Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 1
afteramomentIreturnedratherfeeblytothesubjectofherdaughter.
"Isupposeshetalks,and—eats,andeverything."
"Oh,yes."Shelookedatmeabsently."Listen,Nick;letmetellyouwhatIsaidwhenshewasborn.Wouldyouliketohear?"
"Verymuch."
"It’llshowyouhowI’vegottentofeelabout—things.Well,shewaslessthananhouroldandTomwasGodknowswhere.Iwokeupoutoftheetherwithanutterlyabandonedfeeling,andaskedthenurserightawayifitwasaboyoragirl.Shetoldmeitwasagirl,andsoIturnedmyheadawayandwept.‘allright,’Isaid,‘I’mgladit’sagirl.AndIhopeshe’llbeafool—that’sthebestthingagirlcanbeinthisworld,abeautifullittlefool."
"YouseeIthinkeverything’sterribleanyhow,"shewentoninaconvincedway."Everybodythinksso—themostadvancedpeople.AndIknow.I’vebeeneverywhereandseeneverythinganddoneeverything."Hereyesflashedaroundherinadefiantway,ratherlikeTom’s,andshelaughedwiththrillingscorn."Sophisticated—God,I’msophisticated!"
Theinstanthervoicebrokeoff,ceasingtocompelmyattention,mybelief,Ifeltthebasicinsincerityofwhatshehadsaid.Itmademeuneasy,asthoughthewholeeveninghadbeenatrickofsomesorttoexactacontributoryemotionfromme.Iwaited,andsureenough,inamomentshelookedatmewithanabsolutesmirkonherlovelyface,asifshehadassertedhermembershipinaratherdistinguishedsecretsocietytowhichsheandTombelonged.
Inside,thecrimsonroombloomedwithlight.
