sk.carrie-第11节

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　is　dead。
Henry　Grayle；　principal　of　Ewen　High　School；　had　been　expecting　him　all　week；　but　Chris　Hargensen's　father　didn't　show　up　until　Friday…the　day　after　Chris　had　skipped　her　detention　period　with　the　formidable　Miss　Desjardin。
'Yes；　Miss　Fish？'　He　spoke　formally　into　the　inter；　although　he　could　see　the　man　in　the　outer　office　through　his　window；　and　certainly　knew　his　face　from　pictures　in　the　local　paper。
'John　Hargensen　to　see　you；　Mr　Grayle。'
'Send　him　in；　please。'　Goddammit；　Fish；　do　you　have　to　sound　so　impressed？
Grayle　was　an　irrepressible　paper…clip…bender；　napkin…ripper；　corner…folder。　For　John　Hargensen；　the　town's　leading　legal　light；　he　was　bringing　up　the　heavy　ammunition　…　a　whole　box　of　heavy…duty　clips　in　the　middle　of　his　desk　blotter。
Hargensen　was　a　tall；　impressive　man　with　a　selfconfident　way　of　moving　and　the　kind　of　sure；　mobile　features　that　said　this　was　a　man　superior　at　the　game　of　one…step…ahead　social　interaction。
He　was　wearing　a　brown　Savile　Row　suit　with　subtle　glints　of　green　and　gold　running　through　the　weave　that　put　Grayle's　local　off…the…rack　job　to　shame。　His　briefcase　was　thin；　real　leather；　and　bound　with　glittering　stainless　steel。　The　smile　was　faultless　and　full　of　many　capped　teeth　…　a　smile　to　make　the　hearts　of　lady　jurors　melt　like　butter　in　a　warm　skillet。　His　grip　was　major　league　all　the　way…firm；　warm；　long。
'Mr　Grayle；　I've　wanted　to　meet　you　for　some　time　now。'
'I'm　always　glad　to　see　interested　parents；'　Grayle　said　with　a　dry　smile。　'That's　why　we　have　Parents　Open　House　every　October。'
'Of　course。'　Hargensen　smiled；　'I　imagine　you're　a　busy　man；　and　I　have　to　be　in　court　in　forty…five　minutes　from　now。　Shall　we　get　down　to　specifics？'
'Surely；'　Grayle　dipped　into　his　box　of　clips　and　began　to　mangle　the　first　one。　'I　suspect　you　are　here　concerning　the　disciplinary　action　taken　against　your　daughter　Christine。　You　should　be　informed　that　school　policy　on　the　matter　has　been　set。　As　a　man　concerned　with　the　workings　of　justice　yourself；　you　should　realize　that　bending　the　rules　is　hardly　possible　or…'
Hargensen　waved　his　hand　impatiently。　'Apparently　you're　labouring　under　a　misconception；　Mr　Grayle。　I　am　here　because　my　daughter　was　manhandled　by　your　gym　teacher；　Miss　Rhoda　Desjardin。　And　verbally　abused；　I'm　afraid。　I　believe　the　term　your　Miss　Desjardin　used　in　connection　with　my　daughter　was　〃shitty。〃'
Grayle　sighed　inwardly。　'Miss　Desjardin　has　been　reprimanded。'
John　Hargensen's　smile　cooled　thirty　degrees；　'I'm　afraid　a　reprimand　will　not　be　sufficient。　I　believe　this　has　been　the　young；　ah；　lady's　first　year　in　a　teaching　capacity？'
'Yes。　We　have　found　her　to　be　eminently　satisfactory。'
'Apparently　your　definition　of　eminently　satisfactory　includes　throwing　students　up　against　lockers　and　the　ability　to　curse　like　a　sailor？'
Grayle　fenced：　'As　a　lawyer；　you　must　be　aware　that　this　state　acknowledges　the　school's　title　to　in　loco　parentis　…　along　with　full　responsibility；　we　succeed　to　full　parental　rights　during　school　hours。　If　you're　not　familiar；　I'd　advise　you　to　check　Monondock　Consolidated　School　District　vs　Cranepool　or…'
