alculated the force of the social vengeance he was unloosing on
himself that he fancied it could be stayed by putting up the editor of
_The Saturday Review_ (as Mr. Harris then was) to declare that he
considered _Dorian Gray_ a highly moral book, which it certainly is.
When Harris foretold him the truth, Wilde denounced him as a
faint-hearted friend who was failing him in his hour of need and left
the room in anger. Harris's idiosyncratic power of pity saved him from
feeling or showing the smallest resentment; and events presently
proved to Wilde how insanely he had been advised in taking the action,
and how accurately Harris had gauged the situation."

CHAPTER XIII

It was weakness in Oscar and not strength that allowed him to be
driven to the conflict by Lord Alfred Douglas; it was his weakness
again which prevented him from abandoning the prosecution, once it was
begun. Such a resolution would have involved a breaking away from his
associates and from his friends; a personal assertion of will of which
he was incapable. Again and again he answered my urging with:

"I can't, Frank, I can't."

When I pointed out to him that the defence was growing bolder--it was
announced one morning in the newspapers that Lord Queensberry, instead
of pleading paternal privilege and minimising his accusation, was
determined to justify the libel and declare that it was true in every
particular--Oscar could only say weakly:

"I can't help it, Frank, I can't do anything; you only distress me by
predicting disaster."

The fibres of resolution, never strong in him, had been destroyed by
years of self-indulgence, while the influence whipping him was
stronger than I guessed. He was hurried like a sheep to the
slaughter.

Although everyone who cared to think knew that Queensberry would win
the case, many persons believed that Oscar would make a brilliant
intellectual fight, and carry off the honours, if not the verdict.

The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court on April 3rd, 1895.
Mr. Justice Collins was the judge and the case was conducted at first
with the outward seemliness and propriety which are so peculiarly
English. An hour before the opening of the case the Court was crowded,
not a seat to be had for love or money: even standing room was at a
premium.

The Counsel were the best at the Bar; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr.
Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys for the prosecution; Mr.
Carson, Q.C., Mr. G.C.