THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

Dorian Gray must be an interesting young

man, said Harry.
I don t want you to meet him, replied Basil
quickly.
You don1 want me to meel him?
No.
Suddenly Basil5 servant came out into the
garden. Mr Dorian Gray is here, sir. He is in the
studio.' he said.
I will have to meet Dorian now, said Harry,
laughing
Cassette recording available
HEINEMANN GUIDED READERS
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
This series, comprising both original and
simplified stories, is published at five
levels and provides a choice of enjoyable
reading material for all learners of English.
UPPE R
INTERMEDIAT E
ELEMENTAR Y
BEGINNER
STARTER
Th e
P 1 C T U
1 A N
o S C A R
W L 0 E
I M

|-IEINEMANN GUIDED READERS
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
Scries Ediror : John Milne
The J-I einemann Guided Readcrs pro\' idc ;1 choice of
reading material for learners of Engli .sh. The series is published ;lt five
leve1s - Srarrer, Beginner, Elemenr:l ry, Intermeclia re (l nt! Upper. At
Elmenta ry Level, rh contro1 of conrent and language has rhe
following main featll res:
lnformation Control
Stories have plots and a restricted lumher of main
characters. Information which is viral to the lI nderst mding o( the srory
is c1carly presented and repeated when necessary. Di(ficult allusion and
metaphor are avoidecl and cllltllral backgrollnds are madc explicit
Structure Control
Srudenrs will meet those grammnrical fearures which rhey have alreally
been taught in rheir e1emenrary course ()f stlldies. Orhcr gra l11marical
features occasionally occllr wirh which rhc m1 y nor bc so
familar , but their lIse is made c1ear rhrough context nnd reinfo[cemcnr.
This ensures rhat the reading as well as beng enjoyable provides <1
conrinual learning situation for the srudents. Sentences are kepr short -
a maximum of two clallses in nearly all cascs - ancl wirhin senrences
there is a balanced use of simple phrases. Grea(
care is raken wirh pronoun reference.
Vocabulary Control
At Elementary Level there is a limired lIse of 1 carefully cnnrrolled
vocablllary of approximarely 1, 100 basic words. Ar the same time,
srlldenrs are given some opportuniry tn meer new or words in
COJ1 tex(s where their is obvinlls. The nf words
introdllced in this way is reinforced hy reperri on. Help is ,, 150 given rn
the srlldenrs in rhe form of vivid illllstrarions which ;l re closely rebred ro
rhe rext.
Contents
A NOle Abo!t[ the Author
PARTONE
1 T wo Friends
2 A Ve ry Beautiful Young Man
3 The Pi cture of Dorian (Jray
4 Sibyl Vane
5 Brorher and Sister
6 At the Theatre
7 Things Are Changing
8 Dorian Learns about Himself
9 Secrets
PARTTWO
10 Two Friends
11 The Pictt1fe of Dorian Gray
12 Dorian Asks for Help
13 Prince Charming
14 Dorian Learns about Fear
15 A New Start for Dorian?

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A Note About the Author
Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin , Ireland in 1854. He died in
Paris in 1900. Many of rhe srories, plays and poems that OSCH
Wilde wrore are still popular.
Stories: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord AnhLl r .'i Cril Ie
and Other Stories, The Ha{Jy Prince and [her T(,les
Plays: Lady Windermere s Fan, A Woman of No lmorwncc, An
ldeal Husband, The lmonance of Being Earne.'i L
Poems and Essays: The Ballad of Reading Gao!, Ravcllrlll ,
Profundi s.
,_ .... ......: -.
f 1i:
f

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>
5::
ONE
T \\10 Fricnll s


very pi.1 ccflll
II (I)e arrr:,( s srudi o.
I. md llnry was Iying back il a large chair , smokinu
Il e w:llching rhe hllle smoke tlJC
And he was
Rasil w,lS fn '0 )nt Q )( a was nearl v
(inished. Ir r .;
).
.
n.lsil and Lord Henry \Vcre I rienlls. They had studinl at
t)xlnl1| Ulll vcrsil Y logether- N()W rl1cy were lmrl1 dJOU[ rhirtv
he was l
wh() was calIed H<:l rry by his friends.

r
Il c H le
food ankl clothes, and on valuable books and paintings-
Lord Henry poinred rowards rhe That i5 rhe best
you have. ever painted, asil , he said.
Y Oll mllsr show it in the best art gall ery in London, LorJ
enry conrinlled. Everybody must see it.
1 arn nor ro show rhis picrure i n a asil
l I ,Ii l' d.
rl :i h,l\vi( ! I Lury il l :>urpri .). full il l li::'b
are si ll y Jll.'l lple. You H 1 () he I 11l10US. Y)1 1
Then yUlI don r like being
5
Think, Basil. It s bad when people talk abour yO\l, hut ir s
worse when they don t talk abour you! Wlly W(l!l 't you shl.l w
the picture?
1 know you willlaugh at me, Harry , :lns\\' ('(' t:.J 1. 1. \ 11 r
1 can t show the picture because it shows 111 \l (11 uf li!::
is too much like me.
Nonsense, said Harry. The picture does nor lo()k li h .
you at all. You have black hair and ;l
face. But you are not beautiful , Basi\. lh.: man
in the portrait has blond hair and a pale A"d he is
beautiful. '
You don t understand me at all , Harry, said Basil. 1 don t
mean that 1 look like Dorian Gray.
Dorian Gray? Is that rhe namd
Yes, thar is hi s name. 1 didn r wanr ro tell \'Oll .
Basil stopped talking and went out of the <..I oor inro the
garden.
Harry laughed and fol\owed him.
The two young men sat on a long wooden a
laurel tree. The summer wind moved through the shi ny
leaves.
. Harry looked at his watch.
1 shall have to go SOOI\, asil , he llLl t firs t 1 W,ll1t
an answer to my question.
What question ? asked Basil.
Why won t you show the picture of Oorian Gray in a
. gallery? What is the reason?
1 told you the reason, said 13asil. It is ro() lll ll ( } \ li 1. e
me.
But whar do you mean ? asked Harry.
I m an artist , said Basil , An artist paints pictures of other
people. But 1 believe that an artist shows hi s feeli ngs in
6
('\'1") he paints. Each rime 1 paint a picrure, 1 show
feelings that inside llle.
l 1 don t pcople tn look at pit:tun: of Oorian Gray
J(1l; t l.hl'11 ro fi : J:.I utH ;!lKl li! my
l
!
.^.I\ J arc your Trll nw, 1\ !Ie
( 1 s' .. ly ;l[ t;ny Il(l' r.
A t b SI l.>asd spoh: 11 L I\ r DOII. ld :lr 1 p<i n y. Ir
was Lady randl)l) s (\nd ;\ I t 01 pe\:J1"1t' were there.
Dl)ri an and 1 saw each OLher H lhe t:; ille rilll t:. 1 afraid
1 \ knO\\'
.. .. l' O me. 1 (elt rhal 1 h"d known him for a
tlme.
illn oJuced Dorian ro me. SOl1l cbody made a
joke and we borh 1aughed . SlIdtc:: nl y D riJI1 and 1 were
fiends.
bllghter is thc besr (or a (r:(' nJ;)ltip
H?y An\1 i! 1 Lt' hest
. you are is my
1 SCI.: 1 k is


