TPoDG ch. 15

"As Dorian Gray drove back to his own house, he was conscious the the sense of terror he thought he had strangled had come back to him. Lord Henry's casual questioning had made him lose his nerve for the moment, and he wanted his nerves still" (187).

One day after killing one of Henry's closest friends, Dorian believes that it is ok to hang out with him, deceiving him. Dorian tries to act normal at first: "he felt wildly excited, but his manner as he bent over his hostess's hand was as easy and graceful as ever. Perhaps one never seems so much at one's ease as when one has a part to play" (179). However, as the night goes on, he seems to be losing his ability to pretend to be calm: "But at dinner he could not eat anything. Plate after plate went away untasted" (181). Dorian is not able to uphold his part as well as he should to avoid suspicion. Harry innocently asks, "'Are you better, my dear fellow?... You seemed rather out of sorts at dinner'" (185). Dorian has already shown himself to be terribly paranoid, and so it is not a safe thing for his nerves here to arouse even the most indifferent form of suspicion. Trying to defend himself against a small question by Harry he says, "I had left my latch-key at home, and my servant had to let me in. If you want any corroborative evidence on the subject you can ask him" (186). It is surprising that Harry did not pick up on the terror Dorian was letting out in his court-like speech. Harry shrugs it off instead. It was strange, because Harry seems to notice everything, and Dorian is rarely as jumpy as he was there. He is usually more personable and casual.

"Between two of the windows stood a large Florentine cabinet... and, having unlocked it, touched some hidden spring. A triangular door passed slowly out. His fingers... closed on something. It was a Chinese box... Inside was a green paste, waxy in luster, the odor curiously heavy and persistent" (187-188).

I am curious as to what this is. The footnote claims it is a poison, and what worried me for a moment was that it would be used on Lord Henry. But Dorian would not kill Lord Henry. Harry's death would ultimately lead to his own death, because Harry and Dorian have become so much the same person. Without one, the other cannot exist, or cannot exist fully as what they were when both were alive. Whatever is in that box is not for Harry, but it is probably going to cause the end of some poor person who may just know too much of Dorian. Possible Campbell? He knows Dorian's biggest secret, and with a temper such as Dorian Gray's, that might just be a reason for someone to die. Although Campbell is a chemist, so he would know what that is, or have a general idea, and would never take it. Dorian seemed a little crazy when he first had the idea to use this strange chemical: "Suddenly he started. His eyes grew strangely bright, and he gnawed nervously at his under-lip... A mad craving came over him. He lit a cigarette, and then threw it away" (187). Obviously something about this has him very excited. He probably thinks it will solve all of his problems, but I am sure it will just cause more.