The Picture of Dorian Gray August 1889, Stoddart dined with Oscar Wilde, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and T. P. Gill at the Langham Hotel, and commissioned novellas from each writer. Conan Doyle promptly submitted "The Sign of the Four" (1890) to Stoddart, but Wilde was more dilatory; Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel was published in the February 1890 edition of "Lippincott's Monthly Magazine", yet Stoddart did not receive Wilde's manuscript for "The Picture of Dorian Gray" until 7 April 1890, nine months after having commissioned the novel from him. The literary merits of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" impressed Stoddart, but, as an editor,
The Picture of Dorian Gray (opera) and Dorian leaves. The prostitute then tells James that Dorian corrupted her 18 years ago, expressing her belief, common to others, that Dorian sold his soul to the devil for a handsome face. For money, she offers to tell him how to find Dorian. "Scene 5" Several days later, at a hunting party at Lord Geoffrey's estate, Dorian tells Lord Henry of his fear of death. Lord Geoffrey aims at a hare, and Dorian tells him not to shoot. Lord Geoffrey shoots nonetheless, and a terrible human scream is heard. Badly shaken, Dorian thinks it a bad omen. The gamekeeper