Text A Gatsbys Party Excerpt（第2页）

[27]“Iheardthatfromamanwhoknewallabouthim，grewupwithhiminGermany，”heassureduspositively。

[28]“Oh，no，”saidthefirstgirl，“it’tbethat，becausehewasintheAmeriarmyduringthewar。”Asourcredulityswitchedbacktohersheleanedforwardwithenthusiasm。“Youlookathimsometimeswhehinksnobody’slookingathim。I’llbethekilledaman。”

[29]Shenarrowedhereyesandshivered。Lucilleshivered。Weallturnedandlookedaratsby。Itwastestimoicspeheiherewerewhispersabouthimfromthosewhofouwasowhisperaboutinthisworld。

[30]Thefirstsupper—therewouldbeaermidnight—wasnowbeingserved，andJordaojoinherownparty，whowerespreadarouheothersideofthegardehreemarrieddJorda，apersisteegiveinnuendo，andobviouslyuheimpressionthatsooerJoingtoyieldhimupherpersoerree。Instead，thispartyhadpreservedadignifiedhomogey，aselfthefunthestaidnobilityofthetry-side—EastEggdiEgg，andcarefullyainstitsspectroscopicgayety。

[31]“Let’sgetout，”whisperedJordan，afterasomehowropriatehalf-hour。“Thisismuchtoopoliteforme。”

[32]Wegotup，andsheexplaiweweregoingtofi:Ihadhim，shesaid，anditwasmakiheuenoddedinaicholy>

[33]Thebar，wherewegla，wascrowded，butGatsbywasnotthere。She’tfindhimfromthetopofthesteps，aontheveranda。

。。。

[34]Therewasdanowonthethegarden;oldmenpushingyounggirlsbaeternalgracelesscircles，superiorcouplesholdihertortuously，fashionably，aheers—anumberofsinglegirlsdandividualisticallytheorentoftheburdenofthebaraps。Bymidyhadincreased。AcelebratedteninItalian，andanotorioustraltohadsunginjazz，ahenumberspe“stunts”allarden，y，vacuousburstsoflaughterrosetowardthesummersky。Apairofstagetwins，whoturobethegirlsinyellow，didababyae，andewasservedinglassesbiggerthanfinger-bowls。Themher，andfloatingintheSoundwasatriangleofsilverscales，tremblingalittletothestiff，tinnydripofthebahelawn。

[35]IwasstillwithJordanBaker。Weweresittingatatablewithamanofaboutmyageandarowdylittlegirl，oestprovotountrollablelaughter。Iwasenjoyingmyselfnow。Ihadtakentwofinger-boaghesehadgedbeforemyeyesihingsignifit，elemental，andprofound。

[36]Atalullithemameandsmiled。

[37]“Yourfaceisfamiliar，”hesaid，politely。“Weren’tyouihirdDivisithe>

[38]“Why，yes。IwasihMaBattalion。”

[39]“IwasihInfantryueeeen。IknewI’dseenyousomewherebefore。”

[40]Wetalkedforamomentaboutsomewet，graylittlevillagesilyhelivedinthisviity，forhetoldmethathehadjustboughtahydroplane，andwasgoingtotryitoutinthem。

[41]“Wanttogowithme，oldsport?JustheshtheSound。”

[42]“Whattime?”

[43]“Asuitsyoubest。”

[44]ItwasoipofmytooaskhisnamewhenJordanlookedaroundandsmiled。

[45]“Havingagaytimenow?”sheinquired。

[46]“Muchbetter。”Ituromynewace。“Thisisanunusualpartyforme。Ihavehehost。Iliveoverthere—”IwavedmyhandattheinvisiblehedgeiahismanGatsbysentoverhischauffeurwithaninvitation。”Foramomenthelookedatmeasifhefailedtouand。

[47]“I’mGatsby，”hesaidsuddenly。

[48]“What!”Iexclaimed。“Oh，Ibegyourpardon。”

[49]“Ithoughtyouknew，oldsport。I’mafraidI’mnoodhost。”

[50]Hesmileduandingly—muchmorethaandingly。Itwasohoseraresmileswithaqualityofeternalreassurahatyoumayeacrossfourorfivetimesifaedtoface—thewholeexternalworldforaninstant，aratedonyouwithaibleprejudiyourfavor。Ituoodyoujustsofarasyouwaood，believedinyouasyouwouldliketobelieveinyourself，ahatithadpreciselytheimpressionofyouthat，atyourbest，youhopedtovey。Preciselyatthatpointitvanished—andIwaslookiyh-wooverthirty，whoseelaborateformalityofspeechjustmissedbeingabsurd。SometimebeforeheintroducedhimselfI’dgimpressionthatheighiswords>

[51]Almostatthemomesbyidentifiedhimself，abutlerhurriedtowardhimwiththeinformationthatChicagowasghimonthewire。Heexcusedhimselfwithasmallbowthatincludedeachofusinturn。

[52]“Ifyouwantanythingjustaskforit，oldsport，”heurgedme。“Excuseme。Iwillrejoinyoulater。”

。。。

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