第6部分(第4/7 頁)

oday；”　Isabel

whispered　back。　“I　swear；　she　spent　like；　an　hour　in　the　bathroom

last　night　at　Blair’s　house。　Who　knows　what　she　was　doing　in　there。”

“I　heard　she’s　selling　these　pills　with　the　letter　S　stamped　on　them。

She’s　pletely　addicted　to　them；”　Kati　told　Rain。

“Wait　till　you　see　her；”　Isabel　said。　“She’s　a　total　mess。”

“Yeah；”　Rain　whispered　back。　“I　heard　she’d　started　some　kind　of

voodoo　cult　up　in　New　Hampshire。”

Kati　giggled。　“I　wonder　if　she’ll　ask　us　to　join。”

“Hello？”　said　Isabel。　“She　can　dance　around　naked　with　chickens　all

she　wants；　but　I　don’t　want　to　be　there。　No　way。”

“Where　can　you　get　live　chickens　in　the　city；　anyway？”　Kati　asked。

“Gross；”　Rain　said。

“Now；　I’d　like　to　begin　by　singing　a　hymn。　If　you　would　please　rise

and　open　up　your　hymnals　to　page　forty…three；”　Mrs。　M　instructed。

Mrs。　Weeds；　the　frizzy…haired　hippie　music　teacher；　began　banging

out　the　first　few　chords　of　the　familiar　hymn　on　the　piano　in　the

corner；　then　all　seven　hundred　girls　stood　up　and　began　to　sing。

Their　voices　floated　down　Ninety…third　Street；　where　Serena　van　der

Woodsen　was　just　turning　the　corner；　cursing　herself　for　being　late。

She　hadn’t　woken　up　this　early　since　her　eleventh…grade　final

exams　at　Hanover　last　June；　and　she’d　forgotten　how　badly　it

sucked。

“Hark　the　herald　angels　si…ing！　Glo…ry　to　the　newborn　king！　Peaceon　Earth　and　mercy　mi…ild；　God　and　sin…ners　reconciled。”

Constance　ninth　grader　Jenny　Humphrey　silently　mouthed　the

words；　sharing　with　her　neighbor　the　hymnal　which　Jenny　herself

had　been　missioned　to　pen　in　her　exceptional　calligraphy。　It　had

taken　all　summer；　a