Page 35 - The Great Gatsby

24 The Great Gatsby A party at Gatsby's 25

For a rnornenr he didn't seem to know what I meant. Then showed you tbat he understood you, believed in you, and had
he said suddenly, 'l'm Gatsby.' the best possiblc opinion of you. Suddenly it disappeared- and
'What!' I cried. 'Oh, I'm so sorry!' 1 was looking at a fashionably dressed young man, a year or two
'I thought you knew, old sport. I'm afraid T'rn not a vcry over thirty, who seemed to choose his �ords with great care.
good host.' He smiled understandingly. It was one of those The butler appeared, with che information that Chicago was
smiles that you see only four or five times in your life. lt calling Gatsby on the telephone.
'Excuse me,' he said, standing up. 'I have to go. If you want
nnytbing, just ask for it, old sport.'
When he was gone, I turned to Jordan impatienrly. 'Who is
he?' I demanded. 'Where is he from? And what <loes he do?'
'Now you're just like everyone else!' she replied smiling. 'He
LOld me once he was an Oxford man. But l don't believe ir.'
11
'Why not?'
'I don't know. I just don't think he went there.'
This made me even more curious than before. After a few
minutes I caught sight of him. He bad come out of the house
and was standing there , looking in a pleased way at his guests.
T could see nothing darkly mysterious about him at ali. I
wondered if the fact that he was not drinking made him appear
different from the rest of us. It seemed to me that he grew more
formal as everyone else behaved more wildl y. There was no girl
in his arms, or glass in his hand, or song on bis lips.
'Excuse me, madam.' The but!er was speaking to Jordan.
'Mr Gatsby would like to speak to you alone.'
'With me?' shc said in surprise.
She got up slowly, and followed the but!er toward che bouse.
An hour or so later she had not returned, and I decided to
lcave. As I was waiting for my hat in the hall, the library <loor
opened, and Jordan and Gatsby carne out together.
She came over to me and whispered, 'I've just heard the
'This is an unusual part)' forme. 1 haven't even seen the host,' I said. 111ost surprising thing. Look, please come and see me. I'm