飘-第11章

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g　and　grinning　under　his　good…natured　insults。　The　white　children　clamored　to　sit　on　his　knee　and　be　trotted；　while　he　denounced　to　their　elders　the　infamy　of　Yankee　politicians；　the　daughters　of　his　friends　took　him　into　their　confidence　about　their　love　affairs；　and　the　youths　of　the　neighborhood；　fearful　of　confessing　debts　of　honor　upon　the　carpets　of　their　fathers；　found　him　a　friend　in　need。
　“So；　you’ve　been　owning　this　for　a　month；　you　young　rascal！”　he　would　shout　“And；　in　God’s　name；　why　haven’t　you　been　asking　me　for　the　money　before　this？”
　His　rough　manner　of　speech　was　too　well　known　to　give　offense；　and　it　only　made　the　young　men　grin　sheepishly　and　reply：　“Well；　sir；　I　hated　to　trouble　you；　and　my　father—”
　“Your　father’s　a　good　man；　and　no　denying　it；　but　strict；　and　so　take　this　and　let’s　be　hearing　no　more　of　it”
　The　planters’　ladies　were　the　last　to　capitulate。　But；　when　Mrs。　Wilkes；　“a　great　lady　and　with　a　rare　gift　for　silence；”　as　Gerald　characterized　her；　told　her　husband　one　evening；　after　Gerald’s　horse　had　pounded　down　the　driveway。　“He　has　a　rough　tongue；　but　he　is　a　gentleman；”　Gerald　had　definitely　arrived。
　He　did　not　know　that　he　had　taken　nearly　ten　years　to　arrive；　for　it　never　occurred　to　him　that　his　neighbors　had　eyed　him　askance　at　first。　In　his　own　mind；　there　had　never　been　any　doubt　that　he　belonged；　from　the　moment　he　first　set　foot　on　Tara。
　When　Gerald　was　forty…three；　so　thickset　of　body　and　florid　of　face　that　he　looked　like　a　hunting　squire　out　of　a　sporting　print；　it　came　to　him　that　Tara；　dear　though　it　was；　and　the　County　folk；　with　their　open　hearts　and　open　houses；　were　not　enough。　He　wanted　a　wife。
　Tara　cried　out　for　a　mistress。　The　fat　cook；　a　yard　negro　elevated　by　necessity　to　the　kitchen；　never　had　the　meals　on　time；　and　the　chambermaid；　formerly　a　field　hand；　let　dust　accumulate　on　the　furniture　and　never　seemed　to　have　clean　linen　on　hand；　so　that　the　arrival　of　guests　was　always　the　occasion　of　much　stirring　and　to…do。　Pork；　the　only　trained　house　negro　on　the　place；　had　general　supervision　over　the　other　servants；　but　even　he　had　grown　slack　and　careless　after　several　years　of　exposure　to　Gerald’s　happy…go…lucky　mode　of　living。　As　valet；　he　kept　Gerald’s　bedroom　in　order；　and；　as　butler；　he　served　the　meals　with　dignity　and　style；　but　otherwise　he　pretty　well　let　matters　follow　their　own　course。
　With　unerring　African　instinct；　the　negroes　had　all　discovered　that　Gerald　had　a　loud　bark　and　no　bite　at　all；　and　they　took　shameless　advantage　of　him。　The　air　was　always　thick　with　threats　of　selling　slaves　south　and　of　direful　whippings；　but　there　never　had　been　a　slave　sold　from　Tara　and　only　one　whipping；　and　that　administered　for　not　grooming　down　Gerald’s　pet　horse　after；　a　long　day’s　hunting。
　Gerald’s　sharp　blue　eyes　noticed　how　efficiently　his　neighbors’　houses　were　run　and　with　what　ease　the　smooth…haired　wives　in　rustling　skirts　managed　their　servants。　He　had　no　knowledge　of　the　dawn…till…midnight　activities　of　these　women；　chained　to　supervision　of　cooking；　nursing；　sewing　and　laundering。　He　only　saw　the　outward　results；　and　those　results　impressed　him。
　The　urgent　need　of　a　wife　became　clear　to　him　one　morning　when　he　was　dressing　to　ride　to　town　for　Court　Day。　Pork　brought　forth　his　favorite　ruffled　shirt；　so　inexpertly　mended　by　the　chambermaid　as　to　be　unwearable　by　anyone　except　his　valet
　“Mist’　Gerald；”　said　Pork；　gratefully　rolling　up　the　shirt　as　Gerald　fumed；　“whut　you　needs　is　a　wife；　and　a　wife　whut　has　got　plen’y　of　house　niggers。”
