In regards to The Portrait of Dorian Gray, does anyone else think that Dorian didn't sell his soul?

Public post in the reader discussion for The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In regards to The Portrait of Dorian Gray, does anyone else think that Dorian didn't sell his soul?

By ShorePrologue631

I mean, I can see how you could argue the Devil (or at least someone acting like the devil’s advocate) ended up taking his soul… but part of me wonders if anyone else doesn’t buy that. And does anyone actually suspect Basil Hallward? This might sound off the wall, but I kind of think Basil hid his soul in that portrait to keep Dorian safe, like he was trying to protect him. What do you all think?