飘-第176章

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bit　of　baggage。　I　can’t　forget　how　she　acted　during　the　war。　And　I　can’t　forget　how　poor　white　trashy　she’s　acted　since　she　got　a　little　money—”
　“What　you　can’t　forget”　cut　in　Melanie；　clenching　her　small　fists　against　her　sides；　“is　that　she　demoted　Hugh　because　he　wasn’t　smart　enough　to　run　her　mill。”
　“Melly！”　moaned　a　chorus　of　voices。
　Mrs。　Elsing’s　head　jerked　up　and　she　started　toward　the　door。　With　her　hand　on　the　knob　of　the　front　door；　she　stopped　and　turned。
　“Melly；”　she　said　and　her　voice　softened；　“honey；　this　breaks　my　heart。　I　was　your　mother’s　best　friend　and　I　helped　Dr。　Meade　bring　you　into　this　world　and　I’ve　loved　you　like　you　were　mine。　If　it　were　something　that　mattered　it　wouldn’t　be　so　hard　to　hear　you　talk　like　this。　But　about　a　woman　like　Scarlett　O’Hara　who’d　just　as　soon　do　you　a　dirty　turn　as　the　next　of　us—”
　Tears　had　started　in　Melanie’s　eyes　at　the　first　words　Mrs。　Elsing　spoke；　but　her　face　hardened　when　the　old　lady　had　finished。
　“I　want　it　understood；”　she　said；　“that　any　of　you　who　do　not　call　on　Scarlett　need　never；　never　call　on　me。”
　There　was　a　loud　murmur　of　voices；　confusion　as　the　ladies　got　to　their　feet　Mrs。　Elsing　dropped　her　sewing　box　on　the　floor　and　came　back　into　the　room；　her　false　fringe　jerking　awry。
　“I　won’t　have　it！”　she　cried。　“I　won’t　have　it！　You　are　beside　yourself；　Melly；　and　I　don’t　hold　you　responsible。　You　shall　be　my　friend　and　I　shall　be　yours。　I　refuse　to　let　this　come　between　us。”
　She　was　crying　and　somehow；　Melanie　was　in　her　arms；　crying　too；　but　declaring　between　sobs　that　she　meant　every　word　she　said。　Several　of　the　other　ladies　burst　into　tears　and　Mrs。　Merriwether；　trumpeting　loudly　into　her　handkerchief；　embraced　both　Mrs。　Elsing　and　Melanie。　Aunt　Pitty；　who　had　been　a　petrified　witness　to　the　whole　scene；　suddenly　slid　to　the　floor　in　what　was　one　of　the　few　real　fainting　spells　she　had　ever　had。　Amid　the　tears　and　confusion　and　kissing　and　scurrying　for　smelling　salts　and　brandy；　there　was　only　one　calm　face；　one　dry　pair　of　eyes。　India　Wilkes　took　her　departure　unnoticed　by　anyone。
　Grandpa　Merriwether；　meeting　Uncle　Henry　Hamilton　in　the　Girl　of　the　Period　Saloon　several　hours　later；　related　the　happenings　of　the　morning　which　he　had　heard　from　Mrs。　Merriwether。　He　told　it　was　relish　for　he　was　delighted　that　someone　had　the　courage　to　face　down　his　redoubtable　daughter…in…law。　Certainly；　he　had　never　had　such　courage。
　“Well；　what　did　the　pack　of　silly　fools　finally　decide　to　do？”　asked　Uncle　Henry　irritably。
　“I　dunno　for　sure；”　said　Grandpa；　“but　it　looks　to　me　like　Melly　won　hands　down　on　this　go…round。　I’ll　bet　they’ll　all　call；　at　least　once。　Folks　set　a　store　by　that　niece　of　yours；　Henry。”
　“Melly’s　a　fool　and　the　ladies　are　right。　Scarlett　is　a　slick　piece　of　baggage　and　I　don’t　see　why　Charlie　ever　married　her；”　said　Uncle　Henry　gloomily。　“But　Melly　was　right　too；　in　a　way。　It’s　only　decent　that　the　families　of　the　men　Captain　Butler　saved　should　call。　When　you　come　right　down　to　it；　I　haven’t　got　so　much　against　Butler。　He　showed　himself　a　fine　man　that　night　he　saved　our　hides。　It’s　Scarlett　who　sticks　under　my　tail　like　a　cocklebur。　She’s　a　sight　too　smart　for　her　own　good。　Well；　I’ve　got　to　call。　Scalawag　or　not　Scarlett　is　my　niece　by　marriage；　after　all。　I　was　aiming　to　call　this　afternoon。”
　“I’ll　go　with　you；　Henry。　Dolly　will　be　fit　to　be　tied　when　she　hears　I’ve　gone。　Wait　till　I　get　one　more　drink。”
　“No；　we’ll　get　a　drink　off　Captain　Butler。　I’ll　say　this　for　him；　he　always　has　good　licker。”
　
