I
Inmyyoungerandmore
vulnerables
vulnerableyearsmyfathergavemesomeadvicethatI’vebeenturningoverinmymindeversince.“Wheneveryoufeellike
criticar
criticizinganyone,”hetoldme,“justrememberthatallthepeopleinthisworldhaven’thadtheadvantagesthatyou’vehad.”Hedidn’tsayanymore,butwe’vealwaysbeen
inusualmente
unusuallycommunicativeinareservedway,andIunderstoodthathemeantagreatdealmorethanthat.In
consecuencia
consequence,I’minclinedtoreservealljudgements,ahábito
habitthathasopenedupmanycuriousnaturestomeandalsomademethevictimofnotafewveteranbores.The
anormal
abnormalmindisquicktodetectar
detectandattachitselftothisqualitywhenitappearsinanormalperson,andsoitcameaboutthatincollegeIwasunjustlyacusado
accusedofbeingapolitician,becauseIwasprivytothesecretgriefsofwild,unknownmen.Mostoftheconfidenceswereunsought—frequentlyIhavefeignedsleep,preoccupation,ora
hostil
hostilelevitywhenIrealizedbysomeunmistakablesignthatanintimaterevelación
revelationwasquiveringonthehorizonte
horizon;fortheintimaterevelationsofyoungmen,oratleastthetermsinwhichtheyexpressthem,areusuallyplagiaristicandmarredbyobvioussuppressions.
Reservar
Reservingjudgementsisamatterofinfinitehope.IamstillalittleafraidofmissingsomethingifIforgetthat,asmyfathersnobbishlysuggested,andIsnobbishlyrepeat,asenseofthefundamentaldecenciesisparcelledoutunequallyatbirth.
And,after
presumir
boastingthiswayofmytolerancia
tolerance,Icometotheadmisión
admissionthatithasalímite
limit.Conductmaybefoundedonthehardrockorthewetmarshes,butafteracertainpointIdon’tcarewhatit’sfoundedon.
WhenIcamebackfromtheEastlastautumnIfeltthatIwantedtheworldtobeinuniformandatasortof
moral
moralattentionforever;Iwantednomoreriotousexcursionswithprivileged
vislumbres
glimpsesintothehumanheart.OnlyGatsby,themanwhogiveshisnametothisbook,wasexemptfrommyreaction—Gatsby,who
representaba
representedeverythingforwhichIhaveanunaffecteddesprecio
scorn.Ifpersonalityisanunbrokenseriesofsuccessfulgestures,thentherewassomethinggorgeousabouthim,someheightened
sensibilidad
sensitivitytothepromisesoflife,asifhewererelatedtooneofthoseintricatemachinesthatregistran
registerearthquakestenthousandmilesaway.Thisresponsivenesshadnothingtodowiththatflabbyimpressionabilitywhichisdignifiedunderthenameofthe“creativetemperament”—itwasanextraordinarygiftforhope,aromanticreadinesssuchasIhaveneverfoundinanyotherpersonandwhichitisnotlikelyIshalleverfindagain.
No—Gatsbyturnedoutallrightattheend;
itiswhatpreyedonGatsby,what
sucio
fouldustfloatedinthewakeofhisdreamsthattemporalmente
temporarilyclosedoutmyinterestintheabortivesorrowsandshort-windedelationsofmen.Myfamilyhavebeen
prominente
prominent,well-to-dopeopleinthisMiddleOeste
Westerncityforthreegenerations.TheCarrawaysaresomethingofa
clan
clan,andwehaveatradición
traditionthatwe’redescendedfromtheDukesofBuccleuch,buttheactualfundador
founderofmylinewasmygrandfather’sbrother,whocamehereinfifty-one,sentasustituto
substitutetotheCivilWar,andstartedthewholesalehardware
hardwarebusinessthatmyfathercarriesontoday.Ineversawthisgreat-uncle,butI’msupposedtolooklikehim—withspecial
referencia
referencetotheratherhard-boiledpaintingthathangsinfather’soffice.I
gradué
graduatedfromNewHavenin1915,justaquarterofacenturyaftermyfather,andalittlelaterIparticipé
participatedinthatdelayedTeutonicmigración
migrationknownastheGreatWar.Ienjoyedthecounter-raidsothoroughlythatIcameback
inquieto
restless.Insteadofbeingthewarm
centro
centreoftheworld,theMiddleWestnowseemedliketheraggededgeoftheuniverse—soIdecidedtogoEastandlearnthebondbusiness.EverybodyIknewwasinthebondbusiness,soIsupposeditcouldsupportonemoresingleman.
