gossip girl 10 英文-第5部分

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nervously。　？Of　course。Yeah。　It？s　you。？　

？In　all　my　glory。？　Greg　noticed　the　rectangular…shaped　bottle　that　Dan　was　gripping　as　though　his　
life　depended　on　it。　？You　brought　something！？　

？Yeah；　some　absinthe。？　It　was　the　most　literary　thing　he　could　find。The　kind　of　thing　Rimbaud　or　
Shelley　might　have　drunk。　Plus；　it　was　the　only　unopened　bottle　in　the　musty　cracked…glass　
dentist？s　cabinet　his　dad　stored　liquor　in。　

？Awesome！？　Greg　took　the　bottle。　？Should　I　fix　us　a　drink　before　everyone　gets　here？？　


？Sure。？　Dan　followed　his　host　down　the　bookshelf…lined　hallway　toward　the　living　room。　？I　
could　use　a　little　some…thing　to　loosen　me　up。？　

Just　a　little　though；　right？　That　stuff　is　so　strong　it？s　like　。　。　。　illegal。　

？There？s　shlomeone；　I　mean；　someone；　there？s　。　。　。？　Dan　slurred。　His　tongue　felt　like　it　was　the　
size　of　an　eggplant。　？Doorbell；　dude。　They？re　here。　It？s　time！？　he　added；　attempting　to　sit　up。　

？It？s　time！？　Greg　leapt　up　off　the　low　brown　leather　couch　that　he　and　Dan　had　been　sinking　
further　and　further　into　the　more　shots　of　absinthe　they　drank。　They？d　allotted　an　hour　for　
planning　their　opening　remarks；　but　they？d　spent　most　of　the　time　pouring　absinthe　over　lumps　of　
sugar；　then　swallowing　the　sticky；　sweet　mix　in　one　gulp。　Dan　picked　up　the　sterling　absinthe　
spoon　they？d　been　sharing　and　popped　it　into　his　mouth。　

Taste　of　metal　on　my　tongue。　Poison　the　color　of　envy？I？m　delirious；　you？re　delicious；　I？m　
deluded　and　delusional。I？m　lost　without　you。　I　need　you。　

Dan　grinned。　It　was　true？absinthedid　inspire。　He　teetered　a　little　as　he　crossed　the　living　room？s　
shiny　wood　floors　to　retrieve　his　backpack；　where　his　notebook　waited　for　him。　He　had　to　get　that　
fragment　down　on　paper　before　he　forgot　it。　

？Look　who？s　here；？　Greg　called。　Dan　dropped　the　bag？　poetic　fragment　already　forgotten？and　
tried　to　focus　on　the　faces　of　the　people　who　were　streaming　into　the　room；　which　suddenly　
seemed　to　be　spinning。　Because　they？d　sent　their　pictures　he　felt　like　he？d　met　them　already。　
There　was　the　cute　Charlotte　Bront？　girl。　And　the　insane　vampire…lover。　

？Everyone　grab　a　drink。？　Greg　pointed：　？Bar？s　over　there。　Plenty　more　ice　in　the　fridge。　Then　I　
guess　we　can　all　just　sit　in　a　circle　and　introduce　ourselves。　Sound　good　to　you；　Dan？？　

Dan　nodded；　suddenly　unable　to　form　a　single　word。Sit。　Yes；　that　sounded　like　a　good　idea。　He　
lurched　through　the　surprisingly　thick　crowd？just　how　many　people　had　been　at　the　door？　Or　had　
the　doorbell　rung　more　than　once？　How　long　had　he　been　digging　around　in　his　bag　for　that　
note…book；　anyway？　He　collapsed　back　onto　the　leather　couch。　

？How　about　another？？　Greg　pointed　at　the　silver　tray　set　with　a　tiny　bottle　of　pale　green　liquid　
and　a　bowl　of　sugar　cubes。　Then　he　took　off　his　glasses；　and　Dan　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　
Greg　had　millions　of　tiny　freckles　all　over　his　face。　

？But　。。。my　speech；？　Dan　murmured。　？I　need　to？？　

？You　need　to　calm　down。？　Greg　gently　pried　the　sterling　spoon　from　Dan？s　hand　and　balanced　it　
on　the　rim　of　the　glass。　He　deposited　a　sugar　cube　on　the　spoon　and　poured　a　thin　stream　of　the　
potent　green　liquor　over　it。　


？That　was　in　my　mouth；？　Dan　protested。　

？Doesn？t　bother　me。？　Greg　grinned；　and　then　used　the　spoon　to　give　the　liquor　a　quick　stir　before　
popping　it　between　his　lips。　He　pulled　the　spoon　out　of　his　mouth　and　slipped　it　back　into　Dan？s。　

