IX
關燈
小
中
大
.”
ImentionedGatsby.
“Oh-h!”Shelookedatmeoveragain.“Willyoujust—Whatwasyourname?”
Shevanished.InamomentMeyerWolfshiemstoodsolemnlyinthedoorway,holdingoutbothhands.Hedrewmeintohisoffice,remarkinginareverentvoicethatitwasasadtimeforallofus,andofferedmeacigar.
“MymemorygoesbacktowhenfirstImethim,”hesaid.“Ayoungmajorjustoutofthearmyandcoveredoverwithmedalshegotinthewar.Hewassoharduphehadtokeeponwearinghisuniformbecausehecouldn’tbuysomeregularclothes.FirsttimeIsawhimwaswhenhecameintoWinebrenner’spoolroomatForty-thirdStreetandaskedforajob.Hehadn’teatanythingforacoupleofdays.‘Comeonhavesomelunchwithme,’Isaid.Heatemorethanfourdollars’worthoffoodinhalfanhour.”
“Didyoustarthiminbusiness?”Iinquired.
“Starthim!Imadehim.”
“Oh.”
“Iraisedhimupoutofnothing,rightoutofthegutter.Isawrightawayhewasafine-appearing,gentlemanlyyoungman,andwhenhetoldmehewasatOggsfordIknewIcouldusehimgood.IgothimtojointheAmericanLegionandheusedtostandhighthere.RightoffhedidsomeworkforaclientofmineuptoAlbany.Weweresothicklikethatineverything”—hehelduptwobulbousfingers—“alwaystogether.”
IwonderedifthispartnershiphadincludedtheWorld’sSeriestransactionin1919.
“Nowhe’sdead,”Isaidafteramoment.“Youwerehisclosestfriend,soIknowyou’llwanttocometohisfuneralthisafternoon.”
“I’dliketocome.”
“Well,comethen.”
Thehairinhisnostrilsquiveredslightly,andasheshookhisheadhiseyesfilledwithtears.
“Ican’tdoit—Ican’tgetmixedupinit,”hesaid.
“There’snothingtogetmixedupin.It’sallovernow.”
“WhenamangetskilledIneverliketogetmixedupinitinanyway.Ikeepout.WhenIwasayoungmanitwasdifferent—ifafriendofminedied,nomatterhow,Istuckwiththemtotheend.Youmaythinkthat’ssentimental,butImeanit—tothebitterend.”
Isawthatforsomereasonofhisownhewasdeterminednottocome,soIstoodup.
“Areyouacollegeman?”heinquiredsuddenly.
ForamomentIthoughthewasgoingtosuggesta“gonnegtion,”butheonlynoddedandshookmyhand.
“Letuslearntoshowourfriendshipforamanwhenheisaliveandnotafterheisdead,”hesuggested.“Afterthatmyownruleistoleteverythingalone.”
WhenIlefthisofficetheskyhadturneddarkandIgotbacktoWestEgginadrizzle.AfterchangingmyclothesIwentnextdoorandfoundMr.Gatzwalkingupanddownexcitedlyinthehall.Hisprideinhissonandinhisson’spossessionswascontinuallyincreasingandnowhehadsomethingtoshowme.
“Jimmysentmethispicture.”Hetookouthiswalletwithtremblingfingers.“Lookthere.”
Itwasaphotographofthehouse,crackedinthecornersanddirtywithmanyhands.Hepointedouteverydetailtomeeagerly.“Lookthere!”andthensoughtadmirationfrommyeyes.HehadshownitsooftenthatIthinkitwasmorerealtohimnowthanthehouseitself.
“Jimmysentittome.Ithinkit’saveryprettypicture.Itshowsupwell.”
“Verywell.Hadyouseenhimlately?”
“HecomeouttoseemetwoyearsagoandboughtmethehouseIliveinnow.Ofcoursewewasbrokeupwhenherunofffromhome,butIseenowtherewasareasonforit.Heknewhehadabigfutureinfrontofhim.Andeversincehemadeasuccesshewasverygenerouswithme.”
Heseemedreluctanttoputawaythepicture,helditforanotherminute,lingeringly,beforemyeyes.ThenhereturnedthewalletandpulledfromhispocketaraggedoldcopyofabookcalledHopalongCassidy.
“Lookhere,thisisabookhehadwhenhewasaboy.Itjustshowsyou.”
Heopeneditatthebackcoverandturneditaroundformetosee.Onthelastflyleafwasprintedthewordschedule,andthedateSeptember12,1906.Andunderneath:
Risefrombed
6:00a.m.
Dumbellexerciseandwall-scaling
6:15–6:30“
Studyelectricity,etc.
7:15–8:15“
Work
8:30–4:30p.m.
Baseballandsports
4:30–5:00“
Practiseelocution,poiseandhowtoattainit
5:00–6:00“
Studyneededinventions
7:00–9:00“
GeneralResolves
NowastingtimeatShaftersor[aname,indecipherable]
Nomoresmokeingorchewing.
Batheveryotherday
Readoneimprovingbookormagazineperweek
Save$5.00[crossedout]$3.00perweek
Bebettertoparents
“Icameacrossthisbookbyaccident,”saidtheoldman.“Itjustshowsyou,don’tit?”
“Itjustshowsyou.”
“Jimmywasboundtogetahead.Healwayshadsomeresolveslikethisorsomething.Doyounoticewhathe’sgotaboutimprovinghismind?Hewasalwaysgreatforthat.HetoldmeIetlikeahogonce,andIbeathimforit.”
Hewasreluctanttoclosethebook,readingeachitemaloudandthenlookingeagerlyatme.Ithinkheratherexpectedmetocopydownthelistformyownuse.
AlittlebeforethreetheLutheranministerarrivedfromFlushing,andIbegantolookinvoluntarilyoutthewindowsforothercars.SodidGatsby’sfather.Andasthetimepassedandtheservantscameinandstoodwaitinginthehall,hiseyesbegantoblinkanxiously,andhespokeoftheraininaworried,uncertainway.Theministerglancedseveraltimesathiswatch,soItookhimasideandaskedhimtowaitforhalfanhour.Butitwasn’tanyuse.Nobodycame.
Aboutfiveo’clockourprocessionofthreecarsreachedthecemeteryandstoppedinathickdrizzlebesidethegate—firstamotorhearse,ho
