Page 84 - The Great Gatsby

The Creat Gatsby Wilson's revenge 75
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to feel bis presence beside her, and ro be rold she was doing '1'11 lec thc water out of the pool today, Mr Gatsb y. Leaves
the right ching. She was young, and her litcle world was ful] of will start falling s0011 - then therc'II be rrouble with rhe pipes.'
flowers, dresses, dances, and good-looking men. Shc wanted 'Don't do it today,' Gatsby replied. He curned to me. 'You
her ]ife shapcd now, immediately; she couldn'c wait. She know, old sport, I've never used chac pool ali summer?'
wanted the decision to be made by some force - of !ove, of l didn't wanc to go to the city. I knew I wouldn't be able to
money, of unquestionable reality - chat was close to her. do any work, but it was more than that -1 didn'c want to leave
That force took shape with the arrival of Tom Buchanan. hirn. But final!y I stood up. 'I have to go,' I said. '1'11 call you.'
His person and his position were healthily large and solid, and He looked ac me anxiously. 'I supposc Daisy'll call too.'
Daisy liked this. Doubtless there was a certain hcsitacion, but 'I suppose so,' I said.
also a ccrtain thankfulness that the future had been decided. We shook hands and I starced to walk away. A littlc way
The letter reached Gatsby while he was still ac Oxford. down the pach, I remembered something and turned around.
•--· 'They're a rottcn crowd,' I shouted across che lawn. 'You're
The sun had risen now on Long Islancl, and we wenc round the worth che whole damned loe of them.'
house, opening che rest of che downstairs windows. Ghostly I've always been glad I said that. It was che only nicc thing I
birds began to sing among the blue leavcs. Therc was a slow, ever said to him. Suddenly his facc broke inco chat wonderful,
pleasant movement in che air, promising a cool, lovely day. understanding smile. His pink suit stood Ollt against thc white
'l don't think shc ever loved him,' said Gatsby, looking at steps, and I thought of the night when I first came to his
me challengingly. 'Of course, it's possible that she lovecl him mansion, tluee months beforc. The lawn had been crowded
for just a minute, when they were first married - and loved me with peoplc who guessed ac bis crimes -and he had stood on
more cven then, do you see?' thosc steps, hiding his unchanging dream as he waved thcm
He carne back from France whcn Torn and Daisy were goodbye.
still on their wedding trip, and made a miserable journcy to 'Goodbye,' I called. 'I enjoyed brcakfasc, Gatsb y. '
Louisvillc on the last of his anny pay. He stayed therc a week,
revisicing che places wbere he and Daisy bad becn togethcr. He Up in che city, I tricd to work, but soon fell asleep at my
left the town fecling that if he had searched hardcr, he could desk. Just before midday the phone woke me, and I jumpcd
have found her. On the train out of town he stretched his arms nervously out of my chair. It was Jordan Baker. Usually her
out of che window, trying to catch a handful of thc air that she voice sounded fresh and cool, bue today it was hard and clry.
had breathed. But it was ali going by too fast, and he knew he 'I've left Daisy's house,' she said. 'I'm going to see some
had lose that part of his life, che freshest and che best, forever. friends in che country chis afternoon.'
It was nine o'clock when we finished breakfast and went out For some reason it annoyed me that she had left Daisy's.
011 che porch. The gardener carne to the foot of the steps. 'You weren't so nice to me last night,' she wenc on.