Dorian found Sibyl in her small dressing room. She was still wearing her Juliet costume. Her face was radiant with joy. 'Was I not wonderful tonight?' she asked happily. Dorian stared at her in disbelief. 'Wonderful? You were terrible!' 'You ruined everything. You were absolutely dreadful.' Sibyl laughed softly, not understanding. 'Dorian, I was terrible because I have found real love.' 'Before you, all I knew was acting.' 'The theater was my whole world.' 'I could become Juliet because I did not know real love.' 'But now I have you, and everything is different.' 'How can I pretend to love on stage?' 'How can false love compare to what we have?' She reached out to take his hands. Dorian stepped back from her coldly. 'Do you know what you have done?' he said. 'You have killed my love.' Sibyl's face turned white. 'Dorian, what do you mean?' 'I loved you because you were a great artist.' 'I loved you because you could become any woman.' 'You were Juliet. You were Rosalind. You were Imogen.' 'But tonight you were nothing. Just a pretty girl.' 'Without your art, you are nothing to me.' Tears began to fall from Sibyl's eyes. 'But I gave up my art for you!' 'I did it because I love you so much.' 'Then you sacrificed yourself for nothing,' said Dorian. His voice was like ice. 'You have made yourself worthless.' Sibyl threw herself at his feet. 'Dorian, please! Do not leave me!' 'I could not bear it if you left me.' 'I will try to act better. I promise.' But Dorian pulled away from her. 'Do not touch me,' he said with disgust. 'You have disappointed me completely.' 'I never want to see you again.' He walked to the door without looking back. 'Dorian!' Sibyl cried out in agony. But he was already gone. She lay on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Outside, Dorian walked through the dark streets. His anger slowly began to fade. He thought about what he had said to Sibyl. Perhaps he had been too cruel. She had only wanted to love him. But the memory of her terrible acting returned. No, he told himself. She deserved what he said. He walked for hours through the sleeping city. The sky was growing light when he reached home. He went directly to his study. His portrait hung on the wall, as always. But when he looked at it, he gasped. Something was different. The face in the painting looked slightly older. And there was a cruel twist to the lips. A look of cruelty that had not been there before. Dorian rubbed his eyes and looked again. No, he was not imagining it. The portrait had changed. He remembered his wish in Basil's studio. If only the picture could change, and I could stay young. Could it be true? Had his wish come true? A cold fear crept into his heart. What had he done? And what would the portrait show next? He stood before the painting until dawn broke completely.
B1Chapter 7 / 20506 words70 sentences
Chapter 7: The Failed Performance
Chapter 7 · The Picture of Dorian Gray · B1 English. Tip: Click on any word while reading to see its translation. Take your time with each chapter and review the vocabulary before moving on.
Chapter Summary
Dorian brings Lord Henry and Basil to see Sibyl perform. She acts terribly because real love has made pretend love seem false. Dorian cruelly rejects her.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Why couldn't Sibyl act well that night?
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Why did Dorian say he loved Sibyl?
3
What does Dorian notice about his portrait when he returns home?
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