飘-第10章
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ut having that ambition and bringing it to realization were two different matters； he discovered as time went by。 Coastal Georgia was too firmly held by an entrenched aristocracy for him ever to hope to win the place he intended to have。
Then the hand of Fate and a hand of poker combined to give him the plantation which he afterwards called Tara； and at the same time moved him out of the Coast into the upland country of north Georgia。
It was in a saloon in Savannah； on a hot night in spring； when the chance conversation of a stranger sitting near by made Gerald prick up his ears。 The stranger； a native of Savannah； had just returned after twelve years in the inland country。 He had been one of the winners in the land lottery conducted by the State to divide up the vast area in middle Georgia； ceded by the Indians the year before Gerald came to America。 He had gone up there and established a plantation； but； now the house had burned down； he was tired of the “accursed place” and would be most happy to get it off his hands。
Gerald； his mind never free of the thought of owning a plantation of his own； arranged an introduction； and his interest grew as the stranger told how the northern section of the state was filling up with newcomers from the Carolinas and Virginia。 Gerald had lived in Savannah long enough to acquire a viewpoint of the Coast—that all of the rest of the state was backwoods； with an Indian lurking in every thicket。 In transacting business for O’Hara Brothers； he had visited Augusta； a hundred miles up the Savannah River； and he had traveled inland far enough to visit the old towns westward from that city。 He knew that section to be as well settled as the Coast； but from the stranger’s description； his plantation was more than two hundred and fifty miles inland from Savannah to the north and west； and not many miles south of the Chattahoochee River。 Gerald knew that northward beyond that stream the land was still held by the Cherokees； so it was with amazement that he heard the stranger jeer at suggestions of trouble with the Indians and narrate how thriving towns were growing up and plantations prospering in the new country。
An hour later when the conversation began to lag； Gerald； with a guile that belied the wide innocence of his bright blue eyes； proposed a game。 As the night wore on and the drinks went round； there came a time when all the others in the game laid down their hands and Gerald and the stranger were battling alone。 The stranger shoved in all his chips and followed with the deed to his plantation。 Gerald shoved in all his chips and laid on top of them his wallet。 If the money it contained happened to belong to the firm of O’Hara Brothers； Gerald’s conscience was not sufficiently troubled to confess it before Mass the following morning。 He knew what he wanted； and when Gerald wanted something he gained it by taking the most direct route。 Moreover； such was his faith in his destiny and four deuces that he never for a moment wondered just how the money would be paid back should a higher hand be laid down across the table。
“It’s no bargain you’re getting and I am glad not to have to pay more taxes on the place；” sighed the possessor of an “ace full；” as he called for pen and ink。 “The big house burned a year ago and the fields are growing up in brush and seedling pine。 But it’s yours。”
“Never mix cards and whisky unless you were weaned on Irish poteen；” Gerald told Pork gravely the same evening； as Pork assisted him to bed。 And the valet； who had begun to attempt a brogue out of admiration for his new master； made requisite answer in a combination of Geechee and County Meath that would have puzzled anyone except those two alone。
The muddy Flint River； running silently between walls of pine and water oak covered with tangled vines； wrapped about Gerald’s new land like a curving arm and embraced it on two sides。 To Gerald； standing on the small knoll where the house had been； this tall barrier of green was as visible and pleasing an evidence of ownership as though it were a fence that he himself had built to mark his own。 He stood on the blackened foundation stones of the burned building； looked down the long avenue of trees leading toward the road and swore lustily； with a joy too deep for thankful prayer。 These twin lines of somber trees were his； his the abandoned lawn； waist high in weeds under white…starred young magnolia trees。 The uncultivated fields； studded with tiny pines and underbrush； that stretched their rolling red…clay surface away into the distance on four sides belonged to Gerald O’Hara—were all his because he had an unbefuddled Irish head and the courage to stake everything on a hand of cards。
Gerald closed his eyes and； in the stillness of the unworked acres； he felt that he had come home。 Here under his feet would rise a house of whitewashed brick。 Across the road would be new rail fences； inclosing fat cattle and blooded horses； and the red earth that rolled down the hillside to the rich river bottom land would gleam white as eiderdown in the sun—cotton； acres and acres of cotton！ The fortunes of the O’Haras would rise again。
With his own small stake； what he could borrow from his unenthusiastic brothers and a neat sum from mortgaging the land； Gerald bought his first field hands and came to Tara to live in bachelor solitude in the four…room overseer’s house； till such a time as the white walls of Tara should rise。
