«Великий Гэтсби» и другие лучшие произведения Ф.С. Фицджеральда

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So the whole caravansary had fallen in like a card house at the disapproval in her eyes.

�They’re some people Wolfshiem wanted to do something for. They’re all brothers and sisters. They used to run a small hotel.’

�I see.’

He was calling up at Daisy’s request – would I come to lunch at her house tomorrow? Miss Baker would be there. Half an hour later Daisy herself telephoned and seemed relieved to find that I was coming. Something was up. And yet I couldn’t believe that they would choose this occasion, for a scene – especially for the rather harrowing scene that Gatsby had outlined in the garden.

The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer. As my train emerged from the tunnel into sunlight, only the hot whistles of the National Biscuit Company broke the simmering hush at noon. The straw seats of the car hovered on the edge of combustion; the woman next to me perspired delicately for a while into her white shirtwaist, and then, as her newspaper dampened under her fingers, lapsed despairingly into deep heat with a desolate cry.

�Oh, my!’ she gasped.

I picked it up with a weary bend and handed it back to her, holding it at arm’s length and by the extreme tip of the corners to indicate that I had no designs upon it – but everyone nearby, including the woman, suspected me just the same.

�Hot!’ said the conductor to familiar faces. �Some weather!… Hot!… Hot!… Hot!… Is it hot enough for you? Is it hot? Is it…?’

My commutation ticket came back to me with a dark stain from his hand.

…Through the hall of the Buchanans’ house blew a faint wind, carrying the sound of the telephone bell out to Gatsby and me as we waited at the door.

�The master’s body!’ roared the butler into the mouthpiece. �I’m sorry, Madame, but we can’t furnish it – it’s far too hot to touch this noon!’

What he really said was: �Yes… Yes… I’ll see.

He set down the receiver and came toward us, glistening slightly, to take our stiff straw hats.

�Madame expects you in the salon!’ he cried, needlessly indicating the direction. In this heat every extra gesture was an affront to the common store of life.

The room, shadowed well with awnings, was dark and cool.