iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第28部分

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　I　spot　Katie。　She's　standing　by　the　outer　edge　of　the　tent　on　the　opposite　side；　tired　of　talking。　The　cup　of　hot　chocolate　in　her　hand　is　still　steaming；　and　her　camera　is　strung　around　her　neck　like　a　charm。　It　takes　me　a　second　to　figure　out　what　she's　looking　at。　A　few　months　ago；　I　would've　suspected　the　worst；　searching　for　the　elusive　other　man　in　her　life；　the　one　who　found　time　for　her　when　I　spent　nights　with　the　Hypnerotomachia。　Now　I　know　better。　It's　just　the　chapel　she's　fixed　in　her　sights。　It　looms　like　a　cliff　at　the　edge　of　a　white　sea；　a　photographer's　dream。
　There's　a　curious　thing　about　attraction；　something　I'm　only　starting　to　learn。　The　first　time　I　met　Katie；　I　thought　one　look　at　her　would　stop　traffic。　Not　everyone　agreed　with　me　（Charlie；　preferring　meatier　women；　liked　Katie's　determination　more　than　her　looks）；　but　I　was　smitten。　We　dressed　up　for　each　other…our　best　clothes；　our　best　manners；　our　best　stories…until　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　must　be　my　two　years　of　seniority　and　my　friendship　with　the　president　of　her　eating　club　that　lent　me　what　small　mystique　I　had；　holding　on　to　such　a　catch。　In　those　days　the　idea　of　touching　her　hand　or　smelling　her　hair　was　enough　to　send　me　sweating　to　a　cold　shower。　We　were　each　other's　trophies；　and　we　spent　our　days　on　pedestals。
　Since　those　early　weeks　I've　taken　her　off　the　shelf。　She's　returned　the　favor。　We　argue　because　I　keep　my　room　too　warm；　and　because　she　sleeps　with　her　window　open；　she　chides　me　for　getting　seconds　of　dessert…because　someday；　she　says；　even　men　pay　for　their　petty　transgressions。　Gil　jokes　that　I've　been　domesticated；　humoring　me　with　the　notion　that　I　used　to　be　a　wild　thing。　The　fact　is；　I　was　made　for　husbandry。　I　turn　up　my　thermostat　when　I'm　not　cold；　and　eat　dessert　when　I'm　not　hungry；　because　in　the　shadow　of　every　admonishment　from　Katie　is　the　hint　that　she　won't　tolerate　these　things　in　the　future；　because　there　will　be　a　future。　The　fantasies　I　used　to　have；　powered　by　the　electricity　of　potential　between　strangers；　are　weaker　things　now。　I　like　her　best　the　way　she　is　in　this　courtyard。
　Her　eyes　are　tensed；　the　sign　that　a　long　day　is　drawing　to　a　close。　Her　hair　is　down；　and　the　gusts　are　playing　in　the　loops　of　it　by　her　shoulder。　It　wouldn't　bother　me　just　to　keep　watching　from　afar；　soaking　her　in。　But　when　I　step　forward；　decreasing　our　distance；　she　sees　me　and　gestures　to　join　her。
　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　she　asks。　〃Who　was　that　in　the　lecture？〃
　〃Richard　Curry。〃
　〃Curry？〃　She　takes　my　hand　and　places　it　in　hers。　Her　bottom　lip　curls　between　her　teeth。　〃Is　Paul　okay？〃
　〃I　think　so。〃
　Silence　creeps　in　for　a　moment　as　we　watch　the　crowd。　Men　in　canvas　anoraks　are　offering　their　jackets　to　underdressed　girlfriends。　Tara；　the　blonde　from　the　table；　has　witched　a　stranger　out　of　his。
　Katie　motions　back　toward　the　auditorium。　〃So　what'd　you　think？〃
　〃Of　the　lecture？〃
　She　nods；　beginning　to　fix　her　hair　in　a　bun。
　〃A　little　gory。〃　The　ogre　gets　no　pliments　from　me。
　〃But　more　interesting　than　usual；〃　she　says；　extending　her　cup　of　hot　chocolate。　〃Hold　this？〃
　She　wraps　the　back　of　her　hair　into　a　knot　and　strikes　it　through　with　two　long　pins　from　her　pocket。　The　easy　dexterity　of　her　hands；　shaping　something　she　can't　see；　reminds　me　of　the　way　my　mother　used　to　fix　my　father's　ties　while　standing　behind　him。
　〃What's　wrong？〃　she　says；　reading　my　expression。
　〃Nothing。　Just　thinking　about　Paul。〃
　〃He's　going　to　finish　on　time？〃
　The　thesis　deadline。　Even　now；　she　keeps　an　eye　on　the　Hypnerotomachia。　Tomorrow　night　she　can　lay　my　old　mistress　to　rest。
　〃I　hope。〃
　Another　silence　follows；　this　one　less　wele。　Just　as　I　try　to　think　of　something　to　change　the　subject…something　about　her　birthday；　about　the　gift　that's　waiting　for　her　back　at　the　room…bad　luck　strikes。　It　arrives　in　the　form　of　Charlie。　After　twenty　circuits　around　the　refreshment　table；　he　has　finally　decided　to　join　us。
　〃I　came　in　late；〃　he　announces。　〃Can　I　get　a　recap？〃
