I
Inmyyounger
und
andmorevulnerableyearsmyvater
fathergavemesomeadvicethatI’vebeenturningoverinmykopf
mindeversince.“Wheneveryoufeellikecriticizinganyone,”he
sagte
toldme,“justrememberthatalle
allthepeopleinthiswelt
worldhaven’thadtheadvantagesdass
thatyou’vehad.”Hedidn’tsayany
mehr
more,butwe’vealwaysbeenunusuallycommunicativeinareservedway,und
andIunderstoodthathemeinte
meantagreatdealmoreals
thanthat.Inconsequence,I’minclinedtoreserve
alle
alljudgements,ahabitthathasopenedupviele
manycuriousnaturestomeund
andalsomademethevictimofnoteine
afewveteranbores.Theabnormal
verstand
mindisquicktodetectund
andattachitselftothisqualitywenn
whenitappearsinanormalperson,und
andsoitcameaboutso
thatincollegeIwasunjustlyaccusedofbeingein
apolitician,becauseIwasprivytothesecretgriefsofwild,unknownmen.Meisten
Mostoftheconfidenceswereunsought—frequentlyIhavefeignedschlaf
sleep,preoccupation,orahostilelevityals
whenIrealizedbysomeunmistakablesigndass
thatanintimaterevelationwasquiveringondie
thehorizon;fortheintimaterevelationsofyoungmen,oratleast
die
thetermsinwhichtheyexpressthem,areusuallyplagiaristicund
andmarredbyobvioussuppressions.Reservingjudgementsis
eine
amatterofinfinitehope.Iam
immer noch
stillalittleafraidofverpassen
missingsomethingifIforgetdass
that,asmyfathersnobbishlysuggested,und
andIsnobbishlyrepeat,asenseofthefundamentaldecenciesisparcelledoutunequallyatbirth.Und
And,afterboastingthiswayofmytolerance,Icometotheadmissiondass
thatithasalimit.Conduct
kann
maybefoundedonthehardrockorden
thewetmarshes,butafteracertainpunkt
pointIdon’tcarewhatit’sfoundedauf
on.WhenIcamebackfromtheEastlastautumnIfelt
dass
thatIwantedtheworldtobeinuniformund
andatasortofmoralattentionforever;Iwantedno
mehr
moreriotousexcursionswithprivilegedglimpsesintodas
thehumanheart.OnlyGatsby,the
mann
manwhogiveshisnametothisbuch
book,wasexemptfrommyreaction—Gatsby,whorepresentedalles
everythingforwhichIhaveeine
anunaffectedscorn.Ifpersonalityisanunbrokenseriesofsuccessfulgestures,thentherewassomethinggorgeousabout
ihm
him,someheightenedsensitivitytodie
thepromisesoflife,aswenn
ifhewererelatedtooneofthoseintricatemachinesthatregisterearthquakestenthousandmilesentfernt
away.Thisresponsivenesshadnothingto
tun
dowiththatflabbyimpressionabilitywhichisdignifiedunter
underthenameofthe“creativetemperament”—itwasanextraordinarygiftforhoffnung
hope,aromanticreadinesssuchasIhavenie
neverfoundinanyotherpersonund
andwhichitisnotlikelyIshalleverfinden
findagain.No—Gatsbyturnedoutallrightatthe
ende
end;itiswhatpreyedonGatsby,whatfouldustfloatedinthewakeofhisdreamsthattemporarily
geschlossen
closedoutmyinterestintheabortivesorrowsund
andshort-windedelationsofmen.My
familie
familyhavebeenprominent,well-to-dopeopleindieser
thisMiddleWesterncityfordrei
threegenerations.TheCarrawaysare
etwas
somethingofaclan,andwehaben
haveatraditionthatwe’redescendedfromtheDukesofBuccleuch,aber
buttheactualfounderofmylinie
linewasmygrandfather’sbrother,whokam
camehereinfifty-one,sentasubstitutetotheCivilWar,und
andstartedthewholesalehardwarebusinessthatmyvater
fathercarriesontoday.I
nie
neversawthisgreat-uncle,butI’msupposedtolooklikehim—withspecialreferencetodas
theratherhard-boiledpaintingthathangsinfather’sbüro
office.IgraduatedfromNewHavenin1915,
nur
justaquarterofacenturynach
aftermyfather,andaetwas
littlelaterIparticipatedinthatdelayedTeutonicmigrationknownastheGreatKrieg
War.Ienjoyedthecounter-raidsothoroughlythatIcamebackrestless.
