THEPREFACE
Theartististhecreatorof
gyönyörű
beautifulthings.Torevealart
és
andconcealtheartistisart’saim.Thecriticishe
aki
whocantranslateintoanothermannervagy
oranewmaterialhisimpressionofszép
beautifulthings.Thehighestasthelowestformofcriticismisamodeofautobiography.
Azok
Thosewhofinduglymeaningsinszép
beautifulthingsarecorruptwithoutbeingcharming.Ez
Thisisafault.Those
akik
whofindbeautifulmeaningsingyönyörű
beautifulthingsarethecultivated.Forthesethereishope.
Theyare
a
theelecttowhombeautifulthingsmeancsak
onlybeauty.Thereisno
olyan
suchthingasamoralvagy
oranimmoralbook.Booksare
jól
wellwritten,orbadlywritten.Thatisall.
ThenineteenthcenturydislikeofrealismistherageofCaliban
látja
seeinghisownfaceinaglass.ThenineteenthcenturydislikeofromanticismistherageofCalibannot
látja
seeinghisownfaceinaglass.Themorallifeof
ember
manformspartofthesubject-matteroftheartist,de
butthemoralityofartconsistsinthetökéletes
perfectuseofanimperfectmedium.Noartistdesirestoprove
semmit
anything.Eventhingsthatare
igaz
truecanbeproved.Noartisthasethicalsympathies.
Egy
Anethicalsympathyinanartistisegy
anunpardonablemannerismofstyle.Noartistisevermorbid.
A
Theartistcanexpresseverything.Thought
és
andlanguagearetotheartistinstrumentsofanart.Vice
és
andvirtuearetotheartistmaterialsforanart.Fromthepointofviewofform,thetypeof
összes
alltheartsistheartofthemusician.Fromthepointofviewoffeeling,theactor’scraftisthetype.
Minden
Allartisatoncesurfaceés
andsymbol.Thosewhogobeneaththesurfacedosoattheirperil.
Those
akik
whoreadthesymboldosoattheirperil.Itisthespectator,andnotlife,thatartreallymirrors.
Diversityofopinionaboutaworkofart
mutatja
showsthattheworkisúj
new,complex,andvital.Whencriticsdisagree,theartistisinaccordwithhimself.
Wecanforgive
egy
amanformakingausefuldolgot
thingaslongashedoesnotadmireit.Theonly
mentség
excuseformakingauselessdolog
thingisthatoneadmiresitintensely.Minden
Allartisquiteuseless.CHAPTERI.
Thestudiowasfilledwiththerichodourofroses,
és
andwhenthelightsummerwindstirredamidstthetreesofthegarden,therejött
camethroughtheopendoortheheavyscentofthelilac,vagy
orthemoredelicateperfumeofthepink-floweringthorn.FromthecornerofthedivanofPersiansaddle-bagsonwhichhewaslying,smoking,aswashiscustom,innumerablecigarettes,LordHenryWotton
tudták
couldjustcatchthegleamofthehoney-sweetés
andhoney-colouredblossomsofalaburnum,whosetremulousbranchesseemedhardlyabletobeartheburdenofegy
abeautysoflamelikeastheirs;és
andnowandthenthefantasticshadowsofbirdsinflightflittedacrossthehosszú
longtussore-silkcurtainsthatwerestretchedinfrontofthehugewindow,producingakindofmomentaryJapaneseeffect,és
andmakinghimthinkofthosepallid,jade-facedpaintersofTokyoakik
who,throughthemediumofanartthatisnecessarilyimmobile,seektoconveythesenseofswiftnessés
andmotion.Thesullenmurmurofthebeesshoulderingtheirwaythroughthe
hosszú
longunmowngrass,orcirclingwithmonotonousinsistenceroundthedustygilthornsofthestragglingwoodbine,seemedtomakethestillnessmoreoppressive.ThedimroarofLondonwas
mint
likethebourdonnoteofegy
adistantorgan.Inthecentreofthe
szoba
room,clampedtoanuprighteasel,stoodthefull-lengthportraitofayoungmanofextraordinarypersonalbeauty,és
andinfrontofit,néhány
somelittledistanceaway,wasült
sittingtheartisthimself,BasilHallward,whosesuddendisappearancenéhány
someyearsagocaused,atthetime,olyan
suchpublicexcitementandgaverisetosomanystrangeconjectures.Asthepainterlookedatthegracious
és
andcomelyformhehadsoskilfullymirroredinhisart,egy
asmileofpleasurepassedacrosshisface,és
andseemedabouttolingerott
there.Buthesuddenlystartedup,
és
andclosinghiseyes,placedhisfingersuponthelids,asthoughhesoughttoimprisonwithinhisbrainnéhány
somecuriousdreamfromwhichhefearedhemightawake.“Itisyour
legjobb
bestwork,Basil,thebestdolog
thingyouhaveeverdone,”mondta
saidLordHenrylanguidly.“You
kell
mustcertainlysenditnextyeartoa
theGrosvenor.TheAcademyis
túl
toolargeandtoovulgar.WheneverIhavegonethere,therehavebeeneithersomanypeoplethatIhavenotbeenableto
láttam
seethepictures,whichwasdreadful,orsomanypicturesthatIhavenotbeenabletoláttam
seethepeople,whichwasworse.TheGrosvenorisreallythe
egyetlen
onlyplace.”“Idon’tthinkIshallsenditanywhere,”heanswered,tossinghis
fejét
headbackinthatoddmódon
waythatusedtomakehisfriendslaughathimatOxford.“No,Iwon’tsenditanywhere.”