l3ut I lhought your work was the l1lUU[ important thing ln
Y( 'lI r life, said Harry.
It is impl)('tant. nlli 1 ., )c.i ii ll. l <1 m bcr ter art-
ist l\OW that 1 know Oorian. 00 you rememhr th8t pic-
?f !llC :lil '.b:ilpe -
.. : tl f". P':; j 1(' .3 t L) Yl' iI it '.\Ll S
gooJ ! It WdS good \V..lS therc. He me
p:1 tnt 11'.'
fdri.ill has I1 I)\) wer to mflke me 1 nn i;t. Gl1 r 1 don t
want him to know this. 1 don t want ro know. So I
can t show the painting in a gallery. lt shows roo much of me.
It is too much like me.
1 think you are wrong, Basil , said Harry. Poets pur their
feelings inro their poems. And they make money. So artists
must put their feelings into their pictures. Then they C' ln mab:!
money too.
Then Harry thought of something else. Y ()1I wil l lircd
of this beautiful young man, he said. One day hi s hCi\ll ry
will disappear and Oorian Gray won t be iI\ reresring any
more.
No, Harry, that is not true. Oon t talk like rhar! said Basil.
Oorian s beauty is not importanr to me. Oorian himself is
lmportant to me.
Dorian Gray must be an interesng young man! saiu
Harry. 1 wanr to meet him.
1 don t want you to mee( him, replieJ asil quickly.
You don t wanr me to meet him?
No.
Suddenly Basils servant came out into the garden. Mr
Oorian Gray is here, sir. He is in (he studio, he said.
1 will have to meet Oorian now, said Harry, laugh-
mg.
Please tell Mr Gray that 1 am coming, said asil to rhe
servant.
Then Basil t urned to Harry. He was upser and he spllke
slowly to Harry.
Please be careful, Harry, he said. Oorian is healltiflll and
very young. You are never serious and yOll say srrange t
Oon (talk (0 him. Please don t try to inf1l1cncc hilll -- 10
him. Your influence would be bad. And 1 need him. I 1\ t' c,1I lil l)
to help me with my work.'
8
. (alkiI\g nonsense , saiJ t larry, smiling. Now, inrro-
dllce me to Dorian Gray. ' He rook hold f asil s arffi and led
hi m into rhe stuJio.
1
L
A Very eautiful Young Man
Inan was sitring ar rlle pi: u\() when Basil alld Harrv
ill[U l" llrnc.: d away (rol1) lhel1l,
hook tllllSC llr he
immediately
Oh, asil , he said. 00 you have (0 work roday? 1 don r
wal\ r you to painr rne roday. 1 don( wanr a life-sized portrait
()f mysel f.
Then he rll rnc.: d and saw Harry. Il e sroppeJ speaking. Ilis
(;\ Ct' l-WCl flh: rL.d. o!t, 1 didn r know you haJ a visirol
Dori.ll\ , said Basil , lhis is Lnrd I lenry Wotton, a good
frL' n,\ ot Illint'. \Y../ c wcnr ro lI ni versiry (ogc.: rhcl 1 ll<l vC ruld
him rhar yOll Ii ke l1\ y p,linri I\g of yOll. And now !t e won r
believe me.
N onsense, asil , said I-Iarry. 1 alll plci::I sed ro meel
yOll , Mr Gray.' Harry and Oorian hanJs.
Harry looked al Oorian Gray.
h 1
years
he was very beautiful. His hair was blond.
hi s 1\'(1:, pl lc and hi s cyes wcrc.: hrighl bllle.
l1asi l di\ fH)t \V;l n( Harry r(nalk lO Doriln. I larry, he
l t, ,)
wa HHru Ooy HI w;lI) r IlW 1' ) 1\'lr t rl )'!
he asked. 1 will go if you want me to go. Or 1 will if Yll
want me to stay.
Yes, do stay, Lord Henry, answered Dori.11\.
Mr Gray wants me to stay, Basil , said Harry. You don r
mind ifI stay, do you?
Basil wanted to p!ease Dorian. No, of 1 don t mind.
P!ease stay, Harry, he said.
But, Basil went on , you J \()( li ;:, ' n to j' larry, f)urial l.
He is never serious and he says Hc
people. He has a bad inf1uence on peop!e.
Harry, sit down, Basil continued. Dorian , come and st;md
over here. And please don t movc 3rollnd tuu lluch. 1 W.l ll [ (l)
finsh your portrait today.
Basil started to paint. Harry sat in the cnm{nn able chair
and smoked a cigarette. There was silence for a few minutes.
Then Dorian spoke. Are you a had inflllcnce on people,
Lord Henry? he asked. 0 0 you make people chang<
they think and do?
1 cannot be a bad influence 01 a il i l c
Harry. Because all inf1uence is bad. It is bad to change a
person. It is bad to give a person your thoughts anJ ideas.
Why? asked Dorian.
Everybody is different from
Harry. You must not a
make a person the same as yourself.
You must live your own life. You must do everything that
. you want to do. You must enjoy life - the good things and
the evi! things. You must nor worry about whar other pople
think.'
Dorian was confused. Harry was wrong ro say rhese things.
But Harry was clever. He had a thin face and dark {'yes
He had a beautiful, slow voice. Oorian liked li stening to I L\\Ty
/'
f ? t;<l
l' verylJody else.
pel ;,on. 1 Oll l1 not

?



l
,

,
speaking. Dorian had never met anyone like H<l rry before.
Harry did not speak again for a few minutes. He tOll chcLl
his small , pointed beard and he watched Dorian. Harry knew
Dorian was thinking about the things he had said.
Basil continued painting. He had nor listened (0 J-I arry
talking.
Suddenly Dorian spoke. Basil, 1m tired L) f hert' ,
he said. I m too hot. 1 want to go out into the garden.
Oh, Dorian, 1 m sorry, replied Basil. 1 am painting,
1 think of nothing e1se. Yes, you can go into the ganlen. llarry,
you go with Dorian. 111 go on painting.
Harry and Dorian went out into the garden. Oorian was
thinking about the things Harry had said.
Come and sit under the laurel tree, said Harry. YOll mus[
not get burned by the sun.
So they sat on the long wooden seat. Dorian looked at the
man who was sitting beside him. Harry much older and
c1everer than he was.
Why mustn t 1 get sunburnt.? Dorian asked.
Y our skin is pale. You mllstn t get sunbllrnt, becallse yOll
must take care of your beallty, said Harry. Y Oll are yOllng and
you are beautiful. And youth is very valuable.
Dorian looked at Harry s long white hands and lisrened to
Harrys bealltiful, slow voice.
One day yOll wiU be old, said Harry. YOllr fa ce will be
wrinkled. you will be old and wrinkled and lIgly. wil l nor
be yOllng, yOll wil1 not be bealltiful any more. And it will be
too late to do anything interesting and e.xciting.
So, Mr Gray, you must enjoy life while yOll are II1d
beautiful. You must do everything you want ru do. YUlI mll sr
find out about life and people. You mllS[ not worry "hOllt Wh,ll
other people think.'
12
3
The Picture of Dorian Gray
SlIdll(, lll y rhey hear1 I1asil S VOcc. He sUll nded harpy. I rn
w\ 1 t l,c c tllc 1. CO!Hl ' hack imt) tlll' Sl" lldiu, s() I C.d l1
cll1l"inlle painting. 1 m very wdl tod 1)' .
Omian stood wirhollt spcaking while Basil 1, rry
S,lr in the armclwi r. The room was very The cllrrains
moved and thcre was rhe SWCl" r smel l l)f Oowers.
Afrer a qll, Her of an hour, :l sil stnpped He looked
at Dorian for a long time. Then, for a long time,.he looked at
the picture.
lt is finished ar last , he cried. Then he picked up a painr-
brl1sh. He wrOle his name in large red letters at the bottom (l f
the picrure.
Harry walked across rhc srudio to look at the picrure, It was
a wonderflll pai l\ling and it looked exacrly like Dorian.
Rasil , said ['Iarry. It is lhe best portrait 1
hnve ever seen. Dorian, come and look at yourself.
Dllri In s('o()\ 1 in frolt (\f rhe painring and loked ,1(" it. At
first , he was pleased. He srnled ar the painring. He smileJ
bec<l llse be saw that he was a bealltiflll young man.
Then Dmian stopped smiling. Suddenly he remembered
what I-larry had .said in rhe garden. Dorian Gray was
and hcallriflll now, but soon he wOllld be old and wrinkled and
llgly. He would not have blond hair or bright hllle eyes. No one
woulJ want ro look at him then.
Silenrl\' I I)l)ln srood in fronr of his
)l asil di lllll lr Illhler:i l'al1 I why rhc yOll l1 g 111 ln \\'ilS silcnl. Basi l
was cllnfllsed. Don r )(I U like the picflI rd he asked.
(.' ()\ I 1"$(' hl: Ii kes i t, said Ilarry. lr is a wOl1lk rl Id
l
,
f > s i ggi i
;:
( _ l !
t
5 4 ,
Suddenly Dorlln ran across the room alld pulled the knife
from usils hand.

J;.fj:l,t
t

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r

,

1 want to buy it, BasiL 1 must buy it.