Insteadofbeingthewarmcentreofthe
welt
world,theMiddleWestnowseemedliketheraggededgeoftheuniverse—soIdecidedtogehen
goEastandlearnthebondbusiness.Alle
EverybodyIknewwasindie
thebondbusiness,soIsupposeditkönnte
couldsupportonemoresinglemann
man.Allmyauntsandunclestalkeditoverasiftheywerechoosing
eine
aprepschoolforme,und
andfinallysaid,“Why—ye-es,”withsehr
verygrave,hesitantfaces.Fatheragreedtofinancemefor
ein
ayear,andaftervariousdelaysIkam
cameEast,permanently,Ithought,inthespringoftwenty-two.Thepracticalthingwasto
finden
findroomsinthecity,aber
butitwasawarmseason,und
andIhadjustleftaland
countryofwidelawnsandfriendlytrees,soals
whenayoungmanatthebüro
officesuggestedthatwetakeahaus
housetogetherinacommutingtown,itklang
soundedlikeagreatidea.Hefoundthe
haus
house,aweather-beatencardboardbungalowateightyamonth,aber
butatthelastminutethefirmorderedhimtoWashington,und
andIwentouttotheland
countryalone.Ihadadog—atleastIhadhimfora
paar
fewdaysuntilheranaway—andanoldDodgeund
andaFinnishwoman,whomademybett
bedandcookedbreakfastandmutteredFinnishwisdomtoherselfüber
overtheelectricstove.Itwaslonelyfor
ein
adayorsountilonemorningsomemann
man,morerecentlyarrivedthanIch
I,stoppedmeontheroad.“HowdoyougettoWestEggvillage?”
he
fragte
askedhelplessly.Itoldhim.
Und
AndasIwalkedonIwaslonelynicht
nolonger.Iwasaguide,apathfinder,anoriginalsettler.
Hehadcasuallyconferredonmethefreedomoftheneighbourhood.
Und
Andsowiththesunshineund
andthegreatburstsofleavesgrowingonthetrees,justasthingsgrowinfastmovies,Ihadthatfamiliarconvictionthatleben
lifewasbeginningoveragainwiththesummer.Therewasso
viel
muchtoread,foronething,und
andsomuchfinehealthtobepulleddownaus
outoftheyoungbreath-givingluft
air.Iboughtadozenvolumesonbanking
und
andcreditandinvestmentsecurities,und
andtheystoodonmyshelfinrot
redandgoldlikenewgeld
moneyfromthemint,promisingtounfoldtheshiningsecretsthatnur
onlyMidasandMorganandMaecenasknew.Und
AndIhadthehighintentionofreadingviele
manyotherbooksbesides.Iwasratherliteraryincollege—oneyearIwrote
eine
aseriesofverysolemnund
andobviouseditorialsfortheYaleNews—andjetzt
nowIwasgoingtobringbackaller
allsuchthingsintomyleben
lifeandbecomeagainthatmostlimitedofaller
allspecialists,the“well-roundedman.”Thisisn’t
nur
justanepigram—lifeismuchmoresuccessfullylookedatfromasinglewindow,afterall.Itwasamatterofchance
dass
thatIshouldhaverentedahaus
houseinoneofthestrangestcommunitiesinNorthAmerica.ItwasonthatslenderriotousislandwhichextendsitselfdueeastofNewYork—and
wo
wherethereare,amongothernaturalcuriosities,zwei
twounusualformationsofland.Twentymilesfromthe
stadt
cityapairofenormouseggs,identicalincontourund
andseparatedonlybyacourtesybay,jutoutintothemeisten
mostdomesticatedbodyofsaltwaterintheWesternhemisphere,thegreatwetbarnyardofLongIslandSound.Theyarenotperfectovals—liketheeggintheColumbus
geschichte
story,theyarebothcrushedflatatthecontactend—buttheirphysicalresemblancemuss
mustbeasourceofperpetualwondertothegullsthatflyoverhead.To
die
thewinglessamoreinterestingphenomenonistheirdissimilarityineveryparticularexceptshapeund
andsize.IlivedatWestEgg,the—well,thelessfashionableofthetwo,
obwohl
thoughthisisamostsuperficialtagtoexpressthebizarreund
andnotalittlesinistercontrastzwischen
betweenthem.Myhousewasattheverytipoftheegg,
nur
onlyfiftyyardsfromtheSound,und
andsqueezedbetweentwohugeplacesthatrentedfortwelveorfifteenthousandaseason.Theoneonmyrightwasacolossalaffairbyanystandard—itwasafactualimitationofsomeHôteldeVilleinNormandy,withatoweronone
seite
side,spankingnewunderathinbeardofrawivy,und
andamarbleswimmingpool,und
andmorethanfortyacresoflawnund
andgarden.ItwasGatsby’smansion.
