gossip girl 9 英文- 第33部分

Slamming　the　heavy　door　behind　her；　Vanessa　stormed　into　the　foyer　of　the　Humphrey　
homestead；　dropping　her　battered　army　surplus　knapsack　onto　the　creaky　parquet　floor　and　
upsetting　a　stack　of　old　newspapers　in　the　process。　

？Damn！？　She　knelt　and　restacked　the　newspapers　as　tidily　as　she　could；　but　the　apartment　was　
always　in　such　a　state　of　disarray　it　hardly　seemed　to　matter。　

？What？s　that？？　a　booming　voice　called　out。　？Who？s　there？？　


Vanessa　stood　and　looked　around　guiltily。　She　was　so　exhausted　from　her　afternoon　with　the　
tireless　twins；　so　humiliated　and　pissed　off　from　her　run…in　with　Dan　and　his　tight…butted　
rollerblading　slut；　so　furious　about　getting　fired　by　the　psychotic　Ken　Mogul；　that　she　had　
forgotten　that　she　wasn？t　at　home：　she　couldn？t　just　stomp　around；　slamming　doors。　She　was　
technically　a　guest。　

？What？s　all　this　racket？？　Rufus　Humphrey　shuffled　into　the　dimly　lit　foyer；　clutching　a　sheaf　of　
loose…leaf　papers　to　his　barrel　chest。　His　thick　tangle　of　frizzy　gray　shoulder…length　hair　was　tied　
up　in　a　green　twist…tie；　there　were　peanut　shells　in　his　salt…and…pepper　beard；　and　his　glasses　had　
slid　all　the　way　down　his　broad　red　nose。　He　was　wearing　a　tattered　pair　of　beige　cargo　shorts　with　
several　pens　and　highlighters　sticking　out　of　one　of　the　pockets；　a　light　blue　way…too…tight　
wine…stained　polo　that　Vanessa　recognized　as　one　of　Dan？s　discarded　school　shirts；　and　a　pink　
plastic　apron　embellished　with　daisies。　

？I？m　so　sorry；？　Vanessa　apologized。　？I　didn？t　mean　to　dis…turb　you。？　

？What　day　is　this？？　Rufus　demanded；　staring　at　her　intently　without　any　hint　of　recognition。　

She　wondered　if　she　should　remind　him　who　she　was。　？Sunday。？　

？Sunday；　yes；　Sunday。？　Rufus　nodded；　tearing　off　his　rim…less　reading　glasses　and　tucking　them　
into　one　of　his　many　pockets。　？So；　are　you　home　late　or　early？　Should　I　scold　you　or　something？？　

Vanessa　laughed；　relieved　that　he　seemed　to　know　exactly　who　she　was。　？Don？t　worry。　I　can　
assure　you　I？ve　been　behaving。？　

？e　in；　then；？　he　urged；　turning　and　retreating　to　the　steamy　and　disorderly　kitchen。　？I？ve　
been　working　on　dinner；　and　I　need　a　fresh　palate　to　sample　what　I？ve　e　up　with。？　

As　if　she　hasn？t　had　a　rough　enough　day　already。　

Vanessa　stationed　herself　on　one　of　the　rickety；　uneven　chairs　at　the　kitchen　table；　sipping　a　glass　
of　murky　tap　water　and　watching　Rufus　Humphrey　busy　himself　at　the　stove。　Whatever　he　was　
cooking　it　was　very　fragrant　and　it　made　her　stomach　growl　noisily。　The　only　thing　she？d　eaten　
that　day　was　her　hastily　scarfed　ice　cream　sandwich；　after　the　whole　scene　in　the　park　she　just　
hadn？t　been　in　the　mood　for　lunch。　

？Taste　this；？　Rufus　manded；　handing　Vanessa　a　wooden　spoon。　

She　blew　on　the　steaming　mound　of　couscous　and　sampled　it。　？Really　good。？　

？It？s　a　tagine；？　Rufus　informed　her。　？Paul　Bowles？s　recipe。　I　totally　forgot　I　had　it。　Where？s　Dan？　
He　loves　Paul　Bowles。　He？d　get　a　kick　out　of　this；　I　just　know　it。　I　replaced　the　saffron　with　


vermouth！？　

？Dan？　I？m　not　really　sure；？　Vanessa　admitted。　She　fiddled　unfortably　with　the　faded　white　
linen　place　mat；　which　was　embroidered　with　little　lavender　flowers。　It　seemed　so　out　of　place　in　
that　moldy；　disorganized　kitchen。　

？Trouble　in　paradise？？　Rufus　asked；　energetically　stirring　the　bubbling　pot。　

Vanessa　hesitated。　She　was　really　in　the　mood　to　just　spill　her　guts。　She　hadn？t　spoken　to　Ruby　
since　leaving　the　apartment　in　a　huff；　she　hadn？t　talked　to　her　parents　in　ages。　She　didn？t　even　
care　that　Rufus　was　Dan？s　dad；　she　just　needed　to　talk　to　someone。　