LordHenryelevatedhiseyebrows
és
andlookedathiminamazementthroughthethinbluewreathsofsmokehogy
thatcurledupinsuchfancifulwhorlsfromhisheavy,opium-taintedcigarette.“Notsenditanywhere?
My
kedves
dearfellow,why?Haveyouany
oka
reason?Whatoddchapsyoupainters
vagytok
are!Youdoanythingintheworldtogainareputation.
Assoonasyouhaveone,youseemto
akarod
wanttothrowitaway.Itissillyofyou,forthereis
csak
onlyonethingintheworldworsemint
thanbeingtalkedabout,andhogy
thatisnotbeingtalkedabout.Egy
Aportraitlikethiswouldsetyoumessze
farabovealltheyoungmeninEngland,és
andmaketheoldmenquitejealous,ha
ifoldmenareevercapableofanyemotion.”“I
tudom
knowyouwilllaughatme,”hereplied,“butItényleg
reallycan’texhibitit.Ihaveput
túl
toomuchofmyselfintoit.”LordHenrystretchedhimselfoutonthedivan
és
andlaughed.“Yes,Iknewyouwould;
de
butitisquitetrue,allthesame.”“Too
sok
muchofyourselfinit!Uponmyword,Basil,Ididn’t
tudtam
knowyouweresovain;és
andIreallycan’tseeanyresemblancebetweenyou,withyourruggedstrongfaceés
andyourcoal-blackhair,andez
thisyoungAdonis,wholooksasifhewasmadeoutofivoryés
androse-leaves.Why,mydearBasil,heisaNarcissus,
és
andyou—well,ofcourseyouhaveanintellectualexpressionés
andallthat.Butbeauty,
igazi
realbeauty,endswhereanintellectualexpressionbegins.Intellectisinitselfamodeofexaggeration,
és
anddestroystheharmonyofanyarc
face.Themomentonesitsdowntothink,one
válik
becomesallnose,orallforehead,vagy
orsomethinghorrid.Lookatthesuccessfulmenin
bármely
anyofthelearnedprofessions.Milyen
Howperfectlyhideoustheyare!Except,of
persze
course,intheChurch.Butthenin
az
theChurchtheydon’tthink.Egy
Abishopkeepsonsayingattheageofeightywhathewastoldtosaywhenhewasegy
aboyofeighteen,andasegy
anaturalconsequencehealwayslooksabsolutelydelightful.Yourmysterious
fiatal
youngfriend,whosenameyouhavenevermondtad
toldme,butwhosepictureigazán
reallyfascinatesme,neverthinks.Ifeelquite
biztos
sureofthat.Heissomebrainless
gyönyörű
beautifulcreaturewhoshouldbemindig
alwayshereinwinterwhenwehavenoflowerstolookat,és
andalwayshereinsummeramikor
whenwewantsomethingtochillourintelligence.Don’tflatteryourself,Basil:
youarenotintheleastlikehim.”
“Youdon’tunderstand
engem
me,Harry,”answeredtheartist.“Of
persze
courseIamnotlikehim.Iknowthatperfectlywell.
Indeed,Ishouldbesorrytolook
mint
likehim.Youshrugyourshoulders?
Iam
mondom
tellingyouthetruth.Thereis
egy
afatalityaboutallphysicalés
andintellectualdistinction,thesortoffatalityamely
thatseemstodogthroughhistorythefalteringstepsofkings.Itis
jobb
betternottobedifferentfromone’sfellows.Theugly
és
andthestupidhavethebestofitinthisworld.Theycansitattheirease
és
andgapeattheplay.Ha
Iftheyknownothingofvictory,theyareatleastsparedtheknowledgeofdefeat.They
élnek
liveasweallshouldlive—undisturbed,indifferent,és
andwithoutdisquiet.Theyneitherbringruinuponothers,noreverreceiveitfromalienhands.
