One Kiss to Saves All

One Kiss to Save All

"If it pleases you, Mr. Gray, we may go to the opera with your company." Lord Henry leaned against the door and surveyed Dorian Gray with interest, the young man who had only recently become aware of his beauty, amazed by the sudden realization of his youth, and the excitement of his senses---which had now resembled the hedonism Lord Henry spoke extensively about, his eyes glowing with an exceedingly brilliant light, his eyelids quivering slightly as if glimpsing for the first time of the sins of the world that had led to many's depravity, all of which had Lord Henry once told him: Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul. Outside the window. the summer flowers were still giving off their luxuriant fragrance tirelessly, these lilacs, these stellate inflorescences on the stems of the clematis, these pink and white hawthorn flowers with their slender, elegant daisies, which were caressed as always by the breeze and the sun. But even the flowers were whispering to Dorian, Don't waste it! Don't waste your charm, as such, live life to the utmost!

Lord Henry's words evoked in the young man the same rapt amazement as the most melodious piece of music or the greatest masterpiece. The power of words is comparable to that of music. Words, on the other hand, can be more powerful than music since their aim is more clearly defined, whereas the same piece of music can portray a very different picture in the eyes of various people. Whilst watching the seemingly restless young man with a sneer, Lord Henry compelled Dorian Gray with his languid tones, expressive gestures, and deliberately amorous word choices, much like a spotted viper waiting for its venom to take its paralysing effect.

The changes in his friend's beliefs did not escape Basil Hallward's attention. He perhaps detected something: the artist was adding the last few strokes to the near-finished painting and casting a worried glance in Dorian's direction. He swivelled around and perked up his ears to hear what Harry and Dorian were discussing.

"There's Lohengrin at the theatre later this evening, are you sure you don't fancy coming?" It was Harry's soft, low, pleasant voice, followed by the voice of Dorian, whose teenage boyishness he hadn't yet shed.

"Well, frankly, I did want to go to the theatre , but-"

"But aren't Dorian and I having dinner together this evening?"All at once, Basil bolted up from the armchair and walked over to the two young men. His tone held an irritability that was clearly not caused by the summer heat.

Dorian Gray looked up at him in bemused disbelief, his blonde hair wavering slightly, "Lord Henry Wotton is a new friend of mine." He explained, while Henry flashed a smug smile, "Looks like you're going to have to have your dinner alone, my dear Basil."

"But we had a deal!" Basil blurted woundedly, "Have you forgotten our promis?"

"I haven't forgotten, I'm just--I'm just tired, Basil," Dorian sighed, " when I'm with you, I feel sometimes as if you were too far away, as if --" his hand made a feeble gesture in mid-air, "--as if you saw me as merely a model, a portrait on a canvas or something unreal and fragile. You compared me to Antinous and Adonis, you called me 'the embodiment of beauty', but I am neither of these names nor do I enjoy your calling me so. You thought me beautiful, but in five, ten or fifteen years, when the first wrinkles appear on my face and the first strands of silver in my hair, you would no longer recognize me as your friend, would you? You would sacrifice anything and turn a blind eye to anything for the cause of art. I am scared of you sometimes, Basil, it was you who made my youthful face flawless with your magic stroke, and you who taught me to be jealous of myself. How terrible it must be!"

Dorian's eyes blazed even brighter as he spoke, unintentionally combing his long hair with his right hand, and the words seemed to pierce the painter's soul. Basil, however, found him a little melancholic, and it was out of place for his normally cheery and bright demeanour.