पृष्ठ 177 / 490

For some reason or other, the house was crowded that night, and

the fat Jew manager who met them at the door was beaming from ear

to ear with an oily tremulous smile. He escorted them to their

box with a sort of pompous humility, waving his fat jewelled

hands and talking at the top of his voice. Dorian Gray loathed

him more than ever. He felt as if he had come to look for Miranda

and had been met by Caliban. Lord Henry, upon the other hand,

rather liked him. At least he declared he did, and insisted on

shaking him by the hand and assuring him that he was proud to

meet a man who had discovered a real genius and gone bankrupt

over a poet. Hallward amused himself with watching the faces in

the pit. The heat was terribly oppressive, and the huge sunlight

flamed like a monstrous dahlia with petals of yellow fire. The

youths in the gallery had taken off their coats and waistcoats

and hung them over the side.