Yourrank
és
andwealth,Harry;mybrains,suchastheyare—myart,whateveritmaybeworth;
DorianGray’sgoodlooks—weshallallsufferforwhat
az
thegodshavegivenus,sufferterribly.”“DorianGray?
Isthathisname?”
kérdezte
askedLordHenry,walkingacrossa
thestudiotowardsBasilHallward.“Yes,thatishisname.
Ididn’tintendtotellittoyou.”
“But
miért
whynot?”“Oh,Ican’texplain.
Ha
WhenIlikepeopleimmensely,Inevermondom
telltheirnamestoanyone.Itis
mint
likesurrenderingapartofthem.Ihavegrowntolovesecrecy.
Itseemstobethe
egyetlen
onethingthatcanmakemodernlifemysteriousvagy
ormarvelloustous.Thecommonest
dolog
thingisdelightfulifonecsak
onlyhidesit.WhenIleavetown
most
nowInevertellmypeoplewhereIammegyek
going.IfIdid,Iwouldlose
összes
allmypleasure.Itis
egy
asillyhabit,Idaremondani
say,butsomehowitseemstobringegy
agreatdealofromanceintoone’slife.Isupposeyouthinkmeawfullyfoolishaboutit?”
“Notatall,”answeredLordHenry,“notatall,my
drága
dearBasil.YouseemtoforgetthatIam
házas
married,andtheonecharmofmarriageisthatitmakesalifeofdeceptionabsolutelynecessaryforbothparties.I
sosem
neverknowwheremywifevan
is,andmywifeneverknowswhatIamcsinálok
doing.Whenwemeet—wedo
találkozunk
meetoccasionally,whenwedineoutegyütt
together,orgodowntotheDuke’s—wetelleachotherthemostabsurdstorieswiththemostseriousfaces.Mywifeis
nagyon
verygoodatit—muchbetter,insőt
fact,thanIam.She
sosem
nevergetsconfusedoverherdates,és
andIalwaysdo.But
amikor
whenshedoesfindmeki
out,shemakesnorowatall.I
néha
sometimeswishshewould;butshemerelylaughsatme.”
“Ihatethewayyoutalkaboutyourmarriedlife,Harry,”
mondta
saidBasilHallward,strollingtowardstheajtó
doorthatledintothegarden.“Ibelieve
hogy
thatyouarereallyaveryjó
goodhusband,butthatyouarethoroughlyashamedofyoursaját
ownvirtues.Youareanextraordinaryfellow.
Youneversayamoral
dolgot
thing,andyouneverdoawrongdolgot
thing.Yourcynicismissimply
egy
apose.”“Beingnaturalissimply
egy
apose,andthemostirritatingposeIknow,”criedLordHenry,laughing;és
andthetwoyoungmenment
wentoutintothegardenegyütt
togetherandensconcedthemselvesonegy
alongbambooseatthatstoodintheshadeofegy
atalllaurelbush.Thesunlightslippedover
a
thepolishedleaves.Inthegrass,
fehér
whitedaisiesweretremulous.After
egy
apause,LordHenrypulledouthiswatch.“IamafraidI
kell
mustbegoing,Basil,”hemurmured,“andmielőtt
beforeIgo,Iinsistonyouransweringegy
aquestionIputtoyousomeideje
timeago.”“Whatisthat?”
mondta
saidthepainter,keepinghiseyesfixedontheground.“Youknow
nagyon
quitewell.”“Idonot,Harry.”
“Well,Iwilltellyouwhatit
az
is.Iwantyoutoexplaintome
miért
whyyouwon’texhibitDorianGray’spicture.I
akarom
wanttherealreason.”“Itoldyou
az
therealreason.”“No,youdidnot.
You
mondtad
saiditwasbecausetherewastúl
toomuchofyourselfinit.Now,thatischildish.”
“Harry,”
mondta
saidBasilHallward,lookinghimstraightintheface,“everyportraitamit
thatispaintedwithfeelingisaportraitoftheartist,notofthesitter.Thesitterismerelytheaccident,theoccasion.
Itisnothewhoisrevealedbythepainter;
itisratherthepainter
aki
who,onthecolouredcanvas,revealshimself.The
ok
reasonIwillnotexhibitezt
thispictureisthatIamfélek
afraidthatIhaveshowninitthesecretofmysaját
ownsoul.”LordHenrylaughed.