No, Harry, replied Basil. 1 can t sell it. The pclure Iwlongs
to Dorian. 1 have given it to him.
Dorian is very lucky, said Harry.
Then Dorian spoke. It s very sad , hc whbpel t' d. 1 :;h,dl
grow old and wrinkled and ugly. But rhis piclUre will
be young. This picture will never be older than it is tol\y.
1 wish that 1 could always be young. 1 wsh that lhe pClllre
could grow old instead of me. 1 would give anl
everything for this to happen. 1 would give my ::;oul!
lt would not be very nice for Basil if painting grew old,
Dorian, said Harry, laughing.
That s right , said Basil, laughing 1<1 1\ r. wam rk,t to
happen. 1 don't want an old, ugly picture.
But Dorian did not laugh. You care about your painl ng
more than you care about me, 'Basil! he shollted. You care
about me now because 1 am young and beautifuL When 1 am
old and ugly you won t care about me any more.
Its not fair that the picture will always be beautiful , DI..)I' ;ll
said. 1 hate the picture. lt will be young when 1 am 01,1.
Dorian ran to the big armchair. He laid his head on ls arms
and cried.
Harry, said Basil, angrily. This has happened becaus of
you. This is your fault. 1 asked you not t tllk to Dorial\.
Harry shook his head. No, BasiL Its not my faulr. Dorian
is learning about life.
Well, said Basil, you are my two closest friends but you
have made me hate my best painting. So 1 wi l1 destwy ir.
Basil picked up a knife from a table near him. lic wns going
to cut lIP the picture and destroy it.
Suddenly Dorian ran across the room and pulled the knife
from Basil s hand. Don t , Basil! Don t destroy the painting.
14
lt would be murder. Don't ... please ...
ell, 1 m happy that you like the picture now, Dorian , said
Basil. When the paint is dry you can have yOl ll [)\wl l'i\ i [
Now, he continued, shall we have SOl1e tea!
Basil rang a bell and soon his servant brought rhe The
three friends drank their tea quietly, then Harry spoke.
Let s go to the theatre this evening, he said.
1 don t think 1 want to go to the theatre, answered Basil.
1 would like very much to go to the theatre with you, Lord
Henry, said Dorian quickly.
Don't go, Dorian, said Basil. Stay here and have uinner
with me.
lcan t , Basil. 1 want go to the theatre with Lord I-lenry, sai ll
Dorian.
Harry listened and smiled. He knew Dorian would go
with him.
4
Sibyl Vane
Harry did not know much ahout Dorian Gray. Basil had rold
Harry very little about the you ng man. But Harry wanted to
know a11 about Dorian. So Harry asked his friends in London
about Dorian Gray. He asked about Dorians family.
Harry enjoyed the story of Dorian Gray. It was a sad and
romantic story about love and death.
Dorian s grandfather was Lord Ke1so, a very rich old man.
Dorians mother was Lord Kelsosdaughter , the beautiful Lady
Margaret. Lady Margaret fell in love when she was very yO\l ng.
16
She ran away fl om home anJ marri ed a soldier. But she diJ not
have a happy lifc.
L l I Kel:-' \I \' cry
d ::,uldi,' r, ki llc 1 bef()re
L\ lI i.lI\ was horn. Lady died L) uri.1 1I was a yeal
01-1. was nrphan.
I-larr y \V.IS very wilh 111\; r 1 )', J" i:1l 1 C ""y. I It:
knew that Dorian was beal l(' i(ul and y\l llng. Now he .,Ist) kl H'l
that Dorian was an orphan. And he kncw thar Dorian was
to bc w ry ri ch. SOl)n Dori.H \Vollld be (\\ enl y-nne. Th\.' n
he would have all Lord Kelso s money.
Yes - it was sad and rornantic story. Now I-larry was even
11\01'1: il1lert'sred in Dorian Gray.
l-brry saw Dorian many times in the next I ew weeks. They
mer in peoples hOllses anJ at arr and in theatres.
Harr y wanred ro talk lO Dnrian. Dorian had lisrened ro H,II ry
in asil s stllllio. Hmry wa nred the man to li Sk l\ t: n hilfl
again and again. He wanted ('0 hb thoughrs and lu
the young nliln.
So talked al\d ralkcll - at the Ihcarre and at L)artie:;
and ar dinners. He lallghed , and played gamcs with words. He
said funny rhings. He said dever things. And h said dangerous
things.
Everybody Iistened to Harry. But Harry was nor talking
to everyh dy. Il e was (alking to D)I'ian. Sometimes Dl)rian
smil n l. Soml' ri 1WS hi s / J" \\' 1le ()pen wilh SlI l prisc.
Doriiln li:;ICllCd [) e verything 1-brry
17
It a month after Harry had mCl Dorian al' snlllio.
Harry had been out to lunch and he arrived home in the middle
of the afternoon.
You're very late, Harry, said a l c I '('Ul waiting a
long time to see you. Thc voic:e soundeJ very Unh:1 PI Y. ltillry
went into the library.
Y ou' re very la te .. Harry , said Dorian l ,\1 )!. "() see
you.I ve got something to lell you. 1 111 in love, Harry. I ha ve
to tell you. 1m in love with the most beautiflll gi !l.
There was silence. Then Harry said, Who are y)1I in lvl.!
with?
an actress, answereJ Durian. His 1<11 ,. n:d.
Oh, Dorian, Harry said, sitting down, all young men fall
in love with actresses.
Don't say that , Harry. You haven't seen her.
Who is she?
Her name is Sihyl Vane.
Ive never heard of her. '
She isn t yet , said Dorian. Hllr ('\'crybtllly
know about her soon. One day she will be famnlls. She is a
wonderful actress.
Oh, is she? said Harry, lying back in his ]cll Ilh'
about Sibyl Vane. Where did you meet hcr?
1 will tell you about her, Harry. But you mllst be kind ro me.
You mustnt laugh at me. 1 met her because of you.
Because of me?' said Harry.
Yes. Y ou told me to find out about life. Y 0\1 rold me to enjoy
life - the good things and the evil things.
So 1 went out. 1 walked around London. There
excitement and danger everywhere. 1 knew thar something
wonderful was going to happen.
Then one night, 1 went tb a different part of Londun. r
18
not bcen I here beforc. A r .1 hnu t past eighl , 1 was in (ront 01 a
clirty tlll'ill re. 1 11,: manager was standing 1 le was
a hun ihle mnn. He was (rlt and lirty. Its a pould (or a ricket ,
sir," tlf: ;1 i \ 1. Bl.I y :\ tickel (nr the in the dll.!i! tre , si r."
And he ItH)l: hb h:!t . .
Duri<tl't !:i r )pped I b tT)' !t;,1 stal lt I tO
lallgh.
Don t Ilueh ilt me, l' brrv,' he :1id. 1 ts 01 Y lU to
Iatl gh d me. 1' m you 11lJw I 11I[ Sihyl .
lll l)by was Romeo C.UlJ }uliet by ShakespcJl'l' , Dorian
went on. lZ lmeo was a fat , actor. ut }uliet was a
beauriful \\'1S abollt sevenreen years olJ.
Her hair was dark brown. Her face was slllall and pale - like
a littl e f1ower. Her large and dark bllle. 1 fell in love
wi! h htr im1nc,1iately.
1 Itave been III lhat theatr(' every night fr three weeks. 1
have se\!n Si\ lyl acl in l,,(s l)! differ": lI l rbys. She is a wonderful
actres:,. \Vhy uld t yOll tdltnt: about
l1t>Clllse everyhody 'all in 10vl' with actresses , Dorian, said
Harry.
You are crud, ll arry. 1 wish 1 hacl not told yOll about Sibyl.
YOll had to tell me about Sibyl , answereu Harry. You will
ulways rell me Illat yOLl do. tdl me more.
Oh Harry, saiu Dorian, Sibyl is \'onderful. She calls me
Prince Charming;
Harry laughed, but he was pleased. Dorian had been a quiet ,
frightened hoy when they met H Basils studio. Now he was
Inf" a 1ll:11) ,ll i 1 1, i J ;,:h(; il )i(l:.
IIIl r. i ll | 4 . . : c : !. ! '. d! H \i(J l, u S ..:e lh.:r in
Rflmell

(0 i). '
!J
O h, Basil - yes. 1 m afraid 1 haven t seen him for a week.
He sen t me my portrait and 1 haven t rhanked him.
1 do like t he pictllre, Harry, Dori an continlled. 1 am
pleased with it , bllt it stays y'pung and bealltiflll while 1 grow
o\der: T oday 1 3m a who\e month older than the pictll re.
Harry smiled. wi\l see you rornorrow night l\t seven
oc\ockat the thean e , he said.
Dori an \eft the hOllse ancl Harry sat for a whi\e in the Iibrary.
He thollght abollt Dorian.
Harry s brown eyes shonc with pleasure. He was pleased that
Dorian was in \ove. He wanted to see did next.
Harry did not care if Dorian was sad or happy. He had told
Dorian to enjoy life - the good things and the evil things. And
Harry was going [0 watch what Dorian did.
lt was \ate and the sun was \ow in the sky. Harry got up
from his chair and went to change his c\othes. He went out
to dinner.
When he returned home that evening, there was a te\egram
waiting for him. lt said rhat Dorian was engaged to be married
ro Sibyl Vane.
Brother and Sister
Mother , 1 am so happy, whispered Sibyl Vane. 1 am very,
very happy and 1 hope yOll are happy too.
Mrs Vane did not look very happy. She was a small , t hi n
woman who atways looked tired. T here was a lot of make-up
0 11 her face and on hcr dry, t hin mouth.
20
O h, Sibyl, she said , yOll mllstrl t think about the youn g
ma! who comes to the theat re. YOLl must think about your
acti ng. Mr Isaacs will be angry if you don t act well. He has
given us a lot of money and you mustn t make a theatre
manager angry.
1 don t like Mr lsaacs, Mother , and 1 don't care abollt
money, replied Sibyl. I m in love wit h Prince Charming.
Sibyl ; Mr Isaacs gave lI S .fifty pounds to pay ollr bills and
buy clothes for ]ames. Y Oll \ove ]nmes - you love your brother
- don't you?' said Mrs Vane.
Yes, of course 1 do , repli ed Sibyl. But we have Prince
Charming now. He wiU help lIS. We don' ( need Mr lsaacs.
Siby\ Vane lived with h er mother , and brother, ] ames. They
\i ved in London . But they \ived in a smal\ house in the north
of London , a long from large, expensive house.
lt was the day after Sibyl had become engaged to Dorian.
Sibyl and her mother were talking in their small living room.
Sibyl, said her mother , yOll are too young to fa\l in love.
We don t know anythi ng abollt this yOllng man. I m very
worried aboLl t you. And you know ]ames is goi ng away
tomorrow. 1 m worried abollt James too. James is going away
to Allstrali a and you have fallen in love. What am 1 going
to do?'
At that moment the door opened and James V;me came into
the room. He was sixteen years old and he did not look li ke his
sisrer. Sibyl was small and bealltiflll , with shining brown hair.
James was large, with big hands and feet. His hair was dll \l
and dark.
He smiled at Sibyl. Let s go for a walk, he said. 1 wan t to
talk to yOll.
Sibyl went ro get her coat aml James spoke to his mother.
I m worried abollt Sibyl, he said. I m worried about the
21
young man who comes to see her every night at the theatre.
Don't worry, James, Mrs Vane replied. Y oung men often
fall in love with actresses ...
Butyoudon t know his name , said James, angrily. Mother ,
you must take care of Sibyl.
Sibyl and James went for a walk in Hyde Park. The park wns
busy. There were lots of people. There were people walking and
people sitting in carriages puIId by horses.
Sibyl was happy. 1 think you will have a wonderful lifc in
Australia, James. 1 think you will become rich. 1 think ..
She stopped speaking because James was not Iistening
to her.
Who is the young man who comes to sec you? he askeJ.
Who is he? You don t know his name, do you?'
1 call him Prince Charming. And 1 love him. 1 willlove him
for ever ...
You don't know his name, James said again, angrily. Heis
a rich young man .. . and he will not marry you. He will -
Oh, look! Look, there he is! Hes in that carriage! Sibyl
shouted.
She poinred across the park at a carriage. ]ames looked
across the park. But, at that moment, another carriage
suddenly passed in front of rhe brother and sister. James
never saw Prince Charming.
Oh dear , said Sibyl. 1 wanted you [0 see hi1l1.
I wanred to see him too, replied her brother. Because 1 will
kill him if he ever hurts you.
At first Sibyl was angry with her brother. But she rcmel1l-
that he was sixteen years old. He was a boy. He had never
heen in love.
You won r hurt a
said.
1

