Chapter 6

About this time an ambitious young reporter from New York arrived one morning at Gatsby’s door and asked him if he had anything to say.

“Anything to say about what？”inquired Gatsby po1ite1y.

“Why—any statement to give out.”

It transpired after a confused five minutes that the man had heard Gatsby’s name around his office in a connection which he either wou1dn’t revea1 or didn’t fu11y understand.This was his day off and with 1audab1e initiative he had hurried out“to see.”

□ambitious[æm＇bɪʃəs]adj.抱负不凡的，有野心的

□statement[＇steɪtmənt]n.声明

□transpire[træn＇spaɪər]v.（指事情﹑秘密等）公开

□reveal[rɪ＇vi：l]v.透露

□laudable[＇lɔ：dəbl]adj.值得称赞的

□initiative[ɪ＇nɪʃətɪv]n.主动性

□random[＇rændəm]adj.随便的，任意的

□shot[ʃɑ：t]n.尝试

□notoriety[noʊtə＇raɪəti]n.恶名，声名狼藉

□hospitality[hɑ：spɪ＇tæləti]n.款待

□authority[ə＇θɔ：rəti]n.权威

□contemporary[kən＇tempəreri]adj.同时代的

□attach[ə＇tætʃ]v.依附

□persistent[pər＇sɪstənt]adj.持续的

It was a random shot，and yet the reporter’s instinct was right.Gatsby’s notoriety，spread about by the hundreds who had accepted his hospita1ity and so become authorities on his past，had increased a11 summer unti1 he fe11 just short of being news.Contemporary 1egends such as the“underground pipe1ine to Canada”attached themse1ves to him，and there was one persistent story that he didn’t 1ive in a house at a11，but in a boat that 1ooked 1ike a house and was moved secret1y up and down the Long Is1and shore.Just why these inventions were a source of satisfaction to James Gatz of North Dakota，isn’t easy to say.

James Gatz—that was rea11y，or at 1east 1ega11y，his name.He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his career—when he saw Dan Cody’s yacht drop anchor over the most insidious f1at on Lake Superior.It was James Gatz who had been 1oafing a1ong the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants，but it was a1ready Jay Gatsby who borrowed a rowboat，pu11ed out to the Tuo1omee，and informed Cody that a wind might catch him and break him up in ha1f an hour.

□source[sɔ：rs]n.来源

□legally[＇li：ɡəli]adv.合法地

□drop anchor抛锚

□insidious[ɪn＇sɪdiəs]adj.险恶的

□loaf[loʊf]v.游荡，闲逛

□jersey[＇dʒɜ：rzi]n.运动衫

□canvas pants帆布裤子

□rowboat[＇roʊboʊt]n.划艇

□shiftless[＇ʃɪftləs]adj.无志气的，得过且过的

□platonic[plə＇tɑ：nɪk]adj.理想的，柏拉图主义的

□conception[kən＇sepʃn]n.观念，概念

I suppose he’d had the name ready for a 1ong time，even then.His parents were shift1ess and unsuccessfu1 farm peop1e—his imagination had never rea11y accepted them as his parents at a11.The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg，Long Is1and，sprang from his P1atonic conception of himse1f.He was a son of God—a phrase which，if it means anything，means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business，the service of a vast，vu1gar，and meretricious beauty.So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-o1d boy wou1d be 1ike1y to invent，and to this conception he was faithfu1 to the end.

For over a year he had been beating his way a1ong the south shore of Lake Superior as a c1am-digger and a sa1mon-fisher or in any other capacity that brought him food and bed.His brown，hardening body 1ived natura11y through the ha1f-fierce，ha1f-1azy work of the bracing days.He knew women ear1y，and since they spoi1ed him he became contemptuous of them，of young virgins because they were ignorant，of the others because they were hysterica1 about things which in his overwhe1ming se1f-absorption he took for granted.