？Paradise；？　she　scoffed。　？I　don？t　think　we？re　living　there　anymore。？　

？What　do　you　mean？？　Rufus　paged　through　a　cookbook；　nodding　sagely。　？Shit！Two　teaspoons。　
Well　。　。　。　six　teaspoons　isn？t　going　to　kill　anyone。？　

？I　mean；？　explained　Vanessa；　a　lump　forming　in　her　throat；　？I　think　we？re　broken　up。？　

？What　happened？？　Rufus　asked　as　he　rifled　through　a　drawer；　clattering　the　utensils　together。　

？I　don？t　know；？　Vanessa　lied；　suddenly　embarrassed。　Did　he　really　need　to　hear　all　the　gory　
details？　

？You　kids。？　He　shook　his　head。　？Young　love。？　

Or　young　loveless。　

Trying　not　to　lose　control；　Vanessa　continued。　？And　the　thing　is；　he　doesn？t　even　know　what　else　
is　going　on　in　my　life。　I　mean；　I　lost　my　job　today。　I　got　fired　by　Ken　Mogul。？　She　sighed；　her　
whole　body　trembling。　Hearing　the　words　out　loud；　even　out　of　her　own　mouth；　made　the　reality　
even　more　harsh。　

？Fired？？　Rufus　repeated；　adding　what　looked　like　way　too　much　honey　to　the　couscous　
pot。　？Don？t　worry　about　it。　Believe　it　or　not；　I　once　got　fired　from　a　job。　I　was　an　usher　at　the　
Brattle　Theater；　back　when　I　was　a　student。？　He　chuckled。　？I　got　canned　for　screaming　obscenities　
during　a　play　about　red　Russia；　but　it？s　kind　of　a　long　story。？　

？Well；　I　really　appreciate　you　letting　me　stay　here。　I？m　sure　I？ll　figure　out　another　place　to　go　
soon；？　Vanessa　mumbled　miserably。　？I　can　call　Ruby　and　maybe　she？ll　let　me　crash　on　the　couch。　
Or　maybe　I　can　ask　Blair　Waldorf　for　help。　I　mean；　I　helped　her　out　when　she　didn？t　have　any　
place　to　go。？

　Miss　Sleeps…in…a…new…bed…every…week？　Don？t　count　on　it；　sister。　


？Hold　the　phone；　dude！？　Rufus　exclaimed　with　one　of　his　classic　nonsensical　outbursts。　？Last　I　
checked；　this　was　my　apartment；　not　Dan？s。　Jenny？s　in　Europe；　and　then　she？s　off　to　that　
schmancy　boarding　school。　Dan？s　going　to　Evergreen；　of　all　places；　and　I？m　gonna　be　stuck　
talking　to　myself　and　cooking　for　one。　I　don？t　think　so；　dude。？　

Vanessa　had　never　been　called　？dude？　before；　at　least　not　by　someone？s　dad。　She　kind　of　liked　it。　

？I　don？t　know；？　she　protested。　Finally；　someone　was　beingnice　to　her；　and　she　had　no　idea　how　to　
handle　it。　？I？m　not　sure　I？d　feel　right　taking　advantage　of　your　hospitality　like　that。？　

？If　that？s　really　how　you　feel。？　Rufus　replaced　the　lid　on　the　cast…iron　pot　with　a　bang。　？We　can　
work　something　out。　You？re　going　to　be　at　NYU　in　the　fall；　right？　Not　much　ine　there；　and　
you？ll　be　studying　too　hard　to　work。　Maybe　you　can　rent　Jenny？s　room　for　a　small　fee。　As　long　as　
you　promise　to　let　me　cook　for　you。？　

Vanessa　rubbed　her　stubbly　head　and　blinked　up　at　wild…haired　Rufus。　

？Ah！　Chili　powder！？　he　yelled；　before　dumping　in　several　tablespoons。　

Sure；　he　was　a　little　weird；　but　he　was　really　nice　and　she　was　sure　the　rent　would　be　more　than　
reasonable。　She　could　make　herself　scarce　until　Dan　left　for　Evergreen。　And　maybe　it　would　
actually　be　fun　rooming　with　Rufus。　He？d　be　the　wacky　dad　she？d　never　had。　Actually；　she　did　
have　one；　but　it　couldn？t　hurt　to　have　two。　

？Thank　you；　Mr。　Humphrey。？　Vanessa　wiped　her　eyes　with　the　backs　of　her　hands。　？I？d　love　to。？　

？Great。　Now　grab　some　bowls　and　a　couple　of　wineglasses。　Supper？s　on。？　

Better　grab　the　Pepto　while　you？re　at　it。　

a　star　is　born？take　two　

Serena　cowered　inside　her　trailer　for　as　long　as　possible；　studying　her　script　for　the　millionth　
time；　trying　to　soothe　her　horrible　Monday　morning　jitters。　She　sipped　her　second　latte　of　the　
morning　and　thought　back　to　her　weekend　rehearsals　with　Blair。　

？C