Or,rather,asIdidn’tknowMr.Gatsby,itwas
eine
amansioninhabitedbyagentlemanofthatname.Myown
haus
housewasaneyesore,butitwasasmalleyesore,und
andithadbeenoverlooked,soIhadaviewofthewasser
water,apartialviewofmyneighbour’slawn,und
andtheconsolingproximityofmillionaires—allforeightydollarsamonth.AcrossthecourtesybaythewhitepalacesoffashionableEastEggglittered
entlang
alongthewater,andthehistoryofthesummerwirklich
reallybeginsontheeveningIfuhr
droveovertheretohavedinnerwiththeTomBuchanans.Daisywasmy
zweite
secondcousinonceremoved,andI’dknownTomincollege.Und
AndjustafterthewarIspentzwei
twodayswiththeminChicago.Her
mann
husband,amongvariousphysicalaccomplishments,hadbeenoneofthemostpowerfulendsthateverplayedfootballatNewHaven—anationalfigureinaweise
way,oneofthosemenwhoreachsuchanacutelimitedexcellenceattwenty-onethatalles
everythingafterwardsavoursofanticlimax.His
familie
familywereenormouslywealthy—evenincollegehisfreedomwithgeld
moneywasamatterforreproach—butjetzt
nowhe’dleftChicagoandcomeEastineine
afashionthatrathertookyourbreathaway:forinstance,he’dbroughtdown
eine
astringofpoloponiesfromLakeForest.Itwas
schwer
hardtorealizethatamann
maninmyowngenerationwaswealthygenug
enoughtodothat.Whythey
kamen
cameEastIdon’tknow.Theyhadspent
ein
ayearinFrancefornoparticulargrund
reason,andthendriftedhereund
andthereunrestfullywhereverpeopleplayedpolound
andwererichtogether.Thiswas
ein
apermanentmove,saidDaisyoverthetelephone,aber
butIdidn’tbelieveit—Ihadnicht
nosightintoDaisy’sheart,aber
butIfeltthatTomwürde
woulddriftonforeverseeking,ein
alittlewistfully,forthedramaticturbulenceofsomeirrecoverablefootballgame.Und
AndsoithappenedthatonawarmwindyeveningIfuhr
droveovertoEastEggtosehen
seetwooldfriendswhomIscarcelyknewatall.Their
haus
housewasevenmoreelaborateals
thanIexpected,acheerfulred-and-whiteGeorgianColonialmansion,overlookingdie
thebay.Thelawnstartedatthebeach
und
andrantowardsthefrontdoorforeine
aquarterofamile,jumpingüber
oversundialsandbrickwalksund
andburninggardens—finallywhenitreachedthehaus
housedriftingupthesideinbrightvinesasthoughfromthemomentumofitsrun.The
vorderseite
frontwasbrokenbyalineofFrenchwindows,glowingnun
nowwithreflectedgoldandwideoffen
opentothewarmwindyafternoon,und
andTomBuchananinridingclotheswasstandingwithhislegsapartonthevorderseite
frontporch.Hehadchanged
seit
sincehisNewHavenyears.Jetzt
Nowhewasasturdystraw-hairedmann
manofthirty,witharatherhardmouthund
andasuperciliousmanner.Twoshiningarroganteyeshadestablisheddominance
über
overhisfaceandgavehimtheappearanceofalwaysleaningaggressivelyforward.Noteven
die
theeffeminateswankofhisridingclotheskonnte
couldhidetheenormouspowerofthatbody—heseemedtofillthoseglisteningbootsuntilhestraineddie
thetoplacing,andyoukonnte
couldseeagreatpackofmuscleshiftingals
whenhisshouldermovedunderhisthincoat.Itwasa
körper
bodycapableofenormousleverage—acruelkörper
body.Hisspeakingvoice,agruffhuskytenor,addedtotheimpressionoffractiousnessheconveyed.
