آخرین مهمانی گتسبی

CHAPTER SEVEN

Gatsby’s Last Party

I didn’t see or hear from Gatsby for several weeks after this. I was working hard and spending my free time with Jordan. But this was the time when everyone was talking about Gatsby. More and more strangers went to his parties. More and more strange and crazy stories were told about him. Everyone seemed to be talking about Gatsby.

Then, one Saturday, I was invited to another of Gatsby’s parties. Daisy was there too, and Tom had decided to come with her. Perhaps it was because Tom was there, but the party seemed different. There was an unpleasant, uneasy feeling about it. But all the same people were there. They were drinking champagne as usual, dancing and laughing as before.

Tom and Daisy arrived as darkness was falling. Gatsby went over to them at once. Then he took them slowly round the gardens, pointing out his most famous guests proudly.

Daisy and Gatsby danced together - I had never seen Gatsby dance before. Then they walked over to my house and sat there together for about half an hour. Tom didn’t seem to care. He found a girl he wanted to talk to and the evening passed as usual.

I could see that Daisy was not happy at the party. She hated all these laughing, shouting strangers. They didn’t seem to care for anybody or about anything.

By the time the Buchanans were ready to leave, Tom was in a bad temper.

‘Who is this Gatsby anyway?’ Tom asked, as he and Daisy were waiting for their car. ‘Is he a bootlegger? A crook? He knows a funny lot of people! Where does he find them? Where does he get his money from?’

‘Lots of people come who haven’t been invited,’ Daisy said. ‘He’s too polite to tell them to go.’

‘I’d like to know who Gatsby is and what he does,’ Tom repeated. ‘And I’m going to find out.’

As they got into their car, Daisy looked back at the house sadly. Gatsby was nowhere to be seen.

I stayed late that night because Gatsby wanted me to. When everyone had gone, we sat on the steps together.

‘Daisy didn’t enjoy herself,’ Gatsby said.

‘Of course she did.’

‘No, she didn’t have a good time. I couldn’t talk to her. I felt farther away from her than ever. It’s hard to make her understand.’

And then Gatsby told me what he wanted. He wanted Daisy to ask Tom for a divorce. He wanted her to tell Tom that she didn’t love him - that she had never loved him. That she loved only Gatsby.

Gatsby wanted to take Daisy back to Louisville, where they had first met. Gatsby and Daisy would be married. Gatsby wanted the last five years to be completely forgotten.

Gatsby didn’t seem to understand how much he was asking.

‘Don’t ask Daisy for too much at once,’ I told him. ‘You can’t repeat the past.’

‘Can’t repeat the past?’ Gatsby said in surprise. ‘Of course you can! Everything’s going to be the way it was before. She’ll see!’

Gatsby began to talk about the time when he had first met Daisy. He told me about the first time he had kissed her. That was when Gatsby’s dream had begun. And he had spent his life trying to make that dream come true.

But no woman can be turned into a dream. I could see this, but Gatsby could not. He could see no reason why he and Daisy should not be happy forever.