot; ered.

    quot;It is never too late, Dorian. Let us kneel dory if  remember a prayer. Isnt t, yet I e as sno;

    quot;to me no;

    quot; say t. You  you see t accursed t us?quot;

    Dorian Gray glanced at ture, and suddenly an uncontrollable feeling of red for Basil  ed to o ed animal stirred ed at table, more top of ted c t faced .  it

    up, some days before, to cut a piece of cord, and ten to take ao, passing  be and turned round. irred in o rise.  o t vein t is beable and stabbing again and again.

    tifled groan and times tstretc up convulsively, esque, stiff-fingered abbed  t move. Someto trickle on ted for a moment, still pressing table, and listened.

    t.  out on tely quiet. No one . For a ferade and peering doo took out turned to the room, locking himself in as he did so.

    till seated in training over table astic arms.  not been for tear in tted black pool t able, one he man was simply asleep.

    strangely calm, and o t and stepped out on trous peacocks tail, starred ern on t  of a protering saggering as s. Noopped and peered back. Once, so sing in a rolled over and said someto umbled aer blast s across trees so and fro.  back, closing the window behind him.

    urned t.  even glance at t t t of t to realize tuation. ted tal portrait to w of  was enough.

    t eel, and studded urquoises. Per mig, and questions ed for a moment, turned back and took it from table.  ill it  was like a dreadful wax image.

    quietly doairs. to cry out as if in pain. opped several times and ed. No: everytill. It steps.

    in t be  press t ing, a press in o it. er c y minutes to two.

    doo t-- men rangled in England for o t,   t eleven. No one  of ts  Selby Royal.  o bed.... Paris! Yes. It o Paris t Basil  train, as ended. its, it royed long before then.

    A sudden t struck  on  and  and  out into tread of t outside and seeing ted in ted and h.

    After a fes c, sting tly be five minutes  appeared, half-dressed and looking very drowsy.

    quot;I am sorry to o ; epping in; quot;but I ten my latc time is it?quot;

    quot;ten minutes past t; ans the clock and blinking.

    quot;ten minutes past t  nine to-morro;

    quot;All rig;

    quot;Did any one call t;

    quot;Mr. ayed ill eleven, and t ao catcrain.quot;

    quot;O see ;

    quot;No, sir, except t e to you from Paris, if  find you at t;

    quot;t  forget to call me at nine to-morro;

    quot;No, sir.quot;

    the passage in his slippers.

    Dorian Gray t and coat upon table and passed into ter of an ing ook doo turn over t;Alan Campbell, 152, ford Street, Mayfair.quot; Yes; t ed.