The other girl, Daisy, tried to rise then she laughed, an absurd, charming little laugh, and I laughed too and came forward into the room.
Im p-paralyzed with happiness.
She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and looked up into my face, and it seemed that I was the only one in the world she so much wanted to see. That was a way she had. She murmured that the surname of the balancing girl was Baker. (Ive heard it said that Daisys murmur was only to make people lean toward her; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming.)
At any rate, Miss Bakers lips moved a little, she nodded at me with exhibition of complete self-suf-ciency14. I looked back at my cousin, who began to ask me questions in her low, thrilling voice. Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth.
I told her how I had stopped off in Chicago for a day on my way East, and how a dozen people had sent their love through me.
Do they miss me? she cried ecstatically.
The whole town is desolate. All the cars have the left rear wheel painted black as a mourning wreath, and theres a persistent wail all night along the north shore.15
How gorgeous! Lets go back, Tom. Tomorrow! Then she added irrelevantly: You ought to see the baby.
Id like to.
Shes asleep. Shes three years old. You ought to see her. Shes
Tom Buchanan, who had been walking restlessly about the room, stopped and put his hand on my shoulder.
What you doing, Nick?
Im a bond man16.
Who with?
I told him.
Never heard of them, he remarked decisively.
This annoyed me.
You will, I answered shortly. You will if you stay in the East.
Oh, Ill stay in the East, dont you worry, he said, glancing at Daisy. Id be a God damned fool to live anywhere else.
At this point Miss Baker said: Absolutely! with such suddenness that I started17 it was the rst word she had said since I came into the room. I think it surprised her as much as it did me because she yawned and stood up into the room.
Im stiff, she complained, Ive been lying on that sofa for as long as I can remember.
I looked at Miss Baker. I enjoyed looking at her. She was a slim, small-breasted girl. Her gray sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite curiosity out of a charming, discontented face.18 It seemed to me now that I had seen her, or a picture of her, somewhere before.
You live in West Egg, she remarked contemptuously. You must know Gatsby.
Gatsby? asked Daisy. What Gatsby?
Before I could answer that he was my neighbor dinner was announced. The two young women showed us the way onto a rosy-colored porch, open toward the sunset, where four candles were lit on the table.
Why candles? objected Daisy, frowning. She snapped them out with her ngers. In two weeks itll be the longest day in the year.
We ought to plan something, yawned Miss Baker, sitting down at the table as if she were getting into bed.
All right, said Daisy. Whatll we plan? She turned to me helplessly: What do people plan?
Before I could answer her eyes focused on her little nger.
Look! she complained; I hurt it. You did it, Tom, she said accusingly. I know you didnt want to, but you did do it. Thats what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen19 of a
I hate that word hulking, objected Tom angrily, even in kidding.
Hulking, insisted Daisy.
Sometimes she and Miss Baker talked at once, but that was never quite chatter, that was as cool as their white dresses and their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire. They were here, and they accepted Tom and me, making only a polite pleasant effort to entertain or to be entertained20.
You make me feel uncivilized, Daisy, I confessed on my second glass of impressive wine. Cant you talk about crops or something? I meant nothing special by this phrase, but the reaction was unexpected.
Civilizations going to pieces, said Tom violently. Ive gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things. If we dont look out the white race will be will be completely underwater. Its all scientic stuff; its been proved.
Toms getting a very deep thinker, said Daisy, with an expression of unthoughtful sadness. He reads deep books with long words in them.
Well, these books are all scientic, insisted Tom, glancing at her impatiently. This fellow has worked out the whole thing. Its up to us21, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.
Weve got to beat them down, whispered Daisy, winking ferociously toward the fervent sun22. Suddenly, the telephone rang inside and the butler left the porch. Daisy leaned toward me.
Ill tell you a family secret, she whispered enthusiastically. Its about the butlers nose. Do you want to hear about the butlers nose?
Thats why I came over tonight.
Well, he wasnt always a butler; he used to be the silver polisher for some people in New York that had a silver service for two hundred people. He had to polish it from morning till night, until nally it began to affect his nose. Things went from bad to worse, until nally he had to give up his position.
The butler came back and murmured something close to Toms ear; Tom frowned, pushed back his chair, and without a word went inside. As if his absence quickened something within her, Daisy leaned forward again, her voice enthusiastic and singing.
I love to see you at my table, Nick. You remind me of a of a rose, an absolute rose. Doesnt he? She turned to Miss Baker for conrmation: An absolute rose?
This was untrue. I am not even faintly like a rose. She was only improvising. Then suddenly she threw her napkin on the table, excused herself and went into the house.
Miss Baker and I exchanged a short glance without any meaning. I was about to speak when she said Sh! in a warning voice. A subdued murmur was audible23 in the room beyond, and Miss Baker leaned forward unashamed, trying to hear. The murmur trembled on the verge of understandability, sank down, mounted excitedly, and then ended altogether.
Is something happening? I asked innocently.
You mean to say you dont know? said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. I thought everybody knew. Toms got some woman in New York. She might have the decency24 not to telephone him at dinner time. Dont you think?
Almost before I had understood her meaning there was the utter of a dress and the crunch of leather boots, and Tom and Daisy were back at the table. Daisy sat down and cried with tense gayety: I looked out-doors for a minute. Theres a nightingale singing away Her voice sang: Its romantic, isnt it, Tom?
Very romantic, he said, and then miserably to me: If its light enough after dinner, I want to take you down to the stables.
The telephone rang inside, startlingly, and, as Daisy shook her head decisively at Tom, the subject of the stables and all other subjects, disappeared into air. I realized that I wanted to look directly at every one, and yet to keep off all eyes. I couldnt guess what Daisy and Tom were thinking, but I doubt if even Miss Baker was able to put the fth guest out of mind.