The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 13-15
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Summary
They go upstairs and Dorian shows Basil the picture. Basil is horrified. He wonders who has made the hideous changes. Why has the painting altered? Dorian explains what has happened, and Basil, shocked, says that Dorian must be even worse than his enemies say he is. He is deeply upset and urges Dorian to pray. Dorian says it is too late. Feeling a sudden rush of hatred for the painter, he picks up a knife and stabs him to death. He hides Basil's coat and bag. He thinks no one will discover the crime, since everyone will believe that Basil is in Paris. At two o'clock in the morning, he goes outside the house, then rings the bell. His valet opens the door, and Dorian tells him he forgot his latch-key (thus giving himself an alibi, should he need it). He then goes to the library and looks up the address of a man he needs to contact.
He writes a letter to Alan Campbell and gets his valet to deliver it. The two men had been great friends five years ago, but the friendship had come to a sudden end. Campbell is an expert in chemistry, and when he arrives, Dorian asks him to destroy Basil's corpse so that no trace of it remains. He says it was a case of suicide. At first, Campbell refuses. Then Dorian confesses that he murdered the man. Campbell says he will not inform on Dorian, but he will do nothing to help him. Dorian begs him to do it, reminding Campbell that they were friends once. Dorian then blackmails him. He writes a letter to someone and shows it to Campbell, saying that if Campbell does not agree to do what Dorian asks, he will send the letter. Campbell feels he now has no choice, so he reluctantly agrees. Dorian sends his servant to collect some chemicals from Campbell's laboratory, and when he returns, Campbell begins his work, which takes him five hours. After he leaves, there is a smell of nitric acid in the room where the corpse lay, but no trace of the body.
inShare
Summary
They go upstairs and Dorian shows Basil the picture. Basil is horrified. He wonders who has made the hideous changes. Why has the painting altered? Dorian explains what has happened, and Basil, shocked, says that Dorian must be even worse than his enemies say he is. He is deeply upset and urges Dorian to pray. Dorian says it is too late. Feeling a sudden rush of hatred for the painter, he picks up a knife and stabs him to death. He hides Basil's coat and bag. He thinks no one will discover the crime, since everyone will believe that Basil is in Paris. At two o'clock in the morning, he goes outside the house, then rings the bell. His valet opens the door, and Dorian tells him he forgot his latch-key (thus giving himself an alibi, should he need it). He then goes to the library and looks up the address of a man he needs to contact.
He writes a letter to Alan Campbell and gets his valet to deliver it. The two men had been great friends five years ago, but the friendship had come to a sudden end. Campbell is an expert in chemistry, and when he arrives, Dorian asks him to destroy Basil's corpse so that no trace of it remains. He says it was a case of suicide. At first, Campbell refuses. Then Dorian confesses that he murdered the man. Campbell says he will not inform on Dorian, but he will do nothing to help him. Dorian begs him to do it, reminding Campbell that they were friends once. Dorian then blackmails him. He writes a letter to someone and shows it to Campbell, saying that if Campbell does not agree to do what Dorian asks, he will send the letter. Campbell feels he now has no choice, so he reluctantly agrees. Dorian sends his servant to collect some chemicals from Campbell's laboratory, and when he returns, Campbell begins his work, which takes him five hours. After he leaves, there is a smell of nitric acid in the room where the corpse lay, but no trace of the body.