Великий Гэтсби

           Eachnightheaddedtothepatternofhisfanciesuntildrowsinesscloseddownuponsomevividscenewithanobliviousembrace.Forawhilethesereveriesprovidedanoutletforhisimagination;theywereasatisfactoryhintoftheunrealityofreality,apromisethattherockoftheworldwasfoundedsecurelyonafairy’swing.

           Aninstincttowardhisfuturegloryhadledhim,somemonthsbefore,tothesmallLutherancollegeofSt.OlafinsouthernMinnesota.Hestayedtheretwoweeks,dismayedatitsferociousindifferencetothedrumsofhisdestiny,todestinyitself,anddespisingthejanitor’sworkwithwhichhewastopayhiswaythrough.ThenhedriftedbacktoLakeSuperior,andhewasstillsearchingforsomethingtodoonthedaythatDanCody’syachtdroppedanchorintheshallowsalongshore.

           Codywasfiftyyearsoldthen,aproductoftheNevadasilverfields,oftheYukon,ofeveryrushformetalsinceseventy-five.ThetransactionsinMontanacopperthatmadehimmanytimesamillionairefoundhimphysicallyrobustbutonthevergeofsoft-mindedness,and,suspectingthis,aninfinitenumberofwomentriedtoseparatehimfromhismoney.ThenonetoosavoryramificationsbywhichEllaKaye,thenewspaperwoman,playedMadamedeMaintenontohisweaknessandsenthimtoseainayacht,werecommonknowledgetotheturgidsub-journalismof1902.HehadbeencoastingalongalltoohospitableshoresforfiveyearswhenheturnedupasJamesGatz’sdestinyatLittleGirlsPoint.

           TotheyoungGatz,restingonhisoarsandlookingupattheraileddeck,theyachtrepresentedallthebeautyandglamourintheworld.IsupposehesmiledatCody—hehadprobablydiscoveredthatpeoplelikedhimwhenhesmiled.