Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 3
"ButIwasn’teventrying,"heexplainedindignantly,"Iwasn’teventrying."
Anawedhushfelluponthebystanders.
"Doyouwanttocommitsuicide?"
"You’reluckyitwasjustawheel!Abaddriverandnoteventrying!"
"Youdon’tunderstand,"explainedthecriminal."Iwasn’tdriving.There’sanothermaninthecar."
Theshockthatfollowedthisdeclarationfoundvoiceinasustained"Ah-h-h!"asthedoorofthecoupeswungslowlyopen.Thecrowd—itwasnowacrowd—steppedbackinvoluntarily,andwhenthedoorhadopenedwidetherewasaghostlypause.Then,verygradually,partbypart,apale,danglingindividualsteppedoutofthewreck,pawingtentativelyatthegroundwithalargeuncertaindancingshoe.
Blindedbytheglareoftheheadlightsandconfusedbytheincessantgroaningofthehorns,theapparitionstoodswayingforamomentbeforeheperceivedthemanintheduster.
"Wha’smatter?"heinquiredcalmly."Didwerunoutagas?"
"Look!"
Halfadozenfingerspointedattheamputatedwheel—hestaredatitforamoment,andthenlookedupwardasthoughhesuspectedthatithaddroppedfromthesky.
"Itcameoff,"someoneexplained.
Henodded.
