Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton entered the studio. They saw Dorian Gray at the piano. He was looking at a book of music. “Basil, you must lend me this book,” Dorian Gray cried. “It is very beautiful.”
“That depends on your work today, Dorian,” Basil Hallward said.
“I am tired of sitting still,” Dorian Gray answered. He turned around on his seat. He saw Lord Henry and his face became red. “I am sorry, Basil. I did not know you had a guest.”
“This is Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian,” Basil Hallward said. “He is an old friend from school. I told him you are a very good model. Now you have ruined my words.”
“You have not ruined my pleasure,” Lord Henry said. He walked forward and shook hands with the young man. “My aunt, Lady Agatha, talks about you often.”
“I am in trouble with Lady Agatha,” Dorian Gray said. “I promised to go to a club with her last Tuesday. I forgot all about it. I am too afraid to visit her now.”
“I will talk to my aunt for you,” Lord Henry said. “She likes you very much. It is not important that you missed the meeting. My aunt makes enough noise for two people when she plays the piano.”
Dorian Gray laughed. Lord Henry looked at him. Dorian Gray was very handsome. He had red lips, blue eyes, and gold hair. He looked honest and pure. Basil Hallward liked him very much.
“You are too charming to help poor people, Mr. Gray,” Lord Henry said. He sat down on the sofa and opened his cigarette case.
Basil Hallward began to mix his paints. He looked worried. “Harry, I want to finish this painting today,” the artist said. “Please do not be angry, but I must ask you to leave.”
Lord Henry smiled at Dorian Gray. “Must I go, Mr. Gray?” he asked.
“Oh, please stay, Lord Henry,” Dorian Gray said. “Basil is very quiet when he works. It is boring. I want you to tell me why I should not help poor people.”
“That is a serious subject,” Lord Henry said. “But I will stay because you asked me. Basil, you told me you like your models to have someone to talk to.”
Basil Hallward bit his lip. “If Dorian wants you to stay, you must stay. Dorian’s wishes are very important to everyone.”
Lord Henry took his hat and gloves. “I should go to meet a friend,” he said. “Goodbye, Mr. Gray. Come to see me some afternoon. Write to me before you come.”
“Basil!” Dorian Gray cried. “If Lord Henry goes, I will go too. You never speak while you paint. It is very dull to stand on a platform and look pleasant. Please ask him to stay.”
“Stay, Harry,” Basil Hallward said. He looked at his painting. “It is true. I do not talk when I work. It is very boring for the models. Please stay.”
“But what about my friend?” Lord Henry asked.
Basil Hallward laughed. “It is not a problem. Sit down again, Harry. Dorian, please stand on the platform. Do not move too much. And do not listen to Lord Henry. He is a bad influence on his friends.”
Dorian Gray stepped onto the dais (a low platform for a model to stand on). He liked Lord Henry. Lord Henry was very different from Basil. Dorian Gray liked Lord Henry’s voice.
“Are you a bad influence, Lord Henry?” Dorian Gray asked. “As bad as Basil says?”
“There is no such thing as a good influence,” Lord Henry said. “All influence is bad.”
“Why?” Dorian Gray asked.
“Because to influence a person is to give them your own soul,” Lord Henry explained. “The person does not think their own thoughts. They become like an actor in a play. They do not live their own life.”
Lord Henry continued. “The goal of life is to develop yourself. We are here to understand our own nature. But people are afraid of themselves today. They are kind to others, but they do not care for their own souls.”
“Turn your head to the right, Dorian,” Basil Hallward said. He was working hard. He saw a new expression on the young man’s face.
“I believe a person should live their life fully,” Lord Henry said in his musical voice. “They should follow every feeling and every dream. If one man did this, the world would be happy again. But even the bravest man is afraid of himself.”
“We punish ourselves,” Lord Henry said. “We try to stop our feelings. But those feelings stay in our minds and poison us. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to do it. If you resist it, your soul becomes sick.”
Lord Henry looked at Dorian Gray. “You are young, Mr. Gray. You have had thoughts that made you afraid. you have had dreams that made you feel ashamed.”