Therewasatouchofpaternalcontemptin
es
it,eventowardpeopleheliked—andthereweremenatNewHavenwhohadgehasst
hatedhisguts.“Now,don’t
glaube
thinkmyopiniononthesemattersisfinal,”heseemedtosagen
say,“justbecauseI’mstrongerund
andmoreofamanals
thanyouare.”Wewerein
den
thesameseniorsociety,andwhilewewerenie
neverintimateIalwayshadden
theimpressionthatheapprovedofmeund
andwantedmetolikehimwithsomeharsh,defiantwistfulnessofhisown.Wetalkedfor
ein
afewminutesonthesunnyporch.“I’vegot
eine
aniceplacehere,”hesaid,hiseyesflashingaboutrestlessly.Turningmearoundbyonearm,he
bewegte
movedabroadflathandentlang
alongthefrontvista,includinginitssweepasunkenItaliangarden,ahalfacreofdeep,pungentroses,und
andasnub-nosedmotorboatthatbumpedthetideoffshore.“ItbelongedtoDemaine,theoilman.”
Heturnedmearound
wieder
again,politelyandabruptly.“We’ll
gehen
goinside.”Wewalkedthroughahighhallwayintoabrightrosy-colouredspace,fragilelyboundinto
das
thehousebyFrenchwindowsateitherend.Thewindowswereajar
und
andgleamingwhiteagainstthefreshgrassdraußen
outsidethatseemedtogrowein
alittlewayintothehaus
house.Abreezeblewthroughthe
raum
room,blewcurtainsinatoneende
endandouttheotherlikepaleflags,twistingthemnach oben
uptowardthefrostedwedding-cakeoftheceiling,und
andthenrippledoverthewine-colouredrug,makingashadowonitaswindmacht
doesonthesea.The
einzige
onlycompletelystationaryobjectintheraum
roomwasanenormouscouchonwhichzwei
twoyoungwomenwerebuoyedupasthoughuponeine
ananchoredballoon.Theywere
beide
bothinwhite,andtheirdresseswereripplingund
andflutteringasiftheyhadgerade
justbeenblownbackinnach
afterashortflightarounddas
thehouse.Imusthavestoodfor
ein
afewmomentslisteningtoder
thewhipandsnapofder
thecurtainsandthegroanofein
apictureonthewall.ThentherewasaboomasTomBuchanan
schloss
shuttherearwindowsandthecaughtwinddiedoutabouttheraum
room,andthecurtainsandtherugsund
andthetwoyoungwomenballoonedslowlytothefloor.Theyoungerofthetwowas
ein
astrangertome.Shewasextendedfulllengthather
ende
endofthedivan,completelymotionless,und
andwithherchinraisedein
alittle,asifshewerebalancingsomethingonitwhichwasquitelikelytofallen
fall.Ifshesawme
aus
outofthecornerofhereyesshegavenohintofit—indeed,Iwasfast
almostsurprisedintomurmuringanapologyforhavingdisturbedherbycomingin
in.Theothergirl,Daisy,madeanattempttorise—sheleanedslightlyforwardwithaconscientiousexpression—thenshelaughed,anabsurd,charminglittlelaugh,
und
andIlaughedtooandkam
cameforwardintotheroom.“I’mp-paralysedwithhappiness.”