　Of　all　the　odd　things　about　Charlie；　the　oddest　is　how　he　can　be　a　fearless　gladiator　among　men；　but　a　blithering　clod　around　women。
　〃A　recap？〃　Katie　says；　entertained。
　He　plunks　a　petit　four　into　his　mouth；　then　another；　scanning　the　crowd　for　prospects。　〃You　know。　How　classes　are　going。　Who's　dating　who。　What　you're　doing　next　year。　The　usual。〃
　Katie　smiles。　〃Classes　are　fine；　Charlie。　Tom　and　I　are　still　dating。〃　She　gives　him　a　reproving　look。　〃And　I'm　only　going　to　be　a　junior。　I'll　still　be　here　next　year。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Charlie　says；　because　he　has　never　remembered　her　age。　Producing　a　cookie　from　his　gallon…size　hands；　he　searches　for　the　right　conversational　idiom　between　a　sophomore　and　a　senior。　〃Junior　year　is　probably　the　hardest；〃　he　says；　opting　for　the　worst　one：　advice。　〃Two　junior　papers。　Prereqs　for　your　major。　And　long　distance　with　this　guy；〃　he　says；　pointing　at　me　with　one　hand；　feeding　with　the　other。　〃Not　easy。〃　He　rolls　his　tongue　through　his　cheek；　savoring　the　taste　of　everything　he's　got　in　his　mouth；　ruminating　our　future　besides。　〃Can't　say　I'm　jealous。〃
　He　pauses；　giving　us　time　to　digest。　In　a　miracle　of　economy；　Charlie　has　made　things　worse　in　less　than　twenty　words。
　〃Do　you　wish　you'd　been　able　to　run　tonight？〃　he　says　now。
　Katie；　still　hoping　for　a　silver　lining；　waits　for　him　to　explain。　More　accustomed　to　the　way　his　mind　works；　I　know　better。
　〃The　Nude　Olympics；〃　he　says；　ignoring　my　signal　to　change　the　subject。　〃Don't　you　wish　you　could've　run？〃
　The　question　is　a　masterstroke。　I　can　see　it　ing；　but　I'm　powerless　to　defend　against　it。　To　show　his　grasp　of　the　fact　that　Katie　is　a　sophomore；　and　possibly　of　the　fact　that　she　lives　in　Holder；　Charlie　is　asking　if　my　girlfriend　is　upset　because　she　couldn't　parade　naked　in　front　of　the　rest　of　campus　tonight。　The　underlying　pliment；　I　think；　is　that　a　woman　with　Katie's　physical　assets　must　be　dying　to　show　them　off。　Charlie　seems　to　have　no　premonition　of　the　myriad　ways　this　could　go　wrong。
　Katie's　face　tightens；　spotting　his　train　of　thought　a　mile　down　the　tracks。　〃Why？　Should　I　be？〃
　〃There　just　aren't　a　lot　of　sophomores　I　know　who　would　pass　up　the　chance；〃　he　says。　And　from　his　more　diplomatic　tone；　he　must　sense　that　he's　misstepped。
　〃What　chance　would　that　be？〃　Katie　presses。
　I　try　to　help　him；　searching　for　euphemisms　of　drunken　nudity；　but　my　mind　is　a　flock　of　pigeons；　fluttering　away。　All　my　thoughts　are　shit　and　feathers。
　〃The　chance　to　shed　their　clothes　once　in　four　years？〃　Charlie　fumbles。
　Slowly；　Katie　looks　both　of　us　over。　Sizing　up　Charlie's　steam…tunnel　attire；　and　my　back…of…the…closet　outfit；　she　wastes　no　words。
　〃Well；　then；　I　guess　we're　even。　Because　there　aren't　a　lot　of　seniors　I　know　who　would　pass　up　the　chance　to　change　their　clothes　once　in　four　years。〃
　I　fight　the　impulse　to　press　at　the　wrinkles　in　my　shirt。
　Charlie；　reading　the　leaves；　ducks　out　for　another　pass　at　the　table。　His　job　here　is　done。
　〃You　guys　are　a　couple　of　real　charmers；〃　Katie　says。　〃You　know　that？〃
　She　tries　to　sound　amused；　but　there's　a　hint　of　heaviness　she　can't　hide。　She　reaches　up　and　runs　her　fingers　through　my　hair；　trying　to　change　things；　when　an　Ivy　woman　arrives　before　us；　arm　in　arm　with　Gil。　From　the　apologetic　look　on　his　face；　I　understand　that　this　is　the　Kelly　he　told　us　to　avoid。
　〃Tom；　you　know　Kelly　Danner；　don't　you？〃
　Before　I　can　say　that　I　don't；　Kelly's　face　fills　with　rage。　She's　focused　on　something　in　the　far　corner　of　the　courtyard。
　〃Those　stupid　shits；〃　she　curses；　throwing　her　paper　cup　to　the　ground。　〃I　knew　they　would　try　to　pull　something　like　this　tonight。〃
　We　all　turn。　There；　marching　toward　us　from　the　direction　of　the　eating　clubs；　es　a　troupe　of　men　in　tunics　and　togas。
　Charlie　hoots；　stepping　toward　us　for　a　better　view。
　〃Tell　them　to　get　out　of　here；〃　Kelly　demands；　to　no　one　in　particular。
　The　group　es　into　focus　through　the　snow。　Now　it's　clear　that　this　is　just　what　Kelly　feared：　a　choreographed　stunt。　Each　toga　bears　a　series　of　letters　across　its　chest；　written　in　two　distinct　rows。　Though　I　can't　make　out　the　lower