gossip girl 11 英文- 第30部分

eyes　with　Vanessa。　

Pale　fury；　why　did　you　leave　me？　

You？re　prickly　in　the　morning。　So　prickly。　

This　isn？t　a　cooking　show。　

This　isn？t　chemistry　or　geography。　

It？s　physics。　Pure　physics；　

I？m　falling　fast　and　faster　still。　

So　fall　with　me。　Fall　down　with　me。　

　And　stay。　

Vanessa　blushed　deeply；　her　cheeks　turning　bright　pink；　and　Dan　found　it　hard　to　tear　his　gaze　
away　from　her。　She　looked　so　beautiful　in　her　light　blue　dress；　her　skin　glowing　white　against　the　
sky　blue　fabric。　。　。　。　

The　sound　of　clapping　woke　him　from　his　reverie。　？Um；　thank　you；？　he　mumbled　as　he　headed　
back　to　his　seat　in　a　daze。　He　sat　back　down；　and　Jenny　grabbed　his　arm。　？That　was　really　great。　
But　we？vegot　to　talk　about　something　later；？　she　whispered　loudly　in　his　ear。　

？Um；　okay；？　Dan　whispered　back。　He　patted　his　damp　forehead　with　a　paper　napkin；　just　as　
Ruby？s　bandmates　began　cartwheeling　down　the　rose…petaled　aisle。　

Guess　someone　didn？t　hire　a　wedding　planner。　

chips　ahoy！　

Nate　leaned　out　over　the　bow　of　the　boat　and　dipped　his　hand　in　the　white　froth　of　the　waves。　
Chips　stood　in　theBelinda　？s　stern？named　for　his　late　wife？as　he　simultaneously　steered　the　huge　
wheel　of　the　forty…foot　yacht　and　nursed　a　scotch　on　the　rocks。　The　white　sails　billowed　in　the　


wind。　It　was　a　perfect；　cloudless　summer　day；　but　after　his　afternoon　with　both　Blair　and　Serena　
yesterday；　Nate？s　thoughts　were　more　muddled　than　ever。　When　Chips　had　called　this　morning　
and　invited　him　out　for　a　sail　on　the　Hudson；　he？d　jumped　at　the　chance　to　get　back　out　on　the　
water　and　as　far　away　from　the　girls　as　possible。　A　little　scotch　wouldn？t　hurt　either。　

Wearing　a　pair　of　white　Ralph　Lauren　sailing　pants　and　a　navy　blue　cashmere　sweater；　Chips　
looked　sophisticated　and　stately　manning　the　wheel　of　the　pristine　yacht。　

？This　is　the　life；？　he　boomed；　his　wizened　hands　resting　lightly　on　the　wheel。　？The　open　sea；　the　
sun；　and　the　wind。？　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　tilted　his　head　toward　the　sky；　breathing　the　clear；　
warm　air　deep　into　his　lungs。　

？I　guess。？　Nate　scuffed　the　toe　of　his　sneakers　against　the　planks　of　the　deck。　He　was　waiting　for　
a　big　lecture　on　thinking　with　his　balls；　Chips？s　favorite　topic。　

The　old　man？s　stubby　white　beard　sparkled　in　the　late　afternoon　sunshine。　？So；　what？s　crawled　
up　your　arse；　then？？　he　asked；　his　Scottish　accent　rolling　around　in　his　mouth　like　marbles。　

？Oh。　I？m？I？m　fine；？　Nate　answered　quickly。　？Sort　of。？　Chips　looked　at　him　knowingly；　waiting　
for　Nate　to　continue。　Nate　took　a　deep　breath；　inhaling　the　briny　air　into　his　lungs；　and；　for　the　first　
time　in　days；　felt　his　head　start　to　clear。　When　he　was　out　on　the　ocean；　everything　just　felt　so　
much　simpler。　The　whole　world　was　reduced　to　its　essentials：　sun；　sky；　and　water。　

？I　have　to　repeat　my　senior　year　of　high　school；？　he　heard　himself　say。　？I？m　not　going　to　Yale。　
I？m　sure　my　dad　told　you；　right？？　Chips　nodded。　？Apparently　you　stole　Viagra　from　your　coach　
because　you　thought　it　would　make　you　more　of　a　man？？　He　raised　an　eyebrow。　

？Uh；　yeah；？　Nate　mumbled；　turning　a　little　red。　？But　that？s　not　the　only　problem。　There　are　these　
two　girls。　。　。　。？　his　voice　trailed　off　into　the　breeze。　？I　think　I　have　to　choose　between　them；　and　I　
don？t　know　who　to　pick。？　The　boat　hit　a　rough　patch　of　water　and　Nate　staggered　backward。　

