dclegg.purity-第8部分

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ith　love；　and　usually　it's　through　the　one　part　of　their　body　that　seems　to　cause　others　the　most　damage。
　〃But　it's　just　his　body；〃　I　told　her。　She　cried　over　all　of　this。　She　cried　when　she　found　out　her　father　had　another　woman。　A　mistress。　But　you　have　to　cry　at　first；　don't　you？　To　get　all　those　little　fairy　tales　out　of　your　head　about　how　life　gets　lived；　about　how　there　are　a　few　good　men；　how　some　men　don't　cheat。
　And　it's　not　true。　All　men　cheat；　and　all　women　marry　cheaters；　and　to　not　look　at　that　square　in　the　face　is　like　not　looking　at　the　good　side　of　marriage；　too。
　So　she　cried　off　and　on　for　a　few　years；　and　I　held　her　sometimes；　I　was　cold　to　her　at　times　…　I　knew　she　needed　to　work　this　idea　out　in　her　mind。
　When　she　fell　in　love　for　the　first　time；　she　told　me　that　she　was　grateful　for　what　she'd　had　to　go　through　with　her　father。　〃I　don't　know　why　men　do　what　they　do；〃　she　told　me。
　〃If　you　did；　you'd　have　solved　the　greatest　mystery　of　life；〃　I　said　to　her。
　Or　something　like　that。
　But　for　my　money；　she　should've　avoided　that　Jimmy　McTeague。　He　was　bad　news。　I　know　every　little　deb　and　sorority　girl　east　of　the　Mississippi　thought　he　was　just　the　end　of　the　world；　but　they　were　such　goofy　little　virgins　it　was　hard　to　have　patience　with　them。
　Jimmy　McTeague　is　the　devil　incarnate。　I　know　that's　an　over…the…top　way　of　putting　it。　He　wasn't　evil；　but　he　was　cold。　I　knew　a　little　about　his　family；　and　none　of　it　was　very　good。　His　father　had　some　bad　business　deals　going；　and　even　if　he　had　all　the　stores；　Frank　told　me　some　things　that　alarmed　me。
　With　Jimmy；　I　felt　it　the　first　day　I　met　him；　which　was　sometime　before　summer。　Perhaps　some　Easter　break？　She　brought　him　by　the　house　in　Greenwich；　and　the　first　thing　out　of　his　mouth　was；　〃Hello　Catherine。　I've　heard　so　much　about　you；　I　almost　feel　like　we've　had　an　affair。〃
　He　thought　that　kind　of　thing　was　funny；　that　off…the…　cuff　jokiness。
　Within　minutes；　he'd　given　me　some　nick…　name；　which　of　course　he　had　to　repeat　five　or　ten　times　to　truly　annoy　me；　and　within　an　hour　of　chatting　with　him；　I　knew　more　about　that　boy　than　I　cared　to　know。
　He　is　dangerous。
　And　so　yes；　I　think　it　all　has　more　to　do　with　Jimmy　McTeague　than　with　anybody。　At　her　birthday　party　in　late　July；　he　told　me　that　he　thought　the　world　was　meant　to　be　owned　by　people　like　him。
　I　believe　those　were　his　exact　words。
　Yes；　he　had　money。　Yes；　he　was　extremely　good　looking　for　a　boy　his　age。
　Extremely。　Only　a　fool　wouldn't　notice　that。　But　he　had　no　spirit。　What　he　had　was　pure　badness。　He　was　absolutely　pure　in　his　badness。
　I　once　had　a　dog　like　that。　Beautiful。　pletely　bad。
　Jimmy　McTeague's　like　that。
　I　really　began　to　hate　that　boy　at　Jenna's　birthday　party。
　
　
　Chapter　Four
　The　birthday　party　
　1
