gossip girl 11 英文-第5章

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far　Chips　couldn？t　have　beenless　like　Nate？s　father。　He　seemed　almostmellow。　

？Ha！？　Chips　laughed；　slapping　his　stiff…looking　extended　leg。　？You　though　you　were　going　to　be　
meeting　Captain　White；　didn？t　you？　Some　cantankerous；　salt…waterlogged　old　geezer　who　would　
read　you　the　riot　act？　Maybe　a　hook　for　an　arm？　That　it？？　Nate　nodded；　blushing。　He　looked　over　
at　the　eye…patch　man；　hoping　he　hadn？t　heard　Chips？s　little　outburst。　He？d　probably　be　kind　of　
offended。　Who　knew　what　these　old　sailor　guys　were　like　when　they　got　angry？　？Well；　uh　。　。　。　yeah。　
I　mean；　my　dad？s　pretty　pissed　at　me　right　now　and　everything。　I　thought　he？d　send　me　to　
someone　who　knew　how　to　。　。　。　hunt。？　Chips　chuckled　and　drained　his　glass　in　one　even　swallow。　
He　signaled　the　waiter　for　a　refill。　The　waiter　appeared　at　his　side　almost　instantaneously；　picking　
up　the　empty　glass　and　whisking　it　quietly　away。　Nate　couldn？t　help　but　notice　that　for　a　place　
called　the　Grill　Room；　they　didn？t　seem　to　be　serving　much　of　anything　grilled？or　really　anything　
to　eat；　period。　Just　booze。　

　Who？s　plaining？　

Chips　turned　back　to　him　and　began　again。　？Well；　Nate；　let　me　tell　you？thatwas　me？a　long；long　
time　ago。　Back　when　I　was　your　dad？s　captain；　I　was　the　strictest；　most　serious　sonofabitch　
you？ve　ever　laid　eyes　on。　But　it？s　been　a　lot　of　years　since　then；　and　I？ve　learned　quite　a　few　
things。？　Chips　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　his　blue　eyes　twinkling。　？There？s　a　certain　kind　of　clarity　
that　es　with　old　age。You　really　learn　to　put　everything　into　perspective。　Youhave　to。？　The　
waiter　appeared　and　set　a　fresh　drink　down　in　front　of　him；　ice　cubes　rattling。　Chips　drummed　his　
fingers　on　the　snow　white　tablecloth。　His　eyes　scanned　the　room；　and　he　lifted　a　hand　and　gave　a　
small　wave　to　an　old　man　in　full　white　military　dress　who　looked　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　
old。　？What　are　your　priorities；　Nate？　What　doyou　want　from　life？？　Nate　was　silent　for　a　moment　


and　Chips　continued。　？For　me；　it？s　the　open　sea？the　sun　on　my　face；　the　sound　of　waves。？　He　
closed　his　eyes。　？The　simple　things。　The　good　stuff。？　He　opened　his　eyes　and　raised　his　glass。　Nate　
took　another　burning　gulp。　

The　simple　things　sounded　good　to　Nate。　In　fact；　they　soundedright　。　He　was　so　tired　of　
everything　being　so　。　。　。　challenging。Why　couldn？t　things　just　be　easy　for　a　change？　

Being　the　prince　of　the　Upper　East　Side　isso　exhausting。　Chips　opened　the　large　white　menu　and　
perused　it　thoughtfully；　humming　softly　to　himself。　

Nate　looked　at　him　over　the　top　of　his　menu　and　suddenly　wished　there　were　a　menu　for　real　
life？one　that　listed　all　of　his　options；　and　how　much　they　cost。　？I　don？t　know　what　I　want；？　he　
admitted；　his　voice　echoing　in　the　cavernous　room。　The　minute　he　said　it　aloud；　he　knew　it　was　
true。　He　looked　around　again　at　all　the　old　sailors；　each　and　every　one　a　man　who？d　chosen　a　path　
in　life　and　stuck　with　it。　One　had　even　lost　an　eye　over　what　he？d　chosen。　Or　maybe　they　were　just　
a　bunch　of　old　seaworthy　fuckups。　