'I'm　familiar　with　the　concept；'　Hargensen　mid。　'I'm　also　aware　that　neither　the　Cranepool　case　that　you　administrators　are　so　fond　of　quoting　or　the　Frick　case　cover　anything　remotely　concerned　with　physical　or　verbal　abuse。　There　is；　however；　the　case　of　School　District　No。　4　vs　David。　Are　you　familiar　with　it？'
Grayle　was。　George　Kramer；　the　assistant　principal　of　the　consolidated　high　school　in　S。D。　14　was　a　poker　buddy。　George　wasn't　playing　much　poker　any　more。　He　was　working　for　an　insurance　pany　after　taking　it　upon　himself　to　cut　a　student's　hair。　The　school　district　had　ultimately　paid　seven　thousand　dollars　in　damages；　or　about　a　thousand　bucks　a　snip。
Grayle　started　on　another　paper　clip。
'Let's　not　quote　cases　at　each　other；　Mr　Grayle；　were　busy　men。　I　don't　want　a　lot　of　unpleasantness。　I　don't　want　a　mess。　My　daughter　is　at　home；　and　she　will　stay　there　Monday　and　Tuesday。　That　will　plete　her　threeday　suspension。　That's　all　right。'　Another　dismissive　wave　of　the　hand。
（catch　fido　good　boy　here's　a　nice　bone）
'Here's　what　I　want；'　Hargensen　continued。　'One；　prom　tickets　for　my　daughter。　A　girl's　senior　prom　is　important　to　her；　and　Chris　is　very　distressed。　Two；　no　contract　renewal　of　the　Desjardin　woman。　That's　for　me。　I　believe　that　if　I　cared　to　take　the　School　Department　to　court；　I　could　walk　out　with　both　her　dismissal　and　a　hefty　damage　settlement　in　my　pocket。　But　I　don't　want　to　be　vindictive。'
'So　court　is　the　alternative　if　I　don't　agree　to　your　demands？'
'I　understand　that　a　School　mittee　hearing　would　precede　that；　but　only　as　a　formality。　But　yes；　court　would　be　the　final　result。　Nasty　for　you。'
Another　paper　clip。
'For　physical　and　verbal　abuse；　is　that　correct？'
'Essentially。'
'Mr　Hargensen；　are　you　aware　that　your　daughter　and　about　ten　of　her　peers　threw　sanitary　napkins　at　a　girl　who　was　having　her　first　menstrual　period？　A　girl　who　was　under　the　impression　that　she　was　bleeding　to　death？'
A　faint　frown　creased　Hargensen's　features；　as　if　someone　had　spoken　in　a　distant　room。　'I　hardly　think　such　an　allegation　is　at　issue。　I　am　speaking　of　actions　following…'
'Never　mind；'　Grayle　said。　'Never　mind　what　you　were　speaking　of。　This　girl；　Carietta　White；　was　called　〃a　dumb　pudding〃　and　was　told　to　〃plug　it　up〃　and　was　subjected　to　various　obscene　gestures。　She　has　not　been　in　school　this　week　at　all。　Does　that　sound　like　physical　and　verbal　abuse　to　you？　It　does　to　me。'
'I　don't　intend；'　Hargensen　said；　'to　sit　here　and　listen　to　a　tissue　of　half…truths　or　your　standard　schoolmaster　lecture；　Mr　Grayle；　I　know　my　daughter　well　enough　to…'
'Here；'　Grayle　reached　into　the　wire　IN　basket　beside　the　blotter　and　tossed　a　sheaf　of　pink　cards　across　the　desk；　'I　doubt　very　much　if　you　know　the　daughter　represented　in　these　cards　half　so　well　as　you　think　you　do。　If　you　did；　you　might　realize　that　it　was　about　time　for　a　trip　to　the　woodshed。　It's　time　you　snubbed　her　close　before　she　does　someone　a　major　damage。'
'You　aren't…'
