VIII

wife.Hewasgladalittlelaterwhenhenoticedachangeintheroom,abluequickeningbythewindow,andrealizedthatdawnwasn’tfaroff.Aboutfiveo’clockitwasblueenoughoutsidetosnapoffthelight. Wilson’sglazedeyesturnedouttotheash-heaps,wheresmallgreycloudstookonfantasticshapesandscurriedhereandthereinthefaintdawnwind. “Ispoketoher,”hemuttered,afteralongsilence.“Itoldhershemightfoolmebutshecouldn’tfoolGod.Itookhertothewindow”—withanefforthegotupandwalkedtotherearwindowandleanedwithhisfacepressedagainstit—“andIsaid‘Godknowswhatyou’vebeendoing,everythingyou’vebeendoing.Youmayfoolme,butyoucan’tfoolGod!’?” Standingbehindhim,MichaelissawwithashockthathewaslookingattheeyesofDoctorT.J.Eckleburg,whichhadjustemerged,paleandenormous,fromthedissolvingnight. “Godseeseverything,”repeatedWilson. “That’sanadvertisement,”Michaelisassuredhim.Somethingmadehimturnawayfromthewindowandlookbackintotheroom.ButWilsonstoodtherealongtime,hisfaceclosetothewindowpane,noddingintothetwilight. Bysixo’clockMichaeliswaswornout,andgratefulforthesoundofacarstoppingoutside.Itwasoneofthewatchersofthenightbeforewhohadpromisedtocomeback,sohecookedbreakfastforthree,whichheandtheothermanatetogether.Wilsonwasquieternow,andMichaeliswenthometosleepwhenheawokefourhourslaterandhurriedbacktothegarage,Wilsonwasgone. Hismovements—hewasonfootallthetime—wereafterwardtracedtoPortRooseveltandthentoGad’sHill,whereheboughtasandwichthathedidn’teat,andacupofcoffee.Hemusthavebeentiredandwalkingslowly,forhedidn’treachGad’sHilluntilnoon.Thusfartherewasnodifficultyinaccountingforhistime—therewereboyswhohadseenaman“actingsortofcrazy,”andmotoristsatwhomhestaredoddlyfromthesideoftheroad.Thenforthreehourshedisappearedfromview.Thepolice,onthestrengthofwhathesaidtoMichaelis,thathe“hadawayoffindingout,”supposedthathespentthattimegoingfromgaragetogaragethereabout,inquiringforayellowcar.Ontheotherhand,nogaragemanwhohadseenhimevercameforward,andperhapshehadaneasier,surerwayoffindingoutwhathewantedtoknow.Byhalf-pasttwohewasinWestEgg,whereheaskedsomeonethewaytoGatsby’shouse.SobythattimeheknewGatsby’sname. Attwoo’clockGatsbyputonhisbathing-suitandleftwordwiththebutlerthatifanyonephonedwordwastobebroughttohimatthepool.Hestoppedatthegarageforapneumaticmattressthathadamusedhisguestsduringthesummer,andthechauffeurhelpedhimtopumpitup.Thenhegaveinstructionsthattheopencarwasn’ttobetakenoutunderanycircumstances—andthiswasstrange,becausethefrontrightfenderneededrepair. Gatsbyshoulderedthemattressandstartedforthepool.Oncehestoppedandshifteditalittle,andthechauffeuraskedhimifheneededhelp,butheshookhisheadandinamomentdisappearedamongtheyellowingtrees. Notelephonemessagearrived,butthebutlerwentwithouthissleepandwaitedforituntilfouro’clock—untillongaftertherewasanyonetogiveittoifitcame.IhaveanideathatGatsbyhimselfdidn’tbelieveitwouldcome,andperhapshenolongercared.Ifthatwastruehemusthavefeltthathehadlosttheoldwarmworld,paidahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingledream.Hemusthavelookedupatanunfamiliarskythroughfrighteningleavesandshiveredashefoundwhatagrotesquethingaroseisandhowrawthesunlightwasuponthescarcelycreatedgrass.Anewworld,materialwithoutbeingreal,wherepoorghosts,breathingdreamslikeair,driftedfortuitouslyabout…likethatashen,fantasticfigureglidingtowardhimthroughtheamorphoustrees. Thechauffeur—hewasoneofWolfshiem’sprotégés—heardtheshots—afterwardshecouldonlysaythathehadn’tthoughtanythingmuchaboutthem.IdrovefromthestationdirectlytoGatsby’shouseandmyrushinganxiouslyupthefrontstepswasthefirstthingthatalarmedanyone.Buttheyknewthen,Ifirmlybelieve.Withscarcelyawordsaid,fourofus,thechauffeur,butler,gardener,andIhurrieddowntothepool. Therewasafaint,barelyperceptiblemovementofthewaterasthefreshflowfromoneendurgeditswaytowardthedrainattheother.Withlittleripplesthatwerehardlytheshadowsofwaves,theladenmattressmovedirregularlydownthepool.Asmallgustofwindthatscarcelycorrugatedthesurfacewasenoughtodisturbitsaccidentalcoursewithitsaccidentalburden.Thetouchofaclusterofleavesrevolveditslowly,tracing,likethelegoftransit,athinredcircleinthewater. ItwasafterwestartedwithGatsbytowardthehousethatthegardenersawWilson’sbodyalittlewayoffinthegrass,andtheholocaustwascomplete.