第27部分(第2/7 頁)

e　Bonnie　and　Clyde　of　poetry。

The　small；　dark　basement　club　was　already　crowded　with　people　sipping　coffee　and　lounging　on

the　tattered　old　sofas　haphazardly　dotting　the　room。　A　random　disco　ball　spun　from　the　black

ceiling　and　over　the　sound　system　Morrissey　whined　a　depressing　song　from　his　latest　album。

The　lights　blinked　on　and　off　twice　and　a　tiny　Japanese　girl　wearing　a　black　leotard　and　pink

ballet　tights　took　the　stage。　？Wele　all　to　open　mike　at　Rivington　Rover。　It　is　so　special　to　have

you　here；？　she　whispered　into　the　microphone。　？Tonight　two　of　New　York？s　most　special　poets

will　recite　for　us　simultaneously。　I？m　honored　to　give　the　stage　to　Mystery　Craze　and　Daniel

Humphrey！？

The　dark；　crowded　room　erupted　in　applause。

？I　heard　they　stayed　up　all　night　on　E　and　wrote　a　book　together；？　somebody　whispered。

？I　heard　they　were　husband　and　wife。？

？I　heard　they？re　fraternal　twins；　separated　at　birth；？　remarked　someone　else。

Vanessa　slipped　into　the　back　of　the　club　unnoticed。　？What　kind　of　name　is　Mystery　Craze？？　she

wondered　as　she　put　her　camera　to　her　eye　and　zoomed　in　on　the　stage。

Dan？s　entire　body　was　covered　in　a　cold；　freaked…out　sweat。　Everything　was　happening　so　fast。

He　hadn？t　even　had　a　chance　to　contemplate　how　he？d　gone　from　writing　strange；　morose　poetry

in　notebooks　no　one　ever　read　to　performing　onstage　with　an　almost…famous　girl　in　a　cool　club；

wearing　a　fancy　designer　suit。　But　there　was　no　time　to　doubt　himself。　He？d　acted　in　plays；

performed　in　Vanessa？s　movies。　He　was　the　new　Rilke。　He　peeled　off　his　jacket；　and　rolled　up　his

sleeves。　He　could　do　this。

Mystery　was　already　waiting　for　him　onstage；　he