Shelaughed
wieder
again,asifshesaidetwas
somethingverywitty,andheldmyhand
handforamoment,lookingupintomygesicht
face,promisingthattherewasnooneinthewelt
worldshesomuchwantedtosehen
see.Thatwasawayshehad.
Shehintedinamurmur
dass
thatthesurnameofthebalancinggirlwasBaker.(I’vehearditsaid
dass
thatDaisy’smurmurwasonlytomakeleute
peopleleantowardher;anirrelevantcriticismthatmadeit
nicht
nolesscharming.)Atanyrate,MissBaker’slipsfluttered,shenoddedatme
fast
almostimperceptibly,andthenquicklytippedherkopf
headbackagain—theobjectshewasbalancinghadobviouslytotteredein
alittleandgivenhersomethingofein
afright.Againasortofapologyarosetomylips.
Fast
Almostanyexhibitionofcompleteself-sufficiencydrawseine
astunnedtributefromme.Ilooked
zurück
backatmycousin,whobegantoaskmequestionsinherlow,thrillingvoice.Itwasthe
art
kindofvoicethattheearfolgt
followsupanddown,asob
ifeachspeechisanarrangementofnotesthatwerden
willneverbeplayedagain.Her
gesicht
facewassadandlovelywithbrightthingsines
it,brighteyesandabrightpassionatemouth,aber
buttherewasanexcitementinhervoicethatmenwhohadcaredforherfounddifficulttovergessen
forget:asingingcompulsion,awhispered“Listen,”
ein
apromisethatshehadgetan
donegay,excitingthingsjustein
awhilesinceandthatthereweregay,excitingthingshoveringinder
thenexthour.ItoldherhowIhad
angehalten
stoppedoffinChicagoforein
adayonmywayEast,und
andhowadozenpeoplehadgeschickt
senttheirlovethroughme.“Dotheymissme?”
shecriedecstatically.
“The
ganze
wholetownisdesolate.Allthecars
haben
havetheleftrearwheelpaintedschwarz
blackasamourningwreath,und
andthere’sapersistentwailalle
allnightalongthenorthshore.”“Howgorgeous!
Let’s
gehen
goback,Tom.Tomorrow!”
Thensheaddedirrelevantly:
“Yououghtto
sehen
seethebaby.”“I’dliketo.”
“She’sasleep.
She’s
drei
threeyearsold.Haven’tyouever
gesehen
seenher?”“Never.”
“Well,yououghtto
sehen
seeher.She’s—”.
TomBuchanan,whohadbeenhoveringrestlesslyabout
der
theroom,stoppedandrestedhishand
handonmyshoulder.“Whatyou
machst
doing,Nick?”“I’mabondman.”
“Whowith?”
I
gesagt
toldhim.“Neverheardofthem,”heremarkeddecisively.
Thisannoyed
mich
me.“Youwill,”Iansweredshortly.
“You
werden
willifyoustayindas
theEast.”“Oh,I’llstayintheEast,don’tyouworry,”hesaid,glancingatDaisy
und
andthenbackatme,asifhewerealertforetwas
somethingmore.“I’dbeaGoddamnedfoolto
leben
liveanywhereelse.”Atthis
punkt
pointMissBakersaid:“Absolutely!”
withsuchsuddenness
dass
thatIstarted—itwastheerste
firstwordshehadutteredseit
sinceIcameintotheraum
room.Evidentlyitsurprisedherasmuchasitdid
mich
me,forsheyawnedandwithaseriesofrapid,deftmovementsstoodauf
upintotheroom.“I’mstiff,”shecomplained,“I’vebeen
liege
lyingonthatsofaforaslongasIkann
canremember.”“Don’tlookatme,”Daisyretorted,“I’vebeen
versucht
tryingtogetyoutoNewYorkallafternoon.”“No,thanks,”saidMissBakertothe
vier
fourcocktailsjustinfromthepantry.“I’mabsolutelyintraining.”
Herhostlookedatherincredulously.
“Youare!”
Hetookdownhis
getränk
drinkasifitwereein
adropinthebottomofein
aglass.“Howyoueverget
irgendetwas
anythingdoneisbeyondme.”IlookedatMissBaker,wonderingwhatitwasshe“gotdone.”
Ienjoyedlookingather.
