Pagina 381 di 490

Campbell scrawled a few lines, blotted them, and addressed an

envelope to his assistant. Dorian took the note up and read it

carefully. Then he rang the bell and gave it to his valet, with

orders to return as soon as possible and to bring the things with

him.

As the hall door shut, Campbell started nervously, and having got

up from the chair, went over to the chimney-piece. He was

shivering with a kind of ague. For nearly twenty minutes, neither

of the men spoke. A fly buzzed noisily about the room, and the

ticking of the clock was like the beat of a hammer.

As the chime struck one, Campbell turned round, and looking at

Dorian Gray, saw that his eyes were filled with tears. There was

something in the purity and refinement of that sad face that

seemed to enrage him. "You are infamous, absolutely infamous!" he

muttered.

"Hush, Alan. You have saved my life," said Dorian.