The Great Gatsby / Великий Гэтсби. Книга для чтения на английском языке

The groups change more quickly, grow with new arrivals, disappear and form in the same breath; already there are wanderers, confident girls who turn up here and there among the more solid ladies, become the center of a group for a moment, and then, excited with triumph, walk on through the sea of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.

Suddenly one of these girls takes a cocktail out of the air, drinks it for courage and dances out alone on the canvas platform. A momentary silence; the orchestra leader changes his rhythm specially for her.

The party has begun.

I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby’s house I was one of the few guests whom he had actually invited. People were not invited – they went there. They got into automobiles which brought them to Gatsby’s door. Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission[60 - with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission – с простодушной непосредственностью, которая сама по себе служила входным билетом].

Gatsby had actually invited me by a surprisingly formal note. It said it would be the honor, if I attended his “little party” that night. He had seen me several times, and had intended to visit me long before, but circumstances had prevented it – signed Jay Gatsby.

Dressed up in white flannels I went over to his lawn a little after seven, and wandered around feeling uncomfortable among the people I didn’t know – though here and there was a face I had noticed on the train.

As soon as I arrived I made a try to find my host, but the two or three people of whom I asked about him stared at me in such a surprise, that I slunk off in the direction of the cocktail table – the only place in the garden where a single man could stand without looking alone.

I was on my way to get drunk from simple embarrassment when Jordan Baker came out of the house and stood at the head of the marble steps, looking with contemptuous interest down into the garden.

Welcome or not, I found it necessary to attach myself to someone before I should begin to address cordial remarks to the passers-by.[61 - Welcome or not, I found it necessary to attach myself to someone before I should begin to address cordial remarks to the passers-by.