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

In the ditch beside the road there was a new coupe[78 - coupe – двухдверный автомобиль с двумя сиденьями и зафиксированной крышей; название образовано от французского слова coupé – урезанный] without one wheel. The sharp jut of a wall was to blame for the separation of the wheel, which was now getting attention from half a dozen curious chauffeurs. However, as they had left their cars blocking the road, the beeps of other cars added to the confusion of the scene.

A man stood in the middle of the road, looking from the car to the tire and from the tire to the observers in a pleasant, puzzled way.

“See!” he explained. “It went in the ditch.”

He was so surprised, that I recognized the man – it was the late customer of Gatsby’s library.

“How did it happen?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“I know nothing whatever about mechanics,” he said decisively.

“But how did it happen? Did you run into the wall?” “Don’t ask me,” said Owl Eyes. “I know very little about driving – next to nothing. It happened, and that’s all I know. I wasn’t driving. There’s another man in the car.”

The door of the coupe opened slowly. The crowd – it was now a crowd – stepped back involuntarily, and when the door had opened wide there was a ghostly pause.

“Wha’s matter?” he inquired calmly. “Did we run out of gas?[79 - Did we run out of gas? – Бензин закончился?]”

“Look!”

Half a dozen fingers pointed at the amputated wheel – he stared at it for a moment. A pause. Then he remarked in a determined voice:

“Wonder’ff tell me where there’s a gas’line station?[80 - Wonder’ff tell me where there’s a gas’line station? – Кто-нибудь знает, где тут м-можно за-заправиться? (запинающаяся речь нетрезвого человека)]” At least a dozen men explained to him that wheel and car were no longer joined.

The beeping had reached its culmination and I turned away toward home. I glanced back once.