飘-第120章
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He looked very proud and Scarlett said： “How dreadful！”
“Oh； it wasn’t so bad； just a flesh wound；” he said deprecatingly。 “I was sent down south to a hospital and when I was just about well； the Yankee raiders came through。 My； my； but that was a hot time！ We didn’t have much warning and all of us who could walk helped haul out the army stores and the hospital equipment to the train tracks to move it。 We’d gotten one train about loaded when the Yankees rode in one end of town and out we went the other end as fast as we could go。 My； my； that was a mighty sad sight； sitting on top of that train and seeing the Yankees burn those supplies we had to leave at the depot。 Miss Scarlett； they burned about a half…mile of stuff we had piled up there along the tracks。 We just did get away ourselves。”
“How dreadful！”
“Yes； that’s the word。 Dreadful。 Our men had come back into Atlanta then and so our train was sent here。 Well； Miss Scarlett； it wasn’t long before the war was over and—well； there was a lot of china and cots and mattresses and blankets and nobody claiming them。 I suppose rightfully they belonged to the Yankees。 I think those were the terms of the surrender； weren’t they？”
“Um；” said Scarlett absently。 She was getting warmer now and a little drowsy。
“I don’t know till now if I did right；” he said； a little querulously。 “But the way I figured it； all that stuff wouldn’t do the Yankees a bit of good。 They’d probably burn it。 And our folks had paid good solid money for it； and I thought it still ought to belong to the Confederacy or to the Confederates。 Do you see what I mean？”
“Um。”
“I’m glad you agree with me； Miss Scarlett。 In a way； it’s been on my conscience。 Lots of folks have told me： ‘Oh； forget about it； Frank；’ but I can’t I couldn’t hold up my head if I thought I’d done what wasn’t right。 Do you think I did right？”
“Of course；” she said； wondering what the old fool had been talking about。 Some struggle with his conscience。 When a man got as old as Frank Kennedy he ought to have learned not to bother about things that didn’t matter。 But he always was so nervous and fussy and old maidish。
“I’m glad to hear you say it。 After the surrender I had about ten dollars in silver and nothing else in the world。 You know what they did to Jonesboro and my house and store there。 I just didn’t know what to do。 But I used the ten dollars to put a roof on an old store down by Five Points and I moved the hospital equipment in and started selling it。 Everybody needed beds and china and mattresses and I sold them cheap； because I figured it was about as much other folks’ stuff as it was mine。 But I cleared money on it and bought some more stuff and the store just went along fine。 I think I’ll make a lot of money on it if things pick up。”
At the word “money；” her mind came back to him； crystal clear。
“You say you’ve made money？”
He visibly expanded under her interest。 Few women except Suellen had ever given him more than perfunctory courtesy and it was very flattering to have a former belle like Scarlett hanging on his words。 He slowed the horse so they would not reach home before he had finished his story。
“I’m not a millionaire； Miss Scarlett； and considering the money I used to have； what I’ve got now sounds small。 But I made a thousand dollars this year。 Of course； five hundred of it went to paying for new stock and repairing the store and paying the rent。 But I’ve made five hundred clear and as things are certainly picking up； I ought to clear two thousand next year。 I can sure use it； too； for you see； I’ve got another iron in the fire。”
Interest had sprung up sharply in her at the talk of money。 She veiled her eyes with thick bristly lashes and moved a little closer to him。
“What does that mean； Mr。 Kennedy？”
He laughed and slapped the reins against the horse’s back。
“I guess I’m boring you； talking about business； Miss Scarlett。 A pretty little woman like you doesn’t need to know anything about business。”
The old fool。
“Oh； I know I’m a goose about business but I’m so interested！ Please tell me all about it and you can explain what I don’t understand。”
“Well； my other iron is a sawmill。”
“A what？”
“A mill to cut up lumber and plane it。 I haven’t bought it yet but I’m going to。 There’s a man named Johnson who has one； way out Peachtree road； and he’s anxious to sell it。 He needs some cash right away； so he wants to sell and stay and run it for me at a weekly wage。 It’s one of the few mills in this section； Miss Scarlett。 The Yankees destroyed most of them。 And anyone who owns a sawmill owns a gold mine； for nowadays you can ask your own price for lumber。 The Yankees burned so many houses here and there aren’t enough for people to live in and it looks like folks have gone crazy about rebuilding。 They can’t get enough lumber and they can’t get it fast enough。 People are just pouring into Atlanta now； all the folks from the country districts who can’t make a go of farming without darkies and the Yankees and Carpetbaggers who are swarming in trying to pick our bones a little barer than they already are。 I tell you Atlanta’s going to be a big town soon。 They’ve got to have lumber for their houses； so I’m going to buy this mill just as soon as—well； as soon as some of the bills owing me are paid。 By this time next year； I ought to be breathing easier about money。 I—I guess you know why I’m so anxious to make money quickly； don’t you？”
He blushed and cackled again。 He’s thinking of Suellen； Scarlett thought in disgust。
