The Picture of Dorian Gray——5

The next morning Lord Henry went to visit his aunt,Lady Agaths.She was surprised to see him.
'I thought you fashionable young men never got up until the afternoon,'she said.
'Ah,but my dear aunt,I need some information,you see,'replied Lord Henry.'I met Dorian Gray yesterday,and I'd like to know more about him.'
'Oh,he's Lord Kelso's grandson,'said Lady Agatha.'His mothere was Lady Margaret Devereux,a very beautiful woman.She ran away from home to marry a poor soldier.He was killed a few months later and she died so on after her son was born.She was a lovely woman.Dorian Gray has her beauty and he will,I understand,have his grandfather's money.'
'He is,'agreed Lord Henry,'extraordinarily good-looking.'
'Come to lunch,'invited his aunt.'Dorian Gray will be here and you can meet him again.'
'I'd love to come,'smiled Lord Henry.
As he left,Lord Henry thought about this sad story.He become more interested than ever in this beautiful young man,Dorian Gray.He remembered the night before,when Dorian had watched him with his bright blue eyes,half wondering,half afrald.'He does not yet know himself,'thought Lord Henry,with a smile.'But I can teach him.Yes,I can influence him in any way that I please.I will teach him to discover the fire of youth,and I ove,and life.'
The conversation among the fashionable people at Lady Agatha's lunch was quick and clever.Lord Henry talked,in his lazy,amusing way,and knew that Dorian Gray was watching and listening.
After a while the conversation turned to a friend's plans to marry an American girl.
'Why can't these American women stay in their own country?They're always telling us that it's a paradise for womem,'said Lord Burdon.
'It is,'said Lord Henry.'That's the reason why they're so happy to escape from it.'
'They say,'laughed the man next to Lady Agaths,'that when good Americans die,they go to Paris.'
'Really!And where do bad Americans go to when they die?'asked Lady Agatha.
'They go to America,'said Lord Henry.
People smiled,and the conversation moved on to other things.Lord Henry took ideas and played with them;he gave them wings,and they flew like brightly coloured birds around the room.People laughed,and smiled,and told him that he should be more serious.But Dorian Gray never took his eyes away from Lord Henry.
After luch Lord Henry said that he was going to the park and as he left the room,Dorian Gray touched his arm.'May I come with you?'he asked.
'But I thought you'd promised to go and see Basil Hallward,'Lord Henry replied.
'Yes,but I'd prefer to come with you.Please let me,'said Dorian.'I want to listen to you talking.Nobody speaks as well as you do.'
'Ah!I've talked enough for today.'Lord Henry smiled.'But you may come with me if you want to.'