The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 14

Dorian is awakened by Francis after a peaceful dreamless sleep. After a while he remembers what happened last night, and is disgusted by it, feeling almost the same hatred for Basil as he did the moment that he killed him. He has his breakfast as usual, then asks Francis to take a letter to Alan Campbell. Left alone, he reads a book of poetry written in French, but his mind slowly begins to wander back to Alan. They had been good friends for over a year about five years ago; Alan was a scientist. Suddenly, he started seeing less of him, until people were talking about how any time Dorian entered a room, Alan left. Dorian becomes worried: what if he is out of town? What if he does not come?

Dorian's thoughts are interrupted when Francis comes in and announces Alan Campbell. When they are alone, Dorian explains the situation: there is a dead man upstairs, and he needs Alan to get rid of it, burn it, take away all the evidence. At first he says it was suicide, but then confesses it was murder. Alan refuses to do anything to help Dorian, and says that Dorian is mad to think he would do otherwise. Dorian tries everything to appeal to his pity for him, or to the friendship that they once shared, but Alan will not agree. Finally, Dorian passes Alan a piece of paper on it, and once Alan reads it he becomes very pale. He agrees to do what Dorian asks, and sends Francis to gather the proper equipment from Alan's house. When he returns with a big chest of supplies, they take it up to the schoolroom. Dorian goes in first, and sees that the image of him in the painting now has fresh blood dripping from his hands; he covers it quickly with the curtain (this was the first time he had ever forgotten to do so) and leaves the room at Alan's request. Several hours later, Alan comes down, says it is finished, and leaves. Dorian goes to the room; there is no trace of the body left.