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Then he looked at Lord Henry. "Dorian Gray is my dearest friend,"

he said. "He has a simple and a beautiful nature. Your aunt was

quite right in what she said of him. Don't spoil him. Don't try

to influence him. Your influence would be bad. The world is wide,

and has many marvellous people in it. Don't take away from me the

one person who gives to my art whatever charm it possesses: my

life as an artist depends on him. Mind, Harry, I trust you." He

spoke very slowly, and the words seemed wrung out of him almost

against his will.

"What nonsense you talk!" said Lord Henry, smiling, and taking

Hallward by the arm, he almost led him into the house.

CHAPTER II.

As they entered they saw Dorian Gray. He was seated at the piano,

with his back to them, turning over the pages of a volume of

Schumann's "Forest Scenes." "You must lend me these, Basil," he

cried. "I want to learn them. They are perfectly charming."

"That entirely depends on how you sit to-day, Dorian."