Allmyauntsandunclestalkeditoverasiftheywerechoosingaprepschoolforme,andfinallysaid,“Why—ye-es,”withverygrave,hesitantfaces.
Fatheragreedtofinancemeforayear,andafter
varios
variousdelaysIcameEast,permanentemente
permanently,Ithought,inthespringoftwenty-two.Thepracticalthingwastofindroomsinthecity,butitwasawarmseason,andIhadjustleftacountryofwidelawnsandfriendlytrees,sowhenayoungmanattheofficesuggestedthatwetakeahousetogetherinacommutingtown,itsoundedlikeagreatidea.
Hefoundthehouse,aweather-beaten
cartón
cardboardbungalowateightyamonth,butatthelastminutethefirmorderedhimtoWashington,andIwentouttothecountryalone.Ihadadog—atleastIhadhimforafewdaysuntilheranaway—andanold
Dodge
DodgeandaFinnishwoman,whomademybedandcookedbreakfastandmutteredFinnishsabiduría
wisdomtoherselfovertheelectricestufa
stove.Itwaslonelyforadayorsountilonemorningsomeman,morerecentlyarrivedthanI,stoppedmeontheroad.
“HowdoyougettoWestEggvillage?”
heaskedhelplessly.
Itoldhim.
AndasIwalkedonIwaslonelynolonger.
Iwasaguide,apathfinder,anoriginalsettler.
Hehad
casualmente
casuallyconferredonmethefreedomoftheneighbourhood.Andsowiththe
sol
sunshineandthegreatburstsofleavesgrowingonthetrees,justasthingsgrowinfastmovies,Ihadthatfamiliarconvicción
convictionthatlifewasbeginningoveragainwiththesummer.Therewassomuchtoread,foronething,andsomuchfinehealthtobepulleddownoutoftheyoungbreath-givingair.
Iboughta
docena
dozenvolumesonbankingandcreditandinversión
investmentsecurities,andtheystoodonmyshelfinredandgoldlikenewmoneyfromthemint,promisingtounfoldtheshiningsecretsthatonlyMidasandMorganandMaecenasknew.AndIhadthehigh
intención
intentionofreadingmanyotherbooksbesides.Iwasrather
literario
literaryincollege—oneyearIwroteaseriesofverysolemnandobviouseditorialsfortheYaleNews—andnowIwasgoingtobringbackallsuchthingsintomylifeandbecomeagainthatmostlimitado
limitedofallspecialists,the“well-roundedman.”Thisisn’tjustanepigram—lifeismuchmoresuccessfullylookedatfromasinglewindow,afterall.
ItwasamatterofchancethatIshouldhaverentedahouseinoneofthestrangestcommunitiesinNorthAmerica.
