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e walk。
then he looked at lord henry。 〃dorian gray is my dearest friend；〃 he said。 〃he has a simple and a beautiful nature。 your aunt was quite right in what she said of him。 dont spoil him。 dont try to influence him。 your influence would be bad。 the world is wide； and has many marvellous people in it。 dont take away from me the one person who gives to my art whatever charm it possesses： my life as an artist depends on him。 mind； harry； i trust you。〃 he spoke very slowly； and the words seemed wrung out of him almost against his will。
〃what nonsense you talk！〃 said lord henry； smiling； and taking hallward by the arm； he almost led him into the house。
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Chapter 2
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chapter 2
as they entered they saw dorian gray。 he was seated at the piano； with his back to them； turning over the pages of a volume of schumanns 〃forest scenes。〃 〃you must lend me these； basil；〃 he cried。 〃i want to learn them。 they are perfectly charming。〃
〃that entirely depends on how you sit to…day； dorian。〃
〃oh； i am tired of sitting； and i dont want a life…sized portrait of myself；〃 answered the lad； swinging round on the music…stool in a wilful； petulant manner。 when he caught sight of lord henry； a faint blush coloured his cheeks for a moment； and he started up。 〃i beg your pardon； basil； but i didnt know you had any one with you。〃
〃this is lord henry wotton； dorian； an old oxford friend of mine。 i have just been telling him what a capital sitter you were； and now you have spoiled everything。〃
〃you have not spoiled my pleasure in meeting you； mr。 gray；〃 said lord henry； stepping forward and extending his hand。 〃my aunt has often spoken to me about you。 you are one of her favourites； and； i am afraid； one of her victims also。〃
〃i am in lady agathas black books at present；〃 answered dorian with a funny look of penitence。 〃i promised to go to a club in whitechapel with her last tuesday； and i really forgot all about it。 we were to have played a duet togetherthree duets； i believe。 i dont know what she will say to me。 i am far too frightened to call。〃
〃oh； i will make your peace with my aunt。 she is quite devoted to you。 and i dont think it really matters about your not being there。 the audience probably thought it was a duet。 when aunt agatha sits down to the piano； she makes quite enough noise for two people。〃
〃that is very horrid to her； and not very nice to me；〃 answered dorian； laughing。
lord henry looked at him。 yes； he was certainly wonderfully handsome； with his finely curved scarlet lips； his frank blue eyes； his crisp gold hair。 there was something in his face that made one trust him at once。 all the candour of youth was there； as well as all youths passionate purity。 one felt that he had kept himself unspotted from the world。 no wonder basil hallward worshipped him。
〃you are too charming to go in for philanthropy； mr。 grayfar too charming。〃 and lord henry flung himself down on the divan and opened his cigarette…case。
the painter had been busy mixing his colours and getting his brushes ready。 he was looking worried； and when he heard lord henrys last remark； he glanced at him； hesitated for a moment； and then said； 〃harry； i want to finish this picture to…day。 would you think it awfully rude of me if i asked you to go away？〃
lord henry smiled and looked at dorian gray。 〃am i to go； mr。 gray？〃 he asked。
〃oh； please dont； lord henry。 i see that basil is in one of his sulky moods； and i cant bear him when he sulks。 besides； i want you to tell me why i should not go in for philanthropy。〃
〃i dont know that i shall tell you that； mr。 gray。 it is so tedious a subject that one would have to talk seriously about it。 but i certainly shall not run away； now that you have asked me to stop。 you dont really mind； basil； do you？ you have often told me that you liked your sitters to have some one to chat to。〃
hallward bit his lip。 〃if dorian wishes it； of course you must stay。 dorians whims are laws to everybody； except himself。〃
lord henry took up his hat and gloves。 〃you are very pressing； basil； but i am afraid i must go。 i have promised to meet a man at the orleans。 good…bye； mr。 gray。 e and see me some afternoon in curzon street。 i am nearly always at home at five oclock。 write to me when you are ing。 i should be sorry to miss you。〃
〃basil；〃 cried dorian gray； 〃if lord henry wotton goes； i shall go； too。 you never open your lips while you are painting； and it is horribly dull standing on a platform and trying to look pleasant。 ask him to stay。 i insist upon it。〃
〃stay； harry； to oblige dorian； and to oblige me；〃 said hallward； gazing intently at his picture。 〃it is quite true； i never talk when i am working； and never listen either； and it must be dreadfully tedious for my unfortunate sitters。 i beg you to stay。〃
〃but what about my man at the orleans？〃
the painter laughed。 〃i dont think there will be any difficulty about that。 sit down again； harry。 and now； dorian； get up on the platform； and dont move about too much； or pay any attention to what lord henry says。 he has a very bad influence over all his friends； with the single exception of myself。〃
dorian gray stepped up on the dais with the air of a young greek martyr； and made a little moue of discontent to lord henry； to whom he had rather taken a fancy。 he was so unlike basil。 they made a delightful contrast。 and he had such a beautiful voice。 after a few moments he said to him； 〃have you really a very bad influence； lord henry？ as bad as basil says？〃
〃there is no such thing as a good influence； mr。 gray。 all influence is immoralimmoral from the scientific point of view。〃
〃why？〃
〃because to influence a person is to give him ones own soul。 he does not think his natural thoughts； or burn with his natural passions。 his virtues are not real to him。 his sins； if there are such things as sins； are borrowed。 he bees an echo of some one elses music； an actor of a part that has not been written for him。 the aim of life is self…development。 to realize ones nature perfectlythat is what each of us is here for。 people are afraid of themselves； nowadays。 they have forgotten the highest of all duties； the duty that one owes to ones self。 of course； they are charitable。 they feed the hungry and clothe the beggar。 but their own souls starve； and are naked。 courage has gone out of our race。 perhaps we never really had it。 the terror of society； which is the basis of morals； the terror of god； which is the secret of religionthese are the two things that govern us。 and yet〃
〃just turn your head a little more to the right； dorian； like a good boy；〃 said the painter； deep in his work and conscious only that a look had e into the lads face that he had never seen there before。
〃and yet；〃 continued lord henry； in his low； musical voice； and with that graceful wave of the hand that was always so characteristic of him； and that he had even in his eton days； 〃i believe that if one man were to live out his life fully and pletely； were to give form to every feeling； expression to every thought； reality to every dreami believe that the world would gain such a fresh impulse of joy that we would forget all