CHAPTER V

Nick returns to his house after visiting with Jordan from the city and sees that Gatsby has turned on every light in his house and walking over late at night on his front lawn to visit Nick. Gatsby asks Nick if he would like to take a swim in his pool. Nick realizes that Gatsby's is trying to convince him to set up the meeting with Daisy. Nick tells Gatsby that he will invite Daisy for tea and the two agree on a time. In return, Gatsby offers Nick a business opportunity to "pick up a bit of money," but Nick declines and assures Gatsby he is making the invitation as a favour and wants nothing in return.

Nick calls Daisy the next day and asks her to visit, but not to bring Tom. Daisy agrees. Gatsby becomes obsessed (fascinated) with making everything perfect for the meeting. Though it's raining he sends a man to cut Nick's lawn and also makes sure Nick's house is full of flowers. Gatsby arrives at Nick's house an hour before Daisy is expected and Nick is surprised by how nervous he is. Finally Daisy arrives, but when Nick comes back from the front door with her, Gatsby disappears just as Daisy arrives. He has gone out a back door and shows up again at the front door, as though he has just stopped by. He looks pale and deathlike, and knocks over a clock by mistake.  After the initial meeting, Nick decides he is getting in the way of the reunion and he leaves the house for half an hour.

When Nick returns, Gatsby and Daisy are blissfully happy and also are getting along famously. Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick to his mansion, where he gives Daisy a grand tour of his home, showing her how wealthy he has become. Daisy is delighted by all of the luxury and fine things at Gatsby's house. She respects material wealth, and Gatsby has achieved it. He shows her his furniture, his art, and his finely tailored clothes. At one point as he tells Daisy about staring at the green light on her dock; Daisy breaks down crying claiming she is overwhelmed by how beautiful Gatsby's shirts are while looking through Gatsby's vast collection of luxurious English shirts.

Nick, meanwhile, privately wonders how Daisy can possibly fulfil Gatsby's idealized vision of her. Nick reflects that over the years Gatsby has remained faithful to their love, while Daisy has given herself to another man she never loved in exchange for the security of wealth. They move from the house to Gatsby's well-manicured  (trimmed carefully and neatly) grounds. 

Next, Gatsby gets one of his hangers-on, Ewing Klipspringer, to play the piano for the three of them. Gatsby holds Daisy's hand and she whispers something to him that seems to stir (mix) his emotions. Nick, sensing that they no longer realize he's there, leaves them, walking out alone into the rain.

Despite how joyous this reunion seems to be, at the end of the chapter, Nick suggests that the experience is disappointing for Gatsby because he has been motivated by wanting to impress Daisy for all these years. Now that she is in his house and duly (properly/suitably) impressed, he may not have anything to work toward anymore.