Великий Гэтсби

           Againateighto’clock,whenthedarklanesoftheFortieswerefivedeepwiththrobbingtaxi-cabs,boundforthetheatredistrict,Ifeltasinkinginmyheart.Formsleanedtogetherinthetaxisastheywaited,andvoicessang,andtherewaslaughterfromunheardjokes,andlightedcigarettesoutlinedunintelligible70gesturesinside.ImaginingthatI,too,washurryingtowardgayetyandsharingtheirintimateexcitement,Iwishedthemwell.

           ForawhileIlostsightofJordanBaker,andtheninmidsummerIfoundheragain.AtfirstIwasflatteredtogoplaceswithher,becauseshewasagolfchampion,andeveryoneknewhername.Thenitwassomethingmore.Iwasn’tactuallyinlove,butIfeltasortoftendercuriosity.Theboredhaughtyfacethatsheturnedtotheworldconcealedsomething—mostaffectationsconcealsomethingeventually,eventhoughtheydon’tinthebeginning—andonedayIfoundwhatitwas.Whenwewereonahouse-partytogetherupinWarwick,sheleftaborrowedcaroutintherainwiththetopdown,andthenliedaboutit—andsuddenlyIrememberedthestoryaboutherthathadeludedmethatnightatDaisy’s.Atherfirstbiggolftournamenttherewasarowthatnearlyreachedthenewspapers—asuggestionthatshehadmovedherballfromabadlieinthesemi-finalround.Thethingapproachedtheproportionsofascandal—thendiedaway.Acaddyretractedhisstatement,andtheonlyotherwitnessadmittedthathemighthavebeenmistaken.Theincidentandthenamehadremainedtogetherinmymind.

           JordanBakerinstinctivelyavoidedclever,shrewdmen,andnowIsawthatthiswasbecauseshefeltsaferonaplanewhereanydivergencefromacodewouldbethoughtimpossible.Shewasincurablydishonest.Shewasn’tabletoendurebeingatadisadvantageand,giventhisunwillingness,Isupposeshehadbegundealinginsubterfugeswhenshewasveryyounginordertokeepthatcool,insolentsmileturnedtotheworldandyetsatisfythedemandsofherhard,jauntybody.