Chapter 20

It was a lovely night, so warm that he threw his coat over his arm and did not even put his silk scarf round his throat. He walked home, smoking his cigarette. Two young men in evening dress passed him. He heard one of them whisper to the other, “That is Dorian Gray”. He remembered how pleased he used to be when he was stared at, or talked about. He was tired of hearing his own name now.

When he reached home, he found his servant waiting up for him. He sent him to bed, and threw himself down on the sofa in the library, and began to think over some of the things that Lord Henry had said to him.

Dorian Gray felt good. He really believed that he had finally done something right when he told the girl he had met in the country not to fall in love with him. This was how he was going to change his life. He was going to stop doing things which might hurt other people. After that, he hoped that his portrait would change from an old ugly man to one that was young and beautiful like himself.

Was it really true that one could never change? There had been a time when he had been good and innocent. He had corrupted himself, and become a terrible influence on others. He had even got pleasure from this corruption. Yet his soul had once been the purest of all. Was all that gone? Was there no hope for him?

In one terrible moment of passion, he had asked to stay young for all time. All his failure had been because of that. He had not been punished, but perhaps punishment was what he had needed. Punishment cleaned the soul.

The mirror that Lord Henry had given to him, so many years ago now, was standing on the table. He picked it up, remembering that horrible night when he had first noticed the change in the picture. Once, someone who had loved him passionately had written him a mad letter, it had ended with these words, “The world is changed because you are made of gold.” He repeated them to himself and suddenly realized that he hated his own beauty. Throwing the mirror on the floor, he broke the glass into little pieces with his foot. It was his beauty that had spoiled him.

It was better not to think of the past. Nothing could change that. He had to think of his future. James Vane was hidden in a nameless grave. Alan Campbell had shot himself one night in his laboratory. The interest in Basil Hallward’s disappearance would soon pass away. He was perfectly safe there.

What worried him was the death of his own soul. Basil had painted the portrait that had destroyed his life. He could not forgive him that. It was the portrait that had done everything.

A new life! That was what he wanted. That was what he was waiting for. Perhaps it had begun already. He would never again spoil innocence. He would be good.

He began to wonder if the portrait in the locked room had changed. Was it still as horrible as it had been? Perhaps if his life became pure, the face in the portrait would become beautiful again. He would go and look.

He took the lamp from the table and went upstairs. As he opened the door, a smile of happiness passed across his young face. Yes, he would be good, and the ugly thing he had locked away would not frighten him any more. He felt happier already.

He went in quietly, locking the door behind him. Walking straight over to the portrait, he took off the purple curtain that was covering it. An angry cry of pain came from him. He could see no change. The thing was still hateful – more hateful, even, than before. The red mark on the hand seemed brighter and more like new blood. And why was the red mark larger than it had been? It was all over the fingers now. There was blood on the painted feet, and blood on the hand that had not held the knife.

What did it all mean? That he should go to the police? That he should tell the whole story, and be put to death? He laughed. He felt the idea was absurd. If he did tell them now, who would believe him? There was nothing left of the murdered man anywhere. He had destroyed everything belonging to Basil Hallward. He himself had burned the bag and the coat. They would simply say he was mad.

Was this murder to follow him all his life? Was he always going to suffer because of his past? Yet what could he do? Go to the police? Never.

There was only one thing they could use against him and that was the picture itself. He would destroy it. Why had he kept it so long? Once it had given him pleasure to watch it changing and growing old. Recently he had felt no such pleasure. It had kept him awake at night. When he had been away, he had been frightened that another person would see it. Just the memory of it spoiled many moments of happiness. He would destroy it.

His whole body became sick at the sight of the horrible face. Not only was the picture unchanged, but it looked even more ugly.

Was Lord Henry right? Could Dorian do nothing but act selfishly? The thought that he could never again become good and that he would always have a picture of how he truly was made him mad with anger.

“Why are you looking at me like that?!”

The face in the picture looked as if it was laughing at Dorian. The blood on the hand looked more red than before, and now Dorian noticed that there was blood on the other and on the floor by its feet.

He looked around and saw the knife that had killed Basil Hallward. He had cleaned it many times until there was no mark left on it. It was bright, and it shone. It had killed the painter. Now it would kill the painter’s work, and all that it meant. It would kill the past. When that was dead he would be free.

Dorian picked up the knife off the table.

“You’re the only evidence that I killed Basil Hallward. Why should I let you live and torture me for the rest of my life?! I’ll destroy you. Why are you looking at me like that?!”

Dorian raised his arm and ran towards the portrait. His eyes looked as if they were on fire.

Dorian put the knife into the picture.

There was a cry, and a crash. The cry was so horrible that frightened servants woke and came out of their rooms. Two gentlemen, who were passing in the Square below, stopped, and looked up at the great house. They hurried on until they met a policeman, and brought him back. The policeman rang the bell several times, but there was no answer. Except for a light in one of the top windows, the house was all dark. After a time, he went away and stood in the garden of the next house and watched.

“Whose house is that?” asked the older of the two gentlemen.

“Mr. Dorian Gray’s, sir,” answered the policeman.

They looked at each other as they walked away, and laughed cruelly. They knew who Dorian Gray was.

Inside the house the servants were talking in low whispers to each other. Old Mrs. Leaf was crying. Francis was as white as death.

After about a quarter of an hour, they went fearfully upstairs. They knocked, but there was no reply. Everything was still. They tried the door. It was locked. Finally, they got on the roof and came into the room through the window.

