飘-第152章

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stem；　they　deplored　it　just　the　same。　Many　of　them　had　not　even　believed　in　slavery　and　they　thought　this　was　far　worse　than　slavery　had　ever　been。
　And　Scarlett　wanted　to　lease　convicts！　Frank　knew　that　if　she　did　he　could　never　hold　up　his　head　again。　This　was　far　worse　than　owning　and　operating　the　mills　herself；　or　anything　else　she　had　done。　His　past　objections　had　always　been　coupled　with　the　question：　“What　will　people　say？”　But　this—this　went　deeper　than　fear　of　public　opinion。　He　felt　that　it　was　a　traffic　in　human　bodies　on　a　par　with　prostitution；　a　sin　that　would　be　on　his　soul　if　he　permitted　her　to　do　it。
　From　this　conviction　of　wrongness；　Frank　gathered　courage　to　forbid　Scarlett　to　do　such　a　thing；　and　so　strong　were　his　remarks　that　she；　startled；　relapsed　into　silence。　Finally　to　quiet　him；　she　said　meekly　she　hadn’t　really　meant　it　She　was　just　so　outdone　with　Hugh　and　the　free　niggers　she　had　lost　her　temper。　Secretly；　she　still　thought　about　it　and　with　some　longing。　Convict　labor　would　settle　one　of　her　hardest　problems；　but　if　Frank　was　going　to　take　on　so　about　it—
　She　sighed。　If　even　one　of　the　mills　were　making　money；　she　could　stand　it。　But　Ashley　was　faring　little　better　with　his　mill　than　Hugh。
　At　first　Scarlett　was　shocked　and　disappointed　that　Ashley　did　not　immediately　take　hold　and　make　the　mill　pay　double　what　it　had　paid　under　her　management。　He　was　so　smart　and　he　had　read　so　many　books　and　there　was　no　reason　at　all　why　he　should　not　make　a　brilliant　success　and　lots　of　money。　But　he　was　no　more　successful　than　Hugh。　His　inexperience；　his　errors；　his　utter　lack　of　business　judgment　and　his　scruples　about　close　dealing　were　the　same　as　Hugh’s。
　Scarlett’s　love　hastily　found　excuses　for　him　and　she　did　not　consider　the　two　men　in　the　same　light。　Hugh　was　just　hopelessly　stupid；　while　Ashley　was　merely　new　at　the　business。　Still；　unbidden；　came　the　thought　that　Ashley　could　never　make　a　quick　estimate　in　his　head　and　give　a　price　that　was　correct；　as　she　could。　And　she　sometimes　wondered　if　he’d　ever　learn　to　distinguish　between　planking　and　sills。　And　because　he　was　a　gentleman　and　himself　trustworthy；　he　trusted　every　scoundrel　who　came　along　and　several　times　would　have　lost　money　for　her　if　she　had　not　tactfully　intervened。　And　if　he　liked　a　person—and　he　seemed　to　like　so　many　people！—he　sold　them　lumber　on　credit　without　ever　thinking　to　find　out　if　they　had　money　in　the　bank　or　property。　He　was　as　bad　as　Frank　in　that　respect。
　But　surely　he　would　learn！　And　while　he　was　learning　she　had　a　fond　and　maternal　indulgence　and　patience　for　his　errors。　Every　evening　when　he　called　at　her　house；　weary　and　discouraged；　she　was　tireless　in　her　tactful；　helpful　suggestions。　But　for　all　her　encouragement　and　cheer；　there　was　a　queer　dead　look　in　his　eyes。　She　could　not　understand　it　and　it　frightened　her。　He　was　different；　so　different　from　the　man　he　used　to　be。　If　only　she　could　see　him　alone；　perhaps　she　could　discover　the　reason。
　The　situation　gave　her　many　sleepless　nights。　She　worried　about　Ashley；　both　because　she　knew　he　was　unhappy　and　because　she　knew　his　unhappiness　wasn’t　helping　him　to　become　a　good　lumber　dealer。　It　was　a　torture　to　have　her　mills　in　the　hands　of　two　men　with　no　more　business　sense　than　Hugh　and　Ashley；　heartbreaking　to　see　her　competitors　taking　her　best　customers　away　when　she　had　worked　so　hard　and　planned　so　carefully　for　these　helpless　months。　Oh；　if　she　could　only　get　back　to　work　again！　She　would　take　Ashley　in　hand　and　then　he　would　certainly　learn。　And　Johnnie　Gallegher　could　run　the　other　mill；　and　she　could　handle　the　selling；　and　then　everything　would　be　fine。　As　for　Hugh；　he　could　drive　a　delivery　wagon　if　he　still　wanted　to　work　for　her。　That　was　all　he　was　good　for。
　Of　course；　Gallegher　looked　like　an　unscrupulous　man；　for　all　of　his　smartness；　but—who　else　could　she　get？　Why　had　the　other　men　who　were　both　smart　and　honest　been　so　perverse　about　working　for　her？　If　she　only　had　one　of　them　working　for　her　now　in　place　of　Hugh；　she　wouldn’t　have　to　worry　so　much；　but—
　Tommy　Wellburn；　in　spite　of　his　crippled　back；　was　the　busiest　contractor　in　town　and　coining　money；　so　people　said。　Mrs。　Merriwether　and　René　were　prospering　and　now　had　opened　a　bakery　downtown。　René　was　managing　it　with　true　French　thrift　and　Grandpa　Merriwether；　glad　to　escape　from　his　chimney　corner；　was　driving　René’s　pie　wagon。　The　Simmons　boys　were　so　busy　they　were　operating　their　brick　kiln　with　three　shifts　of　labor　a　day。　And　Kells　Whiting　was　cleaning　up　money　with　his　hair　straightener；　because　he　told　the　negroes　they　wouldn’t　ever　be　permitted　to　vote　the　Republican　ticket　if　they　had　kinky　hair。
　It　was　the　same　with　all　the　smart　young　men　she　knew；　the　doctors；　the　lawyers；　the　storekeepers。　The　apathy　which　had　clutched　them　immediately　after　the　war　had　completely　disappeared　and　they　were　too　busy　building　their　own　fortunes　to　help　her　build　hers。　The　ones　who　were　not　busy　were　the　men　of　Hugh’s　type—or　Ashley’s。
　What　a　mess　it　was　to　try　to　run　a　business　and　have　a　baby　too！
　“I’ll　never　have　another　one；”　she　decided　firmly。　“I’m　not　going　to　be　like　other　women　and　have　a　baby　every　year。　Good　Lord；　that　would　mean　six　months　out　of　the　year　when　I’d　have　to　be　away　from　the　mills！　And　I　see　now　I　can’t　afford　to　be　away　from　them　even　one　day。　I　shall　simply　tell　Frank　that　I　won’t　have　any　more　children。”
　Frank　wanted　a　big　family；　but　she　could　manage　Frank　somehow。　Her　mind　was　made　up。　This　was　her　last　child。　The　mills　were　far　more　important。
　
　CHAPTER　XLII
　SCARLETT’S　CHILD　was　a　girl；　a　small　bald…headed　mite；　ugly　as　a　hairless　monkey　and　absurdly　like　Frank。　No　one　except　the　doting　father　could　see　anything　beautiful　about　her；　but　the　neighbors　were　charitable　enough　to　say　that　all　ugly　babies　turned　out　pretty；　eventually。　She　was　named　Ella　Lorena；　Ella　for　her　grandmother　Ellen；　and　Lorena　because　it　was　the　most　fashionable　name　of　the　day　for　girls；　even　as　Robert　E。　Lee　and　Stonewall　Jackson　were　popular　for　boys　and　Abraham　Lincoln　and　Emancipation　for　negro　children。
　She　was　born　in　the　middle　of　a　week　when　frenzied　excitement　gripped　Atlanta　and　the　air　was　tense　with　expectation　of　disaster。　A　negro　who　had　boasted　of　rape　had　actually　been　arrested；　but　before　he　could　be　brought　to　trial　the　jail　had　been　raided　by　the　Ku　Klux　Klan　and　he　had　been　quietly　hanged。　The　Klan　had　acted　to　save　the　as　yet　unnamed　victim　from　having　to　testify　in　open　court。　Rather　than　have　her　appear　and　advertise　her　shame；　her　father　and　brother　would　have　shot　her；　so　lynching　the　negro　seemed　a　sensible　solution　to　the　townspeople；　in　fact；　the　only　decent　solution　possible。　But　the　military　authorities　were　in　a　fury。　They　saw　no　reason　why　the　girl　should　mind　testifying　publicly。
　The　soldiers　made　arrests　right　and　left；　swearing　to　wipe　out　the　Klan　if　they　had　to　put　every　white　man　in　Atlanta　in　jail。　The　negroes；　frightened　and　sullen；　muttered　of　retaliatory　house　burnings。　The　air　was　thick　with　rumors　of　wholesale　hangings　by　the　Yankees　should　the　guilty　parties　be　found　and　of　a　concerted　uprising　against　the　whites　by　the　negroes。　The　people　of　the　town　stayed　at　home　behind　locked　doors　and　shuttered　windows；　the　men　fearing　to　go　to　their　businesses　and　leave　their　women　and　children　unprotected。