　Gerald　upbraided　Pork　for　his　impertinence；　hut　he　knew　that　he　was　right　He　wanted　a　wife　and　he　wanted　children　and；　if　he　did　not　acquire　them　soon；　it　would　be　too　late。　But　he　was　not　going　to　marry　just　anyone；　as　Mr。　Calvert　had　done；　taking　to　wife　the　Yankee　governess　of　his　motherless　children。　His　wife　must　be　a　lady　and　a　lady　of　blood；　with　as　many　airs　and　graces　as　Mrs。　Wilkes　and　the　ability　to　manage　Tara　as　well　as　Mrs。　Wilkes　ordered　her　own　domain。
　But　there　were　two　difficulties　in　the　way　of　marriage　into　the　County　families。　The　first　was　the　scarcity　of　girls　of　marriageable　age。　The　second；　and　more　serious　one；　was　that　Gerald　was　a　“new　man；”　despite　his　nearly　ten　years’　residence；　and　a　foreigner。　No　one　knew　anything　about　his　family。　While　the　society　of　up…country　Georgia　was　not　so　impregnable　as　that　of　the　Coast　aristocrats；　no　family　wanted　a　daughter　to　wed　a　man　about　whose　grandfather　nothing　was　known。
　Gerald　knew　that　despite　the　genuine　liking　of　the　County　men　with　whom　he　hunted；　drank　and　talked　politics　there　was　hardly　one　whose　daughter　he　could　marry。　And　he　did　not　intend　to　have　it　gossiped　about　over　supper　tables　that　this；　that　or　the　other　father　had　regretfully　refused　to　let　Gerald　O’Hara　pay　court　to　his　daughter。　This　knowledge　did　not　make　Gerald　feel　inferior　to　his　neighbors：　Nothing　could　ever　make　Gerald　feel　that　he　was　inferior　in　any　way　to　anyone。　It　was　merely　a　quaint　custom　of　the　County　that　daughters　only　married　into　families　who　had　lived　in　the　South　much　longer　than　twenty…two　years；　had　owned　land　and　slaves　and　been　addicted　only　to　the　fashionable　vices　during　that　time。
　“Pack　up。　We’re　going　to　Savannah；”　he　told　Pork。　“And　if　I　hear　you　say　‘Whist！’　or　‘Faith！’　but　once；　it’s　selling　you　I’ll　be　doing；　for　they　are　words　I　seldom　say　meself。”
　James　and　Andrew　might　have　some　advice　to　offer　on　this　subject　of　marriage；　and　there　might　be　daughters　among　their　old　friends　who　would　both　meet　his　requirements　and　find　him　acceptable　as　a　husband。　James　and　Andrew　listened　to　his　story　patiently　but　they　gave　him　little　encouragement。　They　had　no　Savannah　relatives　to　whom　they　might　look　for　assistance；　for　they　had　been　married　when　they　came　to　America。　And　the　daughters　of　their　old　friends　had　long　since　married　and　were　raising　small　children　of　their　own。
　“You’re　not　a　rich　man　and　you　haven’t　a　great　family；”　said　James。
　“I’ve　made　me　money　and　I　can　make　a　great　family。　And　I　won’t　be　marrying　just　anyone。”
　“You　fly　high；”　observed　Andrew；　dryly。
　But　they　did　their　best　for　Gerald。　James　and　Andrew　were　old　men　and　they　stood　well　in　Savannah。　They　had　many　friends；　and　for　a　month　they　carried　Gerald　from　home　to　home；　to　suppers；　dances　and　picnics。
　“There’s　only　one　who　takes　me　eye；”　Gerald　said　finally。　“And　she　not　even　born　when　I　landed　here。”
　“And　who　is　it　takes　your　eye？”
　“Miss　Ellen　Robillard；”　said　Gerald；　trying　to　speak　casually；　for　the　slightly　tilting　dark　eyes　of　Ellen　Robillard　had　taken　more　than　his　eye。　Despite　a　mystifying　listlessness　of　manner；　so　strange　in　a　girl　of　fifteen；　she　charmed　him。　Moreover；　there　was　a　haunting　look　of　despair　about　her　that　went　to　his　heart　and　made　him　more　gentle　with　her　than　he　had　ever　been　with　any　person　in　all　the　world。
　“And　you　old　enough　to　be　her　father！”
　“And　me　in　me　prime！”　cried　Gerald　stung。
　James　spoke　gently。
　“Jerry；　there’s　no　girl　in　Savannah　you’d　have　less　chance　of　marrying。　Her　father　is　a　Robillard；　and　those　French　are　proud　as　Lucifer。　And　her　mother—God　rest　her　soul—was　a　very　great　lady。”
　“I　care　not；”　said　Gerald　heatedly。　“Besides；　her　mother　is　dead；　and　old　man　Robillard　likes　me。”
　“As　a　man；　yes；　but　as　a　son…in…law；　no。”
