gossip girl 7 英文-第24章

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have　missed　it　for　the　world。〃　

Mrs。　van　der　Woodsen　went　over　and　graciously　kissed　Mrs。　M　on　the　cheek。　It　was　the　sort　of　
kiss　benefactors　are　used　to　bestowing　on　the　directors　of　the　organizations　they　so　generously　
give　millions　of　dollars　to。　〃It's　my　fault　the　girls　were　late　for　school；〃　she　admitted。　〃My　driver　
had　to　rush　off　to　pick　up　my　dry　cleaning；　so　they　were　forced　to　walk。〃　

Serena　shot　her　mother　a　grateful　glance　and　her　mother　blinked　with　silent　understanding。　

Now　we　all　know　where　Serena　got　her　grace　under　pressure。　

Baby　Yale　suddenly　made　the　type　of　gastrointestinal　noise　that　only　babies　are　allowed　to　make　
in　public。　Eleanor　wiped　out　her　cell　phone　and　dialed　the　nanny。　She'd　had　quite　enough　bonding；　
thank　you　very　much。　She　wasn't　about　to　risk　having　to　change　a　diaper。　〃Stay　in　the　car；　I'll　be　
right　out；〃　she　directed　frantically。　

Mrs。　M　looked　like　she　suddenly　realized　there　were　way　too　many　people　in　the　room　and　that　if　
she　didn't　do　something　about　it；　things　were　going　to　get　extremely　weird。　

As　if　they　weren't　weird　enough　already。　

The　headmistress　sighed　heavily；　as　though　her　weekend　up　in　Woodstock　baling　hay　with　Vonda　
had　e　and　gone　way　too　quickly；　and　maybe　she'd　better　start　thinking　about　early　retirement。　
〃Serena　and　Blair。　You're　seniors；　your　parents　are　busy　people。　Let's　just　leave　it　at　this：　You　may　
be　nearing　adulthood；　but　I'd　prefer　it　of　you　slept　in　your　own　beds；　particularly　on　school　
nights。〃　

Eleanor　nodded　and　hastily　gathered　the　howling　Yale　up　in　her　sling　as　best　she　could；　clearly　
eager　to　get　the　child　safely　into　her　nanny's　capable　hands。　Mrs。　van　der　Woodsen　smiled　ruefully；　
as　if　she　were　confident　that　nay　trouble　Serena　caused　could　be　easily　ironed　out　with　a　


democratic　kiss　on　the　cheek　and　the　promise　of　a　large　donation　to　Constance　Billard's　
development　fund。　And　Rufus　grunted；　like　he　couldn't　wait　to　be　alone　with　Jenny　and　Mrs。　M　so　
he　could　give　them　both　a　piece　of　his　mind。　

The　bell　rang；　signaling　the　end　of　first　period。　

〃May　we　go　to　class　now？〃　Blair　asked　sweetly；　as　if　missing　gym　was　really　going　to　mess　up　her　
day。　

〃You　may；〃　Mrs。　M　relented。　Serena　and　Blair　stood　up；　leaving　Jenny　alone　on　the　loveseat。　〃Just　
remember；　girls；〃　the　headmistress　added；　〃your　acceptance　at　college　can　be　revoked　if　you　do　
not　maintain　the　standards　promised　on　your　record。〃　

〃Thank　you　for　the　warning；〃　Serena　replied；　bobbing　her　head　in　sort　of　obedient　half…curtsy　
before　grabbing　Blair's　elbow　and　booking　out　of　the　room。　They　kissed　their　mothers　good…bye　
and　then　took　the　stairs　up　to　the　senior　lounge　three　at　a　time；　breathlessly　repeating　over　and　
over；　〃What　the　hell　was　that？！〃　

〃Jennifer；〃　Mrs。　M　and　Rufus　said；　pratically　in　unison。　

Jenny　crossed　her　ankles　and　sat　on　her　hands；　feeling　very　small　and　unprotected　now　that　the　
two　older　girls　had　gone。　Her　father　sat　down　beside　her　on　the　loveseat　and　put　his　arm　around　
her　shoulders。　He　smelled　like　stale　onion　bagels　and　bad　coffee。　There　were　little　cigarette　burns　
all　over　his　sweatpants。　