　In　the　mirror；　Owen　bed　his　hair；　parting　it　a　bit　higher；　not　to　the　middle　of　his　forehead；　but　certainly　an　inch　higher　than　his　usual。　He　also　brushed　it　back　so　it　rose　a　bit　higher。　The　summer　blond…streaks　looked　better　this　way。　He　rubbed　some　gel　into　it；　and　made　sure　the　part　was　clean。　He　smiled　as　naturally　as　he　could。　No；　that　wasn't　right。　He　let　his　lips　pull　back　slightly。　He　squinted　his　eyes　the　way　that　Jimmy　did。　It　looked　rich　to　do　it。
　Like　the　sun　was　always　on　his　face；　even　on　a　cloudy　day。
　Then；　he　rubbed　some　of　his　mother's　Neutrogena　face　lotion　on　his　face。　It　brought　a　shine　to　his　cheeks　and　nose。　He　wasn't　sure　if　he　liked　it；　but　it　seemed　to　be　what　the　rich　boys　had。　That　shine。
　Hanging　on　the　bathroom　door：　the　crisp　J　Crew　shirt；　pale　blue；　the　tan　chinos。　He　dressed；　and　then　returned　to　his　bedroom　to　get　the　gift　he'd　wrapped　that　morning。
　〃You're　not　going　to　that　party；〃　his　mother　said；　glancing　at　his　father。
　Both　sat　in　the　small　living　room　in　the　dark；　the　television　providing　the　only　source　of　light。　Their　faces　flickered。　His　father　laughed。　〃Oh；　he'll　have　fun。
　The　kids　are　really　going　to　mix　it　up。〃
　〃Yeah。　It'll　be　fun。〃
　〃You're　not　one　of　them；〃　his　mother　said。　〃You　can　pretend。　You　always　pretend。〃　Then；　she　turned　to　his　father；　patting　his　shoulder。　〃Well？〃
　〃Leave　it　alone；　Boston；〃　his　father　said。　〃It's　the　kids'　party。　You　used　to　go　to　parties。〃
　〃What's　that　you've　got　there？〃　his　mother　asked。　She　got　up　from　the　couch；　setting　her　beer　down　on　the　coffee　table。　His　father　reached　over；　turning　on　the　standing　lamp。　Light　came　up。　His　mother　looked　gray；　despite　the　fact　that　she　colored　her　hair。　Even　her　skin　seemed　gray。　His　father　looked　like　a　wisp　of　smoke。　It　was　all　Owen　could　do　to　keep　them　from　vanishing　within　the　room。
　Owen　looked　down　at　the　box　in　his　hands。　〃It's　her　birthday。〃
　〃You　bought　her　something？〃　his　mother　asked；　a　grin　spreading　like　blood　on　her　face。　He　could　imagine　her　dead；　her　skull　cracked　open　like　an　egg。　〃You　bought　the　Montgomery　girl　something？　Working　for　tips　at　the　Salty　Dog　and　you　bought　the　richest　girl　in　the　world　something？〃　She　shook　her　head　gently。　〃Owen；　you're　always　trying　to　impress　someone　with　what　you　don't　have。〃　She　said　this　sweetly；　and　he　felt　a　twinge　of　love　for　her　then。
　He　almost　felt　bad　for　what　he'd　done。　He　almost　felt　bad　for　what　he'd　stolen　from　his　mother　to　put　in　the　box。
　He　almost　felt　bad　for　what　he　was　giving　Jenna。
　Almost。
　2
　The　party　was　in　full　swing　by　ten　at　night。　Every　Nancy；　every　Skip；　every　Jess　and　Sloan；　they　all　were　there；　poolside。　The　great　curtains　were　drawn　back；　and　the　glass　doors　had　been　removed　for　the　party。　White　tents　had　been　erected　along　the　yard；　lanterns　of　every　conceivable　hue　strung　along　the　walkway　to　the　Montgomery　place；　and　balloons　flew　with　some　regularity　from　the　back　acre。　The　smell　of　cigarettes　and　perfume　and　gin　and　beer　and　money　were　there；　too。