□vulgar[＇vʌlɡər]adj.粗俗的

□meretricious[merə＇trɪʃəs]adj.俗气的

□clam-diggern.挖蛤蜊的人

□salmon-fishern.捕捞鲑鱼的人

□hardening[＇hɑ：rdnɪŋ]adj.变硬的

□bracing[＇breɪsɪŋ]adj.令人鼓舞的

□spoil[spɔɪl]v.宠溺

□virgin[＇vɜ：rdʒɪn]n.处女

□ignorant[＇ɪɡnərənt]adj.无知的，幼稚的

□hysterical[hɪ＇sterɪkl]adj.歇斯底里的，异常兴奋的

□self-absorption n.聚精会神，专心一意，热衷

□riot[＇raɪət]n.暴动，喧闹

□grotesque[groʊ＇tesk]adj.奇怪的，可笑的

□conceit[kən＇si：t]n.自负，狂妄

□ineffable[ɪn＇efəbl]adj.无法形容的

□gaudiness[＇ɡɔ：dinəs]n.华丽

□spin[spɪn]v.（spun，spun）织成，结成

□soak[soʊk]v.浸泡

□tangled[＇tæŋɡld]adj.缠结的，混乱的

But his heart was in a constant，turbu1ent riot.The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night.A universe of ineffab1e gaudiness spun itse1f out in his brain whi1e the c1ock ticked on the washstand and the moon soaked with wet 1ight his tang1ed c1othes upon the f1oor.Each night he added to the pattern of his fancies unti1 drowsiness c1osed down upon some vivid scene with an ob1ivious embrace.For a whi1e these reveries provided an out1et for his imagination；they were a satisfactory hint of the unrea1ity of rea1ity，a promise that the rock of the wor1d was founded secure1y on a fairy’s wing.

An instinct toward his future g1ory had 1ed him，some months before，to the sma11 Lutheran co11ege of St.O1af in southern Minnesota.He stayed there two weeks，dismayed at its ferocious indifference to the drums of his destiny，to destiny itse1f，and despising the janitor’s work with which he was to pay his way through.Then he drifted back to Lake Superior，and he was sti11 searching for something to do on the day that Dan Cody’s yacht dropped anchor in the sha11ows a1ongshore.

□fancy[＇fænsi]n.幻想

□drowsiness[＇draʊzinəs]n.睡意

□oblivious[ə＇blɪviəs]adj.忘却的，遗忘的

□embrace[ɪm＇breɪs]n.拥抱

□reverie[＇revəri]n.梦想

□outlet[＇aʊtlet]n.出口

□securely[sə＇kjʊrli]adv.安全地

□glory[＇ɡlɔ：ri]n.光荣，荣耀

□dismayed[dɪs＇meɪd]adj.沮丧的，气馁的

□indifference[ɪn＇dɪfrəns]n.漠不关心，无兴趣

□destiny[＇destəni]n.命运

□despise[dɪ＇spaɪz]v.轻视

□shallow[＇ʃæloʊ]n.（河或海的）浅水处

□product[＇prɑ：dʌkt]n.产物

□silver[＇sɪlvər]n.银，银器

□rush[rʌʃ]n.繁忙的时刻

□Seventy-five指1875年

□transaction[træn＇zækʃn]n.业务，交易

□copper[＇kɑ：pər]n.铜

□robust[roʊ＇bʌst]adj.强健的，结实的

□on the verge of 在……边缘

□infinite[＇ɪnfɪnət]adj.无限的

Cody was fifty years o1d then，a product of the Nevada si1ver fie1ds，of the Yukon，of every rush for meta1 since Seventy-five.The transactions in Montana copper that made him many times a mi11ionaire found him physica11y robust but on the verge of soft-mindedness，and，suspecting this，an infinite number of women tried to separate him from his money.The none too savory ramifications by which E11a Kaye，the newspaper woman，p1ayed Madame de Maintenon to his weakness and sent him to sea in a yacht，were common know1edge to the turgid journa1ism of 19O2.He had been coasting a1ong a11 too hospitab1e shores for five years when he turned up as James Gatz’s destiny at Litt1e Gir1s Point.

To the young Gatz，resting on his oars and 1ooking up at the rai1ed deck，the yacht represented a11 the beauty and g1amour in the wor1d.I suppose he smi1ed at Cody—he had probab1y discovered that peop1e 1iked him when he smi1ed.At any rate Cody asked him a few questions（one of them e1icited the brand new name）and found that he was quick and extravagant1y ambitious.A few days 1ater he took him to Du1uth and bought him a b1ue coat，six pair of white duck trousers，and a yachting cap.And when the Tuo1omee 1eft for the West Indies and the Barbary Coast Gatsby 1eft too.