〃You've　always　been　a　good　kid。〃　He　gave　Jenny's　shoulders　a　squeeze。　〃Good　grades。　Great　Artist。　
Reads　a　lot。　Nice　to　her　daddy…　most　of　the　time。〃　He　shot　Mrs。　M　an　amused　look。　〃Are　you　
going　to　tell　me　I've　been　deluded　all　these　years？〃　

Mrs。　M　smiled　her　first　genuine　smile　in　weeks。　She　liked　Rufus　Humphrey。　Sure；　he　was　scruffy　
and　inappropriate；　but　he　was　as　ingle　dad　who'd　raised　two　kids　himself　and　done　a　decent　job　of　
it。　His　only　trouble　was　that　he　lived　on　the　other　side　of　the　park　and　didn't　play　by　the　same　rules　
that　the　rest　of　Upper　East　Side　had　played　by　since　they　started　nursery　school　at　Brick　Church　on　
Park　Avenue。　He'd　never　been　given　a　cent　to　the　school's　endowment　or　attended　a　fundraiser。　
He'd　never　offered　to　build　the　school　a　new　library　or　gym　or　swimming　pool　if　it　could　
guarantee　Jenny　a　place　at　Harvard　after　graduation。　He　was　also　more　protective　of　his　daughter　
than　most　of　the　parents　she　was　used　to；　mainly　because　he'd　changed　her　diapers　himself；　and　
stayed　up　with　her　when　she　couldn't　sleep；　and　punished　her　when　she'd　done　wrong；　and　
therefore　felt　a　certain　personal　responsibility　for　how　she　behaved。　

Whoa；　what　a　concept。　

Jenny　seriously　hoped　that　this　was　one　of　the　weird　dreams　she　often　had　when　she　ate　too　many　
Entenmann's　chocolate　donuts。　Not　that　she'd　eaten　any　donuts　recently。　As　far　as　she　could　


remember；　all　she'd　eaten　for　dinner　last　night　were　six　fine　breadsticks　imported　from　Italy　via　
Federal　Express　to　a　particular　suite　at　the　Plaza　Hotel。　

Not　to　mention　the　seventh；　which　she'd　wrapped　in　gold…embroidered　Plaza　Hotel　hand　towel　as　a　
memento。　

〃Thank　you　for　ing　at　such　short　notice；　Mr。　Humphrey〃　Mrs。　M　began。　〃And　I　have　to　admit　
I　agree。　Jennifer　is　an　intelligent；　creative　and　mostly　well…behaved　girl。　However；　she　is　building　
a　reputation；　for　being。。。　a　little　wild；　and　the　parents　of　her　peers　are　beginning　to　ask　questions。〃　

Rufus　gave　his　beard　a　perplexed　tug。　As　a　self…proclaimed　anarchist　he　must　have　felt　supremely　
unfortable　in　Mrs。　M's　patriotically　decorated　office；　having　to　defer　to　an　authority　figure　
about　his　daughter's　supposed　wild　behaviour。　

〃What　do　you　mean　by　a　'reputation　for　being　a　little　wild'？〃　

Mrs。　M　took　off　her　glasses　and　folded　them　carefully　in　front　of　her。　〃Mr。　Humphrey；　are　you　
aware　that　your　daughter　was　not　at　home　last　night？〃　

Rufus　nodded。　〃You　got　a　problem　with　that？〃　

Jenny　giggled　and　then　clamped　her　hand　over　her　mouth。　

〃Well；　where　do　you　imagine　that　she　was？〃　Mrs。　M　persisted；　her　soft；　rag…doll　face　being　
more　and　more　stern　by　the　minute。　

Rufus　snorted；　and　Jenny　could　sense　his　anarchist　blood　beginning　to　boil。　〃I　don't　have　to　
imagine　where　she　was。　She　told　me。　She　spent　the　night　at　her　friend　Elise's　house。　Right　around　
here　somewhere。〃　

