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"Oh, there is really very little to tell, Harry," answered the

painter; "and I am afraid you will hardly understand it. Perhaps

you will hardly believe it."

Lord Henry smiled, and leaning down, plucked a pink-petalled

daisy from the grass and examined it. "I am quite sure I shall

understand it," he replied, gazing intently at the little golden,

white-feathered disk, "and as for believing things, I can believe

anything, provided that it is quite incredible."

The wind shook some blossoms from the trees, and the heavy

lilac-blooms, with their clustering stars, moved to and fro in

the languid air. A grasshopper began to chirrup by the wall, and

like a blue thread a long thin dragon-fly floated past on its

brown gauze wings. Lord Henry felt as if he could hear Basil

Hallward's heart beating, and wondered what was coming.