飘-第142章
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r reason why she needed his help。
She would make him realize somehow that she couldn’t do without his aid at this time。 And she would give him a half…interest in the mill； if he would only take it over—anything just to have him near her； anything to see that bright smile light up his face； anything for the chance of catching an unguarded look in his eyes that showed he still cared。 But； she promised herself； never； never would she again try to prod him into words of love； never again would she try to make him throw away that foolish honor he valued more than love。 Somehow； she must delicately convey to him this new resolution of hers。 Otherwise he might refuse； fearing another scene such as that last terrible one had been。
“I can get him something to do in Atlanta；” she said。
“Well； that’s yours and Ashley’s business；” said Will and put the straw back in his mouth。 “Giddap； Sherman。 Now； Scarlett； there’s somethin’ else I’ve got to ask you before I tell you about your pa。 I won’t have you lightin’ into Suellen。 What she’s done； she’s done； and you snatchin’ her baldheaded won’t bring Mr。 O’Hara back。 Besides she honestly thought she was actin’ for the best！”
“I wanted to ask you about that What is all this about Suellen？ Alex talked riddles and said she ought to be whipped。 What has she done？”
“Yes； folks are pretty riled up about her。 Everybody I run into this afternoon in Jonesboro was promisin’ to cut her dead the next time they seen her； but maybe they’ll get over it。 Now； promise me you won’t light into her。 I won’t be havin’ no quarrelin’ tonight with Mr。 O’Hara layin’ dead in the parlor。”
He won’t be having any quarreling！ thought Scarlett； indignantly。 He talks like Tara was his already！
And then she thought of Gerald； dead in the parlor； and suddenly she began to cry； cry in bitter； gulping sobs。 Will put his arm around her； drew her comfortably close and said nothing。
As they jolted slowly down the darkening road； her head on his shoulder； her bonnet askew； she had forgotten the Gerald of the last two years； the vague old gentleman who stared at doors waiting for a woman who would never enter。 She was remembering the vital； virile old man with his mane of crisp white hair； his bellowing cheerfulness； his stamping boots； his clumsy jokes； his generosity。 She remembered how； as a child； he had seemed the most wonderful man in the world； this blustering father who carried her before him on his saddle when he jumped fences； turned her up and paddled her when she was naughty； and then cried when she cried and gave her quarters to get her to hush。 She remembered him coming home from Charleston and Atlanta laden with gifts that were never appropriate； remembered too； with a faint smile through tears； how he came home in the wee hours from Court Day at Jonesboro； drunk as seven earls； jumping fences； his rollicking voice raised in “The Wearin’ o’ the Green。” And how abashed he was； facing Ellen on the morning after。 Well； he was with Ellen now。
“Why didn’t you write me that he was ill？ I’d have come so fast—”
“He warn’t ill； not a minute。 Here； honey； take my handkerchief and I’ll tell you all about it。”
She blew her nose on his bandanna； for she had come from Atlanta without even a handkerchief； and settled back into the crook of Will’s arm。 How nice Will was。 Nothing ever upset him。
“Well； it was this way； Scarlett。 You been sendin’ us money right along and Ashley and me； well； we’ve paid taxes and bought the mule and seeds and what…all and a few hogs and chickens。 Miss Melly’s done mighty well with the hens； yes sir； she has。 She’s a fine woman； Miss Melly is。 Well； anyway； after we bought things for Tara； there warn’t so much left over for folderols； but none of us warn’t complainin’。 Except Suellen。
“Miss Melanie and Miss Carreen stay at home and wear their old clothes like they’re proud of them but you know Suellen； Scarlett。 She hasn’t never got used to doin’ without。 It used to stick in her craw that she had to wear old dresses every time I took her into Jonesboro or over to Fayetteville。 ‘Specially as some of those Carpetbaggers’ ladi…women was always flouncin’ around in fancy trimmin’s。 The wives of those damn Yankees that run the Freedmen’s Bureau； do they dress up！ Well； it’s kind of been a point of honor with the ladies of the County to wear their worst…lookin’ dresses to town； just to show how they didn’t care and was proud to wear them。 But not Suellen。 And she wanted a hone and carriage too。 She pointed out that you had one。”
It’s not a carriage； it’s an old buggy；” said Scarlett indignantly。
“Well； no matter what。 I might as well tell you Suellen never has got over your marryin’ Frank Kennedy and I don’t know as I blame her。 You know that was a kind of scurvy trick to play on a sister。”
Scarlett rose from his shoulder； furious as a rattler ready to strike。
“Scurvy trick； hey？ I’ll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head； Win Benteen！ Could I help it if he preferred me to her？”
“You’re a smart girl； Scarlett； and I figger； yes； you could have helped him preferrin’ you。 Girls always can。 But I guess you kind of coaxed him。 You’re a mighty takin’ person when you want to be； but all the same； he was Suellen’s beau。 Why； she’d had a letter from him a week before you went to Atlanta and he was sweet as sugar about her and talked about how they’d get married when he got a little more money ahead。 I know because she showed me the letter。”