？I？ll　tell　you　one　thing。？　Chips　closed　his　menu　and　leaned　across　the　table。　？You？ve　got　to　think　
with　your　balls；　not　your　dick。？　His　breath　smelled　like　applesauce　laced　with　grain　
alcohol。　？Because　the　men　who　think　with　their　dicks　are　cowards；？　he　finished；　leaning　back　and　
nodding　sagely。　

Nate　felt　himself　nodding　back；　even　though　he　had　no　idea　what　Chips　was　talking　about。　Had　
he　been　thinking　with　his　balls　or　his　dick？　Was　he　a　coward？　Itwas　kind　of　cowardly　not　to　have　
told　Blair　that　he　hadn？t　really　graduated；　that　he　wasn？t　going　to　Yale　with　her。　。　。　。　

Chips　summoned　the　waiter　again。　？Two　hard…boiled　eggs　and　a　shaker　of　salt；？　he　
manded。　？For　both　of　us。？　Nate　surrendered　his　menu　to　the　waiter。　Chips　seemed　to　think　
his　？I　don？t　know　what　I　want？　was　about　the　food。　Nate　hated　hard…boiled　eggs；　and　all　this　talk　
of　thinking　with　his　dick　and　balls　had　kind　of　taken　away　his　appetite　for　anything　but　that　strong；　
barely　drinkable　scotch；　anyway。　

Well；　drink　up；　honey。　It　might　help　you　grow　some。　

v？s　tea　party　for　two　

Vanessa　stepped　through　the　doors　of　the　Galapagos　Art　Space　in　Brooklyn　and　looked　around。　
The　room　was　cavernous　and　densely　packed　with　Williamsburg　hipsters　wearing　striped　shirts　
and　sporting　asymmetrical　haircuts。　Bar…height　tables　were　sprinkled　haphazardly　throughout　the　
room　like　croutons　on　a　salad；　and　the　grating　sounds　of　three…chord　punk　blasted　from　the　
loudspeakers。　Vanessa　spied　Ruby？s　bandmates　fussing　with　wires　and　plugs　on　a　platform　in　the　


center　of　the　room。　The　drum　kit　was　adorned　with　the　word　SUGARDADDY；　their　band？s　name；　
in　garish　red　letters。　She　scanned　the　stage　for　Ruby；　but　her　sister　was　nowhere　in　sight。　

As　Vanessa　maneuvered　her　way　to　the　front　of　the　room；　protecting　her　camera　from　dirty　art　
boys　and　their　Jack…and…Cokes；　she　spotted　Piotr　sitting　at　a　table　right　in　front　of　the　stage；　a　full　
pitcher　of　Coke　sitting　in　front　of　him。　When　Piotr　saw　her；　he　waved　her　over。　Vanessa　sighed；　
wishing　she　were　more　excited　about　filming　her　sister？s　last　gig　as　a　single　woman。　She　needed　it　
to　round　out　the　Ruby　

Retrospective　she　was　making　for　her　sister？s　wedding　present；　but　the　reality　of　shooting　the　
shit　with　her　futurebrother…in…law　；　whom　her　sister　would　bemarrying　in　just　five　days；　was　kind　
of　unbearable。　Vanessa　kept　forcing　herself　to　say　wedding…related　words　over　and　over　again　in　
her　head　to　make　it　more　real。　

She　got　closer　to　his　table　and　tried　to　smile。　Droplets　of　water　beaded　on　the　cold　pitcher　of　
Coke。　Vanessa　licked　her　lips。　She　was　pretty　thirsty？maybe　she　could　put　up　with　Piotr　for　a　few　
minutes　while　she　loaded　her　camera　and　set　up。　If　he　was　going　to　be　family　soon；　she？d　have　to　
learn　to　converse　with　him；　right？　

？What？s　up？？　she　asked；　plunking　her　camera　down　on　the　table　and　almost　knocking　over　the　
Coke。　

？？Allo；　Vanessa。You　made　it；？　Piotr　said　with　an　awkward；　crooked…toothed　smile。　？You　want？？　
He　gestured　to　the　glass　on　the　table。　