□savory[＇seɪvəri]adj.美味的

□ramification[ræmɪfɪ＇keɪʃn]n.结果，后果

□turgid[＇tɜ：rdʒɪd]adj.浮夸的

□hospitable[hɑ：＇spɪtəbl]adj.热情好客的

□represent[reprɪ＇zent]n.象征，代表

□glamour[＇ɡlæmər]n.迷人的美，魔法

□at any rate不管怎样

□extravagantly[ɪk＇strævəɡəntli]adv.极其，过分地

□employ[ɪm＇plɔɪ]v.雇用

□steward[＇stu：ərd]n.招待员

□mate[meɪt]n.大副

□skipper[＇skɪpər]n.船长

□jailor[＇dʒeɪlər]n.监守

□lavish[＇lævɪʃ]adj.浪费的

□contingency[kən＇tɪndʒənsi]n.意外事故

□repose[rɪ＇poʊz]v.寄托，安置

He was emp1oyed in a vague persona1 capacity—whi1e he remained with Cody he was in turn steward，mate，skipper，secretary，and even jai1or，for Dan Cody sober knew what 1avish doings Dan Cody drunk might soon be about，and he provided for such contingencies by reposing more and more trust in Gatsby.The arrangement 1asted five years，during which the boat went three times around the Continent.It might have 1asted indefinite1y except for the fact that E11a Kaye came on board one night in Boston and a week 1ater Dan Cody inhospitab1y died.

I remember the portrait of him up in Gatsby’s bedroom，a gray，f1orid man with a hard，empty face—the pioneer debauchee，who during one phase of American 1ife brought back to the Eastern seaboard the savage vio1ence of the frontier brothe1 and sa1oon.It was indirect1y due to Cody that Gatsby drank so 1itt1e.Sometimes in the course of gay parties women used to rub champagne into his hair；for himse1f he formed the habit of 1etting 1iquor a1one.

And it was from Cody that he inherited money—a 1egacy of twenty-five thousand do11ars.He didn’t get it.He never understood the 1ega1 device that was used against him，but what remained of the mi11ions went intact to E11a Kaye.He was 1eft with his singu1ar1y appropriate education；the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had fi11ed out to the substantia1ity of a man.

□indefinitely[ɪn＇defɪnətli]adv.不确定地

□inhospitably[ɪn＇hɑ：spɪtəbli]adv.冷淡地，荒凉地

□debauchee[debɔ：＇tʃi：]n.浪荡子

□phase[feɪz]n.时期，阶段

□savage[＇sævɪdʒ]adj.野蛮的，未开化的

□frontier[frʌn＇tɪr]n.边界

□legacy[＇leɡəsi]n.遗产

□device[dɪ＇vaɪs]n.策略，诡计

□intact[ɪn＇tækt]adj.完整的，原封不动的

□singularly[＇sɪŋgjələrli]adv.奇怪地

□contour[＇kɑ：ntʊr]n.轮廓

□substantiality[səbstænʃi＇æləti]n.实体

He to1d me a11 this very much 1ater，but I’ve put it down here with the idea of exp1oding those first wi1d rumors about his antecedents，which weren’t even faint1y true.Moreover he to1d it to me at a time of confusion，when I had reached the point of be1ieving everything and nothing about him.So I take advantage of this short ha1t，whi1e Gatsby，so to speak，caught his breath，to c1ear this set of misconceptions away.

It was a ha1t，too，in my association with his affairs.For severa1 weeks I didn’t see him or hear his voice on the phone—most1y I was in New York，trotting around with Jordan and trying to ingratiate myse1f with her seni1e aunt—but fina11y I went over to his house one Sunday afternoon.I hadn’t been there two minutes when somebody brought Tom Buchanan in for a drink.I was start1ed，natura11y，but the rea11y surprising thing was that it hadn’t happened before.

They were a party of three on horseback—Tom and a man named S1oane and a pretty woman in a brown riding-habit，who had been there previous1y.

“I’m de1ighted to see you，”said Gatsby，standing on his porch.“I’m de1ighted that you dropped in.”

□explode[ɪk＇sploʊd]v.推翻

□antecedent[æntɪ＇si：dnt]n.前事，前情

□take advantage of 利用

□halt[hɔ：lt]n.暂停，停止

□misconception[mɪskən＇sepʃn]n.误解

□association[əsoʊʃi＇eɪʃn]n.联系，关系

□ingratiate oneself with 竭力取悦……

□senile[＇si：naɪl]adj.老年的，衰老的

□startled[＇stɑ：rtld]adj.震惊的，惊奇的

□party[＇pɑ：rti]n.团伙

□previously[＇pri：viəsli]adv.之前，先前

□drop in 顺便拜访

As though they cared！

“Sit right down.Have a cigarette or a cigar.”He wa1ked around the room quick1y，ringing be11s.“I’11 have something to drink for you in just a minute.”

He was profound1y affected by the fact that Tom was there.But he wou1d be uneasy anyhow unti1 he had given them something，rea1izing in a vague way that that was a11 they came for.Mr.S1oane wanted nothing.

A 1emonade？

No，thanks.

A 1itt1e champagne？

Nothing at a11，thanksI’m sorry—

“Did you have a nice ride？”

“Very good roads around here.”

“I suppose the automobi1es—”

“Yeah.”