Itwasonthatslenderriotousislandwhich
extiende
extendsitselfdueeastofNewYork—andwherethereare,amongothernaturalcuriosities,twounusualformationsofland.Twentymilesfromthecityapairofenormouseggs,identicalincontourandseparatedonlybya
cortesía
courtesybay,jutoutintothemostdomesticatedbodyofsaltwaterintheWesternhemisferio
hemisphere,thegreatwetbarnyardofLongIslandSound.Theyarenotperfectovals—liketheeggintheColumbusstory,theyarebothcrushedflatatthecontactend—buttheirphysical
parecido
resemblancemustbeasourceofperpetualwondertothegullsthatflyoverhead.Tothewinglessamoreinteresting
fenómeno
phenomenonistheirdissimilarityineveryparticularexceptshapeandsize.IlivedatWestEgg,the—well,thelessfashionableofthetwo,thoughthisisamost
superficial
superficialtagtoexpresstheextraño
bizarreandnotalittlesiniestro
sinistercontrastbetweenthem.Myhousewasattheverytipoftheegg,onlyfiftyyardsfromtheSound,and
apretado
squeezedbetweentwohugeplacesthatrentedfortwelveorfifteenthousandaseason.Theoneonmyrightwasa
colosal
colossalaffairbyanystandard—itwasafactualimitación
imitationofsomeHôteldeVilleinNormandy,withatowerononeside,spankingnewunderathinbarba
beardofrawivy,andamármol
marbleswimmingpool,andmorethanfortyacresoflawnandgarden.ItwasGatsby’s
mansión
mansion.Or,rather,asIdidn’tknowMr.Gatsby,itwasa
mansión
mansioninhabitedbyagentlemanofthatname.Myownhousewasaneyesore,butitwasasmalleyesore,andithadbeenoverlooked,soIhadaviewofthewater,a
parcial
partialviewofmyneighbour’slawn,andtheconsolingproximidad
proximityofmillionaires—allforeightydollarsamonth.Acrossthe
cortesía
courtesybaythewhitepalacesoffashionableEastEggglitteredalongthewater,andthehistoryofthesummerreallybeginsontheeveningIdroveovertheretohavedinnerwiththeTomBuchanans.Daisy
Daisywasmysecondcousinonceremoved,andI’dknownTomincollege.AndjustafterthewarIspenttwodayswiththeminChicago.
Herhusband,among
varios
variousphysicalaccomplishments,hadbeenoneofthemostpowerfulendsthateverplayedfootballatNewHaven—anationalfigureinaway,oneofthosemenwhoreachsuchanaguda
acutelimitedexcellenceattwenty-onethateverythingafterwardsavoursofanticlimax.Hisfamilywereenormouslywealthy—evenincollegehisfreedomwithmoneywasamatterforreproach—butnowhe’dleftChicagoandcomeEastinafashionthatrathertookyourbreathaway:
for
ejemplo
instance,he’dbroughtdownacadena
stringofpoloponiesfromLakeForest.Itwashardtorealizethatamaninmyowngenerationwas
rico
wealthyenoughtodothat.WhytheycameEastIdon’tknow.
TheyhadspentayearinFrancefornoparticularreason,andthendriftedhereandthereunrestfullywhereverpeopleplayedpoloandwererichtogether.
Thiswasa
permanente
permanentmove,saidDaisyoverthetelephone,butIdidn’tbelieveit—IhadnosightintoDaisy’sheart,butIfeltthatTomwouldderiva
driftonforeverseeking,alittlewistfully,forthedramaticturbulencia
turbulenceofsomeirrecoverablefootballgame.Andsoithappenedthatonawarm
ventosa
windyeveningIdroveovertoEastEggtoseetwooldfriendswhomIscarcelyknewatall.TheirhousewasevenmoreelaboratethanIexpected,acheerfulred-and-whiteGeorgian
Colonial
Colonialmansion,overlookingthebay.Thelawnstartedatthebeachandrantowardsthefrontdoorforaquarterofamile,jumpingoversundialsand
ladrillo
brickwalksandburninggardens—finallywhenitreachedthehousedriftingupthesideinbrightvinesasthoughfromtheimpulso
momentumofitsrun.ThefrontwasbrokenbyalineofFrenchwindows,glowingnowwith
reflejado
reflectedgoldandwideopentothewarmventosa
windyafternoon,andTomBuchananinridingclotheswasstandingwithhislegsapartonthefrontporche
porch.HehadchangedsincehisNewHavenyears.
