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

The notion originated with Daisy’s suggestion that we hire five bathrooms and take cold baths, and then assumed more tangible form as �a place to have a mint julep[88 - mint julep – a drink of whisky mixed with water, sugar, mint and ice].’ Each of us said over and over that it was a �crazy idea’ – we all talked at once to a baffled clerk and thought, or pretended to think, that we were being very funny…

The room was large and stifling, and, though it was already four o’clock, opening the windows admitted only a gust of hot shrubbery from the Park.

�It’s a swell suite,’ whispered Jordan respectfully, and everyone laughed.

�Open another window,’ commanded Daisy, without turning around.

�There aren’t any more.’

�Well, we’d better telephone for an axe – ’

�The thing to do is to forget about the heat,’ said Tom impatiently. �You make it ten times worse by crabbing about it.

He unrolled the bottle of whisky from the towel and put it on the table.

�Why not let her alone, old sport?’ remarked Gatsby. �You’re the one that wanted to come to town.’

There was a moment of silence. The telephone book slipped from its nail and splashed to the floor, whereupon Jordan whispered, ’Excuse me’ – but this time no one laughed.

�I’ll pick it up,’ I offered.

�I’ve got it.’ Gatsby examined the parted string, muttered �Hum!’ in an interested way, and tossed the book on a chair.

�That’s a great expression of yours, isn’t it?’ said Tom sharply.

�What is?’

�All this “old sport” business. Where’d you pick that up?’

�Now see here, Tom,’ said Daisy, turning around from the mirror, �if you’re going to make personal remarks I won’t stay here a minute. Call up and order some ice for the mint julep.’

As Tom took up the receiver the compressed heat exploded into sound and we were listening to the portentous chords of Mendelssohn’s[89 - Mendelssohn – Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), German composer, conductor and pianist of the early Romantic period] Wedding March from the ballroom below.

�Imagine marrying anybody in this heat!’ cried Jordan dismally.

�Still – I was married in the middle of June,’ Daisy remembered, �Louisville in June! Somebody fainted. Who was it fainted, Tom?’

�Biloxi,’ he answered shortly.