飘-第124章

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Hugh　Elsing　cutting　and　peddling　firewood　and　Tommy　contracting。　And　Frank　having　the　gumption　to　start　a　store。　But　what　of　the　rank　and　file　of　them？　The　planters　would　scratch　a　few　acres　and　live　in　poverty。　The　lawyers　and　doctors　would　go　back　to　their　professions　and　wait　for　clients　who　might　never　come。　And　the　rest；　those　who　had　lived　in　leisure　on　their　incomes？　What　would　happen　to　them？
　But　she　wasn’t　going　to　be　poor　all　her　life。　She　wasn’t　going　to　sit　down　and　patiently　wait　for　a　miracle　to　help　her。　She　was　going　to　rush　into　life　and　wrest　from　it　what　she　could。　Her　father　had　started　as　a　poor　immigrant　boy　and　had　won　the　broad　acres　of　Tara。　What　he　had　done；　his　daughter　could　do。　She　wasn’t　like　these　people　who　had　gambled　everything　on　a　Cause　that　was　gone　and　were　content　to　be　proud　of　having　lost　that　Cause；　because　it　was　worth　any　sacrifice。　They　drew　their　courage　from　the　past。　She　was　drawing　hers　from　the　future。　Frank　Kennedy；　at　present；　was　her　future。　At　least；　he　had　the　store　and　he　had　cash　money。　And　if　she　could　only　marry　him　and　get　her　hands　on　that　money；　she　could　make　ends　meet　at　Tara　for　another　year。　And　after　that—Frank　must　buy　the　sawmill。　She　could　see　for　herself　how　quickly　the　town　was　rebuilding　and　anyone　who　could　establish　a　lumber　business　now；　when　there　was　so　little　competition；　would　have　a　gold　mine。
　There　came　to　her；　from　the　recesses　of　her　mind；　words　Rhett　had　spoken　in　the　early　years　of　the　war　about　the　money　he　made　in　the　blockade。　She　had　not　taken　the　trouble　to　understand　them　then；　but　now　they　seemed　perfectly　clear　and　she　wondered　if　it　had　been　only　her　youth　or　plain　stupidity　which　had　kept　her　from　appreciating　them。
　“There’s　just　as　much　money　to　be　made　in　the　wreck　of　a　civilization　as　in　the　upbuilding　of　one。”
　“This　is　the　wreck　he　foresaw；”　she　thought；　“and　he　was　right。　There’s　still　plenty　of　money　to　be　made　by　anyone　who　isn’t　afraid　to　work—or　to　grab。”
　She　saw　Frank　coming　across　the　floor　toward　her　with　a　glass　of　blackberry　wine　in　his　hand　and　a　morsel　of　cake　on　a　saucer　and　she　pulled　her　face　into　a　smile。　It　did　not　occur　to　her　to　question　whether　Tara　was　worth　marrying　Frank。　She　knew　it　was　worth　it　and　she　never　gave　the　matter　a　second　thought。
　She　smiled　up　at　him　as　she　sipped　the　wine；　knowing　that　her　cheeks　were　more　attractively　pink　than　any　of　the　dancers’。　She　moved　her　skirts　for　him　to　sit　by　her　and　waved　her　handkerchief　idly　so　that　the　faint　sweet　smell　of　the　cologne　could　reach　his　nose。　She　was　proud　of　the　cologne；　for　no　other　woman　in　the　room　was　wearing　any　and　Frank　had　noticed　it。　In　a　fit　of　daring　he　had　whispered　to　her　that　she　was　as　pink　and　fragrant　as　a　rose。
　If　only　he　were　not　so　shy！　He　reminded　her　of　a　timid　old　brown　field　rabbit。　If　only　he　had　the　gallantry　and　ardor　of　the　Tarleton　boys　or　even　the　coarse　impudence　of　Rhett　Butler。　But；　if　he　possessed　those　qualities；　he’d　probably　have　sense　enough　to　feel　the　desperation　that　lurked　just　beneath　her　demurely　fluttering　eyelids。　As　it　was；　he　didn’t　know　enough　about　women　even　to　suspect　what　she　was　up　to。　That　was　her　good　fortune　but　it　did　not　increase　her　respect　for　him。
　
　CHAPTER　XXXVI
　SHE　MARRIED　Frank　Kennedy　two　weeks　later　after　a　whirlwind　courtship　which　she　blushingly　told　him　left　her　too　breathless　to　oppose　his　ardor　any　longer。
