第31部分(第5/7 頁)

ding。　Even　a　European

one。

？I　don？t　know。？　Vanessa　pulled　out　a　chair　from　the　table　and　sat　down　beside　Dan；　her

now…empty　coffee　cup　in　front　of　her。　？Love；　I　guess。？　She　shivered；　suddenly　cold。

？Okay；？　Dan　responded。　It　occurred　to　him　that　the　only　person　he？d　ever　really　loved　was　sitting

right　next　to　him。　Certainly　he　could　write　a　poem　for　Vanessa？s　sister；　who　he　actually　happened

to　like。　？I　can　do　that。？　？I　just　hope　their　friends　don？t　like；　boo　you　off　the　altar　or　whatever；？

Vanessa　joked。　？And　that　they　understand　a　little　English。？　Suddenly　the　weight　of　what　Dan　had

agreed　to　sank　into　him。　Get　totally　mushy　and；　well；　pletely　。　。　。gay　in　front　of　a　whole　bunch

of　Williamsburg　hipsters？

That？s　one　way　to　e　out。

can　n　weather　this　storm？

Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeak。

Nate　Archibald　opened　the　glass…and…wrought…iron　front　door　of　his　Park　Avenue　town　house；

cringing　at　the　moan　of　the　hinges。　With　any　luck；　the　Captain　would　be　long　asleep；　and　Nate

could　just　stumble　off　to　bed？avoiding　his　father　pletely。　He　had　waited　until　almost　midnight

to　e　home　for　just　that　purpose。　After　he？d　left　Blair？s；　he？d　headed　for　the　boat　pond　in

Central　Park；　smoking　joint　after　joint　and　watching　the　clouds　of　smoke　drift　over　the　calm

surface　of　the　water。　It　reminded　him　of　sailing；　of　how　peaceful　it　had　been　out　there　on　the　ocean；

surrounded　by　nothing　but　water　and　more　water。

As　Nate　stood　looking　out　at　the　boat　pond；　his　brain　all　fuzzy　from　the　pot；　he　couldn？t　help

remembering　the　way　he　and　Blair　and　Serena　had　spent　afternoons　at　the　park　when　they　were

kids　sailing　miniature　boats。　Their　nannies　would　sit　talkin