One week later, Dorian Gray sat in the conservatory (a room with glass walls and a glass roof for growing plants). He talked to the Duchess of Monmouth. She was a very pretty woman. Her husband sat with them. He was sixty years old and he looked very tired.
It was time for tea. The Duchess of Monmouth moved her white hands over the tea cups. She smiled at Dorian Gray. Lord Henry Wotton sat in a silk chair and watched them. Lady Narborough sat on a sofa and listened to the Duke.
Lord Henry Wotton walked to the table. He talked about a plan to give new names to everything. The Duchess of Monmouth liked her own name. She did not want a new name. Lord Henry Wotton said names were very important.
Dorian Gray called Lord Henry Wotton "Prince Paradox." A paradox (an idea that seems impossible but might be true) was a good name for him. Lord Henry Wotton laughed. He did not want a title like that.
The Duchess of Monmouth said that beauty was very important to Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry Wotton agreed. He said it was better to be beautiful than to be good. He also said that ugliness was a sin.
They talked about many things. Lord Henry Wotton said that art was like a sickness. He said that love was not real. He said that religion was only a fashion. The Duchess of Monmouth called him a sceptic (a person who doubts if things are true).
Lord Henry Wotton called Dorian Gray "Prince Charming." Dorian Gray told him not to use that name. The Duchess of Monmouth looked at Dorian Gray. She thought Dorian Gray was very interesting.
Dorian Gray said he did not look for happiness. He only looked for pleasure. He found pleasure many times. The Duchess of Monmouth sighed. She said she wanted to find peace.
The Duchess of Monmouth wanted to change her clothes for dinner. Dorian Gray offered to get some flowers for her. He walked to the end of the glass room. Lord Henry Wotton and the Duchess of Monmouth waited for him.
Suddenly, they heard a loud noise. It was a groan of pain. Then they heard something fall to the floor. Lord Henry Wotton ran to the end of the room. He found Dorian Gray on the floor.
Dorian Gray fainted. They carried Dorian Gray to a sofa in another room. After some time, Dorian Gray opened his eyes. He felt very confused. He asked Lord Henry Wotton if he was safe. Dorian Gray began to shake with fear.
Lord Henry Wotton told Dorian Gray that he was tired. He told Dorian Gray to stay in his room and rest. But Dorian Gray wanted to go to dinner. Dorian Gray did not want to be alone.
At dinner, Dorian Gray acted very happy. But he felt a lot of terror inside. He remembered a face at the window of the glass room. It was the face of James Vane. James Vane was watching him.