　He　did　not　know　that　during　those　two　weeks　she　had　walked　the　floor　at　night；　gritting　her　teeth　at　the　slowness　with　which　he　took　hints　and　encouragements；　praying　that　no　untimely　letter　from　Suellen　would　reach　him　and　ruin　her　plans。　She　thanked　God　that　her　sister　was　the　poorest　of　correspondents；　delighting　to　receive　letters　and　disliking　to　write　them。　But　there　was　always　a　chance；　always　a　chance；　she　thought　in　the　long　night　hours　as　she　padded　back　and　forth　across　the　cold　floor　of　her　bedroom；　with　Ellen’s　faded　shawl　clutched　about　her　nightdress。　Frank　did　not　know　she　had　received　a　laconic　letter　from　Will；　relating　that　Jonas　Wilkerson　had　paid　another　call　at　Tara　and；　finding　her　gone　to　Atlanta；　had　stormed　about　until　Will　and　Ashley　threw　him　bodily　off　the　place。　Will’s　letter　hammered　into　her　mind　the　fact　she　knew　only　too　well—that　time　was　getting　shorter　and　shorter　before　the　extra　taxes　must　be　paid。　A　fierce　desperation　drove　her　as　she　saw　the　days　slipping　by　and　she　wished　she　might　grasp　the　hourglass　in　her　hands　and　keep　the　sands　from　running。
　But　so　well　did　she　conceal　her　feelings；　so　well　did　she　enact　her　role；　Frank　suspected　nothing；　saw　no　more　than　what　lay　on　the　surface—the　pretty　and　helpless　young　widow　of　Charles　Hamilton　who　greeted　him　every　night　in　Miss　Pittypat’s　parlor　and　listened；　breathless　with　admiration；　as　he　told　of　future　plans　for　his　store　and　how　much　money　he　expected　to　make　when　he　was　able　to　buy　the　sawmill。　Her　sweet　sympathy　and　her　bright…eyed　interest　in　every　word　he　uttered　were　balm　upon　the　wound　left　by　Suellen’s　supposed　defection。　His　heart　was　sore　and　bewildered　at　Suellen’s　conduct　and　his　vanity；　the　shy；　touchy　vanity　of　a　middle…aged　bachelor　who　knows　himself　to　be　unattractive　to　women；　was　deeply　wounded。　He　could　not　write　Suellen；　upbraiding　her　for　her　faithlessness；　he　shrank　from　the　very　idea。　But　he　could　ease　his　heart　by　talking　about　her　to　Scarlett。　Without　saying　a　disloyal　word　about　Suellen；　she　could　tell　him　she　understood　how　badly　her　sister　had　treated　him　and　what　good　treatment　he　merited　from　a　woman　who　really　appreciated　him。
　Little　Mrs。　Hamilton　was　such　a　pretty　pink…cheeked　person；　alternating　between　melancholy　sighs　when　she　thought　of　her　sad　plight；　and　laughter　as　gay　and　sweet　as　the　tinkling　of　tiny　silver　bells　when　he　made　small　jokes　to　cheer　her。　Her　green　gown；　now　neatly　cleaned　by　Mammy；　showed　off　her　slender　figure　with　its　tiny　waist　to　perfection；　and　how　bewitching　was　the　faint　fragrance　which　always　clung　about　her　handkerchief　and　her　hair！　It　was　a　shame　that　such　a　fine　little　woman　should　be　alone　and　helpless　in　a　world　so　rough　that　she　didn’t　even　understand　its　harshness。　No　husband　nor　brother　nor　even　a　father　now　to　protect　her。　Frank　thought　the　world　too　rude　a　place　for　a　lone　woman　and；　in　that　idea；　Scarlett　silently　and　heartily　concurred。
　He　came　to　call　every　night；　for　the　atmosphere　of　Pitty’s　house　was　pleasant　and　soothing。　Mammy’s　smile　at　the　front　door　was　the　smile　reserved　for　quality　folks；　Pitty　served　him　coffee　laced　with　brandy　and　fluttered　about　him　and　Scarlett　hung　on　his　every　utterance。　Sometimes　in　the　afternoons　he　took　Scarlett　riding　with　him　in　his　buggy　when　he　went　out　on　business。　These　rides　were　merry　affairs　because　she　asked　so　many　foolish　questions—“just　like　a　woman；”　he　told　himself　approvingly。　He　couldn’t　help　laughing　at　her　ignorance　about　business　matters　and　she　laughed　too；　saying：　“Well；　of　course；　you　can’t　expect　a　silly　little　woman　like　me　to　understand　men’s　affairs。”
　She　made　him　feel；　for　the　first　time　in　his　old…maidish　life；　that　he　was　a　strong　upstanding　man　fashioned　by　God　in　a　nobler　mold　than　other　men；　fashioned　to　protect　silly　helpless　women。
　When；　at　last；　they　stood　together　to　be　married；　her　confiding　little　hand　in　his　and　her　downcast　lashes　throwing　thick　black　crescents　on　her　pink　cheeks；　he　still　did　not　know　how　it　all　came　about。　He　only　knew　he　had　done　something　romantic　and　exciting　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　He；　Frank　Kennedy；　had　swept　this　lovely　creature　off　her　feet　and　into　his　strong　arms。　That　was　a　heady　feeling。