“Stop!” Dorian Gray cried. “You confuse me. I do not know what to say. There is an answer, but I cannot find it. Do not speak. Let me think.”
Dorian Gray stood still for ten minutes. He felt new ideas in his mind. Lord Henry’s words were very strong. Dorian Gray felt that these words revealed his own heart to him.
Words were powerful things! They were clear and cruel. They were like magic. Dorian Gray felt like his life was changing. He felt like he was walking in fire.
Lord Henry watched Dorian Gray. He smiled. He knew his words had a big effect. He thought Dorian Gray was very fascinating.
Basil Hallward continued to paint. He did not notice the silence. He was happy with his work.
“Basil, I am tired of standing,” Dorian Gray said suddenly. “I must go into the garden. The air is too hot here.”
“I am very sorry, Dorian,” the artist said. “I forget everything when I paint. But you were a wonderful model today. I captured the look in your eyes. Do not believe anything Harry told you.”
“He did not say nice things to me,” Dorian Gray said. “Perhaps that is why I believe him.”
“You know you believe everything,” Lord Henry said. “I will go to the garden with you. Basil, please give us a cold drink with strawberries.”
“Of course, Harry,” Basil Hallward said. “I will join you later. I must finish the background. This painting is my masterpiece (the best work an artist ever makes).”
Lord Henry went into the garden. He found Dorian Gray with his face in the flowers. Dorian Gray was smelling the roses deeply. Lord Henry put a hand on his shoulder.
“You are right to do that,” Lord Henry whispered. “Only the senses can heal the soul. And only the soul can heal the senses.”
Dorian Gray started and moved back. He looked afraid. His lips were trembling.
“Yes,” Lord Henry said. “That is a great secret of life. You are a wonderful creation. You know more than you think.”
Dorian Gray turned away. He liked Lord Henry, but he was afraid of him. Lord Henry was a stranger, but he understood Dorian Gray’s heart. Dorian Gray had known Basil for months, but Basil never changed him.
“Let us sit in the shade,” Lord Henry said. “The servant brought the drinks. You must not stay in the sun. It will burn your skin and you will not look good.”
“Why does that matter?” Dorian Gray laughed. He sat down on a seat.
“It matters a lot, Mr. Gray,” Lord Henry said.
“Why?”
“Because you are young,” Lord Henry said. “Youth is the only thing that is important.”
“I do not feel that,” Dorian Gray said.
“You do not feel it now,” Lord Henry answered. “One day you will be old and ugly. You will have lines on your face. Now, everyone likes you because you are beautiful. But it will not always be this way.”
“Beauty is a great gift,” Lord Henry continued. “It is like sunlight or the moon. You are like a prince because you are beautiful. But one day you will lose it. Then you will not smile.”
“People say beauty is not important,” Lord Henry said. “That is not true. Only shallow people do not judge by how things look. The real mystery of the world is what we can see.”
“The gods were good to you,” Lord Henry said. “But they will take their gifts away. You only have a few years to live perfectly. When your youth goes, your beauty goes too. Then your life will be sad.”
“Use your youth while you have it!” Lord Henry cried. “Live your wonderful life! Search for new feelings. Do not be afraid of anything. The world belongs to you now.”
“But it will last for a short time,” Lord Henry said. “Flowers die and grow again next year. But we never get our youth back. We become old and weak. There is nothing in the world but youth!”
Dorian Gray listened with surprise. He dropped his flower on the ground. He watched a bee for a moment, but he was thinking about Lord Henry’s words.
Basil Hallward appeared at the door. He told them to come inside. The light was perfect for painting. Lord Henry and Dorian Gray walked back to the studio.
“Are you glad you met me, Mr. Gray?” Lord Henry asked.
“Yes, I am glad now,” Dorian Gray said. “I wonder if I will always be glad.”
“Always is a terrible word,” Lord Henry said. “It is a meaningless word. Feelings do not last forever.”
They went into the studio. Dorian Gray stood on the platform again. Basil Hallward painted for a long time. Finally, the artist stopped. He wrote his name on the painting in red letters.
