gossip girl 11 英文-第23章

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stick　napkins　in　his　armpits　to　sop　up　the　sweat　trickling　down　his　sides　and　staining　his　light　blue　
oxford　shirt　before　reading　his　poem。　

？Isn？t　this　romantic？？　Jenny？s　voice　broke　through　his　thoughts。　She　gazed　up　at　the　trees　as　she　
walked；　a　dreamy　expression　on　her　round；　freckled　face。　She　was　wearing　a　pink；　gauzy　sundress　
that　looked　a　heck　of　a　lot　more　fortable　than　the　long…sleeve　button…down　shirt　and　tie　Dan　
had　worn　for　the　occasion。　？Easy　for　you　to　say；　little　Miss　Barely　There　Sundress。？　He　grunted　
and　tried　to　unstick　his　shirt　from　his　sweaty　back。　

？Oh；　eon　；　Dan；？　Jenny　scoffed。　？Don？t　you　just　think　weddings　are　the　most　amazing　
things？？　Actually；　he　did。　There　was　something　really　romantic　about　watching　two　people　stand　
up　in　front　of　their　friends　and　family　and　promise　to　stay　together　forever。　It　was　almost　。　。　。　noble。　
What　would　it　be　like　to　have　someone　who　loved　him　enough　to　want　to　be　with　him　
forever？　？Yeah；　I　guess　so；？　Dan　mumbled；　weaving　around　a　suspicious…looking　clod　of　dirt。　

They　approached　a　large　oak　tree　with　rose　petals　sprinkled　at　its　roots。　Piotr　stood　beneath　the　
tree；　wearing　a　canary…yellow　tuxedo　and　holding　onto　Ruby？s　hand。　She　wore　an　antique…looking　
ivory…colored　dress　with　a　hot…pink　sash　around　the　middle。　And　next　to　her　was　Vanessa；　looking　
beautiful　in　a　slinky　blue　slip　dress。　Dan　looked　down　at　her　feet？　she　was　wearing　her　trademark　
bat　boots。　At　least　some　things　never　changed。　Dan　dropped　Jenny？s　arm　and　moved　closer；　
taking　in　the　curve　of　Vanessa？s　hips　swaying　under　the　thin　material　of　the　dress。　He　felt　his　
pulse　start　to　race。　

？Hey。？　Vanessa？s　throaty　voice　broke　into　his　thoughts；　and　he　realized　his　feet　had　brought　him　
directly　in　front　of　her。　Ruby　stood　behind　her；　madly　kissing　Piotr　even　though　there　had　been　
no　？You　may　kiss　the　bride？　yet。　The　ceremony　hadn？t　even　begun。　

？Hey。？　Dan　smiled　shyly。　？You　look　。　。　。　uh；　nice。？　Damn。　He　was　a　poet；　and　he　couldn？t　e　
up　with　anything　better　than　？nice？？　

Roses　are　red；　violets　are　blue；　your　lips　are　real　nice；　and　so　are　you！　

She　smiled　back　shyly。　？Um　。　。　。　just　trying　something　new　for　the　wedding。？　？He　means　
gorgeous。？　Jenny　threw　her　arms　around　Vanessa。　？I　love　your　dress！？　？You　guys　can　sit　here　if　
you　want。？　Vanessa　pointed　at　an　empty　bench；　and　Dan　and　Jenny　sat　down。　？I　have　to　go　cue　up　
the　music　and　get　my　camera　ready。　You？re　up　after　Piotr？s　friends；　okay？？　she　told　Dan　and　then　


quickly　made　her　way　to　a　picnic　table　farther　down　the　aisle；　where　one　of　Piotr？s　friends；　
wearing　a　white　T…shirt　with　a　black　skull　and　crossbones　printed　on　it；　was　fiddling　with　an　
iBook。　

Dan　inspected　the　other　partygoers；　who　were　mostly　dressed　in　casual　clothes？except　for　Piotr？s　
friends；　who　were　wearing　black…；　white…；　and　red…striped　suits。　They　resembled　a　pack　of　hipster　
clowns　just　released　from　some　bizarre　Czech　prison。　