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011, look! Look, therc he is! Hes in t!wt
Sibyl shouted.
she wiII you, James? 1 love,
22
man
No, 1 won t , he said at last. 1 won t hllrt him if yOll
love him.'
1 wi ll always love Prince Charming, said Sibyl. And he wi ll
always love mc.
So Sibyl and James were friends again. But rhat evening,
James spoke again to their mother.
If this you,ng man hurrs Sibyl , he said. 1 wi U find him and
1 will kill him. 1 wi ll kill him like a c1og!
6
At the Theatre
The same evening, Harry, Basil and Dorian wenr to the
theatre. Basil was llnhappy that Dorian was going ro marry
an actress. But he cOllld see rhat Drian was happy.
Mr Isaacs, the theatre manager , met the three friends out-
side the dirty linle theatre. Dorian thought he was a horrible
man. But Harry liked him.
lnside the theatre, it was very hot and the li ghrs were brighr.
There was an orchestra, playing some music very badly. Lots
of young men and women were lallghing and shouting at each
orher. Harry looked around rhe dirry, noisy theatre. Whar a
strange place to meet rhe person yOll love! he said unkindly.
But Basil spoke kindly to Dorian. Yes, it is a srrange place ,
he But 1 m pleased you came here. Sibyl has made you
very happy.
O h yes, said Dorian. I m sorry rhe orchesrra is so bad, he
added Bur 500n yOll will see Sibyl
24
A few minutes later , the play started. And very soon things
started (0 go wrong. Sibyl Vane was very lovely, but she acted
very badly. Tonight she was a terrible actress.
The audience started to shout at the actors. Some people left
(he thearre. The manager looked very angry. Basil and Harry
did not want [0 watch the play. And Dorians face hecame
very pale.
Harry picked up his coat and stood up. She is very bealltiful ,
Dorian, he said. But she c3n( 3Ct. Le( s go.
I m sorry 1 asked you to come with me, said Dorian.
Perhaps Sibyl is ill , Basil said kindly. We II come again
another time.'
No, replied Dorian, she s not ill. Last night she was a great
actress Tonight, she is a very bad actress- She is a very
person. r ; , 1
Don t talk like that! cried Basil. She
Come wirh us , Dorian. Lets go.
But Dorian wOll ld not leave the theatre. Go.away ()Qq
me he said. 1 want to be alone. , . :
Basil and Harry left the theatre. The play became worse and
worse. Most of the people left the theatre and went
When the play ended, Dorian went to see Sibyl. He wen'(to
her room behind the stage. He was very llnhappy and
He had told. Harry and Basil that Sibyl was a great
They had come to see her and tonight she had been a ter.ti.l
actress. s
Bllt , when Dorian saw Sibyl, she looked pleased. : She
spoke to him happily. Oh , my dear , 1 acred very badly
tonight.
Before 1 met yOll 1 was a good actress. 1 pretended to be in
love when 1 acted the parr of Juliet. Now 1 don t need to act.
1 a1Tl in love. 1 don t want to act again. Isnt i t wonderflll!
25
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picture had shown Dorian that he was a beautful young man.
Now the pcture showed Doran that he was unkind and cruel.
Dorian was sure now.- the picture was going to get older and
he was gong to sray young. The picture was going to become
old and wrnkled and ugly and Doran was not gong to change
He was sorry for the picture.
And sllddenly he was sorry for Sibyl. He looked at the crll el
face in the picture. And he dccded to be kind to Sbyl. He
decided to marry her. He wOllld never see Lord Henry Wotton
again and he would marry Sibyl.
Dorian quickly coyered the pictllre with a cloth and left the
library.
Later that day, Dorian woke up after a long sleep. It was a
quarter past one in the afternoon.
Dorian got dressed and went to the library. A servant
brought him some food and also brought Dorian a lerter. The
letter had come from Harry that morning. Dorian looked ar rhe
envelope for a long tme, then decded not to open it. He was
never going to see Harry agai n.
Then Dori an looked at the c10th whi ch was covering the
portrait. Had rhe pictllre changed?
At first Dori an did not want to look at the picture agai n.
Then he thought about Basil. What was he going to say to
Basil ? Perhaps Basil would want to see the pcture agan.
So Dorian locked the door of the I brary and slowly pulled
the coth off the pcrure.
The face on the pictllre looked lI nkind and cruel. l t had
changed. Doran was horrified.
o r a n was frightened too. He had wshed that he could stay
young. He had wished that the picture could grow old. His wsh
was coming true. Bur the pcrure was showing Dorian that he
was evil.
28
He decded again to be kind to Sibyl. He decided again to
marry her. Then the picture would show that he was gooJ
and kind.
Dorian went [0 a table, sat down and started to wrte. He
wrote to Sibyl. He wrore her a wonderfullove-lener. He sad
he was sorry. He asked her to marry him. When he had finished
the letter Dorian felt happy again.
8
Dorian Learns about Himself
Suddenly rhere was a knock on the door of the library.
Dorian, shouted Harrys voice. Dorian , are you there? Let
me in, my dear boy. 1 want to see you.
Ar fi rst Dorian did not answer. He did not want to talk ro
Harry. Harry was a bad influence on him. Harry made him
behave badly and think about strange things.
Dorian remembered Harrys words. You mllst do every-
thing yOll want to do. You mllst enjoy life - rhe good rhings and
the evil things. You musr nor worry abour what other people
think. '
But Harry was wrong. D o r i a n wanted to forget Harry s
words now. He wanted to be good and kind to people.
T hen Dorian decded to see Harry. He decided ro talk ro
Harry for the last time. Dorian covered the picture with the
c10rh and unlocked the door Qf the library.
Oh, Dorian, said Harry, 1 am very sorry about what has
happened. But dont worry abollt it. Donr rhink about it.
29
Are you talking about Sibyl? asked Dorian.
Yes, replied Harry, but don't worry. Tell me, did you talk
to Sibyl after the play last.night?
Yes 1 did , sad Doran. 1 was very angry wth her. 1 was
unknd and cruel to her. 1 can be cruel. Before last nght 1
did not know 1 could be cruel. Now 1 have learnt more about
myself.
1 am pleased that you are not upset, said Harry.
1 have decided what to do now, replied Doran. 1 have
decded to be good and kind. 1 don t want to be cruel and evil.
1 am going to marry Sibyl.
Marry Sibyl? Dorian, ddn t you read my letter? 1 wrote to
you this morning ... Harry stopped speaking.
No, I ddn t , said Dorian. 1 didn t want to read it. You are
a bad influence on me.
Harry walked across the room. He sat down next to Dorian
and took hold of the young man s hands.
Dorian, I m sorry. That letter toldyou that Sibyl is dead.'
Dead! shouted Dorian. No! She isn t dead. She can t be
dead. You're lying. He pulled his hands away from Harry.
It is true, said Harry. The story is in a11 the newspapers.
There is going to be an inquest - an inqlliry to fnd out about
her death. The police need to fincl Ollt what happened.
Why? Why will there be an inquest? What happened?
Dorian sholltecl.
The n sucldenly he stopped shoutng and looked at Harry.
She killecl herself, didn t she? Tell me , Harry. Tell me
qllickly.
Ys. Sbyl ddn t arrive home after the play. Her mother
went to the theatre at about midni ght. Sibyl was dead, lying
in her room. She had drunk some poison.
Harry, Harry, this s terrible! cred Doran.
30
Dd anyone see you with Sibyl! continued Harry. ,:We
don t want your name in the newspaper too.
No, nobody saw me, replied Dorian qllierly.
Good, said Harry. Now, you must me

whispered Dorian to himself. 1 have killed Sibyl Vane.
1 clicl not cut her throat with a knfe, but 1 killed her.
Then Dorian remembered his portrai t. He remembered the
cruel face.
1 was going ro he goocl and kind , he shouted I wa5 golng
to marry Sihyl. Now 1 can never be good.'
Harry took a cigaretre out of a gold Case lt wasn La g66a
idea to decide to marry Sibyl , he replied. Y ou know i t W(\SJ) t
a good idea , don't you, Dorian? Marriage is boring.
doesn t make you a good person.
Perhaps yOll are right , said Doran. 1 don'r want to cry.
Sibyl s death has been an interesting experience. 1 have Iearnt
abollt mysel f. Now we do not need t talk abollt it again. 1 will
meet you at the opera tonight.
Harry left the library and Dorian went straight t the
portrait. He quickly pulled away the cloth. The face was
and unkind. He knew the face had changed because of Sibyls
death.
Dorian thought about what had happenecl. And now he
macle a decision. Dorian decided to enjoy hi s life. lle decided
to do everything he wanted to do. He decided not to care
o(her people.
And Dori an knew wha( wOllld happen. The picture would
become olJ and wrinkled and ugly. He would always look
young ar\ d beautiful. Dorian smil ed and covered the pictllre
wirh the clorh again. ; r -
An hOllf later , Dorian was at the opera with Harry.
31

