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

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�But it’s so hot,’ insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, �and everything’s so confused. Let’s all go to town!’

Her voice struggled on through the heat, beating against it, moulding its senselessness into forms.

�I’ve heard of making a garage out of a stable,’ Tom was saying to Gatsby, �but I’m the first man who ever made a stable out of a garage.’

�Who wants to go to town?’ demanded Daisy insistently. Gatsby’s eyes floated toward her. �Ah,’ she cried, �you look so cool.

Their eyes met, and they stared together at each other, alone in space. With an effort she glanced down at the table.

�You always look so cool,’ she repeated.

She had told him that she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he had just recognized her as someone he knew a long time ago.

�You resemble the advertisement of the man,’ she went on innocently. �You know the advertisement of the man —’

�All right,’ broke in Tom quickly, �I’m perfectly willing to go to town.

He got up, his eyes still flashing between Gatsby and his wife. No one moved.

�Come on!’ His temper cracked a little. �What’s the matter, anyhow? If we’re going to town, let’s start.’

His hand, trembling with his effort at self-control, bore to his lips the last of his glass of ale. Daisy’s voice got us to our feet and out on to the blazing gravel drive.

�Are we just going to go?’ she objected. �Like this? Aren’t we going to let anyone smoke a cigarette first?’

�Everybody smoked all through lunch.’

�Oh, let’s have fun,’ she begged him. �It’s too hot to fuss.’

He didn’t answer.

�Have it your own way,’ she said. �Come on, Jordan.’

They went upstairs to get ready while we three men stood there shuffling the hot pebbles with our feet. A silver curve of the moon hovered already in the western sky.

�Have you got your stables here?’ asked Gatsby with an effort.

�About a quarter of a mile down the road.’

�Oh.’

A pause.

�I don’t see the idea of going to town,’ broke out Tom savagely. �Women get these notions in their heads —’

�Shall we take anything to drink?’ called Daisy from an upper window.