Великий Гэтсби

           "You’reverypolite,butIbelongtoanothergeneration,"heannouncedsolemnly."Yousithereanddiscussyoursportsandyouryoungladiesandyour——"Hesuppliedanimaginarynounwithanotherwaveofhishand."Asforme,Iamfiftyyearsold,andIwon’timposemyselfonyouanylonger."

           Asheshookhandsandturnedawayhistragicnosewastrembling.IwonderedifIhadsaidanythingtooffendhim.

           "Hebecomesverysentimentalsometimes,"explainedGatsby."Thisisoneofhissentimentaldays.He’squiteacharacteraroundNewYork—adenizenofBroadway."

           "Whoishe,anyhow,anactor?"

           "No."

           "Adentist?"

           "MeyerWolfsheim?No,he’sagambler."Gatsbyhesitated,thenaddedcoolly:"He’sthemanwhofixedtheWorld’sSeriesbackin1919."

           "FixedtheWorld’sSeries?"Irepeated.

           Theideastaggeredme.Iremembered,ofcourse,thattheWorld’sSerieshadbeenfixedin1919,butifIhadthoughtofitatallIwouldhavethoughtofitasathingthatmerelyhappened,theendofsomeinevitablechain.Itneveroccurredtomethatonemancouldstarttoplaywiththefaithoffiftymillionpeople—withthesingle-mindednessofaburglarblowingasafe.

           "Howdidhehappentodothat?"Iaskedafteraminute.