第33部分(第4/7 頁)

m？　He’d　been　moody　ever　since　they’d　left　Providence。　Serena　had　tried　as　hard　as　she　could　to　include　him　in　the　conversation　tonight；　but　he　wouldn’t　even　try。　Giles　had　talked　more　than　Dan　tonight；　and　not　only　did　Giles　not　know　who　anyone　was；　English　wasn’t　even　his　first　language。

“I　think　I　might　be　getting　sick；”　Dan　lied。　“Besides；　I　thought　we　could　curl　up　in　front　of　the　fire。　You　know；　just　do　something　quiet。　I　think　that　would　make　me　feel　better。”　Lying　on　a　rug　next　to　a　roaring　fire　with　Serena　was　exactly　what　he　needed　to　just　chill　out　from　the　last　twenty…four　hours。

“If　you’re　feeling　sick；　I　don’t　want　to　catch　it；”　she　told　him　coldly。　Then　she　half　ran　to　keep　up　with　the　rest　of　the　group。　“Don’t　leave　without　me；”　she　called　after　them。

Dan　sighed　heavily　as　he　trudged　toward　the　small　library　off　the　main　living　room。　The　fireplace　was　stacked　with　wood；　but　Dan　had　no　idea　how　to　make　a　fire。　The　shelves　were　neatly　organized　by　color—deep　greens；　blues；　and　burgundy；　and　Dan　quickly　realized　they’d　been　purchased　at　the　Strand　through　their　books…by…the…yard　program；　where　you　could　buy　books　based　on　your　house’s　color　scheme　rather　than　their　literary　merit。

Dan　gazed　unhopefully　at　the　musty　maroon　volumes　in　front　of　him。　He　stopped　at　one　thin　volume　with　gold　script　on　the　spine。　It　was　The　Sorrows　of　Young　Werther；　by　Goethe；　about　a　guy’s　unrequited　love　for　a　beautiful　woman。　It　had　been　Dan’s　favorite　book　in　high　school。

Wonder　why。

He　settled　into　a　stiff　red　leather　wingback　chair　under　a　cathedral…like　window　and　flipped　open　to　a　random　page。　It　was　where　the　hero；　Werther；　realizes　he　either　has　to　kill　his　love；　her　husband；　or　himself。　Dan　frowned。　This　probably　wasn’t　the　best