She　took　a　seat；　resisting　her　desire　to　push　him　onto　the　sticky　floor　and　run。　The　guy　could　
barely　speak　proper　English　and　now　he　was　about　to　be　her　brother…in…law？　？That？d　be　great；？　
she　replied　tensely。　

Piotr　walked　to　the　bar　to　get　her　a　glass；　and　Vanessa　noticed　that　even　though　he　was　still　
wearing　those　gross　leather　pants；　he　really　wasn？t　half…bad　looking；　with　his　shaggy　blond　hair　
and　tight　black　T…shirt。　Okay；　so　his　crooked　teeth　and　smoker？s　cough　weren？t　exactly　
swoon…worthy；　but　at　least　they　made　him　sort　of　。　。　。　quirky。　

Vanessa　looked　around　the　room；　accidentally　catching　the　eye　of　a　frighteningly　large　man　in　a　
red　T…shirt　with　cut…off　sleeves　that　read　GUNS　DON？T　KILL　PEOPLE？IKILL　

PEOPLE。　His　biceps　were　enormous　and　covered　in　tattoos。　He　saw　her　staring　and　gave　a　
toothy　smile；　then　started　heading　through　the　pack　of　people　toward　her　table。　Vanessa　looked　
wildly　around；　hoping　he　was　headed　toward　someone　else。　Just　then　Piotr　swooped　in　and　fell　
back　into　his　seat；　and　the　big　guy　scowled　and　backed　off。　Phew。　Vanessa　never　thought　she？d　be　
so　happy　to　see　her　sister？s　fianc？。　

？So　。　。　。？　Piotr　filled　her　glass；　apparently　unaware　of　the　fate　he？d　just　saved　her　from。　？You　film　


show　tonight；　yes？？　？Yes。？　Vanessa　nodded　like　a　maniac。　？I　film　show。？Fuck　。　It　was　hard　not　to　
talk　like　him　once　you　got　into　a　conversation。　She　took　a　sip　of　Coke；　sputtering　when　she　
realized　it　wasn？t　Coke　at　all　but　Guinness。　

？I　am　also　making　Ruby　gift。？　Piotr　moved　his　stool　slightly　closer　to　hers。　？In　my　country；？？he　
tapped　his　chest　with　one　finger？？it　is　customary　for　groom　to　give　bride　special　gift。？　Piotr　
paused　and　took　a　sip　of　beer；　licking　his　lips　before　continuing。　？I　shop　all　day　for　something　I　
think　she　like。？　？What　did　you　get　her？？Vanessa　asked；　curious　now。　

Piotr　smiled　again；　his　whole　face　lighting　up。　？When　we　met；　she　tell　me　when　she　was？how　
you　say？　Small？？　He　gestured　with　his　hands　to　indicate　someone　short。　

Vanessa　nodded；　taking　a　sip　of　the　dark　beer。　？You　mean　when　she　was　a　little　girl？？　？Yes！？　
Piotr　said　with　relief。　？Little　girl。　Anyway；　she　tell　me　how　she　and　you？？he　pointed　at　Vanessa　
with　his　full　glass？？make　tea　party　with　apple　juice？？　She　burst　out　laughing；　trying　not　to　spit　a　
mouthful　of　

Guinness　all　over　the　table。　That　wasnot　what　she？d　been　expecting　Piotr　to　say。　She　remembered　
how　she　and　Ruby　used　to　play　dress…up　in　their　mother？s　closet　for　hours；　putting　together　
outrageous　ensembles　of　feathers；　beads；　and　long；　tie…dyed　hippie　dresses　before　sitting　down　at　
the　kitchen　table　to　drink　Red　Cheek　apple　juice　from　their　mother？s　special　china　cups。　They？d　
sit　there　for　hours；　talking　in　fake　British　accents　and　giggling　as　they　said　things　like　？Pass　the　
bloody　crumpets！？　and　？Hand　me　me　bloomin？　bloomers！？　even　though　that　one　didn？t　even　
make　sense。　

？So；　I　look　all　day；？　Piotr　continued；　refilling　his　and　Vanessa？s　now…empty　glasses；　？for　antique　
tea　set　for　her；　and　I　finally　find　one　this　afternoon。？　He　looked　up　worriedly；