hiː ɛksplˈeɪnd ðæt hiː ænd wˈaɪldə bɪkˌeɪm fɹˈɛndli, bˌʌt ðætðə fɹˈɛndʃɪp ɹᵻmˈeɪnd ɐ dˈɪstənt wˈʌn æt bˈɛst, ænd ðˌɐɾɪt ɡɹˈuː mˈoːɹ dˈɪstənt æz wˈaɪldəz ɹˌɛpjuːtˈeɪʃən bɪkˌeɪm kwˈɛstʃənəbəl.
He explained that he and Wilde became friendly, but that the friendship remained a distant one at best, and that it grew more distant as Wilde's reputation became questionable.