When they entered the room they found a portrait hanging on the wall. It showed Mr Dorian Gray as they had last seen him, young and beautiful. Lying on the floor was a dead man in evening dress. He had a knife in his heart. He was old and horribly ugly. It was not until they saw his rings that they recognized who the man was.

Грамматический комментарий

“I am afraid I have to go, Basil,” he said in a quiet voice.

(«Боюсь, я должен идти, Бэзил», – сказал он тихим голосом.)

Now, I have to dress, Harry.

(А теперь я должен одеваться, Гарри.)

Модальный глагол have to с последующим инфинитивом имеет значение вынужденности, необходимости, вызванной обстоятельствами, и соответствует в русском языке значению приходиться, быть вынужденным, должным. Используется в настоящем времени (I have to/ He has to do it.), в прошедшем времени (He had to do it.) и в будущем времени (I’ll have to do it.). Как и модальный глагол must глагол have to обладает значением необходимости, однако модальный глагол must выражает потребность сделать что-то в силу каких-либо личных устремлений, в то время как модальный глагол have to выражает необходимость выполнения действия из-за каких-либо внешних обстоятельств. Вопросительные и отрицательные предложения в случае использования модального глагола have to образуются при помощи вспомогательного глагола do в нужном времени.

In the centre of the room stood the full-length portrait of a young man of extraordinary personal beauty, and in front of it, some little distance away, was sitting the artist himself, Basil Hallward.

(Посреди комнаты стоял портрет во весь рост молодого человека необыкновенной красоты, а перед ним, на небольшом от него расстоянии, сидел и сам художник, Бэзил Холлуорд)

Sibyl and her mother were talking in their small living room.

(Сибилла и её мать разговаривали в их небольшой гостиной.)

Времена группы Continuous обозначают продолжительное действие и образуются при помощи вспомогательного глагола to be и формы глагола с —ing окончанием (V-ing). Was/ were + V-ing служат для построения времени Past Continuous, которое передает длительное действие в прошлом.

The theatre was crowded that night.

(Вечером в театре было много людей.)

We are both punished.

(Мы оба наказаны.)

Страдательный залог (The Passive Voice) употребляется в том случае, когда подлежащее является лицом или предметом, подвергающимся действию со стороны другого лица или предмета. The Passive Voice образуется при помощи вспомогательного глагола to be и past participle (причастия прошедшего времени или V3, третьей формы глагола). Страдательный залог (The Passive Voice) используется во всех временах.

What does that matter?..

(Что это значит?)

I don’t think I shall send it anywhere…

(Я не думаю, что отправлю его куда-либо.)

Вопросительная форма простого настоящего времени (Present Simple) для III лица единственного числа образуется с помощью вспомогательного глагола does, который ставится после вопросительного слова перед подлежащим. Отрицательные предложения простого настоящего времени (Present Simple) для I лица образуются с помощью вспомогательного глагола do и отрицательной частицы not (при сокращении don’t).

I know that the work I have done since I met Dorian Gray, is the best work of my life.

(Я знаю, что работа, которую я создал после того, как встретил Дориана Грея, лучшая работа в моей жизни.)

I’ve never heard of her.

(Я никогда о ней не слышал.)

Has/have (вспомогательный глагол) + V3 (третья форма глагола) служат для построения времени Present Perfect, которое переводится на русский язык глаголом в прошедшем времени совершенного вида. Present Perfect употребляется для описания совершенного действия, которое совершилось или непосредственно перед моментом речи, или в более отдаленном прошлом. При этом говорящего интересует не время совершения действия, а его результат, имеющийся в данный момент. Допускаются сокращения, например: I have = I’ve; he has = he’s.

I thought it might be something romantic.

(Я думал, что это, возможно, связано с любовными делами.)

Perhaps he might refuse to come.

(Вероятно, он может отказаться приехать.)

Модальный глагол might служит для передачи низкой степени уверенности и выражает возможность, вероятность. На русский язык переводится как может быть, возможно.

…the painter answered, moving his head in that odd way that used to make his friends laugh at him at Oxford.

(отозвался художник, откинув голову в свойственной ему странной манере, над которой подтрунивали его товарищи в Оксфордском университете.)

…said Basil Hallward, walking towards the door that led into the garden.

(…сказал Бэзил Холлуорд, направляясь к двери, которая вела в сад.)

Отдельно стоящая (не как часть времен группы Continuous) форма глагола с окончанием —ing часто переводится на русский как деепричастие.

After I had been in the room for about ten minutes, I suddenly realized that someone was looking at me.

(После того, как я пробыл в комнате около десяти минут, я вдруг понял, что кто-то смотрит на меня.)

She told me that she had discovered this wonderful young man.

(Она рассказала мне, что нашла этого замечательного молодого человека.)

Had (вспомогательный глагол) + V3 (третья форма глагола) служат для построения времени Past Perfect, которое переводится на русский язык прошедшим временем и обозначает действие, которое произошло до какого-то другого действия в прошлом. Past Perfect – это «предпрошедшее». Допускается сокращение, например: I’d, I hadn’t (done).

If he did tell them now, who would believe him?

(Если бы он рассказал им сейчас, кто бы ему поверил?)

What would you say, Harry, if I told you that I had murdered Basil?

(Что бы ты сказал, Гарри, если бы я рассказал тебе, что убил Бэзила?)