Ew；　thanks　for　the　germs！　

Greg　slipped　off　his　beaten　black　leather　Doc　Martens；　then　stepped　up　onto　the　couch；　almost　
stepping　on　Dan？s　thigh　as　he　did　so。　He　shook　the　ice　in　his　glass　to　get　the　attention　of　the　
assembled　pany。　？Okay；　everyone；　grab　your　drinks　and　settle　in。We？ve　got　a　lot　to　cover　
tonight。？　

The　room　was　filled　with　voices；　but　Dan　was　having　trouble　focusing　his　hearing。　He　was　
grateful　Greg　seemed　to　have　everything　under　control。　

？I？ll　hand　the　reins　over　to　our　other　fearless　leader　now。？　Placing　one　hand　on　Dan？s　shoulder　to　
steady　himself；　Greg　hopped　off　the　couch　and　took　a　seat　on　the　battered　wooden　floor　at　Dan？s　
feet。　

？Thank　you；　Greg。？　Dan　wobbled　a　little　as　he　studied　the　group。This　is　it。This　is　our　salon。And　
you？re　their　Gertrude　Stein。　？Gadies　and　lentlemen；　wele　to　our　first　meeting　of　our　first　salon　
of　the　inaugural　meeting　of　our　group。？　He　burped　quietly。　？I？m　so　pleased　to　excite　you　and　tell　
you　about　exciting　and　books。　These　things　I　believe　and　you　believe　and　we　all　believe　together　
that　about　books　and　books　are　good　and　change　our　lives　and　make　us　happier。　And　it　matters　to　
us；　doesn？t　it？　It　really　does。？　

Dan　paused。　The　only　sounds　besides　the　clink　of　ice　were　a　couple　of　muffled　titters　from　across　
the　room。　His　tongue　felt　thick　and　dry　and　he　knew　he　was　having　trouble　with　his　pronunciation；　
but　he　was　determined　to　get　his　opening　remarks　out。　He？d　spent　so　long　drafting　their　mission　
statement　and　fielding　e…mails　and　had　gone　through　revision　after　revision　of　his　speech？he　
wasn？t　going　to　go　and　blow　it　just　because　he？d　had　one　drink　too　many。　

　One？　

？We　were　going　to　start　today　with　the　reading　from　the　book　that　I　liked　that　I　found　that　day　at　
the　Strand。　That？s　where　I　work。　Where？s　that　book？　Greg；　do　you　know　where　I　left　that　book？？　

？Hey；　hey。？　Greg　laughed。　？Why　don？t　we　put　off　the　reading　for　now　and　maybe　just　go　around　
the　circle　or　some…thing？　We　can　all　introduce　ourselves。　Dan　and　I　have　been　reading　your　
e…mails；　but　we？re　looking　forward　to　a　chance　to　getting　to　know　you　guys　in　real　life。？　Greg　
helped　ease　Dan　back　into　his　seat　on　the　couch。　？Why　don？t　you　go　first？？　He　nodded　at　a　girl　
sitting　cross…legged　on　the　floor　near　the　coffee　table。　Her　head　was　half…shaven　and　she　was　
sporting　a　tattoo　of　a　cockroach　on　her　skull。　She　seemed　to　have　a　very　toned　body；　but　her　face　


looked　weirdly　misshapen。　

The　misshapen…faced　girl　nodded　back。　？Yo；　what？s　going　on；　my　name？s　Penny；？　she　
barked。　？Favorite　book；　totally　got　to　beSexing　the　Cherry；　you　know　how　it　goes。　I　just　finished　
school；　heading　out　to　Smith　in　the　fall；　but　I？m　so　psyched　to　be　here　right　now；　meeting　some　
cool　book…lovers；　you　know？？　She　turned　to　glance　at　the　strawberry　redhead　to　her　left；　who　was　
hugging　her　knees　and　sipping　shyly　at　a　cup　of　cheap　white　wine。　

？H…h…hey；？　strawberry…head　whispered。　？I？m　Susanna。　My　favorite　book　isThe　Awakening。　I？m　
from　the　East　Village；　I？m　thinking　of　going　to　Bennington　when　I　finish　school　next　year；　and　I　
love　Tori　Amos。？　

？You　totally　look　like　her；？　interjected　Penny。　

Susanna　blushed；　looking　down　at　the　ground。　

？I　guess　I？ll　go　next；？　blurted　out　a　gaunt　guy　who　looked　about　fourteen；　dressed　in　a　gray　suit　
plete　with　bright　maroon　bow　tie　and　sitting　in　a　rocking　chair　across　from　Dan。　