　Watching　it；　you'd　have　seen　nearly　fifty　teenagers　dancing；　laughing；　shouting；　a　tall　blond　girl　with　flowing　hair　and　limbs　soaked　from　having　been　thrown　into　the　swimming　pool；　the　fat　drunk　frat　boy　vomiting　over　by　the　birdbath；　half…a…dozen　homely　young　women　shining　under　the　spotlight　of　boy's　gazes　…　for　lust　and　money　and　breeding　and　privilege　all　attract　beyond　mere　looks。　The　Sound　sparkled　with　moonlight；　and　summer　was　at　its　peak；　the　sun　had　only　just　gone　down　an　hour　before；　and　the　smell　of　salt　sea　air　mingled　with　the　foam　of　mermaids'　souls；　lost　from　true　love。
　All　these　things　Owen　thought。
　3
　〃Did　you　see　Jimmy　at　the　nationals？　God；　I　hear　he's　going　to　be　at　Wimbledon　someday。　Soon。〃
　〃If　he's　at　Harvard　…〃
　〃When　he's　at　Harvard；　I'm　going　to　call　him　Jimmy　McTeague　of　the　Ivy　League。　Isn't　that　cute？〃
　〃I　think　what's　cute　is　his　father。　Have　you　ever　met　him？〃
　〃Well；　I've　been　in　the　store。〃
　〃Sports　superstores　never　interested　me。　It　seems　crass　to　sell　that　kind　of　thing。〃
　〃I　read　in　Forbes　that　his　dad　is　worth　several　billion。〃
　〃Dead　or　alive？〃
　〃Dead；　then　Jimmy's　worth　that。〃
　〃Jimmy　McTeague　is　shallow。　He　is。　He's　not　smart　either；〃　one　deb　said；　her　party　dress　ruined　because　someone　spilled　a　Bloody　Mary　down　the　front。　〃He's　pretty　but　he's　dumb。　And　my　uncle　went　to　Yale　with　his　father；　and　let　me　tell　you；　that　man　was　nearly　kicked　out　for　cheating　and　once　that　kind　of　thing　happens；　you　never　know。〃
　Owen　stood　back；　beyond　the　lights　that　had　been　set　up　along　the　tents；　and　watched　them　all。
　The　small　gift　in　its　box；　in　his　trembling　hands。
　〃Smooth。　Just　be　smooth；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。
　He　wanted　to　make　sure　Jenna　saw　the　gift。
　Saw　what　it　meant。
　4
　Jimmy　McTeague　held　onto　a　bourbon　and　water　as　if　for　dear　life；　and　he　laughed　with　his　jock　friends；　and　he　eyed　the　other　girls；　and　he　thanked　Mrs。　Montgomery　for　the　excellent　whiskey。　〃People　who　have　whiskey　like　this　should　own　the　world；〃　and　even　when　he　said　it；　he　didn't　know　what　it　meant；　and　when　he　saw　Owen　standing　just　at　the　edge　of　the　party；　he　raised　his　glass　and　shouted；　〃Yo；　Mooncalf；　get　your　ass　over　here！〃
　5
　Jenna　Montgomery；　in　her　own　words：
　Here　are　things　I've　read　about　and　I　really　believe：
　The　happiest　of　people　don't　necessarily　have　the　best　of　everything；　they　just　make　the　most　of　everything　that　es　along　their　way。
　Happiness　lies　for　those　who　cry；　those　who　hurt；　those　who　have　searched；　and　those　who　have　tried；　for　only　they　can　appreciate　the　importance　of　people　who　have　touched　their　lives。
　Love　begins　with　a　smile；　grows　with　a　kiss　and　ends　with　a　tear。
　The　brightest　future　will　always　be　based　on　a　forgotten　past；　you　can't　go　on　well　in　life　until　you　let　go　of　your　past　failures　and　heartaches。
　Okay；　before　you　think　I'm　just　some　rich　bitch　who　gets　sentimental　and　gooey　over　romance　novels；　the　reason　I　think　about　those　things　is　because　when　you　are　beautiful　and　you　have　money；　it's　those　simple　things　you　have　to　remember。
　And　I　was　pretty　happy　for　the　most　part；　right　up　until　summer。
　This　probably　began　because　Daddy　didn't　want　me　to　open　Montgomery　Hill　on　Memorial　Day　like　we　always　did。　Mom　was　already　up　there；　a　week　or　two　early；　and　I'd　only　just　e　home　from　finals。
　I　have　always　gone　to　Outerb