Just　then　a　Czech　ballad　struck　up；　and　Ruby　and　Piotr　began　skipping　backwards　hand　in　hand　
around　the　giant　oak　tree。　Some　guy　in　one　of　those　weird　striped　suits　whom　Dan　could　only　
assume　was　Piotr？s　best　man　joined　in　the　skipping　and　the　crowd　cheered。　

Whatever　happened　to　？Here　es　the　Bride？？　

They　stopped　skipping　and　stood　off　to　the　side　as　the　Czech　ballad　quieted　and　a　group　of　four　
striped…suited　guys　made　their　way　over　to　the　tree。　One　guy　stuck　out　his　tongue　and　wagged　it　
obscenely。　

？I　am　animal！？　he　yelled。　？Filled　with　lust　of　carnivore！？　？I　am　love；？　the　group　behind　him　
began　to　chant；　crouching　down　on　the　ground。　？I　am　love；　I　am　love；　I　am　love。　。　。　。？　Ruby　and　
Piotr　held　hands；　entranced　by　their　friends？　display。　Behind　them；　a　yellow　Lab　chased　a　squirrel　
up　a　tree；　barking　loudly。　

？。　。　。　love；　love；　love；　love　。　。　。？　

Jenny？s　brow　was　wrinkled　in　thought；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　decode　the　symbolism。　Dan　could　
barely　contain　his　giggles？and　there　was　only　one　other　person　who　probably　felt　the　same　way。　
He　glanced　at　Vanessa；　who　was　standing　off　to　the　side；　her　camera　trained　on　the　altar　as　she　
desperately　tried　to　keep　a　straight　face。　He　caught　her　eye　and　grinned；　then　he　stuck　out　his　
tongue　and　wiggled　it；　imitating　Piotr？s　crazy　friends。　

The　striped…suited　guys　finally　stopped　screaming　and　bowed　to　a　confused　smattering　of　polite　
applause。　Jenny　elbowed　Dan　in　the　ribs。　？You？re　up。？　He　smiled　nervously。　He　didn？t　even　know　
if　this　poem　was　any　good；　and　now　he　was　going　to　have　to　test…drive　it　in　front　of　Ruby？s　entire　
wedding　party？not　to　mention　his　ex…girlfriend。　

　No　pressure。　

Dan　walked　to　the　front　of　the　crowd　and　opened　his　notebook。　He　cleared　his　throat　and　began　
to　read；　his　voice　wavering。　

Open　the　fridge　and　put　

My　heart　on　a　plate。　


I？m　just　as　you　left　me；　and　I　taste　even　better　leftover。　

He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　page。　It　took　all　his　effort　to　decipher　his　own　scrawl。　As　he　focused　on　
the　white　paper；　he　couldn？t　help　feeling　moved　by　what　he？d　written。　He　looked　up　and　locked　

eyes　with　Vanessa。　

Pale　fury；　why　did　you　leave　me？　

You？re　prickly　in　the　morning。　So　prickly。　

This　isn？t　a　cooking　show。　

This　isn？t　chemistry　or　geography。　

It？s　physics。　Pure　physics；　

I？m　falling　fast　and　faster　still。　

So　fall　with　me。　Fall　down　with　me。　

　And　stay。　

Vanessa　blushed　deeply；　her　cheeks　turning　bright　pink；　and　Dan　found　it　hard　to　tear　his　gaze　
away　from　her。　She　looked　so　beautiful　in　her　light　blue　dress；　her　skin　glowing　white　against　the　
sky　blue　fabric。　。　。　。　

The　sound　of　clapping　woke　him　from　his　reverie。　？Um；　thank　you；？　he　mumbled　as　he　headed　
back　to　his　seat　in　a　daze。　He　sat　back　down；　and　Jenny　grabbed　his　arm。　？That　was　really　great。　
But　we？vegot　to　talk　about　something　later；？　she　whispered　loudly　in　his　ear。　

？Um；　okay；？　Dan　whispered　back。　He　patted　his　damp　forehead　with　a　paper　napkin；　just　as　
Ruby？s　bandmates　began　cartwheeling　down　the　rose…petaled　aisle。　

