Page 32 - The Great Gatsby

22 The Great Gatsby A party at Gatsby's 23

'There's somcthing about a man that'll do a thing like that,' pages and evcrything. I thought they'd have nothing inside, bue
said the other girl. 'He doesn't want any trouble with anybody.' - Here! Let me show you.' He rushed to a shelf and opcned a
'Who docsn't?' I asked. book. 'See!' he cried dclightedl 'lt's a real book! This Gatsby,
y.
'Gatsb y. Somebody told me-' She lowered her voicc. what a library he's got!'
'Somebody told me they thought he killcd a man once.' He put the book back on the shelf. 'l've been drunk for
The three men bent forward and listened eagerly. about a wcek now,' he added, 'and I rhought it might help if I
'I don't think it's so much that,' argued Lucille. 'It's more sat in a I ibrary for a while.'
that he was a Gerrnan spy during the war.' 'Has it helped?'
One of che men agreed. 'I heard that from a man who grew 'I can't tell yet. I've only been here an hour. Did I tell you
up with him in Germany,' he said. about the books? They're real. They're-'
'Oh no,' said the other girl, 'it couldn't be that, because 'You told us.' We shook hands with him politely and went
he was in the American army during che war.' She added back outdoors.
enthusiastically, 'You look at him sometimes when he chinks There was dancing now on the lawn, the orchestra was
nobody's looking at him. I'm sure he's killed a man.' playing jazz, and champagne was being served in glasses bigger
She narrowed her eyes and shivered. Lucille shivered. We all than finger bowls. The 1110011 had risen higher, and floating in
turned and looked for Gatsby, but there was no sign of him. the ocean was a sil ver triangle, trembling a little in the night air.
Supper was now being served, and Jordan invitcd me 1 was still with Jordan Baker, and I was enjoying myself now.
to eat with sorne of her friends at another table. Bue their We were sitting at a table with a man of about my age, and
conversation was police and uninteresting, so shc and I got up during a pause in the music he looked at me and smiled.
and told them we were going in search of our host. 'I've seen you somewhere before,' he said politel y. 'Weren't
Thc bar, where we looked first, was crowded, but Gatsby you in the army during the war?'
was not there. We tried an important-looking door, which 'Why, yes. I was in the First Infantry Division.'
opencd into a beautiful library with a high ceiling. 'So was I, until Junc 1918. l knew l recognized you.'
A fat middle-agcd man was sitting, rather drunk, on che \Ve talked for a moment about some wet, gray little
edge of a great table, staring at che shelves of books ali around villages in France. Then he told me he had just boughc a new
him. His cnormous glasses made him look owl-eyed. As we motorboat and was going to try it out the next morning.
entered, he curned excitedly and spoke to us. 'Want to go with me, old sport?' he asked. 'Jusc off che
'What do you think?' he demanded. beach near here. Any time that suits you bese.'
'About what?' Jordan asked. 'I'd like that,' I replied and added, 'This is an unusual party
He waved his hand toward the books. 'About all these. You for me. I haven't even seen che hose. I live next door, and chis
1 1 needn't bother to find out.1 found out. They're real- they have man Gatsby sent his driver over witb an invitation.'