Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 1
Allmyauntsandunclestalkeditoverasiftheywerechoosingaprepschoolforme,andfinallysaid,"Why—ye—es,"withverygrave,hesitantfaces. Fatheragreedtofinancemeforayear, andaftervariousdelaysIcameEast,permanently,Ithought,inthespringoftwenty-two.
Thepracticalthingwastofindroomsinthecity, butitwasawarmseason,andIhadjustleftacountryofwidelawnsandfriendlytrees, sowhenayoungmanattheofficesuggestedthatwetakeahousetogetherinacommutingtown, itsoundedlikeagreatidea. Hefoundthehouse,aweather-beatencardboardbungalowateightyamonth, butatthelastminutethefirmorderedhimtoWashington, andIwentouttothecountryalone. Ihadadog—atleastIhadhimforafewdaysuntilheranaway —andanoldDodgeandaFinnishwoman, whomademybed andcookedbreakfastandmutteredFinnishwisdomtoherselfovertheelectricstove.
Itwaslonelyforadayorso untilonemorningsomeman,morerecentlyarrivedthanI,stoppedmeontheroad.
"HowdoyougettoWestEggvillage?"heaskedhelplessly.
Itoldhim. AndasIwalkedonIwaslonelynolonger. Iwasaguide,apathfinder,anoriginalsettler. Hehadcasuallyconferredonmethefreedomoftheneighborhood.
Andsowiththesunshineandthegreatburstsofleavesgrowingonthetrees, justasthingsgrowinfastmovies,Ihadthatfamiliarconviction thatlifewasbeginningoveragainwiththesummer.
Therewassomuchtoread, foronething,andsomuchfinehealthtobepulleddownoutoftheyoungbreath-givingair. Iboughtadozenvolumesonbankingandcreditandinvestmentsecurities, andtheystoodonmyshelfinredandgoldlikenewmoneyfromthemint, promisingtounfoldtheshiningsecretsthatonlyMidasandMorganandMaecenasknew.