　No　friend　or　relative　stood　up　with　them　at　their　marriage。　The　witnesses　were　strangers　called　in　from　the　street。　Scarlett　had　insisted　on　that　and　he　had　given　in；　though　reluctantly；　for　he　would　have　liked　his　sister　and　his　brother…in…law　from　Jonesboro　to　be　with　him。　And　a　reception　with　toasts　drunk　to　the　bride　in　Miss　Pitty’s　parlor　amid　happy　friends　would　have　been　a　joy　to　him。　But　Scarlett　would　not　hear　of　even　Miss　Pitty　being　present。
　“Just　us　two；　Frank；”　she　begged；　squeezing　his　arm。　“Like　an　elopement。　I　always　did　want　to　run　away　and　be　married！　Please；　sweetheart；　just　for　me！”
　It　was　that　endearing　term；　still　so　new　to　his　ears；　and　the　bright　teardrops　which　edged　her　pale　green　eyes　as　she　looked　up　pleadingly　at　him　that　won　him　over。　After　all；　a　man　had　to　make　some　concessions　to　his　bride；　especially　about　the　wedding；　for　women　set　such　a　store　by　sentimental　things。
　And　before　he　knew　it；　he　was　married。
　
　Frank　gave　her　the　three　hundred　dollars；　bewildered　by　her　sweet　urgency；　reluctant　at　first；　because　it　meant　the　end　of　his　hope　of　buying　the　sawmill　immediately。　But　he　could　not　see　her　family　evicted；　and　his　disappointment　soon　faded　at　the　sight　of　her　radiant　happiness；　disappeared　entirely　at　the　loving　way　she　“took　on”　over　his　generosity。　Frank　had　never　before　had　a　woman　“take　on”　over　him　and　he　came　to　feel　that　the　money　had　been　well　spent；　after　all。
　Scarlett　dispatched　Mammy　to　Tara　immediately　for　the　triple　purpose　of　giving　Will　the　money；　announcing　her　marriage　and　bringing　Wade　to　Atlanta。　In　two　days　she　had　a　brief　note　from　Will　which　she　carried　about　with　her　and　read　and　reread　with　mounting　joy。　Will　wrote　that　the　taxes　had　been　paid　and　Jonas　Wilkerson　“acted　up　pretty　bad”　at　the　news　but　had　made　no　other　threats　so　far。　Will　closed　by　wishing　her　happiness；　a　laconic　formal　statement　which　he　qualified　in　no　way。　She　knew　Win　understood　what　she　had　done　and　why　she　had　done　it　and　neither　blamed　nor　praised。　But　what　must　Ashley　think？　she　wondered　feverishly。　What　must　he　think　of　me　now；　after　what　I　said　to　him　so　short　a　while　ago　in　the　orchard　at　Tara？
　She　also　had　a　letter　from　Suellen；　poorly　spelled；　violent；　abusive；　tear　splotched；　a　letter　so　full　of　venom　and　truthful　observations　upon　her　character　that　she　was　never　to　forget　it　nor　forgive　the　writer。　But　even　Suellen’s　words　could　not　dim　her　happiness　that　Tara　was　safe；　at　least　from　immediate　danger。
　It　was　hard　to　realize　that　Atlanta　and　not　Tara　was　her　permanent　home　now。　In　her　desperation　to　obtain　the　tax　money；　no　thought　save　Tara　and　the　fate　which　threatened　it　had　any　place　in　her　mind。　Even　at　the　moment　of　marriage；　she　had　not　given　a　thought　to　the　fact　that　the　price　she　was　paying　for　the　safety　of　home　was　permanent　exile　from　it。　Now　that　the　deed　was　done；　she　realized　this　with　a　wave　of　homesickness　hard　to　dispel。　But　there　it　was。　She　had　made　her　bargain　and　she　intended　to　stand　by　it。　And　she　was　so　grateful　to　Frank　for　saving　Tara　she　felt　a　warm　affection　for　him　and　an　equally　warm　determination　that　he　should　never　regret　marrying　her。
　The　ladies　of　Atlanta　knew　their　neighbors’　business　only　slightly　less　completely　than　they　knew　their　own　and　were　far　more　interested　in　it。　They　all　knew　that　for　years　Frank　Kennedy　had　had　an　“understanding”　with　Suellen　O’Hara。　In　fact；　he　had　said；　sheepishly；　that　he　expected　to　get　married　in　the　spring。　So　the　tumult　of　gossip；　surmise　and　deep　suspicion　which　followed　the　announc