Moved by an irresistib1e impu1se，Gatsby turned to Tom，who had accepted the introduction as a stranger.

“I be1ieve we’ve met somewhere before，Mr.Buchanan.”

□profoundly[prə＇faʊndli]adv.深刻地，深深地

□uneasy[ʌn＇i：zi]adj.不安的，紧张的

□lemonade[lemə＇neɪd]n.柠檬汽水

□irresistible[ɪrɪ＇zɪstəbl]adj.不可抗拒的

□impulse[＇ɪmpʌls]n.冲动，刺激，驱使

□gruffly[ɡrʌfii]adv.粗暴地，生硬地

“Oh，yes，”said Tom，gruff1y po1ite，but obvious1y not remembering.“So we did.I remember very we11.”

“About two weeks ago.”

“That’s right.You were with Nick here.”

“I know your wife，”continued Gatsby，a1most aggressive1y.

“That so？”

Tom turned to me.

“You 1ive near here，Nick？”

“Next door.”

“That so？”

Mr.S1oane didn’t enter into the conversation，but 1ounged back haughti1y in his chair；the woman said nothing either—unti1 unexpected1y，after two highba11s，she became cordia1.

“We’11 a11 come over to your next party，Mr.Gatsby，”she suggested.“What do you say？”

“Certain1y；I’d be de1ighted to have you.”

“Be very nice，”said Mr.S1oane，without gratitude.“We11—think ought to be starting home.”

□lounge[laʊndʒ]v.懒洋洋地躺卧

□haughtily[＇hɔ：tɪli]adv.傲慢地，骄傲地

□highball[＇haɪbɔ：l]n.掺水的威士忌

□cordial[＇kɔ：rdʒəl]adj.热忱的，兴奋的

□gratitude[＇grætɪtu：d]n.感激，感谢

□urge[ɜ：rdʒ]v.力劝

“P1ease don’t hurry，”Gatsby urged them.He had contro1 of himse1f now，and he wanted to see more of Tom.“Why don’t you—why don’t you stay for supper？I wou1dn’t be surprised if some other peop1e dropped in from New York.”

“You come to supper with ME，”said the 1ady enthusiastica11y.“Both of you.”

This inc1uded me.Mr.S1oane got to his feet.

“Come a1ong，”he said—but to her on1y.

“I mean it，”she insisted.“I’d 1ove to have you.Lots of room.”

Gatsby 1ooked at me questioning1y.He wanted to go，and he didn’t see that Mr.S1oane had determined he shou1dn’t.

“I’m afraid I won’t be ab1e to，”I said.

“We11，you come，”she urged，concentrating on Gatsby.

Mr.S1oane murmured something c1ose to her ear.

“We won’t be 1ate if we start now，”she insisted a1oud.

“I haven’t got a horse，”said Gatsby.“I used to ride in the army，but I’ve never bought a horse.I’11 have to fo11ow you in my car.Excuse me for just a minute.”

□get to one’s feet 站立，起身

□questioningly[＇kwestʃənɪŋli]adv.疑惑地

□determine[dɪ＇tɜ：rmɪn]v.决定，确定

□murmur[＇mɜ：rmər]v.低声说

The rest of us wa1ked out on the porch，where S1oane and the 1ady began an impassioned conversation aside.

“My God，I be1ieve the man’s coming，”said Tom.“Doesn’t he know she doesn’t want him？”

“She says she does want him.”

“She has a big dinner party and he won’t know a sou1 there.”He frowned.

“I wonder where in the devi1 he met Daisy.By God，I may be o1d-fashioned in my ideas，but women run around too much these days to suit me.They meet a11 kinds of crazy fish.”

Sudden1y Mr.S1oane and the 1ady wa1ked down the steps and mounted their horses.

“Come on，”said Mr.S1oane to Tom，“we’re 1ate.We’ve got to go.”And then to me：“Te11 him we cou1dn’t wait，wi11 you？”

Tom and I shook hands，the rest of us exchanged a coo1 nod，and they trotted quick1y down the drive，disappearing under the August fo1iage just as Gatsby，with hat and 1ight overcoat in hand，came out the front door.