　Rhett　had　said　that　the　Old　Guard　would　never　surrender　and　he　was　right。　He　knew　how　little　significance　there　was　to　the　few　calls　made　upon　them；　and　he　knew　why　the　calls　were　made。　The　families　of　the　men　who　had　been　in　the　ill…starred　Klan　foray　did　call　first；　but　called　with　obvious　infrequency　thereafter。　And　they　did　not　invite　the　Rhett　Butlers　to　their　homes。
　Rhett　said　they　would　not　have　come　at　all；　except　for　fear　of　violence　at　the　hands　of　Melanie；　Where　he　got　this　idea；　Scarlett　did　not　know　but　she　dismissed　it　with　the　contempt　it　deserved。　For　what　possible　influence　could　Melanie　have　on　people　like　Mrs。　Elsing　and　Mrs。　Merriwether？　That　they　did　not　call　again　worried　her　very　little；　in　fact；　their　absence　was　hardly　noticed；　for　her　suite　was　crowded　with　guests　of　another　type。　“New　people；”　established　Atlantians　called　them；　when　they　were　not　calling　them　something　less　polite。
　There　were　many　“new　people”　staying　at　the　National　Hotel　who；　like　Rhett　and　Scarlett；　were　waiting　for　their　houses　to　be　completed。　They　were　gay；　wealthy　people；　very　much　like　Rhett’s　New　Orleans　friends；　elegant　of　dress；　free　with　their　money；　vague　as　to　their　antecedents。　All　the　men　were　Republicans　and　were　“in　Atlanta　on　business　connected　with　the　state　government。”　Just　what　the　business　was；　Scarlett　did　not　know　and　did　not　trouble　to　learn。
　Rhett　could　have　told　her　exactly　what　it　was—the　same　business　that　buzzards　have　with　dying　animals。　They　smelted　death　from　afar　and　were　drawn　unerringly　to　it；　to　gorge　themselves。　Government　of　Georgia　by　its　own　citizens　was　dead；　the　state　was　helpless　and　the　adventurers　were　swarming　in。
　The　wives　of　Rhett’s　Scalawag　and　Carpetbagger　friends　called　in　droves　and　so　did　the　“new　people”　she　had　met　when　she　sold　lumber　for　their　homes。　Rhett　said　that；　having　done　business　with　them；　she　should　receive　them　and；　having　received　them；　she　found　them　pleasant　company。　They　wore　lovely　clothes　and　never　talked　about　the　war　or　hard　times；　but　confined　the　conversation　to　fashions；　scandals　and　whist。　Scarlett　had　never　played　cards　before　and　she　took　to　whist　with　joy；　becoming　a　good　player　in　a　short　time。
　Whenever　she　was　at　the　hotel　there　was　a　crowd　of　whist　players　in　her　suite。　But　she　was　not　often　in　her　suite　these　days；　for　she　was　too　busy　with　the　building　of　her　new　house　to　be　bothered　with　callers。　These　days　she　did　not　much　care　whether　she　had　callers　or　not。　She　wanted　to　delay　her　social　activities　until　the　day　when　the　house　was　finished　and　she　could　emerge　as　the　mistress　of　Atlanta’s　largest　mansion；　the　hostess　of　the　town’s　most　elaborate　entertainments。
　Through　the　long　warm　days　she　watched　her　red　stone　and　gray　shingle　house　rise　grandly；　to　tower　above　any　other　house　on　Peachtree　Street。　Forgetful　of　the　store　and　the　mills；　she　spent　her　time　on　the　lot；　arguing　with　carpenters；　bickering　with　masons；　harrying　the　contractor。　As　the。　walls　went　swiftly　up　she　thought　with　satisfaction　that；　when　finished；　it　would　be　larger　and　finer　looking　than　any　other　house　in　town。　It　would　be　even　more　imposing　than　the　near…by　James　residence　which　had　just　been　purchased　for　the　official　mansion　of　Governor　Bullock。
　The　governor’s　mansion　was　brave　with　jigsaw　work　on　banisters　and　eaves；　but　the　intricate　scrollwork　on　Scarlett’s　house　put　the　mansion　to　shame。　The　mansion　had　a　ballroom；　but　it　looked　like　a　billiard　table　compared　with　the　enormous　room　that　covered　the　entire　third　floor　of　Scarlett’s　house。　In　fact；　her　house　had　more　of　everything　than　the　mansion；　or　any　other　house　in　town　for　that　matter；　more　cupolas　and　turrets　and　towers　and　balconies　and　lightning　rods　and　far　more　windows　with　colored　panes。
