第255页 / 共490页

I felt, Dorian, that I had told too much, that I had put too much

of myself into it. Then it was that I resolved never to allow the

picture to be exhibited. You were a little annoyed; but then you

did not realize all that it meant to me. Harry, to whom I talked

about it, laughed at me. But I did not mind that. When the

picture was finished, and I sat alone with it, I felt that I was

right.... Well, after a few days the thing left my studio, and as

soon as I had got rid of the intolerable fascination of its

presence, it seemed to me that I had been foolish in imagining

that I had seen anything in it, more than that you were extremely

good-looking and that I could paint. Even now I cannot help

feeling that it is a mistake to think that the passion one feels

in creation is ever really shown in the work one creates. Art is

always more abstract than we fancy. Form and colour tell us of

form and colour-that is all.