Guess　someone　didn？t　hire　a　wedding　planner。　

chips　ahoy！　

Nate　leaned　out　over　the　bow　of　the　boat　and　dipped　his　hand　in　the　white　froth　of　the　waves。　
Chips　stood　in　theBelinda　？s　stern？named　for　his　late　wife？as　he　simultaneously　steered　the　huge　
wheel　of　the　forty…foot　yacht　and　nursed　a　scotch　on　the　rocks。　The　white　sails　billowed　in　the　


wind。　It　was　a　perfect；　cloudless　summer　day；　but　after　his　afternoon　with　both　Blair　and　Serena　
yesterday；　Nate？s　thoughts　were　more　muddled　than　ever。　When　Chips　had　called　this　morning　
and　invited　him　out　for　a　sail　on　the　Hudson；　he？d　jumped　at　the　chance　to　get　back　out　on　the　
water　and　as　far　away　from　the　girls　as　possible。　A　little　scotch　wouldn？t　hurt　either。　

Wearing　a　pair　of　white　Ralph　Lauren　sailing　pants　and　a　navy　blue　cashmere　sweater；　Chips　
looked　sophisticated　and　stately　manning　the　wheel　of　the　pristine　yacht。　

？This　is　the　life；？　he　boomed；　his　wizened　hands　resting　lightly　on　the　wheel。　？The　open　sea；　the　
sun；　and　the　wind。？　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　tilted　his　head　toward　the　sky；　breathing　the　clear；　
warm　air　deep　into　his　lungs。　

？I　guess。？　Nate　scuffed　the　toe　of　his　sneakers　against　the　planks　of　the　deck。　He　was　waiting　for　
a　big　lecture　on　thinking　with　his　balls；　Chips？s　favorite　topic。　

The　old　man？s　stubby　white　beard　sparkled　in　the　late　afternoon　sunshine。　？So；　what？s　crawled　
up　your　arse；　then？？　he　asked；　his　Scottish　accent　rolling　around　in　his　mouth　like　marbles。　

？Oh。　I？m？I？m　fine；？　Nate　answered　quickly。　？Sort　of。？　Chips　looked　at　him　knowingly；　waiting　
for　Nate　to　continue。　Nate　took　a　deep　breath；　inhaling　the　briny　air　into　his　lungs；　and；　for　the　first　
time　in　days；　felt　his　head　start　to　clear。　When　he　was　out　on　the　ocean；　everything　just　felt　so　
much　simpler。　The　whole　world　was　reduced　to　its　essentials：　sun；　sky；　and　water。　

？I　have　to　repeat　my　senior　year　of　high　school；？　he　heard　himself　say。　？I？m　not　going　to　Yale。　
I？m　sure　my　dad　told　you；　right？？　Chips　nodded。　？Apparently　you　stole　Viagra　from　your　coach　
because　you　thought　it　would　make　you　more　of　a　man？？　He　raised　an　eyebrow。　

？Uh；　yeah；？　Nate　mumbled；　turning　a　little　red。　？But　that？s　not　the　only　problem。　There　are　these　
two　girls。　。　。　。？　his　voice　trailed　off　into　the　breeze。　？I　think　I　have　to　choose　between　them；　and　I　
don？t　know　who　to　pick。？　The　boat　hit　a　rough　patch　of　water　and　Nate　staggered　backward。　

？Whoa；　there；　Natie！？　Chips　laughed　out　loud　and　grabbed　hold　of　Nate？s　arm。　He　steered　him　
toward　the　bench　behind　the　wheel；　indicating　that　he　should　steer。　Chips　sat　down　heavily　beside　
him　and　placed　a　large　blue　pillow　behind　his　back　for　support。　He　pulled　out　a　fat　brown　cigar　
from　his　pants　pocket　and　rolled　it　around　between　his　lips。　Then　he　lit　the　tip　and　puffed　away　
until　the　end　glowed　amber　and　the　stench　of　cigar　smoke　filled　the　air；　sweet　and　acrid。　Nate　
looked　out　at　the　water；　steering　the　boat　and　fretting　over　what　he？d　just　said。　Talking　about　it　
meant　thinking　about　it；　and　that　was　the　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do。　

？Now。？　Chips　blew　a　ring　of　smoke　over　his　head。　？Let？s　start　from　the