Великий Гэтсби

           heknew.ThoughIwascurioustoseeher,Ihadnodesiretomeether—butIdid.IwentuptoNewYorkwithTomonthetrainoneafternoon,andwhenwestoppedbytheashheapshejumpedtohisfeetand,takingholdofmyelbow,literallyforcedmefromthecar.

           "We’regettingoff,"heinsisted."Iwantyoutomeetmygirl."

           Ithinkhe’dtankedupagooddealatluncheon,andhisdeterminationtohavemycompanyborderedonviolence.ThesuperciliousassumptionwasthatonSundayafternoonIhadnothingbettertodo.

           Ifollowedhimoveralowwhitewashedrailroadfence,andwewalkedbackahundredyardsalongtheroadunderDoctorEckleburg’spersistentstare.Theonlybuildinginsightwasasmallblockofyellowbricksittingontheedgeofthewasteland,asortofcompactMainStreetministeringtoit,andcontiguoustoabsolutelynothing.Oneofthethreeshopsitcontainedwasforrentandanotherwasanall-nightrestaurant,approachedbyatrailofashes;thethirdwasagarage—Repairs.GeorgeB.Wilson.Carsboughtandsold.—andIfollowedTominside.

           Theinteriorwasunprosperousandbare;theonlycarvisiblewasthedust-coveredwreckofaFordwhichcrouchedinadimcorner.Ithadoccurredtomethatthisshadowofagaragemustbeablind,andthatsumptuousandromanticapartmentswereconcealedoverhead,whentheproprietorhimselfappearedinthedoorofanoffice,wipinghishandsonapieceofwaste.Hewasablond,spiritlessman,anaemic,andfaintlyhandsome.Whenhesawusadampgleamofhopesprangintohislightblueeyes.

           "Hello,Wilson,oldman,"saidTom,slappinghimjoviallyontheshoulder."How’sbusiness?"