Dorian went straight w the ortrait. He quickly
pulled away the cloth.
9

The nexr mo rning, Dorian are his breakfast in the librar y as
usua1. A servant came in whi le he was earing
Mr HallwarJ is here , si r, the servant said.
Basil came qllickly into the .. room behind the servant.
I am very plcased ro see you , said Basi1. 1 have been very
worried abour you. 1 came here last ni ght after 1 read the news
abollt Sibyl. Your servant said that you had gone to the opera,
bur 1 knew ir couldn t be true.
Dorian continlled earing his breakfast.
1 thOll ght yOll had gone to visit Sibyl s fa mily, Basi l went
Ol. 1 didn t know where yOll were.
My dea r Basil , said Dorian, 1 was at the opera of COllrse.
Dorian sounded very bored. 1 had a nice evening. Now, don r
ralk abollt boring subjects. And don r ralk abOllt the past.
That is a ter rible thing to say! said Basil. T he girl you love
is dead and you tell me yOll had a nice evening! Yesrerda y is not
the past. Yestrday is a few hours ago.
Stupid , boring people cannot forger the past quickl y,
answered Dorian angrily. But 1 have forgorte n it a lready.
The boy whose picture 1 painred was gentle and kind , said
Basil sadly. YOll have changed, Dorian . lr is Harry s
Oh, Basil , said Dorian. You havecome roo late. Yesterda y,
when Harr y told me Sibyl had killed herself . .
Perhaps S ibyl didn t mean to kill herself, sai Basi1. Per-
haps it was an accident.
She wantecl to kill herself, answered Dori an. lt wasn t
a boring, o rdinary acciden t. Sibyl s death was exciring and
wo nderful. She died of love for me.
33
'Oh no, said Basil qui etly.
Dorian went on speaking. 1 was sad, Basil. 1 was sad
ye5terday at aboLl t half pasr five. Now 1 m nm sad, 50 yOll
don't need to worry aboLl t In. e pleased rhlr 1 am nor sad.
Basil sighecl. He decided to 5ay nothing else ahollt Sihyl
1 would like ro painr another portn1ir of yOll , said asi l.
No! shouted Dorian. No. Thar s impossible. YOll ("an t.
Basil was very surprised. But Dorian, why nor ? he askcd.
Then he saw that a clorh was his porrrair of Doriill
And why have yOll covered rhe picrllre? Ir s rhe bes( porrrai r
l ve ever painted.
Basil walked across rhe ronm tOW;1rds rhe painring.
No! shoured Dorian. You mustn t look ar ir!
Bllt Dorian, 1 want to show rhe picture in a gallery in Paris,
repl ied Basil. 1 want to see ir.
YOll can t , said Dorian. 1 will nevcr speak to yOLl again if
you look m it.
And - Dorian thought qllickly, you have changed your
mind. Harry said that yOll dicln t want to show the picture in a
gal1ery. Why didn t yOll want (0 show it? Harry saicl there was
a strange reason.
YOll willlaugh at me ifI rell you , Basil answered. So 1 won r
ask to see the pictllre again.
Dorian lallghed now. No, Basil , 1 want ro know. Why didn r
yOll want ro show the picture?
Basil sighed. He started to explain. He rold Dorian whar he
had told Harry.
When 1 met you l knew you were importanr. You became
friend. 1 became fI better arrist hecallse of yOll .
But an artist shows his feelings in his pi ctllres. 1 did nor
want people to know my feelings. So 1 did not want to show
rhe painring in a gal1ery.
34
Now 1 am not so worried. 1 don't mind if t)e
plcrure.
So, now 1 have told yOl1, said Basil. Bl1 t you will not et me
see rhe pictllre. YOl1 wi ll not let me paint yOll again. And yOl1
will not give me a reason. YOl1 make me very sad.
Dorian smiled. Basil was not going to find out the secret of
the picture. We are srill friends, Dorian said, and 1 will come
and have rea with you soon. That will be nice.'
As soon as Basil left , Dorian walked across the library to
the portrai t. Carefully, he folded the cloth very tightly arollnd
the painting. Nobody, he thought to himself, wi ll ever see this
agall .
Dorian rang a bell to call a servant. Get someone to help
yOl1, he said. Carry this pictl1re l1pstairs to the top of the
hOl1se. PlI t it in the small room in the a rtic.
Dorian watched while two servants carried the painting l1p
to the attic room. Then he locked the door and put the key in
hi s pocket. It was the only key ro that rOOO1.
lt was five 0 clock when Dorian went back to .
He fOl1nd that Harry had sent h im a copy of the: evening
newspaper.
There was a report in the newspaper about ,the nquest 00
Sibyls death: The report said that Sibyl drnk poison by
accident and killed herself. The report did not say any. thing'
abol1 t Dorian. Dorian threw away the newspaper.
Later , Dorian met Harry at a hDtel to have dinner. They sat
at a small , rOl1nd table.
I m hllngry , said Dorian.
Harry smiled.
35
PARTTWO
lO
wo Friends
It was a light in November. And it was the ni ght before
Dorians t hirty-eight h birthday . . Seventeen years had passed
since Oorian had locked the portrait in lhe anic room.
Lare in rhe Dori3n was walking home thro ugh the
streets of LonJon. He had been to a dinner party a friends
hOllse. Dorian was alone i::l nd he was thinking aboll t hi s life. H
was 1 t 1St seventt' n years.
For lllany years pcople had heard strange and terrihle things
aboll t' [) orian Gray , hllt they did not believe these things.
\XI hen II rwenry f)ori;1 n had heen ;1 healltiflll young man.
Now he was rhirty-eight and hc \Vas slill a beauti(1I1 young man.
People thought he must be good and kind.
People were wrong. The strange al-i J terrible things were
rrue. Dori an was unki nd im c! cruel. D)rian spent time in
strange places and he knew evil men.
HlI l nnly Dori,'!n knew the secret of the picture. He often
wen r IIP to rhe allic mom. He lI nl ockc1 rhe 1'0011\ ,1nd stl)od
in fr nnr ()f lhe pictil l'l' for hours.
1 h e LH'l' l)f the in the picture WCl S and wrinkled .
The W<1S gen illg oldcr and older , ,md ir was vcry, very cvi l.
The picrure sho\Vcd rhc evil inside Oorii1n CJr<l y. 11' shO\w Ilhe
evil in his Sl>lIl.
01 tl'1l lookcd <I C the 'picrure , rI 1(\( lkt.d i I LI ll\ irror.
I\c S \w h;s (ace ;" the Il lilTl lr. [! W:I :; yOllng
:1l1l1 beallr;(lIl. Uor;.1I 1 s wish h Id COIl1C ITllC.
/