Shewasaslender,small-breasted
mädchen
girl,withanerectcarriage,whichsheaccentuatedbythrowingherbodybackwardattheshoulderslikeayoungcadet.Hergreysun-strainedeyeslookedbackatmewithpolitereciprocalcuriosity
aus
outofawan,charming,discontentedgesicht
face.Itoccurredtome
jetzt
nowthatIhadseenihr
her,orapictureofihr
her,somewherebefore.“YouliveinWestEgg,”sheremarkedcontemptuously.
“Iknow
jemanden
somebodythere.”“Idon’tknowasingle—”.
“You
müssen
mustknowGatsby.”“Gatsby?”
demandedDaisy.
“WhatGatsby?”
Bevor
BeforeIcouldreplythathewasmyneighbourabendessen
dinnerwasannounced;wedginghistensearmimperatively
unter
undermine,TomBuchanancompelledmefromtheraum
roomasthoughhewerebewegen
movingacheckertoanothersquare.Slenderly,languidly,theirhandssetlightlyontheirhips,thetwoyoungwomenprecededusoutonto
eine
arosy-colouredporch,opentowardthesunset,wo
wherefourcandlesflickeredonthetableinthediminishedwind.“Whycandles?”
objectedDaisy,frowning.
Shesnappedthemoutwithherfingers.
“In
zwei
twoweeksit’llbethelongesttag
dayintheyear.”Shelookedatus
alle
allradiantly.“Doyoualwayswatchfor
den
thelongestdayoftheyearund
andthenmissit?Ialwayswatchfor
den
thelongestdayintheyearund
andthenmissit.”“Weoughttoplansomething,”yawnedMissBaker,sittingdownat
den
thetableasifsheweregettingintobett
bed.“Allright,”saidDaisy.
“What’llweplan?”
She
wandte
turnedtomehelplessly:“Whatdo
leute
peopleplan?”BeforeIcouldanswerhereyesfastenedwithanawedexpressiononherlittlefinger.
“Look!”
shecomplained;
“I
verletzt
hurtit.”Wealllooked—theknucklewas
schwarz
blackandblue.“Youdid
es
it,Tom,”shesaidaccusingly.“Iknowyoudidn’tmeanto,
aber
butyoudiddoit.That’swhatI
bekomme
getformarryingabruteofein
aman,agreat,big,hulkingphysicalspecimenofa—”.“I
hasse
hatethatword‘hulking,’ ”objectedTomcrossly,“eveninkidding.”“Hulking,”insistedDaisy.
Manchmal
SometimessheandMissBakertalkedateinmal
once,unobtrusivelyandwithabanteringinconsequenceso
thatwasneverquitechatter,so
thatwasascoolastheirwhitedressesund
andtheirimpersonaleyesindie
theabsenceofalldesire.Theywere
hier
here,andtheyacceptedTomund
andme,makingonlyapolitepleasantefforttoentertainortobeentertained.Theyknewthatpresently
abendessen
dinnerwouldbeoverandaetwas
littlelatertheeveningtoowouldbeoverund
andcasuallyputaway.ItwassharplydifferentfromtheWest,
wo
whereaneveningwashurriedfromphasetophasetowardsitsclose,inacontinuallydisappointedanticipationorelseinsheernervousdreadofthemoment
momentitself.“Youmakemefeeluncivilized,Daisy,”Iconfessedonmysecondglassofcorky
aber
butratherimpressiveclaret.“Can’tyou
reden
talkaboutcropsorsomething?”I
meinte
meantnothinginparticularbydieser
thisremark,butitwastakenauf
upinanunexpectedway.“Civilization’sgoingtopieces,”broke
aus
outTomviolently.“I’vegottentobeaterriblepessimistaboutthings.
Haben
HaveyoureadTheRiseoftheColouredEmpiresbythismann
manGoddard?”“Why,no,”Ianswered,rathersurprisedbyhistone.
“Well,it’s
ein
afinebook,andeverybodyoughttolesen
readit.Theideais
wenn
ifwedon’tlookoutdie
thewhiteracewillbe—willbeutterlysubmerged.It’sallscientific
zeug
stuff;it’sbeenproved.”