'Ewen；　four　years；'　Grayle　overrode　him。　'Graduation　slated　June　seventy…nine；　next　month。　Tested　I。Q。　of　a　hundred　and　forty。　Eighty…three　average。　Nonetheless；　I　see　she's　been　accepted　at　Oberlin。　I'd　guess　someone　…　probably　you；　Mr　Hargensen　…　has　been　yanking　some　pretty　long　strings。　Seventy…four　assigned　detentions。　Twenty　of　those　have　been　for　harassment　of　misfit　pupils；　I　might　add。　Fifth　wheels；　I　understand　that　Chris's　clique　calls　them　Mortimer　Snurds。　They　find　it　all　quite　hilarious。　She　skipped　out　on　fifty…one　of　those　assigned　detentions。　At　Chamberlain　Junior　High；　one　suspension　for　putting　a　firecracker　in　a　girl's　shoe　。。。　the　note　on　the　card　says　that　little　prank　almost　cost　a　little　girl　named　Irma　Swope　two　toes。　The　Swope　girl　has　a　harelip；　I　understand。　I'm　talking　about　your　daughter；　Mr　Hargensen。　Does　that　tell　you　anything？'
'Yes；'　Hargensen　said；　rising。　A　thin　flush　had　suffused　his　features；　'It　tells　me　I'll　see　you　in　court。　And　when　I'm　done　with　you；　you'll　be　lucky　to　get　a　job　selling　encyclopedias　door　to　door。'
Grayle　also　rose；　angrily；　and　the　two　men　faced　each　other　across　the　desk
'Let　it　be　court；　then；'　Grayle　said。
He　noted　a　faint　flick　of　surprise　on　Hargensen's　face；　crossed　his　fingers；　and　went　in　for　what　he　hoped　would　be　a　knockout　…　or　at　least　a　TKO　that　would　save　Desjardin's　job　and　take　this　silk…ass　son　of　a　bitch　down　a　notch。
'You　apparently　haven't　realized　all　the　implications　of　in　loco　parentis　in　this　matter；　Mr　Hargensen。　The　same　umbrella　that　covers　your　daughter　also　covers　Carrie　White。　And　the　minute　you　file　for　damages　on　the　grounds　of　physical　and　verbal　abuse；　we　will　cross…file　against　your　daughter　on　those　same　grounds　for　Carrie　White。'
Hargensen's　mouth　dropped　open；　then　closed；　'You　can't　get　away　with　a　cheap　gimmick　like　that；　you…'
'Shyster　lawyer？　Is　that　the　phrase　you　were　looking　for？'　Grayle　smiled　grimly。　'I　believe　you　know　your　way　out；　Mr　Hargensen。　The　sanctions　against　your　daughter　stand。　If　you　care　to　take　the　matter　further；　that　is　your　right。'
Hargensen　crossed　the　room　stiffly；　paused　as　if　to　add　something；　then　left；　barely　restraining　himself　from　the　satisfaction　of　a　hard　doorslam。
Grayle　blew　out　breath。　It　wasn't　hard　to　see　where　Chris　Hargensen　came　by　her　self…willed　stubbornness。　
A。　P。　Morton　entered　a　minute　later。　'How　did　it　go？'
'Time'll　tell；　Morty；'　Grayle　said。　Grimacing；　he　looked　at　the　twisted　pile　of　paper　clips。　'He　was　good　for　seven　clips；　anyway。　That's　some　kind　of　record。'
'Is　he　going　to　make　it　a　civil　matter？'
'Don't　know。　It　rocked　him　when　I　said　we'd　counter　sue。'
'I　bet　it　did。'　Morton　glanced　at　the　phone　on　Grayle's　desk。　'It's　time　we　let　the　superintendent　in　on　this　bag　of　garbage；　isn't　it？'
'Yes；'　Grayle　said；　picking　up　the　phone。　'Thank　God　my　unemployment　insurance　is　paid　up。'
'Me　too；'　Morton　said　loyally。
From　The　Shadow　Exploded　（appendix　Ill）：
Carrie　White　passed　in　the　following　short　verse　as　a　poetry　assignment　in　the　seventh　grade。　Mr　Edwin　King；　who　had　Carrie　for　grade　seven　Eng