Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 1
OnlyGatsby, themanwhogiveshisnametothisbook, wasexemptfrommyreaction —Gatsby,whorepresentedeverythingforwhichIhaveanunaffectedscorn. Ifpersonalityisanunbrokenseriesofsuccessfulgestures, thentherewassomethinggorgeousabouthim,someheightenedsensitivitytothepromisesoflife, asifhewererelatedtooneofthoseintricatemachines thatregisterearthquakestenthousandmilesaway. Thisresponsivenesshadnothingtodowiththatflabbyimpressionability whichisdignifiedunderthenameofthe"creativetemperament." —itwasanextraordinarygiftforhope, aromanticreadiness suchasIhaveneverfoundinanyotherperson andwhichitisnotlikelyIshalleverfindagain. No—Gatsbyturnedoutallrightattheend; itiswhatpreyedonGatsby,whatfouldustfloatedinthewakeofhisdreams thattemporarilyclosedoutmyinterestintheabortivesorrowsandshort-windedelationsofmen.
Myfamilyhavebeenprominent, well-to-dopeopleinthisMiddleWesterncityforthreegenerations. TheCarrawaysaresomethingofaclan, andwehaveatraditionthatwe’redescendedfromtheDukesofBuccleuch, buttheactualfounderofmylinewasmygrandfather’sbrother, whocamehereinfifty-one,sentasubstitutetotheCivilWar, andstartedthewholesalehardwarebusinessthatmyfathercarriesonto-day.
Ineversawthisgreat-uncle, butI’msupposedtolooklikehim—withspecialreferencetotheratherhard-boiledpainting thathangsinfather’soffice. IgraduatedfromNewHavenin1915, justaquarterofacenturyaftermyfather, andalittlelaterIparticipatedinthatdelayedTeutonicmigrationknownastheGreatWar. Ienjoyedthecounter-raidsothoroughly thatIcamebackrestless. Insteadofbeingthewarmcentreoftheworld, theMiddleWestnowseemedliketheraggededgeoftheuniverse —soIdecidedtogoEastandlearnthebondbusiness. EverybodyIknewwasinthebondbusiness, soIsupposeditcouldsupportonemoresingleman.