〃Elise　Wells；〃　Jenny　elaborated　hoarsely。　〃She's　in　my　class。〃　

〃Yes。　Well。　Elise　wasn't　an　hour　late　to　school　this　morning。　In　fact；　she　arrived　at　school　on　time　
and　alone。　Your　daughter；　however；　only　just　arrived。　And　that　is　because　she　had　to　go　home　and　
change　first。　Because；　in　fact；　she　spent　the　night　at　a　hotel；　in　a　suite；　with　a　rather　well　known　
rock　music　group。〃　

Rufus's　jaw　fell　open；　revealing　his　crooked；　coffee…stained　teeth。　For　once；　he　was　pletely　
speechless。　Jenny　hugged　her　arms　around　her　chest；　keeping　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　royal　blue　rug。　

〃This　isn't　her　first　mishap；　either；〃　Mrs。　M　continued。　〃There　was　that　promising　image　of　her　
and　a　boy　that　was　passed　around　the　internet　a　few　months　back。　Afterwards；　I　sent　you　a　letter　
suggesting　Jennifer　see　a　therapist　a　few　times　a　week　here　at　school；　to　which　you　never　
responded。　And　then　last　month　Jennifer　appeared　in　a　popular　teen　magazine　in　only　an　exercise　


bra；　upsetting　more　than　a　few　of　her　classmates'　parents…　mostly　those　who　also　have　teenage　
sons。〃　

Rufus　swiped　his　hand　over　his　face。　〃Jesus；　Jenny；〃　he　breathed。　Even　Jenny　had　to　agree　that　
Mrs。　M　made　her　sound　like　a　first…class　slut；　but　she　wasn't　even　going　to　try　to　defend　herself。　
Besides　she'd　been　mostly　good　most　of　her　life…　it　was　kind　of　exciting　being　the　bad　girl。　

〃So　are　you　suspending　her；　or　what？〃　her　dad　demanded。　

Yes；　please。　Jenny　thought　with　silent　pleasure。　And　send　me　to　boarding　school。　

Mrs。　M　shook　her　head。　〃Not　yet。　This　is　only　a　warning。　But　if　Jennifer　continues　to　behave　in　
such　a　publicly　flagrant　way；　or　in　a　way　that　upsets　her　schoolmates　and　their　parents；　I　will　have　
to　take　measures　to　ensure　that　the　reputation　of　this　institution　remains　intact。〃　

The　third　bell　rang；　signaling　the　start　of　second　period。　

〃I'm　missing　Latin；〃　Jenny　squeaked。　〃May　I　go？〃　

〃Not　so　fast；　missy；〃　her　father　bellowed；　tightening　his　grip　around　her　shoulders。　Rufus　was　a　
softy　at　heart；　but　he　did　a　mean　disciplinarian　act　when　he　was　pissed　off。　

〃That's　all　right。　You　are　both　dismissed；〃　Mrs。　M　responded。　She　pushed　her　chair　back　and　
folded　her　arms　across　her　chest；　looking　dykier　than　ever。　

Jenny　jumped　to　her　feet　and　hurried　out　of　the　office　before　her　father　could　catch　up　and　have　
the　last　word…　and　before　Mrs。　M　could　send　her　home　for　being　so　pletely　out　of　uniform。　

〃You　look　tired；　Mr。　Humphrey；〃　she　heard　Mrs。　M　say　behind　her。　〃I've　got　a　wonderful　farm　in　
Woodstock。　You　really　should　visit　sometime。〃　

〃Woodstock…　I　love　Woodstock！〃　Rufus　exclaimed。　〃I　camped　out　there　back　in　1974。　I　was　living　
in　a　van　with　a　couple　poet　pals…〃　

Jenny　bolted　upstairs　to　Latin；　oddly　thrilled　at　how　close　she'd　e　to　getting　expelled　from　
Constance。　Who　cared　if　her　picture　was　in　the　gossip　columns　as　an　unidentified；　short；　
curly…haired；　〃publicly　flagrant〃　floozy？　Eventually　she'd　be　recognized　as　the　girl　who　always　
hung　out　with　the　Raves。　People　would　constantly　ask　if　she　was　Damian's　girlfriend；　and　she'd　be　
a　Page　Six　girl；　just　like　she'd　always　wanted！　


N'S