天锡小说网

第6部分（第2页）

bedroom　window　over　Fifth　Avenue；　looking　a　little　lost。

Well；　don’t　jump；　sweetie；　things　are　just　starting　to　get　good。

That’s　all　for　now。　See　you　in　school　tomorrow。

You　know　you　love　me；

“Wele　back；　girls；”　Mrs。　McLean　said；　standing　behind　the

podium　at　the　front　of　the　school　auditorium。　“I　hope　you　all　had　a

terrific　long　weekend。　I　spent　the　weekend　in　Vermont；　and　it　was

absolutely　heavenly。”

All　seven　hundred　students　at　the　Constance　Billard　School　for　Girls；

kindergarten　through　twelfth　grade；　and　its　fifty　faculty　and　staff

members　tittered　discreetly。　Everyone　knew　Mrs。　McLean　had　a

girlfriend　up　in　Vermont。　Her　name　was　Vonda；　and　she　drove　a

tractor。　Mrs。　McLean　had　a　tattoo　on　her　inner　thigh　that　said；　“Ride

Me；　Vonda。”

It’s　true；　swear　to　God。

Mrs。　McLean；　or　Mrs。　M；　as　the　girls　called　her；　was　their

headmistress。　It　was　her　job　to　put　forth　the　cream　of　the　crop—

send　the　girls　off　to　the　best　colleges；　the　best　marriages；　the　best

lives—and　she　was　very　good　at　what　she　did。　She　had　no　patience

for　losers；　and　if　she　caught　one　of　her　girls　acting　like　a　loser—

persistently　calling　in　sick　or　doing　poorly　on　the　SATs—she　would

call　in　the　shrinks；　counselors；　and　tutors　and　make　sure　the　girl　got

the　personal　attention　she　needed　to　get　good　grades；　high　scores；

and　a　warm　wele　to　the　college　of　her　choice。

Mrs。　M　also　didn’t　tolerate　meanness。　Constance　was　supposed　to

be　a　school　free　of　cliques　and　prejudice　of　any　sort。　Her　favorite

saying　was；　“When　you　assume；　you　make　an　ass　out　of　u　and　me。”

The　slightest　slander　of　one　girl　by　another　was　punished　with　a　day

in　isolation　and　a　seriously　difficult　essay　assignment。　But　those

punishments　were　a　rare　necessity。　Mrs。　M　was　blissfully　ignorant　of

what　really　went　on　in　the　school。　She　certainly　couldn’t　hear　the

whispering　going　on　in　the　very　back　of　the　auditorium；　where　the

seniors　sat。

“I　thought　you　said　Serena　was　ing　back　today；”　Rain

Hoffstetter　whispered　to　Isabel　Coates。

That　morning；　Blair　and　Kati　and　Isabel　and　Rain　had　all　met　on

their　usual　stoop　around　the　corner　for　cigarettes　and　coffee　before

school　started。　They　had　been　doing　the　same　thing　every　morning