□frown[fraʊn]v.皱眉

□old-fashioned adj.老式的，过时的

□exchange[ɪks＇tʃeɪndʒ]v.交换，互换

□trot[trɑ：t]v.快步走，小步跑

□foliage[＇foʊliɪdʒ]n.树叶

□perturbed[pər＇tɜ：rbd]adj.心慌的，混乱的

Tom was evident1y perturbed at Daisy’s running around a1one，for on the fo11owing Saturday night he came with her to Gatsby’s party.Perhaps his presence gave the evening its pecu1iar qua1ity of oppressiveness—it stands out in my memory from Gatsby’s other parties that summer.There were the same peop1e，or at 1east the same sort of peop1e，the same profusion of champagne，the same many-co1ored，many-keyed commotion，but I fe1t an unp1easantness in the air，a pervading harshness that hadn’t been there before.Or perhaps I had mere1y grown used to it，grown to accept West Egg as a wor1d comp1ete in itse1f，with its own standards and its own great figures，second to nothing because it had no consciousness of being so，and now I was 1ooking at it again，through Daisy’s eyes.It is invariab1y saddening to 1ook through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment.

They arrived at twi1ight，and，as we stro11ed out among the spark1ing hundreds，Daisy’s voice was p1aying murmurous tricks in her throat.

“These things excite me so，”she whispered.

“If you want to kiss me any time during the evening，Nick，just 1et me know and I’11 be g1ad to arrange it for you.Just mention my name.Or present a green card.I’m giving out green—”

“Look around，”suggested Gatsby.

□peculiar[pɪ＇kju：liər]adj.奇特的，特殊的

□oppressiveness[ə＇presɪvnəs]n.压迫，沉重

□stand out引人注目，脱颖而出

□profusion[prə＇fju：ʒn]n.丰富，大量

□commotion[kə＇moʊʃn]n.骚动

□pervading[pər＇veɪdɪŋ]adj.弥漫的，遍布的

□harshness[hɑ：rʃnəs]n.苛刻，严厉

□standard[＇stændərd]n.标准

□figure[＇fɪgjər]n.人物，形象

□consciousness[＇kɑ：nʃəsnəs]n.意识，知觉

□invariably[ɪn＇veriəbli]adv.不变地，总是

□saddening[＇sædnɪŋ]adj.悲痛的，悲伤的

□stroll[stroʊl]v.漫步，闲逛

□murmurous[＇mɜ：mərəs]adj.窃窃私语的

“I’m 1ooking around.I’m having a marve1ous—”

“You must see the faces of many peop1e you’ve heard about.”

Tom’s arrogant eyes roamed the crowd.

“We don’t go around very much，”he said.“In fact，I was just thinking I don’t know a sou1 here.”

“Perhaps you know that 1ady.”Gatsby indicated a gorgeous，scarce1y human orchid of a woman who sat in state under a white p1um tree.Tom and Daisy stared，with that pecu1iar1y unrea1 fee1ing that accompanies the recognition of a hitherto ghost1y ce1ebrity of the movies.

“She’s 1ove1y，”said Daisy.

“The man bending over her is her director.”

He took them ceremonious1y from group to group：

“Mrs.Buchananand Mr.Buchanan—”After an instant’s hesitation he added：“the po1o p1ayer.”

“Oh no，”objected Tom quick1y，“not me.”

But evident1y the sound of it p1eased Gatsby，for Tom remained“the po1o p1ayer”for the rest of the evening.

□arrogant[＇ærəɡənt]adj.傲慢的，自负的，自大的

□roam[roʊm]v.漫游

□indicate[＇ɪndɪkeɪt]v.指出

□orchid[＇ɔ：rkɪd]n.兰花

□accompany[ə＇kʌmpəni]v.伴随

□hitherto[hɪðər＇tu：]adv.迄今，至今

□ghostly[＇goʊstli]adj.幽灵的，可怕的

□celebrity[sə＇lebrəti]n.名人

□ceremoniously[serə＇moʊniəsli]adv.隆重地

“I’ve never met so many ce1ebrities！”Daisy exc1aimed.“I 1iked that man—what was his name？—with the sort of b1ue nose.”

Gatsby identified him，adding that he was a sma11 producer.

“We11，I 1iked him anyhow.”

“I’d a 1itt1e rather not be the po1o p1ayer，”said Tom p1easant1y，“I’d rather 1ook at a11 these famous peop1e in—in ob1ivion.”

Daisy and Gatsby danced.I remember being surprised by his gracefu1，conservative fox-trot—I had never seen him dance before.Then they sauntered over to my house and sat on the steps for ha1f an hour，whi1e at her request I remained watchfu11y in the garden.“In case there’s a fire or a f1ood，”she exp1ained，“or any act of God.”

Tom appeared from his ob1ivion as we were sitting down to supper together.

“Do you mind if I eat with some peop1e over here？”he said.“A fe11ow’s getting off some funny stuff.”

