Великий Гэтсби

           WhenhewasgoneIturnedimmediatelytoJordan—constrainedtoassureherofmysurprise.IhadexpectedthatMr.Gatsbywouldbeafloridandcorpulentpersoninhismiddleyears.

           "Whoishe?"Idemanded.

           "Doyouknow?"

           "He’sjustamannamedGatsby."

           "Whereishefrom,Imean?Andwhatdoeshedo?"

           "Nowyou’restartedonthesubject,"sheansweredwithawansmile."Well,hetoldmeoncehewasanOxfordman."Adimbackgroundstartedtotakeshapebehindhim,butathernextremarkitfadedaway.

           "However,Idon’tbelieveit."

           "Whynot?""Idon’tknow,"sheinsisted,"Ijustdon’tthinkhewentthere."

           Somethinginhertoneremindedmeoftheothergirl’s"Ithinkhekilledaman,"andhadtheeffectofstimulatingmycuriosity.IwouldhaveacceptedwithoutquestiontheinformationthatGatsbysprangfromtheswampsofLouisianaorfromthelowerEastSideofNewYork.Thatwascomprehensible.Butyoungmendidn’t—atleastinmyprovincialinexperienceIbelievedtheydidn’t—driftcoollyoutofnowhereandbuyapalaceonLongIslandSound.

           "Anyhow,hegiveslargeparties,"saidJordan,changingthesubjectwithanurbanedistastefortheconcrete."AndIlikelargeparties.They’resointimate.Atsmallpartiesthereisn’tanyprivacy."