THE+PICTURE+OF+DORIAN+GRAY

Hallward looked around the room in surprise. The room hadclearly not been lived in for years. The whole place was coveredwith dust, and there were holes in the carpet. A mouse ran acrossthe floor.'so you think that it is only God who sees the soul, Basil. Takethe cover off the portrait, and you will see mine.,The voice that spoke was cold and cruel.'You are mad, Dorian,'said Hallward, frowning.'You wont take the cover off? Then I will do it myself,,said the young man, throwing the old purple curtain to theground.A cry offear came from the painter's lips when he saw the face i'the portrait. It was Dorian Gray's face he was looki ng at,and it stillhad some of that wonderful beauty. But now there were terriblesigns ofage and corruption. But who had done it? He held the lampup to the picture, In the left hand corner was his name, painted inred.'vzhathad happened? He had never done that. still, it washis own picure. He knew it, and it made his blood turn to ice.His own picture! 'what did it mean? \Mhy had it changed?He turned, and looked at Dorian Gray with the eyes of a sickman.The young man was standing near the walr, watching him. Hehad taken the flower out of his coat,and was sme[ing it.''what does this mean?'cried Hallward, at last. His own voicesounded high and strange.'Years ago, when I was a boy,' said Dorian Gray, closing hishand on the flower,'you met me and flattered me. you taught me tolove my beaury. one day you introduced me to a friend of yours.He explained to me how wonderful it was to be young. youfinished a portrait of me that showed me how wonderful it was tobe beautiful. In a mad moment I made a wish _''I remember it! oh, how well I remember it! No! The thins is48