“It is finished,” Basil Hallward said.
Lord Henry looked at the painting. “It is wonderful,” he said. “It is the best portrait of modern times. Mr. Gray, come and look at yourself.”
Dorian Gray walked over to the painting. When he saw it, he moved back. He was very happy and surprised. He saw his own beauty for the first time. He realized that Basil’s kind words were true.
Then he remembered Lord Henry’s warning. One day his face would have wrinkles. His hair would not be gold. He would be old and ugly.
Dorian Gray felt a sharp pain like a knife. His eyes filled with tears. He felt very cold.
“Don’t you like it?” Basil Hallward asked.
“Of course he likes it,” Lord Henry said. “It is a great painting. I want to buy it. I will give you any price.”
“It is not mine to sell, Harry,” the artist said. “The painting belongs to Dorian.”
“He is a lucky man,” Lord Henry said.
“It is so sad!” Dorian Gray whispered. He kept looking at the portrait. “I will grow old and horrible. But this picture will stay young forever. It will always look like this day in June.”
“I wish it were different!” Dorian Gray cried. “I wish I could stay young and the picture could grow old! I would give everything for that. I would give my soul!”
“Basil would not like that,” Lord Henry laughed. “It would be bad for his work.”
“I would hate that, Harry,” Basil Hallward said.
Dorian Gray turned to the artist. “You like your art more than your friends,” he said angrily. “I am just a beautiful object to you. You will like this painting forever. But how long will you like me? Only until I have my first wrinkle!”
Basil Hallward was shocked. Dorian Gray looked very angry.
“Lord Henry is right,” Dorian Gray said. “Youth is everything. When I grow old, I will kill myself.”
Basil Hallward became pale. “Dorian! Do not say that. You are my best friend. You are more important than any object.”
“I am jealous of the painting,” Dorian Gray said. “Why does it stay beautiful while I lose my beauty? Every minute takes something from me and gives it to the painting. Why did you paint it? It will mock me one day!”
Dorian Gray began to cry. He hid his face in the sofa cushions.
“This is your fault, Harry,” Basil Hallward said.
“It is just the real Dorian Gray,” Lord Henry answered.
“It is not!” Basil Hallward said. He was very upset. “I hate this painting now. I will destroy it. It is only paint and canvas. I will not let it ruin our lives.”
Basil Hallward went to his table. He looked for a palette-knife (a flat tool for mixing paint). He wanted to cut the painting.
Dorian Gray jumped up. He took the knife from Basil Hallward and threw it away. “Don’t, Basil!” he cried. “That would be murder!”
“I am glad you like my work now, Dorian,” Basil Hallward said coldly.
“I love it, Basil,” Dorian Gray said. “It is part of me.”
“Fine,” Basil Hallward said. “I will put a frame on it and send it to your house. Then you can have it.” He rang a bell for tea.
The butler brought tea and food. They sat at a small table.
“Let us go to the theatre tonight,” Lord Henry said. “I have another meeting, but I will tell them I am sick. I want to go with you.”
“I hate wearing formal clothes,” Basil Hallward said.
“Modern clothes are boring,” Lord Henry agreed. “But Dorian, will you come with me?”
“I would love to come, Lord Henry,” Dorian Gray said.
“Then we will go together,” Lord Henry said. “Basil, will you come too?”
“I cannot,” the artist said. “I have too much work. I will stay here.”
Basil Hallward looked at Dorian Gray. “Please do not go, Dorian. Stay and have dinner with me.”
“I cannot, Basil,” Dorian Gray said. “I promised Lord Henry.”
Basil Hallward felt sad. “Harry, remember what I asked you this morning,” he said.
“I have forgotten it,” Lord Henry laughed.
“I trust you,” Basil Hallward said.
“I do not trust myself,” Lord Henry answered. “Come, Mr. Gray. My hansom (a small carriage pulled by a horse) is waiting outside. I will take you home. Goodbye, Basil.”
The door closed. Basil Hallward sat on the sofa. He felt a lot of pain in his heart.