He cleared the fields and planted cotton and borrowed more money from James and Andrew to buy more slaves。 The O’Haras were a clannish tribe； clinging to one another in prosperity as well as in adversity； not for any overweening family affection but because they had learned through grim years that to survive a family must present an unbroken front to the world。 They lent Gerald the money and； in the years that followed； the money came back to them with interest。 Gradually the plantation widened out； as Gerald bought more acres lying near him； and in time the white house became a reality instead of a dream。
It was built by slave labor； a clumsy sprawling building that crowned the rise of ground overlooking the green incline of pasture land running down to the river； and it pleased Gerald greatly； for； even when new； it wore a look of mellowed years。 The old oaks； which had seen Indians pass under their limbs； hugged the house closely with their great trunks and towered their branches over the roof in dense shade。 The lawn； reclaimed from weeds； grew thick with clover and Bermuda grass； and Gerald saw to it that it was well kept。 From the avenue of cedars to the row of white cabins in the slave quarters； there was an air of solidness； of stability and permanence about Tara； and whenever Gerald galloped around the bend in the road and saw his own roof rising through green branches； his heart swelled with pride as though each sight of it were the first sight。
He had done it all； little； hard…headed； blustering Gerald。
Gerald； was on excellent terms with all his neighbors in the County； except the MacIntoshs whose land adjoined his on the left and the Slatterys whose meager three acres stretched on his right along the swamp bottoms between the river and John Wilkes’ plantation。
The MacIntoshs were Scotch…Irish and Orangemen and； had they possessed all the saintly qualities of the Catholic calendar； this ancestry would have damned them forever in Gerald’s eyes。 True； they had lived in Georgia for seventy years and； before that； had spent a generation in the Carolinas； but the first of the family who set foot on American shores had come from Ulster； and that was enough for Gerald。
They were a close…mouthed and stiff…necked family； who kept strictly to themselves and intermarried with their Carolina relatives； and Gerald was not alone in disliking them； for the County people were neighborly and sociable and none too tolerant of anyone lacking in those same qualities。 Rumors of Abolitionist sympathies did not enhance the popularity of the Macintoshes。 Old Angus had never manumitted a single slave and had committed the unpardonable social breach of selling some of his negroes to passing slave traders en route to the cane fields of Louisiana； but the rumors persisted。
“He’s an Abolitionist； no doubt；” observed Gerald to John Wilkes。 “But； in an Orangeman； when a principle comes up against Scotch tightness； the principle fares ill。”
The Slatterys were another affair。 Being poor white； they were not even accorded the” grudging respect that Angus Macintosh’s dour independence wrung from neighboring families。 Old Slattery； who clung persistently to his few acres； in spite of repeated offers from Gerald and John Wilkes； was shiftless and whining。 His wife was a snarly…haired woman； sickly and washed…out of appearance； the mother of a brood of sullen and rabbity…looking children—a brood which was increased regularly every year。 Tom Slattery owned no slaves； and he and his two oldest boys spasmodically worked their few acres of cotton； while the wife and younger children tended what was supposed to be a vegetable garden。 But； somehow； the cotton always failed； and the garden； due to Mrs。 Slattery’s constant childbearing； seldom furnished enough to feed her flock。
The sight of Tom Slattery dawdling on his neighbors’ porches； begging cotton seed for planting or a side of bacon to “tide him over；” was a familiar one。 Slattery hated his neighbors with what little energy he possessed； sensing their contempt beneath their courtesy； and especially did he hate “rich folks’ uppity niggers。” The house negroes of the County considered themselves superior to white trash； and their unconcealed scorn stung him； while their more secure position in life stirred his envy。 By contrast with his own miserable existence； they were well…fed； well…clothed and looked after in sickness and old age。 They were proud of the good names of their owners and； for the most part； proud to belong to people who were quality； while he was despised by all。
Tom Slattery could have sold his farm for three times its value to any of the planters in the County。 They would have considered it money well spent to rid the community of an eyesore； but he was well satisfied to remain and to subsist miserably on the proceeds of a bale of cotton a year and the charity of his neighbors。
With all the rest of the County； Gerald was on terms of amity and some intimacy。 The Wilkeses； the Calverts； the Tarletons； the Fontaines； all smiled when the small figure on the big white horse galloped up their driveways； smiled and signaled for tall glasses in which a pony of Bourbon had been poured over a teaspoon of sugar and a sprig of crushed mint。 Gerald was likable； and the neighbors learned in time what the children； negroes and dogs discovered at first sight； that a kind heart； a ready and sympathetic ear and an open pocketbook lurked just behind his。 bawling voice and his truculent manner。
His arrival was always amid a bedlam of hounds barking and small black children shouting as they raced to meet him； quarreling for the privilege of holding his horse and squirming and grinning under his good…natured insults。 The white children clamored to sit on his knee and be