？Whoa；　there；　Natie！？　Chips　laughed　out　loud　and　grabbed　hold　of　Nate？s　arm。　He　steered　him　
toward　the　bench　behind　the　wheel；　indicating　that　he　should　steer。　Chips　sat　down　heavily　beside　
him　and　placed　a　large　blue　pillow　behind　his　back　for　support。　He　pulled　out　a　fat　brown　cigar　
from　his　pants　pocket　and　rolled　it　around　between　his　lips。　Then　he　lit　the　tip　and　puffed　away　
until　the　end　glowed　amber　and　the　stench　of　cigar　smoke　filled　the　air；　sweet　and　acrid。　Nate　
looked　out　at　the　water；　steering　the　boat　and　fretting　over　what　he？d　just　said。　Talking　about　it　
meant　thinking　about　it；　and　that　was　the　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do。　

？Now。？　Chips　blew　a　ring　of　smoke　over　his　head。　？Let？s　start　from　the　beginning。？　？Well　。　。　。　
first　there？s　Blair；？　Nate　began　tentatively　as　he　steered　the　boat　expertly　between　the　green　and　
red　buoys　marking　the　entrance　to　Manhattan？s　harbor。　？We？ve　been　together　forever；　and　I　really　
love　her。　She　likes　getting　her　way；　and　she　just　。　。　。　wants　everything　to　be　perfect。　She？s　leaving　
for　Yale　tomorrow；　and　she　wants　me　to　e　live　in　New　Haven　with　her。？　He　reached　into　his　


pocket　and　ran　his　finger　over　the　smooth　surface　of　the　silver　lighter　Blair　had　given　him　two　
years　ago。　？But　I？ve　always　loved　Serena；　too。　She？s　。　。　。　the　plete　opposite　of　Blair。　All　light　
and　mystery　and　laughter；　but　hard　to　pin　down。？　Chips　nodded；　listening　carefully。　

？And　to　make　things　even　more　plicated；　they？ve　been　best　friends　forever；　and　I？m　always　
kind　of　messing　things　up　between　them。？　Kind　of？　

He　took　a　deep　breath；　and　Chips　passed　him　his　glass　of　scotch。　？I　know　it？s　idiotic；　but　I　just　
can？t　make　up　my　mind。？　Nate　took　a　deep　swallow　and　handed　the　glass　gratefully　back　to　
Chips。　？Aboutanything。　？　He　glanced　out　at　the　water　again；　hoping　for　a　sign？aB　…shaped　cloud　
in　the　sky　or　anS　reflected　on　the　water？s　surface。　Instead；　all　he　could　see　was　the　two　girls？　faces　
winking　at　him。You　know　you　love　me　；　each　one　was　saying。　

Chips　took　a　sip　of　scotch　and　looked　thoughtfully　at　Nate；　his　gold　wedding　band　glinting　in　the　
light。　？Well；　Nate；　I？ve　always　believed　that　honesty　is　an　essential　ponent　to　happiness？along　
with　all　of　this；？　he　said；　gesturing　with　his　hand　at　the　boat。　？But　there？s　also　something　to　be　
said　for　protecting　someone　you　love　from　unnecessary　pain。？　He　stood　and　tapped　the　ashes　of　
his　cigar　over　the　side　of　the　yacht　before　sitting　back　down　again。　Nate　noticed　for　the　first　time　
that　Chips？s　left　leg　looked　a　little　stiff　as　he　walked。　

？You？re　right；？　Nate　mused　aloud。　He　leaned　his　head　back　to　take　in　the　warmth　of　the　sun　on　
his　face；　and　closed　his　eyes　for　a　minute。　？I　mean；　what　good　would　it　do　to　tell　Blair　about　
Serena　anyway？　She？s　going　to　Yale　tomorrow。　And　maybe　she？ll　go；　and　I？ll　miss　her　so　much　
I？ll　be　on　the　Metro…North　every　freaking　Friday。　Or　maybe　me　and　Serena　will　be　together？so　
why　decide　now；　right？？　？Nate　。　。　。？　Chips　turned　and　looked　at　Nate　thoughtfully；　one　hand　
resting　on　his　stiff　leg。　？Don？t　twist　my　words　to　your　own　convenience。　There？s　a　difference　
between　protecting　someone　else　and　protecting　yourself。　And　it　doesn？t　sound　to　me　like　you？ve　
done　much　thinking　about　what？s　really　best　for　those　two　girls　you　claim　to　love　so　
much。？　？Yeah？？　Nate　stared　glumly　down　at　the　wide…planked　floor。　He　knew　how　hurt　Serena　
would　be　if　he　told　her　he　was　going　to　see　Blair　every　weekend　at　Yale。　He　also　knew　that　if　he　
told　Blair　what　had　happened　with　Serena；　that　shoe…throwing　scene　would　look　like　a　trip　to　the　
circus。　

Step　right　up　to　see　the　man…eating　Manolo…thrower！　？But　there？s　this　other　thing；？　Nate　went　on；　
struggling　with　his　thoughts。　？Blair　and　Serena　。　。　。　they　both