Dorian Gray watched his servant, Victor. He wondered if Victor had looked behind the screen. Victor stood still and waited for orders. Dorian looked at Victor in a mirror. Victor’s face looked like a quiet mask. Dorian was not afraid, but he was very careful.
Dorian spoke very slowly. He told Victor to find the housekeeper, Mrs. Leaf. He also told Victor to find a frame-maker. Dorian wanted the frame-maker to send two men to the house. Victor left the room. Dorian thought Victor looked at the screen, but he was not sure.
Mrs. Leaf came into the library. She was an old woman with wrinkled hands. Dorian asked her for the key to the old schoolroom. Mrs. Leaf was surprised. She said the room was full of dust and cobwebs. She said the room was not clean enough for him.
Dorian did not want the room to be clean. He only wanted the key. Mrs. Leaf said the room had been closed for five years. It had been closed since the death of Dorian's grandfather. Dorian felt a little pain. He had very bad memories of his grandfather. He told Mrs. Leaf to give him the key.
Mrs. Leaf found the key on her big ring of keys. She asked if Dorian wanted to live in that old room. Dorian said no. He was a little angry. He told Mrs. Leaf to leave. The old woman smiled and left the room.
Dorian put the key in his pocket. He looked for something to cover the painting. He saw a large, purple coverlet. His grandfather found this cloth in a convent. It was very old and had gold decorations.
Dorian decided to use the purple cloth to wrap the horrible picture. He thought about his sins. He thought his sins were like worms. They would eat the beauty of the painting. They would make the face on the canvas look shameful. But the painting would stay alive. It would always be there.
Dorian felt a shudder. He thought about Basil Hallward. Maybe Basil could help him. Basil was a good man. But Dorian thought it was too late now. He could not change the past. He was afraid of his own future.
Dorian went behind the screen. He looked at the face on the canvas. It looked very cruel. The blue eyes and yellow hair were the same, but the expression was horrible. The painting was like his own soul. It judged him. He quickly covered the picture with the purple cloth.
A servant knocked on the door. Victor told Dorian that the men were there. Dorian wanted to send Victor away. He did not want Victor to see the painting. Dorian wrote a quick note to Lord Henry Wotton. He told Victor to take the note and wait for an answer.
Then, Mr. Hubbard came into the room. He was a famous frame-maker. He was a small man with red hair. He liked Dorian because Dorian was very charming. Mr. Hubbard brought a frame to show him. He said it was very beautiful and old.
Dorian thanked Mr. Hubbard. But he told Mr. Hubbard that he did not need a frame today. He asked for help to move a heavy picture. He wanted to move it to the top of the house. Mr. Hubbard said he was happy to help.
Mr. Hubbard and his assistant took the picture. They did not remove the purple cloth. The picture was very heavy. They walked out of the library and up the wide stairs. Dorian followed them. Sometimes he helped them carry the big load.
They reached the top of the house. Dorian unlocked the door of the old schoolroom. He had not entered this room for five years. He used this room when he was a child. It was a very large room. His grandfather, Lord Kelso, built it many years ago.
Lord Kelso hated Dorian. He wanted to keep the boy far away. Dorian saw his old books. He saw a tapestry on the wall. He remembered his lonely childhood. He felt sad because he was a pure boy then. Now, he was hiding a dark secret in this same room.
This room was the best place to hide the painting. Only Dorian had the key. No one could see the face on the canvas. The face could become ugly and dirty, but it was safe. Dorian would keep his youth. He hoped that maybe his soul would become good again one day.
Then he looked at the painting again. He knew the truth. The picture would grow old. It would have wrinkles and yellow eyes. It would look like his grandfather. Dorian felt tired. He told the men to put the picture against the wall.
Mr. Hubbard asked to see the painting. Dorian became very nervous. He was ready to jump on the man. He told Mr. Hubbard that the painting was not interesting. Mr. Hubbard said goodbye and walked downstairs. Dorian locked the door. He felt safe now.
Dorian went back to the library. It was five o’clock. He drank some tea. He saw a book with a yellow cover. It was a gift from Lord Henry. He also saw a newspaper. He read a story about the inquest.
The newspaper said that Sibyl Vane died by accident. Dorian felt angry. He did not like ugly stories. He thought Lord Henry was stupid to send the newspaper. He was not afraid of the police. He did not kill the girl.
Dorian began to read the yellow book. It was very strange. It was about a man from Paris. This man tried to experience every sin in the world. The book did not have a plot, but the words were beautiful. It was like a dream.
Dorian read the book for many hours. He did not see the sun go down. The sky became dark. His servant told him it was very late. Dorian went to his bedroom and dressed for dinner. He put the yellow book next to his bed.
It was almost nine o’clock when he reached his club. Lord Henry was there. Dorian said he was sorry for being late. He said the book was fascinating. He forgot the time because of the book. Lord Henry smiled. They went to eat dinner.