　“The　girl　wouldn’t　have　you　anyway；”　interposed　Andrew。　“She’s　been　in　love　with　that　wild　buck　of　a　cousin　of　hers；　Philippe　Robillard；　for　a　year　now；　despite　her　family　being　at　her　morning　and　night　to　give　him　up。”
　“He’s　been　gone　to　Louisiana　this　month　now；”　said　Gerald。
　“And　how　do　you　know？”
　“I　know；”　answered　Gerald；　who　did　not　care　to　disclose　that　Pork　had　supplied　this　valuable　bit　of　information；　or　that　Philippe　had　departed　for　the　West　at　the　express　desire　of　his　family。　“And　I　do　not　think　she’s　been　so　much　in　love　with　him　that　she　won’t　forget　him。　Fifteen　is　too　young　to　know　much　about　love。”
　“They’d　rather　have　that　breakneck　cousin　for　her　than　you。”
　So；　James　and　Andrew　were　as　startled　as　anyone　when　the　news　came　out　that　the　daughter　of　Pierre　Robillard　was　to　marry　the　little　Irishman　from　up　the　country。　Savannah　buzzed　behind　its　doors　and　speculated　about　Philippe　Robillard；　who　had　gone　West；　but　the　gossiping　brought　no　answer。　Why　the　loveliest　of　the　Robillard　daughters　should　marry　a　loud…voiced；　red…faced　little　man　who　came　hardly　up　to　her　ears　remained　a　mystery　to　all。
　Gerald　himself　never　quite　knew　how　it　all　came　about。　He　only　knew　that　a　miracle　had　happened。　And；　for　once　in　his　life；　he　was　utterly　humble　when　Ellen；　very　white　but　very　calm；　put　a　light　hand　on　his　arm　and　said：　“I　will　marry　you；　Mr。　O’Hara。”
　The　thunderstruck　Robillards　knew　the　answer　in　part；　but　only　Ellen　and　her　mammy　ever　knew　the　whole　story　of　the　night　when　the　girl　sobbed　till　the　dawn　like　a　broken…hearted　child　and　rose　up　in　the　morning　a　woman　with　her　mind　made　up。
　With　foreboding；　Mammy　had　brought　her　young　mistress　a　small　package；　addressed　in　a　strange　hand　from　New　Orleans；　a　package　containing　a　miniature　of　Ellen；　which　she　flung　to　the　floor　with　a　cry；　four　letters　in　her　own　handwriting　to　Philippe　Robillard；　and　a　brief　letter　from　a　New　Orleans　priest；　announcing　the　death　of　her　cousin　in　a　barroom　brawl。
　“They　drove　him　away。　Father　and　Pauline　and　Eulalie。　They　drove　him　away。　I　hate　them。　I　hate　them　all。　I　never　want　to　see　them　again。　I　want　to　get　away。　I　will　go　away　where　I’ll　never　see　them　again；　or　this　town；　or　anyone　who　reminds　me　of—of—him。”
　And　when　the　night　was　nearly　spent；　Mammy；　who　had　cried　herself　out　over　her　mistress’　dark　head；　protested；　“But；　honey；　you　kain　do　dat！”
　“I　will　do　it。　He　is　a　kind　man。　I　will　do　it　or　go　into　the　convent　at　Charleston。”
　It　was　the　threat　of　the　convent　that　finally　won　the　assent　of　bewildered　and　heart…stricken　Pierre　Robillard。　He　was　staunchly　Presbyterian；　even　though　his　family　were　Catholic；　and　the　thought　of　his　daughter　becoming　a　nun　was　even　worse　than　that　of　her　marrying　Gerald　O’Hara。　After　all；　the　man　had　nothing　against　him　but　a　lack　of　family。
　So；　Ellen；　no　longer　Robillard；　turned　her　back　on　Savannah；　never　to　see　it　again；　and　with　a　middle…aged　husband；　Mammy；　and　twenty　“house　niggers”　journeyed　toward　Tara。
　The　next　year；　their　first　child　was　born　and　they　named　her　Katie　Scarlett；　after　Gerald’s　mother。　Gerald　was　disappointed；　for　he　had　wanted　a　son；　but　he　nevertheless　was　pleased　enough　over　his　small　black…haired　daughter　to　serve　rum　to　every　slave　at　Tara　and　to　get　roaringly；　happily　drunk　himself。
　If　Ellen　had　ever　regretted　her　sudden　decision　to　marry　him；　no　one　ever　knew　it；　certainly　not　Gerald；　who　almost　burst　with　pride　whenever　he　looked　at　her。　She　had　put　Savannah　and　its　memories　behind　her　when　she　left　that　gently　mannered　city　by　the　sea；　and；　from　the　moment　of　her　arrival　in　the　County；　north　Georgia　was　her　home。
　When　she　departed　from　her　father’s　house　forever；　she　had　left　a　home　whose　lines　were　as　beautiful　and　flowing　as　a　woman’s　b