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Chapter3THEREwasmusicfrommyneighbor'shousethroughthesummernights.Inhisbluegardensmenandgirlscameandwentlikemothsamongthewhisperingsandthechampagneandthestars.AthightideintheafternoonIwatchedhisguestsdivingfromthetowerofhisraft,ortakingthesunonthehotsandofhisbeachwhilehistwomotor−boatsslitthewatersoftheSound,drawingaquaplanesovercataractsoffoam.Onweek−endshisRolls−Roycebecameanomnibus,bearingpartiestoandfromthecitybetweennineinthemorningandlongpastmidnight,whilehisstationwagonscamperedlikeabriskyellowbugtomeetalltrains.AndonMondayseightservants,includinganextragardener,toiledalldaywithmopsandscrubbing−brushesandhammersandgarden−shears,repairingtheravagesofthenightbefore.EveryFridayfivecratesoforangesandlemonsarrivedfromafruitierinNewYorkeveryMondaythesesameorangesandlemonslefthisbackdoorinapyramidofpulplesshalves.Therewasamachineinthekitchenwhichcouldextractthejuiceoftwohundredorangesinhalfanhourifalittlebuttonwaspressedtwohundredtimesbyabutler'sthumb.AtleastonceafortnightacorpsofcatererscamedownwithseveralhundredfeetofcanvasandenoughcoloredlightstomakeaChristmastreeofGatsby'senormousgarden.Onbuffettables,garnishedwithglisteninghors−d'oeuvre,spicedbakedhamscrowdedagainstsaladsofharlequindesignsandpastrypigsandturkeysbewitchedtoadarkgold.Inthemainhallabarwitharealbrassrailwassetup,andstockedwithginsandliquorsandwithcordialssolongforgottenthatmostofhisfemaleguestsweretooyoungtoknowonefromanother.总是有悠扬的音乐在夏夜的晚上从我隔壁传出。在他蔚蓝的花园中，如飞蛾般蜂拥来往的男孩女孩在觥筹交错间穿梭。在下午人流涌动的高峰期，我甚至目睹过他的宾客从他的木筏塔上跳入水中潜水，或是躺在他的沙滩的热沙上晒太阳，马达船在水上隆隆作响，拖着滑水板激起阵阵浪花。当一周要结束时，他的劳斯莱斯就变成了一辆公共汽车，从早上九点到深更半夜，承载接送着城市中四面八方而来欢庆的人，同时他的旅行车也像一只轻捷的黄硬壳虫那样去火车站接所有的班车。每个星期一，八个仆人，包括一个临时园丁，用许多拖把、板刷、榔头、修技剪辛苦劳作一整天来收拾前一晚的残局。每逢周五，就会有五箱新鲜的橙子和柠檬从纽约的水果商那运往他的城堡，然后周一就会有堆成小山般的果皮从后门运出。在他家的后厨，有一台榨汁机，只要男管家不停用大拇指按两百多下，可以在半小时内榨好两百多个橙子。每两周至会有一个晚上，成批负责举办酒席的人带着几百英尺帆布和足够多的彩灯将盖茨比巨大的花园装扮得像一颗华丽的圣诞树。餐会的桌子上，摆满了各式各样迷人的小菜，可口的火腿周围环绕着五颜六色的沙拉，烹制金黄酥脆的火鸡和乳猪。在主会厅中，摆设有一个装置着黄铜横杆的酒吧，里面储藏着杜松子和烈性酒，还有各种年代久远的甘露酒，很多年轻的女宾客都无法将它们分辨清楚。Byseveno'clocktheorchestrahasarrived,nothinfive−pieceaffair,butawholepitifulofoboesandtrombonesandsaxophonesandviolsandcornetsandpiccolos,andlowandhighdrums.Thelastswimmershavecomeinfromthebeachnowandaredressingup−stairs;thecarsfromNewYorkareparkedfivedeepinthedrive,andalreadythehallsandsalonsandverandasaregaudywithprimarycolors,andhairshorninstrangenewways,andshawlsbeyondthedreamsofCastile.Thebarisinfullswing,andfloatingroundsofcocktailspermeatethegardenoutside,untiltheairisalivewithchatterandlaughter,andcasualinnuendoandintroductionsforgottenonthespot,andenthusiasticmeetingsbetweenwomenwhoneverkneweachother'snames.Thelightsgrowbrighterastheearthlurchesawayfromthesun,andnowtheorchestraisplayingyellowcocktailmusic,andtheoperaofvoicespitchesakeyhigher.Laughteriseasierminutebyminute,spilledwithprodigality,tippedoutatacheerfulword.Thegroupschangemoreswiftly,swellwithnewarrivals,dissolveandforminthesamebreath;alreadytherearewanderers,confidentgirlswhoweavehereandthereamongthestouterandmorestable,becomeforasharp,joyousmomentthecentreofagroup,andthen,excitedwithtriumph,glideonthroughthesea−changeoffacesandvoicesandcolorundertheconstantlychanginglights.七点钟的时候管乐队到达，并不是五人组的小乐队，而是齐备双簧管，长号，萨克斯管，低音提琴，短号，短笛和高低鼓的正规乐队。最后一波游泳的人走出沙滩正在楼上换衣服，远从纽约来的汽车五辆车一排停靠在道路上。大厅，会客厅和门廊阳台华丽缤纷，女客们展示着新潮的发型，身上的披肩式卡斯蒂利亚人做梦也想不到的美丽。酒吧里生意兴隆，鸡尾酒的味道漫遍花园的角落，空气中布满欢声笑语，人们互相随意寒暄，相互介绍但转身就忘，完全不相识的女人们热情地聊着天。当太阳颠簸蹒跚着离开地球时，灯光便更加耀眼夺目。而此刻的乐队正在演奏金黄色鸡尾酒音乐，合唱的声音也似乎更高了。欢声笑语充满整个会堂，毫无节制地宣泄挥霍着，甚至一两个简单的字眼都能引起大家的哄堂大笑。人群变化越来越快，随着新客人的到来，人群分开又在转瞬间组合。已经有一些人开始四处闲逛，自信的姑娘在一群固定的人中逛来逛去，一会儿在片刻的欢腾中成为一群人注意的中心，一会儿又得意洋洋在不断变化的灯光下穿过变幻不定的面孔、声音和色彩扬长而去。Suddenlyoneofthegypsies,intremblingopal,seizesacocktailoutoftheair,dumpsitdownforcourageand,movingherhandslikeFrisco,dancesoutaloneonthecanvasplatform.Amomentaryhush;theorchestraleadervarieshisrhythmobliginglyforher,andthereisaburstofchatterastheerroneousnewsgoesaroundthatsheisGildaGray'sunderstudyfromtheFollies.Thepartyhasbegun.IbelievethatonthefirstnightIwenttoGatsby'shouseIwasoneofthefewguestswhohadactuallybeeninvited.Peoplewerenotinvitedtheywentthere.TheygotintoautomobileswhichborethemouttoLongIsland,andsomehowtheyendedupatGatsby'sdoor.OncetheretheywereintroducedbysomebodywhoknewGatsby,andafterthattheyconductedthemselvesaccordingtotherulesofbehaviorassociatedwithamusementparks.SometimestheycameandwentwithouthavingmetGatsbyatall,cameforthepartywithasimplicityofheartthatwasitsownticketofadmission.Ihadbeenactuallyinvited.Achauffeurinauniformofrobin's−eggbluecrossedmylawnearlythatSaturdaymorningwithasurprisinglyformalnotefromhisemployer:thehonorwouldbeentirelyGatsby's,itsaid,ifIwouldattendhislittleparty.thatnight.Hehadseenmeseveraltimes,andhadintendedtocallonmelongbefore,butapeculiarcombinationofcircumstanceshadpreventeditsignedJayGatsby,inamajestichand.忽然间，这些吉卜赛人式的姑娘中有一个，满身珠光宝气，一伸手就抓来一杯鸡尾酒，猛然喝下去似乎要壮壮胆，然后手舞足蹈，一个人跳到篷布舞池中间去表演。在寂静了一刻后，乐队指挥殷勤地为她改变了拍子，随后突然响起了一阵叽叽喳喳的说话声，因为有谣言传开，说她是速演剧团的GildaGray的替角。晚会正式开始了。我相信我那晚第一次去盖茨比的家中时，我是为数不多的真正接到邀请的嘉宾。大部分人都是不请自来的。他们坐上汽车被送到长岛，然后车子因为各种原因停留在了盖茨比的门口。他们经人介绍知道盖茨比的存在，然后接下来就根据规矩很得心应手地参与进宴会，如出入娱乐