For a moment she considered asking him to lend her three hundred dollars； but wearily she rejected the idea。 He would be embarrassed； he would stammer； he would offer excuses； but he wouldn’t lend it to her。 He had worked hard for it； so he could marry Suellen in the spring and if he parted with it； his wedding would be postponed indefinitely。 Even if she worked on his sympathies and his duty toward his future family and gained his promise of a loan； she knew Suellen would never permit it。 Suellen was getting more and more worried over the fact that she was practically an old maid and she would move heaven and earth to prevent anything from delaying her marriage。
What was there in that whining complaining girl to make this old fool so anxious to give her a soft nest？ Suellen didn’t deserve a loving husband and the profits of store and a sawmill。 The minute Sue got her hands on a little money she’d give herself unendurable airs and never contribute one cent toward the upkeep of Tara。 Not Suellen！ She’d think herself well out of it and not care if Tara went for taxes or burned to the ground； so long as she had pretty clothes and a “Mrs。” in front of her name。
As Scarlett thought of Suellen’s secure future and the precarious one of herself and Tara； anger flamed in her at the unfairness of life。 Hastily she looked out of the buggy into the muddy street； lest Frank should see her expression。 She was going to lose everything she had； while Sue— Suddenly a determination was born in her。
Suellen should not have Frank and his store and his mill！
Suellen didn’t deserve them。 She was going to have them herself。 She thought of Tara and remembered Jonas Wilkerson； venomous as a rattler； at the foot of the front steps； and she grasped at the last straw floating above the shipwreck of her life。 Rhett had failed her but the Lord had provided Frank。
But can I get him？ Her fingers clenched as she looked unseeingly into the rain。 Can I make him forget Sue and propose to me real quick？ If I could make Rhett almost propose； I know I could get Frank！ Her eyes went over him； her lids flickering。 Certainly； he’s no beauty； she thought coolly； and he’s got very bad teeth and his breath smells bad and he’s old enough to be my father。 Moreover； he’s nervous and timid and well meaning； and I don’t know of any more damning qualities a man can have。 But at least； he’s a gentleman and I believe I could stand living with him better than with Rhett。 Certainly I could manage him easier。 At any rate； beggars can’t be choosers。
That he was Suellen’s fiancé caused her no qualm of conscience。 After the complete moral collapse which had sent her to Atlanta and to Rhett； the appropriation of her sister’s betrothed seemed a minor affair and one not to be bothered with at this time。
With the rousing of fresh hope； her spine stiffened and she forgot that her feet were wet and cold。 She looked at Frank so steadily； her eyes narrowing； that he became somewhat alarmed and she dropped her gaze swiftly； remembering Rhett’s words： “I’ve seen eyes like yours above a dueling pistol。 。。。 They evoke no ardor in the male breast。”
“What’s the matter； Miss Scarlett？ You got a chill？”
“Yes；” she answered helplessly。 “Would you mind—” She hesitated timidly。 “Would you mind if I put my hand in your coat pocket？ It’s so cold and my muff is soaked through。”
“Why—why—of course not！ And you haven’t any gloves！ My； my； what a brute I’ve been idling along like this； talking my head off when you must be freezing and wanting to get to a fire。 Giddap； Sally！ By the way； Miss Scarlett； I’ve been so busy talking about myself I haven’t even asked you what you were doing in this section in this weather？”
“I was at the Yankee headquarters；” she answered before she thought。 His sandy brows went up in astonishment。
“But Miss Scarlett！ The soldiers— Why—”
“Mary； Mother of God； let me think of a real good lie；” she prayed hastily。 It would never do for Frank to suspect she had seen Rhett。 Frank thought Rhett the blackest of blackguards and unsafe for decent women to speak to。
“I went there—I went there to see if—if any of the officers would buy fancy work from me to send home to their wives。 I embroider very nicely。”
He sank back against the seat aghast； indignation struggling with bewilderment。
“You went to the Yankees— But Miss Scarlett！ You shouldn’t。 Why—why 。。。 Surely your father doesn’t know！ Surely； Miss Pittypat—”
“Oh； I shall die if you tell Aunt Pittypat！” she cried in real anxiety and burst into tears。 It was easy to cry； because she was so cold and miserable； but the effect was startling。 Frank could not have been more embarrassed or helpless if she had suddenly begun disrobing。 He clicked his tongue against his teeth several times； muttering “My！ My！” and made futile gestures at her。 A daring thought went through his mind that he should draw her head onto his shoulder and pat her but he had never done this to any woman and hardly knew how to go about it。 Scarlett O’Hara； so high spirited and pretty； crying here in his buggy。 Scarlett O’Hara； the proudest of the proud； trying to sell needlework to the Yankees。 His heart burned。
She sobbed on； saying a few words now and then； and he gathered that all was not well at Tara。 Mr。 O’Hara was still “not himself at all；” and there wasn’t enough food to go around for so many。 So she had to come to Atlanta to try to make a little money for herself and her boy。 Frank clicked his tongue again and suddenly he found that her head was on his shoulder。 He did not quite know how it got