　Scarlett；　lying　exhausted　in　bed；　feebly　and　silently　thanked　God　that　Ashley　had　too　much　sense　to　belong　to　the　Klan　and　Frank　was　too　old　and　poor　spirited。　How　dreadful　it　would　be　to　know　that　the　Yankees　might　swoop　down　and　arrest　them　at　any　minute！　Why　didn’t　the　crack…brained　young　fools　in　the　Klan　leave　bad　enough　alone　and　not　stir　up　the　Yankees　like　this？　Probably　the　girl　hadn’t　been　raped　after　all。　Probably　she’d　just　been　frightened　silly　and；　because　of　her；　a　lot　of　men　might　lose　their　lives。
　In　this　atmosphere；　as　nerve　straining　as　watching　a　slow　fuse　burn　toward　a　barrel　of　gunpowder；　Scarlett　came　rapidly　back　to　strength。　The　healthy　vigor　which　had　carried　her　through　the　hard　days　at　Tara　stood　her　in　good　stead　now；　and　within　two　weeks　of　Ella　Lorena’s　birth　she　was　strong　enough　to　sit　up　and　chafe　at　her　inactivity。　In　three　weeks　she　was　up；　declaring　she　had　to　see　to　the　mills。　They　were　standing　idle　because　both　Hugh　and　Ashley　feared　to　leave　their　families　alone　all　day。
　Then　the　blow　fell。
　Frank；　full　of　the　pride　of　new　fatherhood；　summoned　up　courage　enough　to　forbid　Scarlett　leaving　the　house　while　conditions　were　so　dangerous。　His　commands　would　not　have　worried　her　at　all　and　she　would　have　gone　about　her　business　in　spite　of　them；　if　he　had　not　put　her　horse　and　buggy　in　the　livery　stable　and　ordered　that　they　should　not　be　surrendered　to　anyone　except　himself。　To　make　matters　worse；　he　and　Mammy　had　patiently　searched　the　house　while　she　was　ill　and　unearthed　her　hidden　store　of　money。　And　Frank　had　deposited　it　in　the　bank　in　his　own　name；　so　now　she　could　not　even　hire　a　rig。
　Scarlett　raged　at　both　Frank　and　Mammy；　then　was　reduced　to　begging　and　finally　cried　all　one　morning　like　a　furious　thwarted　child。　But　for　all　her　pains　she　heard　only：　“There；　Sugar！　You’re　just　a　sick　little　girl。”　And：　“Miss　Scarlett；　ef　you　doan　quit　cahyin’　on　so；　you　gwine　sour　yo’　milk　an’　de　baby　have　colic；　sho　as　gun’s　iron。”
　In　a　furious　temper；　Scarlett　charged　through　her　back　yard　to　Melanie’s　house　and　there　unburdened　herself　at　the　top　of　her　voice；　declaring　she　would　walk　to　the　mills；　she　would　go　about　Atlanta　telling　everyone　what　a　varmint　she　had　married；　she　would　not　be　treated　like　a　naughty　simple…minded　child。　She　would　carry　a　pistol　and　shoot　anyone　who　threatened　her。　She　had　shot　one　man　and　she　would　love；　yes；　love　to　shoot　another。　She　would—
　Melanie　who　feared　to　venture　onto　her　own　front　porch　was　appalled　by　such　threats。
　“Oh；　you　must　not　risk　yourself！　I　should　die　if　anything　happened　to　you！　Oh；　please—”
　“I　will！　I　will！　I　will　walk—”
　Melanie　looked　at　her　and　saw　that　this　was　not　the　hysteria　of　a　woman　still　weak　from　childbirth。　There　was　the　same　breakneck；　headlong　determination　in　Scarlett’s　face　that　Melanie　had　often　seen　in　Gerald　O’Hara’s　face　when　his　mind　was　made　up。　She　put　her　arms　around　Scarlett’s　waist　and　held　her　tightly。
　“It’s　all　my　fault　for　not　being　brave　like　you　and　for　keeping　Ashley　at　home　with　me　all　this　time　when　he　should　have　been　at　the　mill。　Oh；　dear！　I’m　such　a　ninny！　Darling；　I’ll　tell　Ashley　I’m　not　a　bit　frightened　and　I’ll　come　over　and　stay　with　you　and　Aunt　Pitty　and　he　can　go　back　to　work　and—”
　Not　even　to　herself　would　Scarlett　admit　that　she　did　not　think　Ashley　could　cope　with　the　situation　alone　and　she　shouted：　“You’ll　do　nothing　of　the　kind！　What　earthly　good　would　Ashley　do　at　work　if　he　was　worried　about　you　every　minute？　Everybody　is　just　so　hateful！　Even　Uncle　Peter　refuses　to　go　out　with　me！　But　I　don’t　care！　I’ll　go　alone。　I’ll　walk　every　step　of　the　way　and　pick　up　a　crew　of　darkies　somewhere—”
　“Oh；　no！　You　mustn’t　do　that！　Something　dreadful　might　happen　to　you。　They　say　that　Shant