Chapter 2

           TheywerewatchingtheSaturday-afternoonmoviewhenMr.FergussencametotakehertoMrs.Deardorff’soffice.Itwasamovieabouttablemannerscalled“HowtoActatDinnertime,”soshedidn’tmindleaving.Butshewasfrightened.Hadtheyfoundoutthatsheneverwenttochapel?Thatshesavedpills?HerlegstrembledandherkneesfeltfunnyasMr.Fergussen,wearinghiswhitepantsandwhiteT-shirt,walkedherdownthelonghallway,downthegreenlinoleumwithblackcracksinit.Herthickbrownshoessqueakedonthelinoleum,andshesquintedhereyesunderthebrightfluorescentlights.Thedaybeforehadbeenherbirthday.Noonehadtakenanynoticeofit.Mr.Fergussen,asusual,hadnothingtosay:hewalkedsmartlydownthehallaheadofher.AtthedoorwiththefrostedglasspanelandthewordsHELENDEARDORFF—SUPERINTENDENThestopped.Bethpushedopenthedoorandwentinside.

           Asecretaryinawhiteblousetoldhertogoontothebackoffice.Mrs.Deardorffwasexpectingher.Shepushedopenthebigwoodendoorandwalkedin.IntheredarmchairsatMr.Ganz,wearingabrownsuit.Mrs.Deardorffwassittingbehindadesk.ShepeeredatBethovertortoise-shellglasses.Mr.Ganzsmiledself-consciouslyandrosehalfwayfromthechairwhenshecamein.Thenhesatdownagainawkwardly.

           “Elizabeth,”Mrs.Deardorffsaid.

           Shehadclosedthedoorbehindherandnowstoodafewfeetawayfromit.ShelookedatMrs.Deardorff.

           “Elizabeth,Mr.Ganztellsmethatyouarea”—sheadjustedtheglassesonhernose—“agiftedchild.”Mrs.