Читать книгу The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald онлайн

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“We’d better be moving on to some gayer place,” she suggested.

He frowned.

“Isn’t this gay enough?” he asked anxiously. “I rather like the happy mean.”

“That sounds good. Let’s go there!”

“It isn’t a café—it’s a principle I’m trying to learn. I don’t know whether your father would want—”

She flushed angrily.

“Can’t you be a little human?” she demanded. “I thought when father said you were born in the Ritz you’d know something about having a good time.”

He had no answer ready. After all, why should a girl of her conspicuous loveliness be condemned to desolate hotel dances and public-bus excursions in the rain?

“Is this your idea of a riot?” she continued. “Do you ever think about anything except history and monuments? Don’t you know anything about having fun?”

“Once I knew quite a lot.”

“What?”

“In fact—once I used to be rather an expert at spending money.”

“Spending money!” she broke out. “For these?”

She unpinned the corsage from her waist and flung it on the table. “Pay the check, please. I’m going upstairs to bed.”