Read the book: «The Picture of Dorian Gray. B1 / Портрет Дориана Грея»

© Темурян К. Т., адаптация текста, словарь, упражнения, 2024

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2024

Chapter I

The studio was filled with the rich scent of roses, and the light summer wind brought in the fragrance of flowers from the garden. Lord Henry Wotton, lying on a sofa, could see the honey-coloured blossoms and the shadows of birds on the silk curtains. It reminded him of Japanese art. The buzzing of bees and the distantroar of London added to the atmosphere.

In the centre of the room, there was a full-length portrait of a young man of extraordinary beauty. Basil Hallward, the artist, looked at his work with pleasure and pride for his skill, and then closed his eyes. He looked like he was trying to capture a dream. Lord Henry praised the portrait and suggested it be sent to the Grosvenor Gallery, not the overcrowded Academy. Basil, however, refused to exhibit it, “I have put too much of myself into it,” he explained.

Lord Henry found this odd and teased Basil about his vanity: he compared Basil's ordinary appearance with the beauty of the young man in the portrait.

“I do not wish to be like him. People who are better than others – physically or intellectually – always suffer more,” Basil said. He feared for the fate of himself, Lord Henry, and the subject of his painting, Dorian Gray.

Lord Henry was intrigued by the name. Basil did not want to speak about it. He liked secrecy, because it added mystery and romance to life. Lord Henry, who also enjoyed secrecy – in his own marriage – found this amusing. Despite Basil's serious tone, Lord Henry's cynical comments lightened the mood, and the two men moved to the garden.

Before leaving, Lord Henry once again asked Basil for the real reason he wouldn't exhibit the portrait. Basil confessed that every portrait painted with feeling reveals more about the artist than the subject. He feared that the world would see his soul in the portrait. Lord Henry laughed.

Basil shared the story of his first meeting with Dorian Gray. “It was a party, where I felt an immediate and intense connection, as if Dorian's presence would control my life and art. This sensation was both exciting and terrifying. I realised that Dorian's personality influenced my work profoundly. It gave me a new artistic vision.”