第4部分(第4/7 頁)

Red　Sea。

Serena　and　Nate　lay　in　bed；　holding　each　other　and　looking　up　at

the　clouds　through　the　skylight　overhead；　while　they　listened　to　the

narrator　of　the　program　talk　about　Moses　parting　the　Red　Sea。

Serena　thought　that　was　hilarious。

“You　parted　my　Red　Sea！”　she　howled；　wrestling　Nate　against　the

pillows。

Nate　laughed　and　rolled　her　up　in　the　sheet　like　a　mummy。　“And

now　I　will　leave　you　here　as　a　sacrifice　to　the　Holy　Land！”　he　said　in

a　deep；　horror…movie　voice。

And　he　did　leave　her；　for　a　little　while。　He　got　up　and　ordered　a

huge　feast　of　Chinese　food　and　bad　white　wine；　and　they　lay　in　bed

and　ate　and　drank；　and　he　parted　her　Red　Sea　once　again　before

the　sky　grew　dark　and　the　stars　twinkled　in　the　skylight。

A　week　later；　Serena　went　away　to　boarding　school　at　Hanover

Academy；　while　Nate　and　Blair　stayed　behind　in　New　York。　Ever

since；　Serena　had　spent　every　vacation　away—the　Austrian　Alps　at

Christmas；　the　Dominican　Republic　for　Easter；　the　summer　traveling

in　Europe。　This　was　the　first　time　she’d　been　back；　the　first　time　she

and　Nate　had　seen　each　other　since　the　parting　of　the　Red　Sea。

“Blair　doesn’t　know；　does　she？”　Serena　asked　Nate　quietly。

Blair　who？　Nate　thought；　with　a　momentary　case　of　amnesia。　He

shook　his　head。　“No；”　he　said。　“If　you　haven’t　told　her；　she　doesn’t

know。”

But　Chuck　Bass　knew；　which　was　almost　worse。　Nate　had　blurted

the　information　out　at　a　party　only　two　nights　ago　in　a　drunken　fit　of

plete　stupidity。　They’d　been　doing　shots；　and　Chuck　had　asked；

“So；　Nate。　What　was　your　all　time　best　fuck？　That　is；　if　you’ve　done

it　all　yet。”

“Wel