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37
Doran watched two servants carried the painting.
up to the attc room.
Dorian was thinking. He had been happy for m;t r ly '1(.11":' .
He had enjoyed his life. He had not carert rlhout (' r
Dorian had done the things Harry had loklllim lO do.
Dorian was a rich man. He houghr a housc in rht"
He bought valuable pictures and fine boob Id i 1\, r
beautifu l furniture. He wore beautiful clothes and expenSiV
jewellery. He always wore many rings 0 ;) hi
But now Dorian was worried. He was worried beGlI lSe hl' 1:)
not happy any longer.
Some people would not speak to him now. Sume pcoplv
would leave a room when he enrered it. Somc pc:' uple told
stories about the strange life ()f Drian Gray.
And Dorian was worried rhat somebody woulJ find Ol1 r I! 1\:
rrurh. He was worried that somebody would see the
Then everybody would find out that the stories were true. They
would find out that he was an evil man.
Dorian was hurrying home to see his portrait now. Often, h('
left dinner parties early and hurried home to see his portrait.
Sometimes he went on holiday, then hurried hotne to see his
portralt .
It was eleven 0 clock and it was a foggy night. Dorian saw
very few people as he walked home.
He had nearly reached his hOllse when u mun \V<. dk<:d pasr
him. The man was walking very fast and carrying a suitcase.
Dorian recognised the man. It was Basil Hallward. Dorian
did not want to talk 1'0 Basil , so he walked more quickly. But
suddenly he heard Basils voice.
Dorian, 1 m pleased to see you!
Dorian had to stop and turn round.
I ve been to your house, continued Basil. 1 wanted to
see you before 1 went to Paris. 1 m leaving on rhe midnighr
1R
I .Ild 1 Wanl l:O lU rall, (<) you before 1 l' m
to
r \"t'l '( Igr' m..:!
11 's t' o anyon<; in thi( k replied
J)nn. 1I1. 11 s diltiCi lh IO lwn h. \lIse.
t( \ 1 \' (
r( ?
Oh no, 1 GIO p,t: r ro rhe'.swLon in .10\1 1 do
W8nr to you, asil repli ecL
I m fl) live in Paris for six months. 1 W3m l() talk to
yOll 1
Oorian w:tS not III sce Basil, bllt he invited him into
TIl)f to ll1e
1 hope y(lU don[ nnt to be seriuus, he said. 1 don( likc
serious things, asil.'
I m sorry, Dori ;m, replicll Basil but it is serious.'
do yOll want to say? cried Dorian. 1 hope you don t
want lO talk abollt me. 1 m tired of myself tonight . 1 .want to be
somebody else.'
Bur Basil dicl want to talk about Dorian.
People are saying terrible things about yOll , Dorian,
he said.
'1 t 11 s
;llol Ul pelple. ut il' s [() hear
terriblc t hil\ gs ;'I!J" lll mysl.t l.
These terrible J1\ llst inrercst yOll , ft> p!i(' li Basil.
I! 1 \1' ( c \rc ot! 'f \ uU.
1 don t belicve thar 1 hear aboul yuu, ;IC \-
tinued. 1 look at your beautiful face and 1 know you are not
an evil man. A manS \'i l !.h;l!' 15 an artisl I knw I his.
39
Dorians face became vcry pale. He sat slen t\y and stared
at Basil.
11
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Outside it was very dark and very foggy. ln the library it was
very quiet. The room was lit by a smalllamp on a table. Basi l
sat down and continuecl talking.
Why don't people want to be your frends any more ,
Dorian? he asked. The Duke of Berwick will not stay in the
same room as you. Because of you, Sir Henry Ashton has left
England for ever.
And there are worse things, he went on. A young soldier
has klled himself. Adrian Sngleron has disappeared. Lord .
Kent is very upset about his son. Nobody wll ralk to .the Duke
of Perth ... Oh , Dorian, these people were your friends. Whar
have you Jone to them?
Stop it , Basil! shouted Dorian. 1 haven t done anything.
It is not my fault f yOllng men do stupiJ things.
1 want to believe you, said Basil sadly. BlI t you J l Q e
influenced your friends. YOll have made people cl o terrible
things. l h a t clicl you do to Har ry s sister? Now no one wiU
speak to her. Are yo an evil man , Dorian?
Take care, Basil , saicl Dorian. Do not say any more.
But Basil continllecl speaking. 1 tol<..l people that you were a
good man. 1 said 1 knew you well. But do 1 know yOll well ? 1
cannot see your SOll l. 1 do not know if there is god or evil
inside yOll.
40
No, said Dorian slowly, you cannot see my soul.' Hs body
was shaking and his face was very pale.
Basil looked at Dorians face. Nobody can see inside
another man, he said. Nobody can see another mans soul.
Suddenly Dorian laughed. He gave a loud, unpleasanr
laugh.
Come with me, Basil , he said, picking up the lamp fr01\1 the
table. You have said enough about my soul. T onight you.shall
see it.
Dorian led Basil upstairs towards the room in the attic.
When they reached the door of the room, Dorian turned LO
Basil. Are you sure you want to come in? he asked.
Yes, Basil said. But he was confused. What did Dorian
mean? What was in the room?
Dorian laughed again and unlocked the door. They walked
across the room. Dorian put the lamp on an old table. T hen
he poin ted at the cloth which covered the picture.
You think that nobody can see another mans soul ,
he said.
You re wrong. Pull away that cloth and you will see
mme.
Dorians voice was hard and cruel.
What are yOll talking about? Are you mad ? asked Basil.
Suddenly Dorian pulled away the cloth and Basil saw the
plcture.
He saw the terrible face in the picture smiling at him. It was
tl1e most awful face he l1ad ever seeF Basil moved backwards,
away from that cruel , evil face.
He could see that it was his painting. It was his painting of
the blond, pale and beautiful young man. The hair was blond ,
the mouth was red and the eyes were blue. But the face was
wrinkled and ugly. And it was evil.
41
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Oorian watched Basil. He smiled unpleasantly.
What does this mean 1 said Basil at last.
Oon t you know what it means, dear Basill said Oorian. l t
means that my wish came true. 0 0 you remember the day you
finished this portraitl 00 you remember the day I met Harry?
00 you remember my wish?
Oh God! whispered Basi l. You wisheJ that the picturc
would grow old. You wished that you would stay youn.g .
Oh n01
Oh yes, said Dorian.. And the portrait shows you the true
Dorian. Gray. lt shows you my soul.
Basil sat down sllddenly on an old chair. He put his head in
his han.ds. OhGod, he said. Oh God. YOll must be very evil.
You are more evil than anybody knows.
Basil fell forwards so his head and arms were on. the table.
He did not want to look at the picture again.
We mllst pray, Dorian, he said. It is not too late .
lt is too late , replied Oorian. lts mllch too late to pray.
Then sllddenly Dorian became angry. He became angry with
Basil. lt was Basil s fault. Basil had painted the picture. He
hated Basil.
Oorian looked at the terrible face in. the picture. lt was
smiling at him and it was evil.
A knife was lyi n.g on. the old table. Dorian picked up the
knife and looked at Basil Then he stabbed his friend with the
knife. He pushed the knife into Basils neck. Basil s head hit
the table. An.d Dorian stabbed hirn again and again.
Basil made a terrible soun.d. He tri ed to breathe, but he cOllld
not. Blood came from his mouth.
l t became quiet in the attic room. Dorian. listened. He heard
the sound of Basil s blooJ dripping onto the carpet. There was
no other sound.
42
Dorian walked quietly across the room and looked out of tht
window. The fog had gone and London was quiet.
Dorian walked back across the room and picked lIP the
lamp. He saw the dead thing lying across the table. lt was 50
quiet, and its hands were very white.
Dorian left the room and locked the door behind hi !l1. Il e
went back to the library Dorian quickly pllt Basil s suitc<l se
and coat in a cupboard.
People were hanged for murder - hanged by the neck until
they were dead. Dorian did not want to be hanged. What was
he going to do?
Nobody has seen me arrive home, Dorian thought. The
servants are asleep. And Basil was going to go to Paris tonight.
He was going to catch the midnight train.
Dorian soon decided what to do.
It was five past two in the morning. Quietly, Dorian left the
house and shut the door behind him. Then he started to ring
the doorbell.
After five minutes, his servant, Francis, opened the door.
I m sorry to wake you up, said Dorian, but 1 forgot my
front door key. What time is it?
Ten minutes past two, sir, replied Francis, looking ar
the clock.
Oh dear. 1m very late! said Dorian. Did anybody call
while 1 was out?
Yes sir, replied Francis. Mr Hallward called He waired fm
you uhtil eleven 0 clock, then he went away to catch a t:rnin.
Oh! 1m sorry 1 c1 idn t see him. Did he leave a message?
Yes sir. He said he was going to Paris. He said he woutd wrire
to you.
Thank you, Francis, said Dorian , you can go to bed now.
Dorian went back to the library. He had to think agan. He
44
md t! own rlllt\\ fllr : 1 \":Irt t' r 01 : n IlulI r. T lwll
ht: a buok <l nd uf . . ^I
1,,::.1 h flll lll d tht: I' ighl AI 111 i 52 Il ertf)rd
YS. Abll Clllllll ldl the ml ll I\L' 111.:"1.:" b l.
Dorian Asks for Help
Ar nine 0c10ck the nexr Dnrian was slecping. He did
not look like a l1l all who had !l1l1 rdercd a friend.
Pnlt when he wllke up, Oorian rernembered whar had
happeneJ. Hl: rried nm t think abollt asil. l-le thought
for a rillle abHl[ which clothe5 to wear. He pllt on his
rings. Then he rook them off and put on Jifferent rings.
Oori 111 are his breakfast. Bllt he could not forget Basils
11tIy, (I[ rhe table in [he altic room. Then, at last , he
rl)re two Ict ters. lle pllt (lne letrer in his pocket. H.e tolJ his
St' rV:1I 1[ ro r<l \.:.e rhe orher lener !"o Alan Camphell s hOl1se.
!')(lr ln \\'cnr to the library. Hl: lir a cigarette and tried not
ro 1 hink ;, hout Basi l. He drew piclures. Rut rhey were picrures
u( ll c rt.';ld poems. Rl1 t rhe j)()ems fl' minded him
)1 lbsil.
1\)ur Ihsi!, hc Wha't a hon ible way to die! Oorian
\wcame 1 h: abour Alan Camphd l. Perh" ps
Alan Campbell woulJ nm come!
Alan Campbell \Va5 a vcry ckvcr scienrisr. L)ol" ian aml Abn
Cal)1pbdl had heen gond (l'it: nds ft)r ln.ll1)' ye<l rs. \)lI t Abn h"d
nDr talked ro L)\)rian Nllhot! y knew wh)
lhey wcre nor fr t: llds tlny 1110f('.
4'>
willtdl th>Jl! lf i ll i -(' \'.' ri \ a k ttl:r
"11 .1 1 \vill S( 111 i t ...
Dorian {"'ulleJ rhe !ctt{;[ out of his He shO\w d Abn
the address on thr. t'nvelope.
0 1\ IIO! vr' hispt> red Alan CamrhC"11. Then, Velj' qu ic:' rly, he
s(1()ke I go h, me. I nced s, d1ings [rom my
house. llleeu some scienLific cquipmt' nt so 1 can help you.
Y Oll are not going to leave saicl Oorian. VJ..' rite a list
and one 01 my servants wi1l the things you nced.'
Sadly) Alan wrote the Iist. Son Dorian s servnt brought
rht' . .,cienti ( c eqllipment from Abn\ house. Then Dorian sent
his ::-ervai1l away.
r i
f
-# ........ -;
.-
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to
Now needed Alan's Iwlp.
At last Alan Campbell arrived. 1-1 hair <1 11'.1 :1
very pale face. He looked very Dorian was ' k asl'.1
to see him.
Alan, he said, shaking hands, it is kinu cJ yULI ru
Thank you for coming.
Alan did not look pleased .to see Dorian. 1 \li \1 \\'.IIH (0
come, he said. 1 did not ever want [Q sp'eak td ylt ag;Jin , But
yOllr letter said it was very important - a mancr of li ft' , nd
death.'
Yes, it is very important , said Dorian. Then he very
quickly. Theres a dead man in a room upstairs. 1 -It. s becl
dead for about ten hours. You must do somthing for mt'. lyO| l
must.
1 don't want to know anyching about this! s(l id Alan
Campbell. 1 won t do anything for you! Don t tdl me your
rerrible secrets.
1 must tell you this secret, replied Dorian. You mll ') ( !wlp
me. You are a scientist. You must destroy rhc
No, 1 will not, said Alan Campbell. YOL1 are mad, LJ; i; ,,").
And 1 don't care what happens to you.
The young man tried to leave the room I hll t Dorian stopped
him. Alan, he said, ic was mllrder. 1 murderecl this man ::lnd
you are going to help me.
Alan Campbel1 was horrified. He could not speak.
orian sat down and quiet1y wrote somethng on a piece of
paper. Then he gave the paper to the young man.
Alan Campbel1 read what Dorian had written. His [ace
bcame pale. His body started to shake. He fel1 dowl1 into a
chair. There was silence.
1 am very sorry for you , said Dorian sadly. We both know
1 d nOl want to tell ,mybody the trudl about )'011.
47 16
sitting at the table. Dorian did not want ro look. He did nor
want to go into the room ag<1 in.
But suddenly Dorian saw that he had not covered thc
porrrait a.gain with the c1oth. He ran the rOO!T1 to cover
the portrait .
And then he saw blood on the hands in the picture!
red blood! The picture was more hOlTible than asils body
Dorian Plllled the c10th over the pict ure and went back
to th li brary. He left Alan Campbell to do his work.
r Five hours later, Alan Campbell came into the library- His
face was calm and pale.
I have done what you asked me to do, he saiJ qll ierly.
Goodbye. 1 never want to see yOll again .
As SOon as Alan had left , Dorian went lI pstai rs. There was
s
a strange and hor
sitting at the table had gone.
13
Prince Charrning
That evening Dorian c1 ressed in
nt a friend s house. But he did not enjoy the party
and did not want to eat anything.
Are yOll all ri ght? askeJ Harry. And wcre yOll all right
last night? YOll left last nights party very early - about eleven
oc1ock.
Yes ... no. 1 m fine ... 1 don t know what 1 did last night ,
said Dorian quickl y. Yes, I do. 1 went or a walk. 1 got homc
48
about two 0clock in the morning. 1 forgot my key. 1 had to
wake the servant. You can ask him if you don t believe me.
Dorian spoke qllickly and sounded confused. Harry was
surprised. My dear boy, 1 don t care what you did, he said
Perhaps you are ill.
Yes, replied Dorian, I m not feeling well. 1 think 1 II go
home.'
When Dorian got home, he knew he had to do something
terrible. He had to burn Basil s -coat and sllitcase, so that
nobody would find out the truth abollt Basils death. People
thOllght asil had gone to Paris. Nobody expected lO see him
for six months.
T he coat and sui tcase smelt horrible when he bllrnt them.
Dorian felt very unhappy. He wanted to leave the house and
forget everything.
At midnight, Dorian went out and found a cab. He told the
cab driver qllietly where he wanted to go.
The man shook his head. He looked frightened. It s too far.
1 can t go there at thi s time of night , he said.
Here s a pound for you, said Dorian, and 1 li give you
another one if you drive fast.'
All right , sir. be there in an hour , said the driver.
Then he macle the horse pull the cab fast along the streets. The
cab went east - towards the River Thames.
l t was another foggy, dark night in London. The light of
street lamps shone through the fog. Cold rain began to fall.
Men and women were walking home along the streets. Dorian
heard screams and shouts and horrible laughter.
He sat back on the seat of the cab, watching. He hated
London. He hated life. He wanted to forgec everything. He
wantecl opillm - the drllg that woulcl make him forget.
The cab drove on through c1irty, poor parts of the city. Near
49
the rive; the fog disappeared. Dorian left the cab and walked
towards the river. The moon was shining on the water- The
ships on the river were big and black. The light from street
lamps shone down onto the wet road.
Soon h'e reached a small , dirty house. Inside the houe