Nowhewasa
robusto
sturdystraw-hairedmanofthirty,witharatherhardmouthandasuperciliousmanera
manner.Twoshiningarroganteyeshad
establecido
establisheddominanceoverhisfaceandgavehimtheapariencia
appearanceofalwaysleaningaggressivelyforward.Noteventheeffeminateswankofhisridingclothescouldhidethe
enorme
enormouspowerofthatbody—heseemedtofillthoseglisteningbootsuntilhestrainedthetoplacing,andyoucouldseeagreatpackofmuscleshiftingwhenhisshouldermovedunderhisthincoat.Itwasabodycapableof
enorme
enormousleverage—acruelbody.Hisspeakingvoice,agruffhuskytenor,addedtothe
impresión
impressionoffractiousnessheconveyed.Therewasatouchofpaternal
desprecio
contemptinit,eventowardpeopleheliked—andthereweremenatNewHavenwhohadhatedhisguts.“Now,don’tthinkmyopiniononthesemattersisfinal,”heseemedtosay,“justbecauseI’mstrongerandmoreofamanthanyouare.”
Wewereinthesameseniorsociety,andwhilewewereneverintimateIalwayshadthe
impresión
impressionthatheapprovedofmeandwantedmetolikehimwithsomeharsh,defiantwistfulnessofhisown.Wetalkedforafewminutesonthe
soleado
sunnyporch.“I’vegotaniceplacehere,”hesaid,hiseyesflashingaboutrestlessly.
Turningmearoundbyonearm,hemoveda
ancha
broadflathandalongthefrontvista,includinginitsbarrido
sweepasunkenItaliangarden,ahalfacre
acreofdeep,pungentroses,andasnub-nosedmotorboatthatbumpedthemarea
tideoffshore.“ItbelongedtoDemaine,theoilman.”
Heturnedmearoundagain,
educadamente
politelyandabruptly.“We’llgoinside.”
Wewalkedthroughahigh
pasillo
hallwayintoabrightrosy-colouredspace,fragilelyboundintothehousebyFrenchwindowsateitherend.Thewindowswereajarandgleamingwhiteagainstthefreshgrassoutsidethatseemedtogrowalittlewayintothehouse.
A
brisa
breezeblewthroughtheroom,blewcurtainsinatoneendandouttheotherlikepaleflags,twistingthemuphacia
towardthefrostedwedding-cakeofthetecho
ceiling,andthenrippledoverthewine-colouredalfombra
rug,makingashadowonitaswinddoesonthesea.Theonlycompletelystationaryobjectintheroomwasan
enorme
enormouscouchonwhichtwoyoungwomenwerebuoyedupasthoughuponananclado
anchoredballoon.Theywerebothinwhite,andtheirdresseswereripplingandflutteringasiftheyhadjustbeenblownbackinafterashortflightaroundthehouse.
Imusthavestoodforafewmomentslisteningtothe
azote
whipandsnapofthecurtainsandthegemido
groanofapictureonthewall.ThentherewasaboomasTomBuchananshuttherearwindowsandthecaughtwinddiedoutabouttheroom,andthecurtainsandtherugsandthetwoyoungwomenballoonedslowlytothefloor.
Theyoungerofthetwowasastrangertome.
Shewasextendedfull
longitud
lengthatherendofthedivan,completelymotionless,andwithhermentón
chinraisedalittle,asifshewerebalancingsomethingonitwhichwasquitelikelytofall.Ifshesawmeoutofthecornerofhereyesshegavenohintofit—indeed,Iwasalmostsurprisedintomurmuringanapologyforhaving
molestado
disturbedherbycomingin.Theothergirl,
Daisy
Daisy,madeanattempttorise—sheleanedligeramente
slightlyforwardwithaconscientiousexpression—thenshelaughed,anabsurd,charminglittlelaugh,andIlaughedtooandcameforwardintotheroom.“I’mp-paralysedwithhappiness.”
Shelaughedagain,asifshesaidsomethingverywitty,andheldmyhandforamoment,lookingupintomyface,promisingthattherewasnooneintheworldshesomuchwantedtosee.
