The portrait of Dorian Gray - - Chapter 3 : Sybil cannot act

Dorian Gray asked Sybil Vane to marry him before Basil
and Lord Henry had seen her. Dorian had only known her
for three weeks, but he was sure that he loved her. He took
Basil and Lord Henry with him to see her play the part of
J uliet in "Romeo and Juliet."
"When you see her act, you will forget that you are in
London. People in this theatre know nothing about acting,
but even they change when she comes on stage."
The theatre was especially crowded and hot that night.
Basil, Lord Henry and Dorian sat in the balcony while
rough-looking young men and women who laughed too
loudly sat near the front of the stage below them. There was
a bar at the back of the theatre, and they could hear bottles
opening and glasses clinking.
The lights went down and the curtain rose. Sybil Vane
walked out on stage and Lord Henry watched her closely.
"She is beautiful."
But something was wrong when she spoke, there was no
emotion in her voice. She did not act like she had on other
nights, and Dorian felt ill. His friends said nothing, but there
was loud talking in the audience, and men began to whistle.
When the curtain fell for intermission, Lord Henry stood up
and put on his coat.
"She's very beautiful, Dorian, but she cannot act. Let's
go."
Tm sorry, Harry. I don't know what's wrong."
"Perhaps she's ill, Dorian. We'll come back another time."
"Besides, who cares if your wife can't act. She's beautiful.
That's enough."
"Go away, I want to be alone. Can't you see my heart is
breaking."
Dorian hid his face in his hands. His friends left quietly.
After the play, Dorian walked quickly back behind the stage
to the dressing room. There he found Sybil. Her eyes were
shining, and her face was filled with joy.
"Oh, Dorian, wasn't I horrible ?"
"Yes, you were. Were you ill? You made me look like a
fool in front of my friends."
"Oh, Dorian, you don't understand. I cannot act anymore
because I have found true love. How can I act like Juliet
when I do not feel her love? I only feel my love for you,
Dorian."
Dorian turned away from her.
"You have killed my love for you. I loved you because I
thought you were a great actress. I thought you would be
famous and have my name. Now I see that you are nothing
but a pretty face."
Sybil's face turned white. She walked up to Dorian and
tried to touch his arm.
"Dorian, you can't be serious."
"Don't touch me. You are not who I thought you were.
I'm leaving."
Sybil fell to the floor as if she had been hit. A painful cry
escaped from her lips. She held her hands out towards the
dressing room door, but it was too late. Dorian had gone.