　A　veranda　encircled　the　entire　house；　and　four　flights　of　steps　on　the　four　sides　of　the　building　led　up　to　it。　The　yard　was　wide　and　green　and　scattered　about　it　were　rustic　iron　benches；　an　iron　summerhouse；　fashionably　called　a　“gazebo”　which；　Scarlett　had　been　assured；　was　of　pure　Gothic　design；　and　two　large　iron　statues；　one　a　stag　and　the　other　a　mastiff　as　large　as　a　Shetland　pony。　To　Wade　and　Ella；　a　little　dazzled　by　the　size；　splendor　and　fashionable　dark　gloom　of　their　new　home；　these　two　metal　animals　were　the　only　cheerful　notes。
　Within；　the　house　was　furnished　as　Scarlett　had　desired；　with　thick　red　carpeting　which　ran　from　wall　to　wall；　red　velvet　portieres　and　the　newest　of　highly　varnished　black…walnut　furniture；　carved　wherever　there　was　an　inch　for　carving　and　upholstered　in　such　slick　horsehair　that　ladies　had　to　deposit　themselves　thereon　with　great　care　for　fear　of　sliding　off。　Everywhere　on　the　walls　were　gilt…framed　mirrors　and　long　pier　glasses—as　many；　Rhett　said　idly；　as　there　were　in　Belle　Watling’s　establishment。　Interspread　were　steel　engravings　in　heavy　frames；　some　of　them　eight　feet　long；　which　Scarlett　had　ordered　especially　from　New　York。　The　walls　were　covered　with　rich　dark　paper；　the　ceilings　were　high　and　the　house　was　always　dim；　for　the　windows　were　overdraped　with　plum…colored　plush　hangings　that　shut　out　most　of　the　sunlight。
　All　in　all　it　was　an　establishment　to　take　one’s　breath　away　and　Scarlett；　stepping　on　the　soft　carpets　and　sinking　into　the　embrace　of　the　deep　feather　beds；　remembered　the　cold　floors　and　the　straw…stuffed　bedticks　of　Tara　and　was　satisfied。　She　thought　it　the　most　beautiful　and　most　elegantly　furnished　house　she　had　ever　seen；　but　Rhett　said　it　was　a　nightmare。　However；　if　it　made　her　happy；　she　was　welcome　to　it。
　“A　stranger　without　being　told　a　word　about　us　would　know　this　house　was　built　with　ill…gotten　gains；”　he　said。　“You　know；　Scarlett；　money　ill　come　by　never　comes　to　good　and　this　house　is　proof　of　the　axiom。　It’s　just　the　kind　of　house　a　profiteer　would　build。”
　But　Scarlett；　abrim　with　pride　and　happiness　and　full　of　plans　for　the　entertainments　she　would　give　when　they　were　thoroughly　settled　in　the　house；　only　pinched　his　ear　playfully　and　said：　“Fiddle…dee…dee！　How　you　do　run　on！”
　She　knew；　by　now；　that　Rhett　loved　to　take　her　down　a　peg；　and　would　spoil　her　fun　whenever　he　could；　if　she　lent　an　attentive　ear　to　his　jibes。　Should　she　take　him　seriously；　she　would　be　forced　to　quarrel　with　him　and　she　did　not　care　to　match　swords；　for　she　always　came　off　second　best。　So　she　hardly　ever　listened　to　anything　he　said；　and　what　she　was　forced　to　hear　she　tried　to　turn　off　as　a　joke。　At　least；　she　tried　for　a　while。
　During　their　honeymoon　and　for　the　greater　part　of　their　stay　at　the　National　Hotel；　they　had　lived　together　with　amiability。　But　scarcely　had　they　moved　into　the　new　house　and　Scarlett　gathered　her　new　friends　about　her；　when　sudden　sharp　quarrels　sprang　up　between　them。　They　were　brief　quarrels；　short　lived　because　it　was　impossible　to　keep　a　quarrel　going　with　Rhett；　who　remained　coolly　indifferent　to　her　hot　words　and　waited　his　chance　to　pink　her　in　an　unguarded　spot。　She　quarreled；　Rhett　did　not。　He　only　stated　his　unequivocal　opinion　of　herself；　her　actions；　her　house　and　her　new　friends。　And　some　of　his　opinions　were　of　such　a　nature　that　she　could　no　longer　ignore　them　and　treat　them　as　jokes。
　For　instance　when　she　decided　to　change　the　name　of　“Kennedy’s　General　Store”　to　something　more　edifying；　she　asked　him　to　think　of　a　title　that　would　include　the　word　“emporium。”　Rhett　suggested　“Caveat　Emptorium；”　assuring　her　that　it　would　be　a　title　most　in　keeping　with　the　type　of　goods　sold　in　the　store。　She　thought　it　had　an　imposing　sound　and　even　went　so　far　as　to　have　th