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Chapter 5

When I came home to West Egg that night I was afraid for a moment that my house was on fire. Two oclock and the whole corner of the peninsula was blazing with light, which fell unreal on the shrubbery and made thin elongating glints upon the roadside wires. Turning a corner, I saw that it was Gatsbys house, lit from tower to cellar. At first I thought it was another party, a wild rout that had resolved itself into hide-and-go-seek or sardines-in-the-box with all the house thrown open to the game. But there wasnt a sound. Only wind in the trees, which blew the wires and made the lights go off and on again as if the house had winked into the darkness. As my taxi groaned away I saw Gatsby walking toward me across his lawn. Your place looks like the Worlds Fair, I said. Does it? He turned his eyes toward it absently. I have been glancing into some of the rooms. Lets go to Coney Island, old sport. In my car. Its too late. Well, suppose we take a plunge in the swimming pool? I havent made use of it all summer. Ive got to go to bed. All right. He waited, looking at me with suppressed eagerness. I talked with Miss Baker, I said after a moment. Im going to call up Daisy tomorrow and invite her over here to tea. Oh, thats all right, he said carelessly.