Scarlett was silent because she knew he was telling the truth and she could think of nothing to say。 She had never expected Will； of all people； to sit in judgment on her。 Moreover the lie she had told Frank had never weighed heavily upon her conscience。 If a girl couldn’t keep a beau； she deserved to lose him。
“Now； Will； don’t be mean；” she said。 “If Suellen had married him； do you think she’d ever have spent a penny on Tara or any of us？”
“I said you could be right takin’ when you wanted to；” said Will； turning to her with a quiet grin。 “No； I don’t think we’d ever seen a penny of old Frank’s money。 But still there’s no gettin’ ‘round it； it was a scurvy trick and if you want to justify the end by the means； it’s none of my business and who am I to complain？ But just the same Suellen has been like a hornet ever since。 I don’t think she cared much about old Frank but it kind of teched her vanity and she’s been sayin’ as how you had good clothes and a carriage and lived in Atlanta while she was buried here at Tara。 She does love to go callin’ and to parties； you know； and wear pretty clothes。 I ain’t blamin’ her。 Women are like that。
“Well； about a month ago I took her into Jonesboro and left her to go callin’ while I tended to business and when I took her home； she was still as a mouse but I could see she was so excited she was ready to bust。 I thought she’d found out somebody was goin’ to have a—that she’d heard some gossip that was interestin’； and I didn’t pay her much mind。 She went around home for about a week all swelled up and excited and didn’t have much to say。 She went over to see Miss Cathleen Calvert—Scarlett； you’d cry your eyes out at Miss Cathleen。 Pore girl； she’d better be dead than married to that pusillanimous Yankee Hilton。 You knew he’d mortaged the place and lost it and they’re goin’ to have to leave？”
“No； I didn’t know and I don’t want to know。 I want to know about Pa。”
“Well； I’m gettin’ to that；” said Will patiently。 “When she come back from over there she said we’d all misjudged Hilton； She called him Mr。 Hilton and she said he was a smart man； but we just laughed at her。 Then she took to takin’ your pa out to walk in the afternoons and lots of times when I was comin’ home from the field； I’d see her sittin’ with him on the wall ‘round the buryin’ ground； talkin’ at him hard and wavin’ her hands。 And the old gentleman would just look at her sort of puzzled…like and shake his head。 You know how he’s been； Scarlett。 He just got kind of vaguer and vaguer； like he didn’t hardly know where he was or who we were。 One time； I seen her point to your ma’s grave and the old gentleman begun to cry。 And when she come in the house all happy and excited lookin’； I gave her a talkin’ to； right sharp； too； and I said： ‘Miss Suellen； why in hell are you devilin’ your poor pa and bringin’ up your ma to him？ Most of the time he don’t realize she’s dead and here you are rubbin’ it in。’ And she just kind of tossed her head and laughed and said： ‘Mind your business。 Some day you’ll be glad of what I’m doin’。’ Miss Melanie told me last night that Suellen had told her about her schemes but Miss Melly said she didn’t have no notion Suellen was serious。 She said she didn’t tell none of us because she was so upset at the very idea。”
“What idea？ Are you ever going to get to the point？ We’re halfway home now。 I want to know about Pa。”
“I’m trying to tell you；” said Will； “and we’re so near home； I guess I’d better stop right here till I’ve finished。”
He drew rein and the horse stopped and snorted。 They had halted by the wild overgrown mock…orange hedge that marked the Macintosh property。 Glancing under the dark trees Scarlett could just discern the tall ghostly chimneys still rearing above the silent ruin。 She wished that Will had chosen any other place to stop。
“Well； the long and the short of her idea was to make the Yankees pay for the cotton they burned and the stock they drove off and the fences and the barns they tore down。”
“The Yankees？”
“Haven’t you heard about it？ The Yankee government’s been payin’ claims on all destroyed property of Union sympathizers in the South。”
“Of course I’ve heard about that；” said Scarlett “But what’s that got to do with us？”
“A heap； in Suellen’s opinion。 That day I took her to Jonesboro； she run into Mrs。 Macintosh and when they were gossipin’ along； Suellen couldn’t help noticin’ what fine…lookin’ clothes Mrs。 Macintosh had on and she couldn’t help askin’ about them。 Then Mrs。 Macintosh gave herself a lot of airs and said as how her husband had put in a claim with the Federal government for destroyin’ the property of a loyal Union sympathizer who had never given aid and comfort to the Confederacy in any shape or form。”
“They never gave aid and comfort to anybody；” snapped Scarlett。 “Scotch…Irish！”
“Well； maybe that’s true。 I don’t know them。 Anyway； the government gave them； well—I forget how many thousand dollars。 A right smart sum it was； though。 That started Suellen。 She thought about it all week and didn’t say nothin’ to us because she knew we’d just laugh。 But she just had to talk to somebody so she went over to Miss Cathleen’s and that damned white trash； Hilton； gave her a passel of new ideas。 He pointed out that your pa warn’t even born in this country； that he hadn’t fought in the war and hadn’t had no sons to fight； and hadn’t never held no office under the Confederacy。 He said they could strain a point about Mr。 O’Hara bein’ a loyal Union sympathizer。 He filled her up with such truck and she come home and begun workin’ on Mr。 O�
