Page:The Portrait of Dorian Gray Manuscript 008.png

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fellows. The ugly and the stupid have the best of it in this world. They can sit quietly and gape at the play. If they know nothing of victory, they are at least spared of knowledge of defeat. They live as we all should live, undisturbed, indifferent, and without disquiet. They neither bring ruin upon others, nor ever receive it from alien hands. Your rank and wealth, Harry, my brains, such as they are, my fame, whatever it may be worth, Dorian Gray's good looks; we will all suffer of what the Gods have given us, suffer terribly." "Dorian Gray? Is that his name?" said Lord Henry, walking across the studio towards Basil Hallward. -"Yes: that is his name. I didn't intend to tell it to you." -"But why not?" -"Oh! I can't explain. When I like people immensly, I never tell their names to any one. It seems like surrendering a part of them. You know how I love secrecy. It is the only thing that can make modern life wonderful, or mysterious to us. The commonest thing is delightful if one hides it. When I