Dorian Gray 9-10

Quote
"You must not ask me that, Basil. I could not possibly let you stand in front of that picture" (Wilde 119)."

Response
Basil could not possibly look at the best of his artwork and see the new marred image staring back at him. Basil would be absolutely crushed to see his work destroyed by the sins of Dorian. Basil would also find out about Dorian's deal with the Devil. Dorian has no friends in this world, nobody who he can fully trust. What good is beauty if there is nobody to share it with. Dorian cannot let anybody into his life because they might find out his deepest secrets. Dorian's life is now filled with outer beauty and inner torment.

Quote
"He recalled the stainless purity of his boyish life, and it seemed horrible to him that it was here the fatal portrait was to be hidden away" (125).

Response
Dorian can no longer bear to look at the picture. His quest for eternal youth will never end. Dorian's quest began with his natural beauty, followed by the Devil's bargain in order to keep himself young, and now he can no longer look at his marred image so he decides to hide it forever. Dorian's quest has taken him so far as to hide a picture where he looks old. Dorian can hide the picture but he can never destroy it, the picture owns Dorian's soul and will never sell it back to him.