13

　　The next morning Dorian wrote two letters． He put one of them into his pocket，and he gave the other to his servant．'Take this to Mr Campbell's house at once，'he said．

　　While Dorian waited， he picked up a book and tried to read．But after a time the book fell from his hand． Perhaps Alan Campbell was out of England．Perhaps he would refuse to come．He was a very clever scientist，and five years ago he and Dorian had been good friends． But now Alan never smiled when he met Dorian．

　　Each minute seemed an hour to Dorian，but at last the door opened．Dorian smiled．'Alan！'he said．'Thank you for coming．'

　　'I never wanted to enter your house again，but your letter said that it was a question of life and death，'said Alan Campbell． His voice was hard and cold．

　　'Yes，Alan，it is．Please sit down．'Across the table the two men's eyes met．Dorian was silent for a moment；then，very quietly， he said，'Alan， in a locked room upstairs there is a dead body．I want you to destroy it．There must be nothing left． I know you can do this．'

　　'I don't want to know your terrible secrets．I refuse to help you，'Campbell replied．

　　'But you must， Alan．You're the only person who can help me．'Dorian smiled sadly．He took a piece of paper， wrote something on it，and pushed it across the table to Campbell．

　　As Campbell read the piece of paper， his face went white．He looked at Dorian with hate and fear in his eyes．

　　'I'm so sorry for you，Alan，'said Dorian gently．'I've already written a letter，and if you don't help me，I'll have to send it．But I think that you will help me．'

　　Campbell put his face in his hands， and was silent for a long time．Dorian waited．

　　'I'll need some things from my house，'Campbell said at last．

　　Dorian sent his servant to fetch the things that Campbell needed， and the two men waited silently．When the servant returned， Dorian took the scientist upstairs to the locked room．As they entered， Dorian remembered that the portrait was uncovered．He turned to cover it， then stopped and stared in horror． One of the hands in the picture was red with blood．For Dorian， this was more terrible than the dead body in the room．With shaking hands，he quickly covered the picture．

　　'Leave me now，'ordered Campbell．

　　Five hours later Campbell came back downstairs．'I've done what you asked me to do，'he said．'And now goodbye．I never want to see you again．'

　　When Campbell had left，Dorian went upstairs．There was a terrible smell in the room， but the dead body had gone．

　　13

　　第二天早上多里安写了两封信。他把一封装进自己的口袋，将另一封给了仆人。“立刻把这封信送到坎贝尔先生家。”他说。

　　多里安等的时候拿起了一本书，试着读起来。但是，过了一会儿书从他手里掉了下来。艾伦·坎贝尔可能不在英格兰，他可能拒绝来这儿。他是一位非常聪明的科学家，五年前还是多里安的好朋友，但是现在遇见多里安时，艾伦从来不笑。

　　对多里安来说每一分钟都像一个小时，可是门终于开了。多里安笑了。“艾伦！”他说，“谢谢你能来。”

　　“我从不想再进你家，可是你的信上说是有关生和死的事儿。”艾伦·坎贝尔说。他的声音严厉而冷淡。

　　“是的，艾伦，是这样的事儿，请坐。”在桌子上方，两个人的眼神相碰了。多里安沉默了片刻，然后非常平静地说：“艾伦，楼上锁着的屋子里有一具尸体，我想让你销毁它，什么东西都不剩，我知道你能做到。”

　　“我不想知道你可怕的秘密，我不愿帮助你。”坎贝尔回答。

　　“但是你必须帮我，艾伦。你是唯一能帮助我的人。”多里安痛苦地笑着。他拿来一张纸，在上面写了些字，推给桌子那边的坎贝尔。

　　坎贝尔读这张纸时，脸都变白了。他用憎恨而又惧怕的眼神看着多里安。

　　“太对不起了，艾伦。”多里安温和地说。“我已经写了一封信，如果你不帮我，我就寄出这封信，但我想你会帮助我的。”

　　坎贝尔捂住脸，很长时间没有说话。多里安等着。

　　“我需要家里的一些东西用。”坎贝尔终于说。

　　多里安让仆人去取坎贝尔需要的东西，于是两个人静静地等着。仆人回来后，多里安把科学家带到了楼上锁着的房间。他们进去后，多里安记起画像被掀开了，他转身盖上它，然后停在那里，恐怖地瞪着看。画像的一只手沾上了鲜红的血，这比房间里的尸体更让多里安害怕。他迅速用颤抖的手盖住了画像。