THE+PICTURE+OF+DORIAN+GRAY

He threw the knife down on the table and stood back. He couldhear nothing but the sound of blood falling on to the carpet. Heopened the door and went out on to the stairs. The house wascompletely quiet. No one was there.How quickly it had all been done! Feeling strangely calm, hewalked over to the window and opened it. The wind had blownthe fog away and the sky was clear. He looked down and saw apoliceman walking down the street. He was shining a lamp in all thehouses.Ciosing the window, he went back into the room' He did notlook at the murdered man. He felt that the secret of the whole thingwas not to think about it at all. The friend who had painted theterrible portrait had gone out of his life. That was enough.He picked up the lamp and walked out of the room,locking thedoor behind him.As he walked down the stairs he thought that heheard what sounded like cries of pain. He stopped several times, andwaited. No, everything was still.When he reached the library he saw the bag and coat in thecorner. They must be hidden away sotrrewhere. He unlockeda secret cupboard and threw them in. He could easily burn themlater. Then he pulled out his watch. It was twenty minutes totwo.He sat down and began to think. Basil Hallward had left thehouse at eleven. No one had seen him come in again. The servantswere in bed. . . Paris! Yes.lt was to Paris that Basil had gone.And bythe midnight train as he had planned. It would be months beforeanyone suspected anything. Months! He could destroy everythinglong before then.Suddenly he had a thought. He put on his coat and hat and wentinto the front room. From the window he could see the policemanpassing the house. He waited, and held his breath.After a few moments he went out of the house, shutting the doorvery gently behind him. Then he began ringing the bell. In about