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ncebefore.Thentheysaunteredovertomyhouseandsatonthestepsforhalfanhour,whileatherrequestIremainedwatchfullyinthegarden.“Incasethere’safireoraflood,”sheexplained,“oranyactofGod.”
Tomappearedfromhisoblivionasweweresittingdowntosuppertogether.“DoyoumindifIeatwithsomepeopleoverhere?”hesaid.“Afellow’sgettingoffsomefunnystuff.”
“Goahead,”answeredDaisygenially,“andifyouwanttotakedownanyaddresseshere’smylittlegoldpencil.”…Shelookedaroundafteramomentandtoldmethegirlwas“commonbutpretty,”andIknewthatexceptforthehalf-hourshe’dbeenalonewithGatsbyshewasn’thavingagoodtime.
Wewereataparticularlytipsytable.Thatwasmyfault—Gatsbyhadbeencalledtothephone,andI’denjoyedthesesamepeopleonlytwoweeksbefore.Butwhathadamusedmethenturnedsepticontheairnow.
“Howdoyoufeel,MissBaedeker?”
Thegirladdressedwastrying,unsuccessfully,toslumpagainstmyshoulder.Atthisinquiryshesatupandopenedhereyes.
“Wha’?”
Amassiveandlethargicwoman,whohadbeenurgingDaisytoplaygolfwithheratthelocalclubtomorrow,spokeinMissBaedeker’sdefence:
“Oh,she’sallrightnow.Whenshe’shadfiveorsixcocktailsshealwaysstartsscreaminglikethat.Itellhersheoughttoleaveitalone.”
“Idoleaveitalone,”affirmedtheaccusedhollowly.
“Weheardyouyelling,soIsaidtoDocCivethere:‘There’ssomebodythatneedsyourhelp,Doc.’?”
“She’smuchobliged,I’msure,”saidanotherfriend,withoutgratitude,“butyougotherdressallwetwhenyoustuckherheadinthepool.”
“AnythingIhateistogetmyheadstuckinapool,”mumbledMissBaedeker.“TheyalmostdrownedmeonceoverinNewJersey.”
“Thenyououghttoleaveitalone,”counteredDoctorCivet.
“Speakforyourself!”criedMissBaedekerviolently.“Yourhandshakes.Iwouldn’tletyouoperateonme!”
Itwaslikethat.AlmostthelastthingIrememberwasstandingwithDaisyandwatchingthemoving-picturedirectorandhisStar.Theywerestillunderthewhite-plumtreeandtheirfacesweretouchingexceptforapale,thinrayofmoonlightbetween.Itoccurredtomethathehadbeenveryslowlybendingtowardheralleveningtoattainthisproximity,andevenwhileIwatchedIsawhimstooponeultimatedegreeandkissathercheek.
“Ilikeher,”saidDaisy,“Ithinkshe’slovely.”
Buttherestoffendedher—andinarguablybecauseitwasn’tagesturebutanemotion.ShewasappalledbyWestEgg,thisunprecedented“place”thatBroadwayhadbegottenuponaLongIslandfishingvillage—appalledbyitsrawvigourthatchafedundertheoldeuphemismsandbythetooobtrusivefatethatherdeditsinhabitantsalongashortcutfromnothingtonothing.Shesawsomethingawfulintheverysimplicityshefailedtounderstand.
Isatonthefrontstepswiththemwhiletheywaitedfortheircar.Itwasdarkhereinfrontonlythebrightdoorsenttensquarefeetoflightvolleyingoutintothesoftblackmorning.Sometimesashadowmovedagainstadressing-roomblindabove,gavewaytoanothershadow,anindefiniteprocessionofshadows,whorougedandpowderedinaninvisibleglass.
“WhoisthisGatsbyanyhow?”demandedTomsuddenly.“Somebigbootlegger?”
“Where’dyouhearthat?”Iinquired.
“Ididn’thearit.Iimaginedit.Alotofthesenewlyrichpeoplearejustbigbootleggers,youknow.”
“NotGatsby,”Isaidshortly.
Hewassilentforamoment.Thepebblesofthedrivecrunchedunderhisfeet.
“Well,hecertainlymusthavestrainedhimselftogetthismenagerietogether.”
AbreezestirredthegreyhazeofDaisy’sfurcollar.
“Atleasttheyaremoreinterestingthanthepeopleweknow,”shesaidwithaneffort.
“Youdidn’tlooksointerested.”
“Well,Iwas.”
Tomlaughedandturnedtome.
“DidyounoticeDaisy’sfacewhenthatgirlaskedhertoputherunderacoldshower?”
Daisybegantosingwiththemusicinahusky,rhythmicwhisper,bringingoutameaningineachwordthatithadneverhadbeforeandwouldneverhaveagain.Whenthemelodyrosehervoicebrokeupsweetly,followingit,inawaycontraltovoiceshave,andeachchangetippedoutalittleofherwarmhumanmagicupontheair.
“Lotsofpeoplecomewhohaven’tbeeninvited,”shesaidsuddenly.“Thatgirlhadn’tbeeninvited.Theysimplyforcetheirwayinandhe’stoopolitetoobject.”
“I’dliketoknowwhoheisandwhathedoes,”insistedTom.“AndIthinkI’
