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I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited.
我相信在去盖茨比家的第一个晚上，我是少数几个真正受到邀请的客人之一。
People were not invited--they went there.
人们并不是受邀而来，而是自己来的。
They got into automobiles which bore them out to Long Island and somehow they ended up at Gatsby's door.
他们坐上汽车，把车开到长岛，不知怎的，就到了盖茨比的门口。
Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after that they conducted themselves
一到那儿，总会有什么认识盖茨比的人给他们介绍一下，
according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks.
然后他们就像是把盖茨比家当做娱乐场所一样。
Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.
有时他们从来到走都见不到盖茨比，他们是怀着一颗单纯的心来参加晚会的，这可以算他们自己的入场券。
I had been actually invited.
而我真的被邀请了。
A chauffeur in a uniform of robin's egg blue crossed my lawn early that Saturday morning with a surprisingly formal note from his employer--
一个星期六的早晨，一个身穿蓝绿色制服的司机穿过我的草坪，带着他老板写来的一封非常正式的请柬——
the honor would be entirely Gatsby's, it said, if I would attend his "little party" that night.
上面说，如果我能参加那天晚上盖茨比的“小晚会”，这绝对是盖茨比的荣幸。
He had seen me several times and had intended to call on me long before
他见过我几次，很久以前就打算和我会面，
but a peculiar combination of circumstances had prevented it--signed Jay Gatsby in a majestic hand.
但是，由于特殊的情况没能如愿——信的结尾附上了“杰伊·盖茨比”这个神气的名字。
Dressed up in white flannels I went over to his lawn a little after seven
7点刚过，我穿着白色法兰绒衣服去了他家的草坪，
and wandered around rather ill-at-ease among swirls and eddies of people I didn't know--
在我不认识的人组成的群体中不自在地走来走去——
though here and there was a face I had noticed on the commuting train.
偶尔也有一个我在来时的火车上见过的面孔。
I was immediately struck by the number of young Englishmen dotted about;
我马上注意到客人中有不少年轻的英国人；
all well dressed, all looking a little hungry and all talking in low earnest voices to solid and prosperous Americans.
他们穿着得体，看起来都有点饿，用低沉而认真的声音和富裕的美国人交谈。
I was sure that they were selling something: bonds or insurance or automobiles.
我确信他们在推销什么东西：债券、保险或汽车。
They were, at least, agonizingly aware of the easy money in the vicinity and convinced that it was theirs for a few words in the right key.
至少他们都深刻地意识到，眼前是唾手可得的钱，只要说几句中肯的话，钱就归他们了。
As soon as I arrived I made an attempt to find my host but the two or three people
我一到就想找到盖茨比，问了两三个人他在哪，
of whom I asked his whereabouts stared at me in such an amazed way and denied so vehemently any knowledge of his movements
人们却吃惊地盯着我，极力表示不知道他的行踪。
that I slunk off in the direction of the cocktail table--
我偷偷溜到鸡尾酒桌那边去了，
the only place in the garden where a single man could linger without looking purposeless and alone.
那是花园中唯一一个可以让一个单身男人闲逛而不显得漫无目的和孤独的地方。