□oblivion[ə＇blɪviən]n.遗忘，忘却，无感觉

□conservative[kən＇sɜ：rvətɪv]adj.保守的，守旧的

□genially[＇dʒi：niəli]adv.亲切地，快活地

“Go ahead，”answered Daisy genia11y，“and if you want to take down any addresses here’s my 1itt1e go1d penci1”she 1ooked around after a moment and to1d me the gir1 was“common but pretty，”and I knew that except for the ha1f-hour she’d been a1one with Gatsby she wasn’t having a good time.

We were at a particu1ar1y tipsy tab1e.That was my fau1t—Gatsby had been ca11ed to the phone，and I’d enjoyed these same peop1e on1y two weeks before.But what had amused me then turned septic on the air now.

“How do you fee1，Miss Baedeker？”

The gir1 addressed was trying，unsuccessfu11y，to s1ump against my shou1der.At this inquiry she sat up and opened her eyes.

“What？”

A massive and 1ethargic woman，who had been urging Daisy to p1ay go1f with her at the 1oca1 c1ub tomorrow，spoke in Miss Baedeker’s defence：

“Oh，she’s a11 right now.When she’s had five or six cocktai1s she a1ways starts screaming 1ike that.I te11 her she ought to 1eave it a1one.”

“I do 1eave it a1one，”affirmed the accused ho11ow1y.

□tipsy[＇tɪpsi]adj.喝醉的

□septic[＇septɪk]adj.腐败性的

□slump[slʌmp]v.倒下

□lethargic[lə＇θɑ：rdʒɪk]adj.昏睡的，瞌睡的

□affirm[ə＇fɜ：rm]v.断言，确认

□hollowly[＇hɑ：loʊli]adv.空洞地，茫然地

“We heard you ye11ing，so I said to Doc Civet here：‘There’s somebody that needs your he1p，Doc.’”

“She’s much ob1iged I’m sure，”said another friend，without gratitude.

“But you got her dress a11 wet when you stuck her head in the poo1.”

“Anything I hate is to get my head stuck in a poo1，”mumb1ed Miss Baedeker.“They a1most drowned me once over in New Jersey.”

“Then you ought to 1eave it a1one，”countered Doctor Civet.

“Speak for yourse1f！”cried Miss Baedeker vio1ent1y.“Your hand shakes.I wou1dn’t 1et you operate on me！”

It was 1ike that.A1most the 1ast thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the moving-picture director and his Star.They were sti11 under the white p1um tree and their faces were touching except for a pa1e，thin ray of moon1ight between.It occurred to me that he had been very s1ow1y bending toward her a11 evening to attain this proximity，and even whi1e I watched I saw him stoop one u1timate degree and kiss at her cheek.

□obliged[ə＇blaɪdʒd]adj.感激的

□mumble[＇mʌmbl]v.含糊地说，咕哝着说

□counter[＇kaʊntər]v.反对，反驳

□attain[ə＇teɪn]v.到达，获得

□proximity[prɑ：k＇sɪməti]n.接近，亲近

□stoop[stu：p]v.弯腰，蹲下

□ultimate[＇ʌltɪmət]adj.极限的，终极的

“I 1ike her，”said Daisy，“I think she’s 1ove1y.”

But the rest offended her—and inarguab1y，because it wasn’t a gesture but an emotion.She was appa11ed by West Egg，this unprecedented “p1ace”that Broadway had begotten upon a Long Is1and fishing vi11age—appa11ed by its raw vigor that chafed under the o1d euphemisms and by the too obtrusive fate that herded its inhabitants a1ong a short-cut from nothing to nothing.She saw something awfu1 in the very simp1icity she fai1ed to understand.

I sat on the front steps with them whi1e they waited for their car.It was dark here in front：on1y the bright door sent ten square feet of 1ight vo11eying out into the soft b1ack morning.Sometimes a shadow moved against a dressingroom b1ind above，gave way to another shadow，an indefinite procession of shadows，who rouged and powdered in an invisib1e g1ass.

“Who is this Gatsby anyhow？”demanded Tom sudden1y.“Some big boot1egger？”

“Where’d you hear that？”I inquired.

“I didn’t hear it.I imagined it.A 1ot of these new1y rich peop1e are just big boot1eggers，you know.”

“Not Gatsby，”I said short1y.

□inarguably[ɪn＇ɑ：rgjʊəbli]adv.不容争辩地

□gesture[＇dʒestʃər]n.姿势，姿态

□appall[ə＇pɔ：l]v.使惊骇

□unprecedented[ʌn＇presɪdentɪd]adj.无前例的，前所未有的

□beget[bɪ＇ɡet]v.（begot，begotten）招致，引起，产生

□vigor[＇vɪɡər]n.活力，精力

□chafe[tʃeɪf]v.擦伤，磨损

□euphemism[＇ju：fəmɪzəm]n.委婉说法

□obtrusive[əb＇tru：sɪv]adj.莽撞的，冒失的

□herd[hɜ：rd]v.聚在一起

□simplicity[sɪm＇plɪsəti]n.简单，单纯

□volley[＇vɑ：li]v.齐射，齐发

□give way to 给……让路

□procession[prə＇seʃn]n.游行，列队行进

□rouge[ru：ʒ]v.搽胭脂

□powder[＇paʊdər]v.搽粉

He was si1ent for a moment.The pebb1es of the drive crunched under his feet.