Thatwasawayshehad.
She
insinuó
hintedinamurmurthattheapellido
surnameofthebalancinggirlwasBaker
Baker.(I’vehearditsaidthatDaisy’smurmurwasonlytomakepeoplelean
hacia
towardher;anirrelevantcriticismthatmadeitnolesscharming.)
Atanyrate,MissBaker’slipsfluttered,shenoddedatmealmostimperceptibly,andthenquicklytippedherheadbackagain—theobjectshewasbalancinghadobviouslytotteredalittleandgivenhersomethingofa
susto
fright.Againasortofapology
surgió
arosetomylips.Almostany
exhibición
exhibitionofcompleteself-sufficiencydrawsaaturdido
stunnedtributefromme.Ilookedbackatmycousin,whobegantoaskmequestionsinherlow,thrillingvoice.
Itwasthekindofvoicethattheearfollowsupanddown,asifeachspeechisan
arreglo
arrangementofnotesthatwillneverbeplayedagain.Herfacewassadandlovelywithbrightthingsinit,brighteyesandabrightpassionatemouth,buttherewasan
emoción
excitementinhervoicethatmenwhohadcaredforherfounddifficulttoforget:asingingcompulsion,a
susurro
whispered“Listen,”apromisethatshehaddonegay,excitingthingsjustawhilesinceandthatthereweregay,excitingthingsflotando
hoveringinthenexthour.ItoldherhowIhadstoppedoffinChicagoforadayonmywayEast,andhowa
docena
dozenpeoplehadsenttheirlovethroughme.“Dotheymissme?”
shecriedecstatically.
“Thewholetownisdesolate.
Allthecarshavetheleftrearwheelpaintedblackasa
lamento
mourningwreath,andthere’sapersistente
persistentwailallnightalongthenorthshore.”“Howgorgeous!
Let’sgoback,Tom.
Tomorrow!”
Thensheaddedirrelevantly:
“Yououghttoseethebaby.”
“I’dliketo.”
“She’sasleep.
She’sthreeyearsold.
Haven’tyoueverseenher?”
“Never.”
“Well,yououghttoseeher.
She’s—”.
TomBuchanan,whohadbeen
flotando
hoveringrestlesslyabouttheroom,stoppedandrestedhishandonmyshoulder.“Whatyoudoing,Nick?”
“I’mabondman.”
“Whowith?”
Itoldhim.
“Neverheardofthem,”he
comentó
remarkeddecisively.Thisannoyedme.
“Youwill,”Ianswered
breve
shortly.“YouwillifyoustayintheEast.”
“Oh,I’llstayintheEast,don’tyouworry,”hesaid,glancingat
Daisy
Daisyandthenbackatme,asifhewerealerta
alertforsomethingmore.“I’dbeaGoddamnedfooltoliveanywhereelse.”
AtthispointMiss
Baker
Bakersaid:“Absolutely!”
withsuchsuddennessthatIstarted—itwasthefirstwordshehadutteredsinceIcameintotheroom.
Evidentemente
Evidentlyitsurprisedherasmuchasitdidme,forsheyawnedandwithaseriesofrápidos
rapid,deftmovementsstoodupintotheroom.“I’mstiff,”she
quejó
complained,“I’vebeenlyingonthatsofá
sofaforaslongasIcanremember.”“Don’tlookatme,”
Daisy
Daisyretorted,“I’vebeentryingtogetyoutoNewYorkallafternoon.”“No,thanks,”saidMiss
Baker
Bakertothefourcocktailsjustinfromthedespensa
pantry.“I’mabsolutelyintraining.”
Her
anfitrión
hostlookedatherincredulously.“Youare!”
Hetookdownhisdrinkasifitwereadropinthebottomofaglass.
“Howyouevergetanythingdoneisbeyondme.”
IlookedatMiss
Baker
Baker,wonderingwhatitwasshe“gotdone.”Ienjoyedlookingather.
