The Great Gatsby / Великий Гэтсби. Книга для чтения на английском языке

[75 - The reluctance to go home was not confined to wayward men. – Но не только непостоянные мужчины не желали ехать домой.] Two sober men and their highly indignant wives were quarreling in the hall. The wives were sympathizing with each other in slightly raised voices.

“Whenever he sees I’m having a good time he wants to go home.”

“Never heard anything so selfish in my life.”

“We’re always the first ones to leave.”

“So are we.”

“Well, we’re almost the last tonight,” said one of the men sheepishly.

The dispute ended in a short struggle, and both wives were lifted, kicking, into the night.[76 - The dispute ended in a short struggle, and both wives were lifted, kicking, into the night. – Спор закончился тем, что брыкающихся жен подняли и вынесли в темноту.]

As I waited for my hat in the hall the door of the library opened and Jordan Baker and Gatsby came out together.

“I’ve just heard the most amazing thing,” she whispered. “How long were we in there?”

“Why, about an hour.”

“It was… simply amazing,” she repeated abstractedly. “But I swore I wouldn’t tell it. Please come and see me… Phone book… Under the name of Mrs. Sigourney Howard… My aunt…” She was hurrying off as she talked – her brown hand waved goodbye as she went outside.

Rather ashamed that on my first appearance I had stayed so late, I joined the last of Gatsby’s guests, who crowded around him. I wanted to apologize for not having known him in the garden.

“Don’t mention it,” he told me eagerly. “Don’t give it another thought, old sport. And don’t forget we’re going up in the hydroplane tomorrow morning, at nine o’clock.”

Then the butler, behind his shoulder:

“Philadelphia wants you on the phone, sir.

“All right, in a minute. Tell them I’ll be right there… Good night.”

“Good night.”

“Good night, old sport… Good night.”

But as I walked down the steps I saw that the evening was not quite over. Fifty feet from the door a dozen headlights illuminated[77 - a dozen headlights illuminated – дюжина фар освещала] a strange scene.