Chapter 6
I suppose you have heard the news, Basil?" said Lord Henry that evening as Hallward was shown into a little private room at the Bristol where dinner had been laid for three.
"No, Harry," answered the artist, giving his hat and coat to the bowing waiter. "What is it? Nothing about politics, I hope! They dont i me. There is hardly a single person in the House of ons worth painting, though many of them would be the better for a little whitewashing."
"Dorian Gray is eo be married," said Lord Henry, watg him as he spoke.
Hallward started and then frowned. "Dorian eo be married!" he cried. "Impossible!"
"It is perfectly true."
"To whom?"
"To some little actress or other."
"I t believe it. Dorian is far too sensible."
"Dorian is far too wise not to do foolish things now and then, my dear Basil."
"Marriage is hardly a thing that one do now and then, Harry."
"Except in America," rejoined Lord Henry languidly. "But I didnt say he was married. I said he was eo be married. There is a great difference. I have a distinct remembrance of being married, but I have no recolle at all of being engaged. I am ined to think that I never was engaged."
"But think of Dorians birth, and position, ah. It would be absurd for him to marry so much beh him."
"If you want to make him marry this girl, tell him that, Basil. He is sure to do it, then. Whenever a man does a thhly stupid thing, it is always from the motives."
"I hope the girl is good, Harry. I dont want to see Doriao some vile creature, who might degrade his nature and ruin his intellect."
"Oh, she is better than good--she is beautiful," murmured Lord Henry, sipping a glass of vermouth and e-bitters. "Dorian says she is beautiful, and he is not often wrong about things of that kind. Your portrait of him has quied his appreciation of the personal appearance of other people. It has had that excellent effect, amongst others. We are to see her to-night, if that boy doesnt fet his appoi."
"Are you serious?"
"Quite serious, Basil. I should be miserable if I thought I should ever be more serious than I am at the present moment."
"But do you approve of it, Harry?" asked the painter, walking up and down the room and biting his lip. "You t approve of it, possibly. It is some silly infatuation."
"I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices. I ake any notice of what on people say, and I never interfere with what charming people do. If a personality fasates me, whatever mode of expression that personality selects is absolutely delightful to me. Dorian Gray falls in love with a beautiful girl who acts Juliet, and proposes to marry her. Why not? If he wedded Messalina, he would be he less iing. You know I am not a champion of marriage. The real drawbaarriage is that it makes one unselfish. And unselfish people are colourless. They ladividuality. Still, there are certain temperaments that marriage makes more plex. They retain their egotism, and add to it many os. They are forced to have more than one life. They beore highly anized, and to be highly anized is, I should fancy, the objeaence. Besides, every experience is of value, and whatever one may say against marriage, it is certainly an experience. I hope that Dorian Gray will make this girl his wife, passionately adore her for six mo