？Yes；　please　do；？　replied　Greg；　slipping　Dan　a　bottle　of　water。

　Mister　Considerate！　

？I？m　Peter；　I？m　about　to　start　my　sophomore　year　at　NYU；　and　my　favorite　writer　is　definitely　J。　

D。　Salinger。　In　fact；　as　my　honors　thesis；　I？m　thinking　of　memorizingRaise　High　the　Roofbeam；　
Carpenters　in　its　entirety。？　
Dan　sipped　the　bottle　of　tepid　water。　That　sounded　vaguely　familiar？he　sort　of　remembered　
having　read　an　e…mail　from　a　devoted　Salinger　fan；　but　for　some　reason　he　was　having　trouble　
remembering　things。　

Like　his　own　name？　

？Anyway；？　Peter　continued；　？I？m　glad　I　made　the　cut。　Word　on　the　blogs　is　that　this　group　is　
pretty　exclusive。？　

？I　heard　that　too！？　exclaimed　the　girl　sitting　next　to　him；　a　prim　brunette　whose　milk…white　face　
was　framed　by　perfect　brown　ringlets。　？And　I？m　so　lucky　that　you　were　willing　to　include　two　
Salinger　enthusiasts。　My　name　is　Franny；　and　yes；　I？m　named　after　the　Salinger　book；　and　yes；　it？s　
obviously　my　favorite　book　in　the　world。　I？ll　be　starting　at　Vassar　next　year　and；　um；　well；　I　guess　
I　hope　I　make　some　new　friends　today。？　

Maybe　she？ll　meet　her　Zooey？　


？Vanessa；？　Dan　murmured；　running　his　hands　over　the　soft…prickly　stubble　on　the　back　of　her　
head　as　she　kissed　him　ever　so　tenderly。　？You　came　back　to　me。？　

？Er；　Dan？　It？s　me；　Greg。　Are　you　okay？？　

Greg？s　voice　snapped　Dan　back　to　reality。　He　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes。　？Oh；　sorry；　I　think　I　
was　nodding　off　there。？　

？It？s　okay。You？ve　been　sleeping　for　about　an　hour。？　

？I　have？？　He　stood　up　and　then　sat　down　again　quickly。　Whoa。　？I　was　just　listening　to　that　girl　
talk　about　liking　Salinger　and　that？s　the　last　thing　I　remember。。。。？　

？That　girl？？　asked　Greg；　pointing　out　the　curly…haired　Franny；　who　was　sprawled　on　the　floor　
across　the　room　while　Peter；　her　fellow　Salinger　fan；　tickled　her　neck　with　his　tongue。　？She；　uh；　
connected　with　a　fellow　book　lover；　as　you　can　see。？　

？What？s　going　on？？　Dan　looked　around　the　room；　which　had　grown　considerably　darker。　It　
seemed　like　all　twenty…two　salon…goers　were　hunkered　on　the　floor　in　pairs；　or　in　small　groups。　No　
one　seemed　to　be　doing　much　talking；　and　if　they　were；　it　certainly　wasn？t　about　books。　On　the　
room？s　other　big　couch；　Dan　counted　seven　legs　and　eight　arms。　The　half…bald　punk　girl；　Penny；　
was　getting　her　multiply　pierced　ears　worked　over　lovingly　by　that　redhead　Susanna？s　tongue　
right　in　front　of　him。　Dan　frowned。　His　elite　literary　gathering　was　turning　into　anorgy。　And　he　
could　have　sworn　someone　had　been　kissing　him　right　before　he　woke　up。　But　who？　There　
weren？t　any　girls　there　with　pletely　shaved　heads。　

？Don？t　worry；　Dan；？　murmured　Greg；　slipping　an　arm　around　his　shoulders。　？We？re　all　just　
having　a　good　time　getting　to　know　one　another。You　know；　it？s　like　we　wanted；　right？？　

　Dan　nodded。　Itwas？　

Greg　reached　out　and　cupped　Dan？s　chin　gently　with　his　hand。　？We？re　all　passionate　people；　
passionate　about　books；　passionate　about　life。？　Squeezing　Dan？s　chin　playfully；　Greg　pulled　
Dan？s　face　close　to　his　and　kissed　him；　softly；　on　the　lips。　

Dan　yanked　his　face　away。　Excuse　me？What　the　fuck？　

Greg　smiled　and　kissed　Dan　again；　this　time　letting　his　warm　tongue　slip　over　Dan？s　lips。　Dan　
was　about　to　pull　away　again；　but　his　hand　involuntarily　ran　up　the　back　of　Greg？s　neck　and　into　
his　short；　pri