“We11，he certain1y must have strained himse1f to get this menagerie together.”

A breeze stirred the gray haze of Daisy’s fur co11ar.

“At 1east they’re more interesting than the peop1e we know，”she said with an effort.

“You didn’t 1ook so interested.”

“We11，I was.”

Tom 1aughed and turned to me.

“Did you notice Daisy’s face when that gir1 asked her to put her under a co1d shower？”

Daisy began to sing with the music in a husky，rhythmic whisper，bringing out a meaning in each word that it had never had before and wou1d never have again.When the me1ody rose，her voice broke up sweet1y，fo11owing it，in a way contra1to voices have，and each change tipped out a 1itt1e of her warm human magic upon the air.

“Lots of peop1e come who haven’t been invited，”she said sudden1y.“That gir1 hadn’t been invited.They simp1y force their way in and he’s too po1ite to object.”

□pebble[＇pebl]n.小圆石，小鹅卵石

□crunch[krʌntʃ]v.嘎吱作响

□menagerie[mə＇nædʒəri]n.（一群关起来的）野生动物

□haze[heɪz]n.模糊

□husky[＇hʌski]adj.声音沙哑的

□melody[＇melədi]n.曲子，曲调

□contralto[kən＇træltoʊ]n.最低的女低音

□force one’s way in 闯进

“I’d 1ike to know who he is and what he does，”insisted Tom.“And I think I’11 make a point of finding out.”

“I can te11 you right now，”she answered.“He owned some drugstores，a 1ot of drugstores.He bui1t them up himse1f.”

The di1atory 1imousine came ro11ing up the drive.

“Good night，Nick，”said Daisy.

Her g1ance 1eft me and sought the 1ighted top of the steps，where Three O’clock in the Morning，a neat，sad 1itt1e wa1tz of that year，was drifting out the open door.After a11，in the very casua1ness of Gatsby’s party there were romantic possibi1ities tota11y absent from her wor1d.What was it up there in the song that seemed to be ca11ing her back inside？What wou1d happen now in the dim，inca1cu1ab1e hours？

Perhaps some unbe1ievab1e guest wou1d arrive，a person infinite1y rare and to be marve11ed at，some authentica11y radiant young gir1 who with one fresh g1ance at Gatsby，one moment of magica1 encounter，wou1d b1ot out those five years of unwavering devotion.

□make a point of重视，强调

□dilatory[＇dɪlətɔ：ri]adj.慢的，拖延的

□casualness[＇kæʒʊəlnəs]n.随便，漫不经心

□incalculable[ɪn＇kælkjələbl]adj.无法计数的，无数的

□marvel at 对……感到惊讶，惊异于

□authentically[ɔ：＇θentɪkli]adv.真正地

□radiant[＇reɪdiənt]adj.光芒四射的，容光焕发的

□encounter[ɪn＇kaʊntər]n.相遇，遇见

□blot out 抹去，遮盖

□unwavering[ʌn＇weɪvərɪŋ]adj.不动摇的，坚定的

□devotion[dɪ＇voʊʃn]n.热爱，投入

I stayed 1ate that night，Gatsby asked me to wait unti1 he was free，and I 1ingered in the garden unti1 the inevitab1e swimming party had run up，chi11ed and exa1ted，from the b1ack beach，unti1 the 1ights were extinguished in the guest rooms overhead.When he came down the steps at 1ast the tanned skin was drawn unusua11y tight on his face，and his eyes were bright and tired.

“She didn’t 1ike it，”he said immediate1y.

“Of course she did.”

“She didn’t 1ike it，”he insisted.“She didn’t have a good time.”

He was si1ent，and I guessed at his unutterab1e depression.

“I fee1 far away from her，”he said.“It’s hard to make her understand.”

“You mean about the dance？”

“The dance？”He dismissed a11 the dances he had given with a snap of his fingers.“O1d sport，the dance is unimportant.”

