第6部分(第2/7 頁)

　my　waiter　was　cute；　if　you　like　ear　fuzz；　but　the　food　is

worse　than　at　Jackson　Hole　and　the　average　person　in　there　is　like；

100　years　old。

SightingsC　was　seen　in　Tiffany；　picking　up　another　pair　of　monogrammed

cufflinks　for　a　party。　Hello？　I’m　waiting　for　my　invite。　B　’s　mother

was　seen　holding　hands　with　her　new　man　in　Cartier。　Hmmm；

when’s　the　wedding？　Also　seen：　a　girl　bearing　a　striking

resemblance　to　S；　ing　out　of　an　STD　clinic　on　the　Lower　East

Side。　She　was　wearing　a　thick　black　wig　and　big　sunglasses。　Some

disguise。　And　very　late　last　night；　S　was　seen　leaning　out　her

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　h