Великий Гэтсби

           "Thedance?"Hedismissedallthedanceshehadgivenwithasnapofhisfingers."Oldsport,thedanceisunimportant."

           HewantednothinglessofDaisythanthatsheshouldgotoTomandsay:"Ineverlovedyou."Aftershehadobliteratedfouryearswiththatsentencetheycoulddecideuponthemorepracticalmeasurestobetaken.Oneofthemwasthat,aftershewasfree,theyweretogobacktoLouisvilleandbemarriedfromherhouse—justasifitwerefiveyearsago.

           "Andshedoesn’tunderstand,"hesaid."Sheusedtobeabletounderstand.We’dsitforhours——"

           Hebrokeoffandbegantowalkupanddownadesolatepathoffruitrindsanddiscardedfavorsandcrushedflowers.

           "Iwouldn’tasktoomuchofher,"Iventured."Youcan’trepeatthepast."

           "Can’trepeatthepast?"hecriedincredulously."Whyofcourseyoucan!"

           Helookedaroundhimwildly,asifthepastwerelurkinghereintheshadowofhishouse,justoutofreachofhishand.

           "I’mgoingtofixeverythingjustthewayitwasbefore,"hesaid,noddingdeterminedly."She’llsee."

           Hetalkedalotaboutthepast,andIgatheredthathewantedtorecoversomething,someideaofhimselfperhaps,thathadgoneintolovingDaisy.Hislifehadbeenconfusedanddisorderedsincethen,butifhecouldoncereturntoacertainstartingplaceandgooveritallslowly,hecouldfindoutwhatthatthingwas....