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第69部分

iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第69部分

小说: iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour 字数: 每页4000字

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 〃Sir?〃 says a waiter dressed in white tie; who has appeared from nowhere bearing a tray of canapés and truffles。 〃Lamb;〃 he says; pointing at the first; 〃and white chocolate;〃 pointing at the second。
 〃Have one;〃 Gil says。
 So I do; and all the hunger of the day; the missed meals and hospital food fantasies; all of it instantly returns。 When another man circles by with a tray of champagne flutes; I help myself again。 The bubbles rise straight to my head; helping to keep my thoughts from drifting back to Paul。
 Just then; a musical quartet kicks up from the dining room antechamber; a place where weathered lounge chairs used to stand。 A piano and drum set have been tucked into the corner; with enough room for a bass and electric guitar in between。 For the time being; it's R&B standards。 Later; I know; if Gil has his way; there will be jazz。
 〃I'll be right back;〃 he says; and suddenly he leaves my side; heading up the stairs。 At every step; a member stops him to say something kind; to smile and shake his hand; sometimes to hug him。 I see Donald Morgan place a careful hand on Gil's back as he passes; the easy; sincere congratulations of the man who would be king。 Junior women already in their drinks look at Gil with foggy eyes; sentimental about the club's loss; their loss。 He is tonight's hero; I realize; the host and guest of honor both。 Everywhere he goes he'll have pany。 But somehow; without anyone by his side…Brooks or Anna or one of us…he looks alone already。
 〃Tom!〃 es a voice from behind me。
 I turn; and the air converges in a single fragrance; the one Gil's mother and Charlie's girlfriend must've worn; because it has the same effect on me。 If I imagined that I liked Katie best when I saw her with flaws; with her hair up and her shirt untucked; then I was a fool。 Because here she is now; tucked into a black gown; hair down; all collarbones and breasts; and I am undone。
 〃Wow。〃
 She puts a hand on my lapel and rubs off a flake of dust that turns out to be snow; still lingering in this heat。
 〃Same to you;〃 she says。
 There is something wonderful in her voice; a wele ease。 〃Where's Gil?〃 she asks。
 〃Upstairs。〃
 She pulls two more flutes of champagne from a passing tray。
 〃Cheers;〃 she says; giving me one。 〃So who are you supposed to be?〃
 I hesitate; unsure what she means。
 〃Your costume。 Who'd you e as?〃
 Now Gil reappears。
 〃Hey;〃 Katie says。 〃Long time no see。〃
 Gil sizes the two of us up; then smiles like a proud father。 〃You both look beautiful。〃
 Katie laughs。 〃So who are you supposed to be?〃 she asks。
 With a flourish; Gil swings back the side of his jacket。 Only now do I see what he went upstairs to get。 There; hanging between the left flank of his waist and his right hip; is a black leather belt。 On the belt is a leather holster; and in the holster is an ivory…handled pistol。
 〃Aaron Burr;〃 he says。 〃Class of 1772。〃
 〃Flashy;〃 Katie says; watching the pearly butt of the gun。
 〃What's that?〃 I blurt。
 Gil seems taken aback。 〃My costume。 Burr shot Hamilton in a duel。〃
 He puts an arm at my back and leads me toward the landing between the first and second floors。
 〃See the lapel pins Jamie Ness is wearing?〃 He points at a blond senior whose bow tie is embroidered with treble and bass clefs。
 On the left lapel I can make out a brown oval; on the right; a black dot。
 〃That's a football;〃 Gil says; 〃and that's a hockey puck。 He's Hobey Baker; Ivy section of 1914。 The only man ever inducted into both the football and hockey halls of fame。 Hobey was in a singing group here…that's why Jamie's tie has notes on it。〃
 Now Gil points to a tall senior with bright red hair。 〃Chris Bentham; right beside Doug: James Madison; class of 1771。 You can tell by the shirt buttons。 The top one is a Princeton seal…Madison was the first president of the alumni association。 And the fourth one is an American flag。 。 。 。〃
 There is something mechanical in his voice; a tour guide's inflection; as if he's reading a script in his head。
 〃Just make up a costume;〃 Katie interjects; joining our conversation from the foot of the stairs。
 I glance down at her; and the leverage gives me a new appreciation for the way she fits into her dress。
 〃Oh; listen;〃 Gil says; looking past her; 〃I've got to go deal with something。 Can you two manage on your own for a second?〃
 Over by the wet bar; Brooks is pointing to one of the white…gloved attendants; who is leaning heavily against the wall。
 〃One of the servers is drunk;〃 Gil says。
 〃No rush;〃 I tell him; noticing how Katie's neck looks impossibly thin from this height; like the stem of a sunflower。
 〃If you need anything;〃 he says; 〃just let me know。〃
 Side by side; we begin to descend。 The band is playing Duke Ellington; the champagne flutes are clinking; and Katie's lipstick has a high red gloss; the color of a kiss。
 〃Want to dance?〃 I say; when I step down from the landing。
 Katie smiles and takes me by the hand。
 Listen 。 。 。 rails a…thrumming 。 。 。 on the 〃A〃 train。
 At the foot of the stairs; Gil's tracks and mine diverge。
 
