Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 3
Hesnatchedthebookfrommeandreplacedithastilyonitsshelf,mutteringthatifonebrickwasremovedthewholelibrarywasliabletocollapse.
"Whobroughtyou?"hedemanded."Ordidyoujustcome?Iwasbrought.Mostpeoplewerebrought."
Jordanlookedathimalertly,cheerfully,withoutanswering.
"IwasbroughtbyawomannamedRoosevelt,"hecontinued."Mrs.ClaudRoosevelt.Doyouknowher?Imethersomewherelastnight.I’vebeendrunkforaboutaweeknow,andIthoughtitmightsobermeuptositinalibrary."
"Hasit?"
"Alittlebit,Ithink.Ican’ttellyet.I’veonlybeenhereanhour.DidItellyouaboutthebooks?They’rereal.They’re——"
"Youtoldus."Weshookhandswithhimgravelyandwentbackoutdoors.
Therewasdancingnowonthecanvasinthegarden;oldmenpushingyounggirlsbackwardineternalgracelesscircles,superiorcouplesholdingeachothertortuously,fashionably,andkeepinginthecorners—andagreatnumberofsinglegirlsdancingindividualisticallyorrelievingtheorchestraforamomentoftheburdenofthebanjoorthetraps.Bymidnightthehilarityhadincreased.AcelebratedtenorhadsunginItalian,andanotoriouscontraltohadsunginjazz,andbetweenthenumberspeopleweredoing"stunts"alloverthegarden,whilehappy,vacuousburstsoflaughterrosetowardthesummersky.Apairofstagetwins,whoturnedouttobethegirlsinyellow,didababyactincostume,andchampagnewasservedinglassesbiggerthanfinger-bowls.