dark. A
the doorway and into a I
A few I11en were drinking. A sailor, half-asleep, lay with
his head on a table. T wo w
re arguing. Dorian w
through this roOIn and up some Stairs ro another one- He could
smell opium and he smiled with pleasure. Now he could smoke
some opium and forget everything.
But then Dori
orl w a young man smoking a pipe full of
opium- Immediately, Dorian recognised him- It was Adrian
who had been a friend of
But here
Adrian , in an opium den.
Dorian went quickly back to the first room. He did not want
to see anyone he knew. He would go to another opium de
As he went back through the green curtain a voice called after
him- One of tl1e women was shnllrinu
- _,- .
Look at him! There he is -
Suddenly the sai lor lifted his head from table
Dont talk to me! shouted Dorian angril y to t he w
And l1e ran out of the house. Dorian turned a cornpr inm
anarrow, dark street He was running to another h
was trying to forget about Adrian Sin!:!leton.
Suddenly a strong hand was round ncck. Keep
quiet or 111 shoot you!' said a voice.
Dorian turned round a
w a gun pointing at his head. He
sawa large man, a sailor. Are you mad ? Opri nn said.
have 1 done to you?'
50
My sister is dead because of you! replied the sailor. Sibyl
Vane killed herself and now 1 m going to kill you. 1 have
looked for you for years. And tonight 1 heard the name she
called you.
Dorian was afraid. He looked at James Vane and could not
move. This man was going to kill
Then suddenly Dorian had an idea. How long is it since
your sister died? he asked.
Seventeen years. Why do you replied the man.
Look at me! Look at me by the light of a street lamp, said
Dorian.
James Vane pulled Dorian back to the main street. And
in the light of a street lamp, he saw the face of a beauti-
(ul young man. lt was the face of a young man of about
twenty.
You can t be the man, said James Vane. My God, 1 was
going to murder you. 1 m very sorry, sir.
You must be more careful , Oorian said. Then he walked
away round the corner and into the darkness.
As soon as Oorian had gone, the woman from the opi um
den ran up to the sailor. Why didn t yOLl kill she asked.
Hes evil. '
He s not the man 1 want, he replied. The man 1 want is
about forty. That young man was twenty.
The woman gave a horrible lallgh . Twenty! Hi01? Prince
Charming? 1 first saw Prince Charming seventeen years ago.
But he hasnt changed sinRe then-
YOll re lying! sholl ted ] ames Vane.
I 111 not, said the woman. He was a bealltiflll young man
seventeen years ago. And he hasnt changed since then. Hes
evil , fhat onel
Swear to Gd that you re not lying!
51
*
;
In the light of the street lam/), James Vane s a the face of
a beautiful young rnan.
1 swear 1 m not lying, the woman replied.
James Vane believed her. He ran round the corner into the
narrow, dark street. But Dorian had gone.
14
Dorian Learns about Fear
A week later , Dorian was at his house in the country. Many
people hacl come to stay with him. They were ri ch people who
enjoyed talking and eating and drinking. Dorians guests also
enjoyed shooting - shooting birds and animals.
One evening, Dorian was with Harry and another friend,
Lady Monmouth. Harry was laughing and saying c1ever things
as he Ll sually did. Lady Monmouth was laughing and listening
to Harry. Dorian was listening too.
1 must leave you now, sad Lady Monmouth. 1 want to
change my dress before we have dinner .
Let me get you some flowers. Y ou can wear them on your
dress , said Dorian getting up from his chair and leaving
the room.
Oh, said Lady Monmouth, 1 hope he gets me fl owers that
will look right with the colour of my dress.'
Let s follow him, repliRd Harry, and you can tell him the
colour of your dress.'
As they left the room, Harry and Lady Monmouth suddenly
heard a crash.
ln the next room they found Dorian. He was lying on the
f100r next to a' window. He had fainted.
53
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H;lrry t()ucRcd arrn. 1 think we J
he said.
Oh Ha rry, this is terrible a nJ something rnore terribl e is
to happen. 1 know it, replied Oorian
'Uon t worry about it, Oorian, said Harry. It \Vas an
accident. It wasn t a rnllrcler.
Harry was never serious for long. I would like to mee( a
person who has done a real 11111rder, he wcnt on , lallghing.
Lady Monmouth la ughed tO() , ll lt Dorian sudden! y felt ill.
His facc became very pale.
smiled ?olitely l m feeling tircd. I go to l11y
room. cxcll se me.
In hi s room, Dorian lay down on his bed. Hls body shook
with terror- Fear and death were evel ywhere in this house- He
dicl not want to spend another night here.
At five 0 clock Dorian told his servant that he wanted ro
train to London T l1C Servant went to nac k
Uonan's suitcases, but he soon retllrned.
Excllse me , sir , he said to Dorian, there is a problem wirh
the dead man , the man who was shot.
lI ? said Dorian '00 ne
is thc problern. We don t know who he
is. He was carrying some 1110ney and a But could
not find his name on anything. Hes a sai lor ...
A sail or! cri ed Dori an. Suddenly he was excited and
hopeful. He ra n to the J OOl Where lS tl1e b(Xly? Qlllckl kI
wa nt to see it now!
The body had been taken to a far lll . It lay on the
) 1 l
i n
man s tace.
Take rhat cloth off the flce ,' said Dorian.
56
A farm-worker took away the handkerchief. Then Oorian
\ookecl clown at the face ancl gave a cry of joy. The man who
had been shot was ]ames Vane.
Dorian went horne with his eyes fu\l of tears. They were
tears of joy because he was safe. James Vane cou\d not ki\\
hirn now.
A New Start for Dorian?
O ne evening in June , Doria n was visiting Harry. Harry and
Dorian sat in Harry s library.
Harry , 1 have done too many terrible things in my life, said
Dorian. Yesterday 1 started to change my \i fe. 1 m going to be
good.
Harry smi\ed. were you yesterday? he asked.
1 was at an inn in a sma\\ vi\\age, replied Dorian.
What did you do at this inn? asked Harry, laughing. How
did you start to be good?
1 met a girl , said Dorian. She was a pret ty gir\ ca\led Hetty.
She \ooked \i ke Siby\ Vane.
He tty a nd 1 were going to go away together , Dorian went
on. But 1 decided not to go away with her . 1 decided to \eave
her in her village. 1 have done something good.'
You are p\eased because you have done something goocl ,
said Harry. But she wi \\ ki\l because yOLl \eft her. '
Don t say that! You are never serious, saicl Dorian angri\y.
Y ou wanted to be good , so you \eft her , replied Harry. fou
did what you wanted to c10. You haven't changed.
Harry was right ..
57
Dorian did notwant to talk aboLl t Hetty again. Have you
got any news? he asked.
No, there is nothing else to talk abollt, replied Harry.
People are talking about Basil. Nobody knows what has
happened to him.
Basil! said Dorian, in a surpri scd voicc. Are people still
lalking about him? Its a month since people noti ceJ dlat he
had not co01e back from Paris!
My dea. r boy, people will talk about Basil for three months.
Then they will talk about- so01ebody else. They will talk about
Alan Campbell s death too. He killed himself, you know.
Dorian did not want to talk about Alan Ca01pbell. But he
talked about Basil.
What do you think happened to Basil , Harry?
I don t know. Perhaps he is dead. 1 don t want to think
abollt it, replied Harry.
There was silence for a while, then Dorian spoke again.
People are saying that Basil was murdered, aren t they? Do
yOll think Basil was O1urdered?
Nobody wOllld want to murder Basil , replied Harry.
Everybody liked Basil. He didn t have any enemies.
Perhaps 1 murdered Basil , said Dorian. Have yOll thought
of that , Harry? Dorian watcheJ Harry careflllly.
But Harry laughed. You're talking nonsense, dear boy. YOll
couldn t O1urder anybody.
Let 5 talk about something else , Harry continued. Poor
Basil isnt interesting any more. He hadnt painted a good
pictllre for a long time. What happened to his of yOll ,
Dorian?
Oh, 1 lost it, replied Dorian quickly.
You look the same now - as young as yOll were when the
picture was painted, said Harry. Don't change your life. YOll
58
have had a good life. You have done everything you wanted to
do and you have not changed at all.
I 01 not the same as young man, said Dorian. 1 want
to change. 1 want to be good.'
Don t change, said Harry. Y ou are beautiful and you are
perfect. You and 1 will always be friends.
As he left Harrys house, Dorians face was very sad
lt was a warm night. Dorian started to walk home from
Harrv s house. He walked past two young O1en and heard one
of them whisper , That 5 Dorian Gra y . '
Dorian felt tired. He did not want people to recognise him.
He did not want people to talk abollt him any longer. He did
not want to hear his name.
As h walked, Dorian thought about his life. Dorian
suddenly wanted to be young again. He wanted to be the
young O1an whose picture Basil had painted
Dorian was Still thinking when he reached home.
Perhaps it was not too late to change his life. He had been
kind to HettV He had left her in her village. Perhaps he
ting to be good.
norian went up to the attic room- He wanted to look at the
piiLureL Perhaps the picture was changing again Perhaps the