 Chapter 26
 
 The dance floor is ten degrees hotter than the rest of the club; couples pressed tight into each other; merging and turning; an asteroid belt of slow…dancers; but I instantly feel fortable。 Katie and I have moved to a lot of music since that first night we met at Ivy。 Each weekend on Prospect Avenue the clubs hire bands to suit every taste; and in just a few months we've tried ballroom and Latin and every style in between。 With nine years of tap behind her; Katie has enough elegance and grace for three or four dancers; which means that between us we average about as much as the next couple。 Still; as her charity case; I've e a long way。 We get bolder the longer we're at it; succumbing to the champagne。 I manage to dip her once without falling on top of her; she manages to spin from my good arm once without dislocating anything; and soon we're dangerous on the floor。
 〃I've decided who I am;〃 I tell her; pulling her back toward me。
 There's a wonderful contact between us; her cleavage tightening; breasts buoyant。
 〃Who?〃 she says。
 We're both breathing hard。 Tiny drops of sweat are forming at the top of her forehead。
 〃F。 Scott Fitzgerald。〃
 Katie shakes her head and smiles。 Her tongue flits in the gap between her teeth。 〃You can't;〃 she says。 〃Scott Fitzgerald's not allowed。〃
 We're both talking loudly; our mouths closer and closer to each other's ears in order to hear above the music。
 〃Why not?〃 I ask; getting my lips tangled in a few strands of hair。 She has a dot of perfume on her neck; the same way she did in the darkroom; and the continuum between there and here…the idea that we really are the same people; just differently dressed…is enough。
 〃Because he was a member of Cottage;〃 she says; leaning forward。 〃That's blasphemy。〃
 I smile。 〃So how long does this keep up?〃
 〃The ball? Until the service starts。〃
 It takes me a second to remember that tomorrow is Easter。
 〃At midnight?〃 I ask。
 She nods。 〃Kelly and the others are worried about turnout at the chapel。〃
 Almost on cue; we make another turn on the floor and Kelly Danner passes into view; pointing her index finger at a sophomore in a flashy tux vest; the body language of a witch changing a prince into a toad。 All…powerful Kelly Danner; the woman not even Gil trifles with。
 〃They're making everyone go?〃 I say; thinking even Kelly would be hard…pressed to manage that。
 Katie shakes her head。 〃They're closing the club and suggesting that people go。〃
 There's an edge to her voice when she talks about Kelly; so I decide not to press。 Watching the couples around us; I can't help but think about Paul; who always seemed alone here。
 Just then; the rhythm of the entire party is thrown off when one final couple arrives at the door; late enough to upstage everyone else。 It's Parker Hassett and his date。 True to his word; Parker has dyed his hair brown; parted it rigidly down the left side; and donned an inaugural…style tuxedo with white vest and white tie; for a strangely convincing resemblance to John Kennedy。 His partner; the always dramatic Veronica Terry; has also e as billed。 In a windswep

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