第6部分(第3/7 頁)

ad　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

for　two　years；　and　they　half　expected　Serena　to　join　them。　But

school　had　started　ten　minutes　ago；　and　Serena　still　hadn’t　shown

up。

Blair　couldn’t　help　feeling　annoyed　at　Serena　for　creating　even

more　mystery　around　her　return　than　there　already　was。　Her　friends

were　practically　squirming　in　their　seats；　eager　to　catch　their　first

glimpse　of　Serena；　as　if　she　were　some　kind　of　celebrity。

“She’s　probably　too　drugged　up　to　e　to　school　t