Великий Гэтсби
Chapter 5
Apause;itenduredhorribly.Ihadnothingtodointhehall,soIwentintotheroom.
Gatsby,hishandsstillinhispockets,wasrecliningagainstthemantelpieceinastrainedcounterfeitofperfectease,evenofboredom.Hisheadleanedbacksofarthatitrestedagainstthefaceofadefunctmantelpiececlock,andfromthispositionhisdistraughteyesstareddownatDaisy,whowassitting,frightenedbutgraceful,ontheedgeofastiffchair.
"We’vemetbefore,"mutteredGatsby.Hiseyesglancedmomentarilyatme,andhislipspartedwithanabortiveattemptatalaugh.Luckilytheclocktookthismomenttotiltdangerouslyatthepressureofhishead,whereuponheturnedandcaughtitwithtremblingfingers,andsetitbackinplace.Thenhesatdown,rigidly,hiselbowonthearmofthesofaandhischininhishand.
"I’msorryabouttheclock,"hesaid.
Myownfacehadnowassumedadeeptropicalburn.Icouldn’tmusterupasinglecommonplaceoutofthethousandinmyhead.
"It’sanoldclock,"Itoldthemidiotically.
Ithinkweallbelievedforamomentthatithadsmashedinpiecesonthefloor.
"Wehaven’tmetformanyyears,"saidDaisy,hervoiceasmatter-of-factasitcouldeverbe.
"FiveyearsnextNovember."
