The Great Gatsby. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Уровень B1

A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the ceiling.

The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous sofa on which two young women were lying. They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering.

The younger of the two was a stranger to me. She was completely motionless, and with her chin raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which could fall. If she saw me she gave no hint of it.

The other girl, Daisy, made an attempt to rise – she leaned slightly forward, then she laughed, and I laughed too and came into the room.

«I’m p-paralyzed with happiness». She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see. That was her manner. She murmured that the surname of the balancing girl was Baker.

Miss Baker barely nodded at me, and then quickly tipped her head back again – the object she was balancing had obviously given her something of a fright.

I looked back at my cousin, who began to ask me questions in her low, thrilling voice. It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down. Her face was sad and lovely, she had bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth, and there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget.

I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way East, and how a dozen people had sent their love through me.

В«Do they miss me?В» she cried ecstatically.

«The whole town is desolate. All the cars have the left rear wheel painted black as a mourning wreath, and there’s a persistent wail all night along the north shore».

«How gorgeous! Let’s go back, Tom. Tomorrow!» Then she suddenly added: «You ought to see the baby».

«I’d like to».

«She’s asleep. She’s three years old. Haven’t you ever seen her?»

В«NeverВ».

«Well, you ought to see her. She’s…»

Tom Buchanan, who had been hovering about the room, stopped and rested his hand on my shoulder.

В«What are you doing, Nick?В»

«I’m a bond man[12 - Специалист по кредитным операциям.]».

В«Who with?В»

I told him.

В«Never heard of themВ», he remarked decisively.

This annoyed me.

«You will[13 - Услышишь.]», I answered shortly.