changing and becoming kinder.
But the face in the picture was tl1e same- It was old and
wrinkled and ugly. The eyes were cruel. The mouth was evil.
The blood was still on the hands.
When Dotian saw the piculfe, he knew tl1e truth- He knew
hat he could never change. He would always be evil.
There was a knife on the table in the attic rOOIn. He had used
that knife to kill Basil.
Dorian picked up the knife. lt had killed Basil and now it
59
nobody would ever know
There was a loud crash and a-cr y- It was a loud and horrible cry
which woke the servants.
There werp tUJl"\
'- lWU men m tl1e street o utside and they heard the
: ry too.
i hOllSe is this?t asked one of the mpn
t Do rian G rays, replied the o the r man
The two men looked at each o ther i.n horror , tlien they
quickly walked away.
Inside the ho use i t
uusr, l[ Was now quiet- The door of the
was locked , but at last the servanQ
Inside t he room
He looked
always looked. 1e same as he lulli
a man He was ugly and old and
his heart. evil. And he was dead , With a knife in
At firs't the servants did no t know the m::l n
at the they
60
Points for Understanding
1 What are the names of the two people in the artist s studio?
do you know about each of these people?
2 The artist is painting a portrait. He does not want to show t his
portrait in an art gallery. Why not l
3 The artist uoes not want his friend to meet the young O1an. Whyl
2
1 What does Oorian Gray look Iike?
2 Lord Henry Wotton tellsDorian how to live his Iife. What does
he tell him?
3 Lord Hemy tells Oorian, You O1ustn t get burned by the sun.
Why does he say this?
3
1 How uoes Dorian fecl when he fi rst \ooks at the portrait?
2 Oorian remembers what Harry said in the garden. How does
Oorian.feel about the portrait now?
3 Oorian makes a wish. does he wish?
4 Basil says, You have made O1e hate my best painting.
(a) What does Basil decide to do 1
(b) Wha t does Oorian do?
4
1 Harry sees Oorian many times in the ne xt few wecks. What does
Harry do and why!
2 Oorian tel1s Harry that he has fallen in lovc. Who has Oorian
fallen in love with?
3 What do Harry and Oorian arrange to do the next night !
4 Harry gets a telegram, .does the telegram tell himl
5
1 Why is Mrs Vane worried aboll t Sibyl and James?
2 Why is James angry with Sibyl!
3 What does Sibyl call Dorian?
4 Why docs James wish that he had seen Dorian in thc park!

6
l What goes wrong at the tl1 t e
2 do Harry and Basil do,
3 goest i
7
l Dorian looks at the portrait - Wl1y does l1e tlo thisr
2
3 from
4 Why does he look at the pierure agnil1 ?
5 He decides to be kind to Slbyl. WIlly,
8
was tl1e news in F rr
; tlOl1I l1;lgc
9
3 th
;
10 O
Seven teen years llave passed----
(a) What does Dorian lt)ol< l|l<

3
1 1
JaCt
62
2 Why does Dorian take asil upstairs to the rOOIll in the att ic?
3 Sudlenly Dorian becomes angry. What happens next !
4 Oorian leaves the house and shuts the front door behind him.
Why does Dorian do this!
12
1 Dorian writes t wo letters. What does h.e. do with each letter!
2 Who is Alan Campbell? What does Dorian ask him to do ?
3 Dorian ta kes Alan to the attic room. What has happenecl to the
picturc?
13
1 Dorian leaves a party and goes home. What does he do next ?
2 Why does Dorian go to the small , dirty hOllse near t he river?
3 Kecp quiet, or 1 11 shoot yOll , says a vOlce.
(a) has this person said this?
(b) How has this person (ound Dorian ?
4 What docs the woman from thc opium den tell the man abour
Dori an ?
14
1 Where are Dorian and Harry staying?
2 Harry and Lady Monmout h suddenly hear a crash. What has
happencd anJ why?
3 Oori an and his guests go shootill g. Whar happcns?
4 Who is t hc dcacl man ? Why is Dorian happy t hat this man is
deaJ ?
15
1 Oocs Harry know tha t Oorian killed asil?
2 Why docs Dorian go to look at the picture?
3 When Dorian saw the pictll're, hc knew thc truth.
What is the tr ll th?
4 Dorian picks up a kni(c. What happens ncxt!
5 What do thc scrvallts fi nd in the small attic room!
63