“Andwhatisthat?”
he
kérdezte
asked.“Iwilltellyou,”
mondta
saidHallward;butanexpressionofperplexitycameoverhisface.
“Iamallexpectation,Basil,”continuedhiscompanion,glancingathim.
“Oh,thereisreallyvery
kevés
littletotell,Harry,”answereda
thepainter;“andIamafraidyou
fogod
willhardlyunderstandit.Perhapsyou
fogod
willhardlybelieveit.”LordHenrysmiled,
és
andleaningdown,pluckedapink-petalleddaisyfromthegrassés
andexaminedit.“Iamquite
biztos
sureIshallunderstandit,”hereplied,gazingintentlyatthekis
littlegolden,white-feathereddisk,“andasforhinni
believingthings,Icanbelieveanything,providedhogy
thatitisquiteincredible.”Thewindshook
néhány
someblossomsfromthetrees,és
andtheheavylilac-blooms,withtheirclusteringstars,mozgott
movedtoandfrointhelanguidlevegő
air.Agrasshopperbegantochirrupbythewall,
és
andlikeabluethreadegy
alongthindragon-flyfloatedpastonitsbrowngauzewings.LordHenryfeltasifhecouldhearBasilHallward’sheartbeating,
és
andwonderedwhatwascoming.“The
történet
storyissimplythis,”saida
thepainteraftersometime.“Twomonths
ezelőtt
agoIwenttoacrushatLadyBrandon’s.You
tudja
knowwepoorartistshavetomutatnunk
showourselvesinsocietyfromtimetotime,csak
justtoremindthepublicthatwearenotsavages.Withaneveningcoat
és
andawhitetie,asyoumondtad
toldmeonce,anybody,evenastock-broker,cangainareputationforbeingcivilized.Nos
Well,afterIhadbeenintheroomkörülbelül
abouttenminutes,talkingtohugeoverdresseddowagersés
andtediousacademicians,Isuddenlybecameconsciousthatsomeonewaslookingatrám
me.Iturnedhalf-wayround
és
andsawDorianGrayfortheelőször
firsttime.Whenoureyes
találkoztak
met,IfeltthatIwasgrowingpale.Egy
Acurioussensationofterrorcameoverme.I
tudtam
knewthatIhadcomeszembe
facetofacewithsomeonewhosemerepersonalitywassofascinatingthat,ha
ifIallowedittodoso,itwouldabsorbmyegész
wholenature,mywholesoul,myveryartitself.Ididnot
akartam
wantanyexternalinfluenceinmylife.You
tudod
knowyourself,Harry,howindependentIambynature.I
voltam
havealwaysbeenmyownmaster;volt
hadatleastalwaysbeenso,tillImetDorianGray.Then—butIdon’t
tudom
knowhowtoexplainittoyou.Valami
SomethingseemedtotellmethatIwasonaz
thevergeofaterriblecrisisinmylife.I
volt
hadastrangefeelingthatfatevolt
hadinstoreformeexquisitejoysés
andexquisitesorrows.Igrewafraid
és
andturnedtoquittheroom.Itwasnotconsciencethatmademedoso:
itwasasortofcowardice.
Itake
nem
nocredittomyselfformegpróbáltam
tryingtoescape.”“Conscienceandcowardicearereally
a
thesamethings,Basil.Conscienceisthetrade-nameofthefirm.
Thatisall.”
“Idon’tbelievethat,Harry,
és
andIdon’tbelieveyoudosem
either.However,whateverwasmymotive—anditmayhavebeenpride,forIusedtobe
nagyon
veryproud—Icertainlystruggledtoaz
thedoor.There,ofcourse,Istumbled
ellen
againstLadyBrandon.‘Youarenotgoingtorunawaysosoon,Mr.Hallward?’shescreamedout.
Youknowhercuriouslyshrillvoice?”
“Yes;
sheis
egy
apeacockineverythingbutbeauty,”mondta
saidLordHenry,pullingthedaisytobitswithhishosszú
longnervousfingers.“Icouldnotgetridofher.
Shebroughtme
fel
uptoroyalties,andpeoplea
withstarsandgarters,andelderlyladiesa
withgigantictiarasandparrotnoses.Shespokeofmeasherdearestfriend.
I
legyen
hadonlymetheroncebefore,de
butshetookitintoherheadtolionizeme.I
hiszem
believesomepictureofminehadmadeanagy
greatsuccessatthetime,atleasthadbeenchatteredarról
aboutinthepennynewspapers,ami
whichisthenineteenth-centurystandardofimmortality.SuddenlyI
találtam
foundmyselffacetofacewiththeyoungmanwhosepersonalityhadsostrangelystirredme.