Shewasaslender,small-breastedgirl,withan
erguido
erectcarriage,whichsheaccentuatedbythrowingherbodybackwardattheshoulderslikeayoungcadete
cadet.Hergreysun-strainedeyeslookedbackatmewithpolitereciprocal
curiosidad
curiosityoutofawan,charming,discontentedface.It
ocurrió
occurredtomenowthatIhadseenher,orapictureofher,somewherebefore.“YouliveinWestEgg,”she
comentó
remarkedcontemptuously.“Iknowsomebodythere.”
“Idon’tknowasingle—”.
“YoumustknowGatsby.”
“Gatsby?”
exigió
demandedDaisy.“WhatGatsby?”
BeforeIcould
responder
replythathewasmyvecino
neighbourdinnerwasannounced;wedginghis
tenso
tensearmimperativelyundermine,TomBuchanancompelledmefromtheroomasthoughheweremovingacheckertoanothersquare.Slenderly,languidly,theirhandsset
ligeramente
lightlyontheirhips,thetwoyoungwomenprecededusoutontoarosy-colouredporche
porch,opentowardthesunset,wherefourcandlesflickeredonthetableinthediminishedwind.“Whycandles?”
objected
Daisy
Daisy,frowning.Shesnappedthemoutwithherfingers.
“Intwoweeksit’llbethelongestdayintheyear.”
Shelookedatusallradiantly.
“Doyoualwayswatchforthelongestdayoftheyearandthenmissit?
Ialwayswatchforthelongestdayintheyearandthenmissit.”
“Weoughttoplansomething,”yawnedMiss
Baker
Baker,sittingdownatthetableasifsheweregettingintobed.“Allright,”said
Daisy
Daisy.“What’llweplan?”
Sheturnedtomehelplessly:
“Whatdopeopleplan?”
BeforeIcouldanswerhereyesfastenedwithanawed
expresión
expressiononherlittlefinger.“Look!”
she
quejó
complained;“Ihurtit.”
Wealllooked—the
nudillo
knucklewasblackandblue.“Youdidit,Tom,”shesaidaccusingly.
“Iknowyoudidn’tmeanto,butyoudiddoit.
That’swhatIgetformarryinga
bruto
bruteofaman,agreat,big,hulkingphysicalespécimen
specimenofa—”.“Ihatethatword‘hulking,’ ”objectedTomcrossly,“eveninkidding.”
“Hulking,”
insistió
insistedDaisy.SometimessheandMiss
Baker
Bakertalkedatonce,unobtrusivelyandwithabanteringinconsequencethatwasneverquitechatter,thatwasascoolastheirwhitedressesandtheirimpersonaleyesintheausencia
absenceofalldesire.Theywerehere,andtheyacceptedTomandme,makingonlya
educado
politepleasantefforttoentertainortobeentretener
entertained.Theyknewthatpresentlydinnerwouldbeoverandalittlelatertheeveningtoowouldbeoverand
casualmente
casuallyputaway.ItwassharplydifferentfromtheWest,whereaneveningwashurriedfrom
fase
phasetophasetowardsitsclose,inacontinuamente
continuallydisappointedanticipationorelseinpuro
sheernervousdreadofthemomentitself.“Youmakemefeeluncivilized,Daisy,”I
confesé
confessedonmysecondglassofcorkybutratherimpressiveclaret.“Can’tyoutalkaboutcropsorsomething?”
Imeantnothinginparticularbythis
comentario
remark,butitwastakenupinanunexpectedway.“Civilization’sgoingtopieces,”brokeoutTom
violentamente
violently.“I’vegottentobeaterriblepessimistaboutthings.
HaveyoureadTheRiseoftheColouredEmpiresbythismanGoddard?”
“Why,no,”Ianswered,rathersurprisedbyhistone.
“Well,it’safinebook,andeverybodyoughttoreadit.
Theideaisifwedon’tlookoutthewhiteracewillbe—willbeutterlysubmerged.
It’sall
científico
scientificstuff;it’sbeenproved.”