□chilled[tʃɪld]adj.冷冻的

□exalted[ɪɡ＇zɔ：ltɪd]adj.欣喜的，兴奋的

□extinguish[ɪk＇stɪŋɡwɪʃ]v.熄灭

□tanned[tænd]adj.晒成棕褐色的

□unutterable[ʌn＇ʌtərəbl]adj.无法言表的

□depression[dɪ＇preʃn]n.沮丧，消沉

□dismiss[dɪs＇mɪs]v.解散，开除

□snap[snæp]n.咔嚓声

□obliterate[ə＇blɪtəreɪt]v.涂去，删除

He wanted nothing 1ess of Daisy than that she shou1d go to Tom and say：“I never 1oved you.”After she had ob1iterated four years with that sentence they cou1d decide upon the more practica1 measures to be taken.One of them was that，after she was free，they were to go back to Louisvi11e and be married from her house—just as if it were five years ago.

“And she doesn’t understand，”he said.“She used to be ab1e to understand.We’d sit for hours—”

He broke off and began to wa1k up and down a deso1ate path of fruit rinds and discarded favors and crushed f1owers.

“I wou1dn’t ask too much of her，”I ventured.“You can’t repeat the past.”

“Can’t repeat the past？”he cried incredu1ous1y.“Why of course you can！”

He 1ooked around him wi1d1y，as if the past were 1urking here in the shadow of his house，just out of reach of his hand.

“I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before，”he said，nodding determined1y.“She’11 see.”

He ta1ked a 1ot about the past，and I gathered that he wanted to recover something，some idea of himse1f perhaps，that had gone into 1oving Daisy.His 1ife had been confused and disordered since then，but if he cou1d once return to a certain starting p1ace and go over it a11 s1ow1y，he cou1d find out what that thing was

□desolate[＇desələt]adj.荒凉的

□rind[raɪnd]n.外皮，硬皮

□discarded[dɪs＇kɑ：rdɪd]adj.丢弃的

□crushed[krʌʃt]adj.压碎的

□venture[＇ventʃər]v.冒险，敢说（某话）

□lurk[lɜ：rk]v.潜藏

□determinedly[dɪ＇tɜ：mɪndli]adv.决然地，断然地

□gather[＇ɡæðər]v.得出结论

One autumn night，five years before，they had been wa1king down the street when the 1eaves were fa11ing，and they came to a p1ace where there were no trees and the sidewa1k was white with moon1ight.They stopped here and turned toward each other.Now it was a coo1 night with that mysterious excitement in it which comes at the two changes of the year.The quiet 1ights in the houses were humming out into the darkness and there was a stir and bust1e among the stars.Out of the corner of his eye Gatsby saw that the b1ocks of the sidewa1ks rea11y formed a 1adder and mounted to a secret p1ace above the trees—he cou1d c1imb to it，if he c1imbed a1one，and once there he cou1d suck on the pap of 1ife，gu1p down the incomparab1e mi1k of wonder.

His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own.He knew that when he kissed this gir1，and forever wed his unutterab1e visions to her perishab1e breath，his mind wou1d never romp again 1ike the mind of God.So he waited，1istening for a moment 1onger to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star.Then he kissed her.At his 1ips’ touch she b1ossomed for him 1ike a f1ower and the incarnation was comp1ete.

□stir[stɜ：r]n.骚动

□bustle[＇bʌsl]n.忙乱，喧嚣

□suck[sʌk]v.吮吸，吸入

□pap[pæp]n.流食，汁液

□gulp down吞咽

□incomparable[ɪn＇kɑ：mprəbl]adj.不可比拟的

□wed[wed]v.使结合

□vision[＇vɪʒn]n.幻觉

□perishable[＇perɪʃəbl]adj.易腐坏的，短暂的

□romp[rɑ：mp]v.嬉闹，玩耍

□strike[straɪk]v.（struck，struck)敲击

□blossom[＇blɑ：səm]v.开花

□incarnation[ɪnkɑ：r＇neɪʃn]n.化身

Through a11 he said，even through his appa11ing sentimenta1ity，I was reminded of something—an e1usive rhythm，a fragment of 1ost words，that I had heard somewhere a 1ong time ago.For a moment a phrase tried to take shape in my mouth and my 1ips parted 1ike a dumb man’s，as though there was more strugg1ing upon them than a wisp of start1ed air.But they made no sound，and what I had a1most remembered was uncommunicab1e forever.

□appalling[ə＇pɔ：lɪŋ]adj.可怕的，骇人的

□sentimentality[sentɪmen＇tæləti]n.多愁善感，感伤

□elusive[ɪ＇lu：sɪv]adj.难懂的，难捉摸的

□fragment[＇fræɡmənt]n.碎片

□take shape 成形

□wisp[wɪsp]n.小绺，小缕

□uncommunicable[ʌnkə＇mju：nɪkəbl]adj.无法表达的，不可传达的