飘-第46章

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　And　if　I　so　much　as　mention　Ashley’s　name；　she　had　thought　irritably；　he　cocks　his　eyebrow　up　and　smiles　that　nasty；　knowing　smile！
　“I’m　much　prettier　than　she　is；”　she　continued；　“and　I　don’t　see　why　you’re　nicer　to　her。”
　“Dare　I　hope　that　you　are　jealous？”
　“Oh；　don’t　presume！”
　“Another　hope　crushed。　If　I　am　‘nicer’　to　Mrs。　Wilkes；　it　is　because　she　deserves　it。　She　is　one　of　the　very　few　kind；　sincere　and　unselfish　persons　I　have　ever　known。　But　perhaps　you　have　failed　to　note　these　qualities。　And　moreover；　for　all　her　youth；　she　is　one　of　the　few　great　ladies　I　have　ever　been　privileged　to　know。”
　“Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don’t　think　I’m　a　great　lady；　too？”
　“I　think　we　agreed　on　the　occasion　of　our　first　meeting　that　you　were　no　lady　at　all。”
　“Oh；　if　you　are　going　to　be　hateful　and　rude　enough　to　bring　that　up　again！　How　can　you　hold　that　bit　of　childish　temper　against　me？　That　was　so　long　ago　and　I’ve　grown　up　since　then　and　I’d　forget　all　about　it　if　you　weren’t　always　harping　and　hinting　about　it。”
　“I　don’t　think　it　was　childish　temper　and　I　don’t　believe　you’ve　changed。　You　are　just　as　capable　now　as　then　of　throwing　vases　if　you　don’t　get　your　own　way。　But　you　usually　get　your　way　now。　And　so　there’s　no　necessity　for　broken　bric…a…brac。”
　“Oh；　you　are—I　wish　I　was　a　man！　I’d　call　you　out　and—”
　“And　get　killed　for　your　pains。　I　can　drill　a　dime　at　fifty　yards。　Better　stick　to　your　own　weapons—dimples；　vases　and　the　like。”
　“You　are　just　a　rascal。”
　“Do　you　expect　me　to　fly　into　a　rage　at　that？　I　am　sorry　to　disappoint　you。　You　can’t　make　me　mad　by　calling　me　names　that　are　true。　Certainly　I’m　a　rascal；　and　why　not？　It’s　a　free　country　and　a　man　may　be　a　rascal　if　he　chooses。　It’s　only　hypocrites　like　you；　my　dear　lady；　just　as　black　at　heart　but　trying　to　hide　it；　who　become　enraged　when　called　by　their　right　names。”
　She　was　helpless　before　his　calm　smile　and　his　drawling　remarks；　for　she　had　never　before　met　anyone　who　was　so　completely　impregnable。　Her　weapons　of　scorn；　coldness　and　abuse　blunted　in　her　hands；　for　nothing　she　could　say　would　shame　him。　It　had　been　her　experience　that　the　liar　was　the　hottest　to　defend　his　veracity；　the　coward　his　courage；　the　ill…bred　his　gentlemanliness；　and　the　cad　his　honor。　But　not　Rhett。　He　admitted　everything　and　laughed　and　dared　her　to　say　more。
　He　came　and　went　during　these　months；　arriving　unheralded　and　leaving　without　saying　good…by。　Scarlett　never　discovered　just　what　business　brought　him　to　Atlanta；　for　few　other　blockaders　found　it　necessary　to　come　so　far　away　from　the　coast。　They　landed　their　cargoes　at　Wilmington　or　Charleston；　where　they　were　met　by　swarms　of　merchants　and　speculators　from　all　over　the　South　who　assembled　to　buy　blockaded　goods　at　auction。　It　would　have　pleased　her　to　think　that　he　made　these　trips　to　see　her；　but　even　her　abnormal　vanity　refused　to　believe　this。　If　he　had　ever　once　made　love　to　her；　seemed　jealous　of　the　other　men　who　crowded　about　her；　even　tried　to　hold　her　hand　or　begged　for　a　picture　or　a　handkerchief　to　cherish；　she　would　have　thought　triumphantly　he　had　been　caught　by　her　charms。　But　he　remained　annoyingly　unloverlike　and；　worst　of　all；　seemed　to　see　through　all　her　maneuverings　to　bring　him　to　his　knees。
　Whenever　he　came　to　town；　there　was　a　feminine　fluttering。　Not　only　did　the　romantic　aura　of　the　dashing　blockader　hang　about　him　but　there　was　also　the　titillating　element　of　the　wicked　and　the　forbidden。　He　had　such　a　bad　reputation！　And　every　time　the　matrons　of　Atlanta　gathered　together　to　gossip；　his　reputation　grew　worse；　which　only　made　him　all　the　more　glamorous　to　the　young　girls。　As　most　of　them　were　quite　innocent；　they　had　heard　little　more　than　that　he　was　“quite　loose　with　women”—and　exactly　how　a　man　went　about　the　business　of　being　“loose”　they　did　not　know。　They　also　heard　whispers　that　no　girt　was　safe　with　him。　With　such　a　reputation；　it　was　strange　that　he　had　never　so　much　as　kissed　the　hand　of　an　unmarried　girl　since　he　first　appeared　in　Atlanta。　But　that　only　served　to　make　him　more　mysterious　and　more　exciting。
　Outside　of　the　army　heroes；　he　was　the　most　talked…about　man　in　Atlanta。　Everyone　knew　in　detail　how　he　had　been　expelled　from　West　Point　for　drunkenness　and　“something　about　women。”　That　terrific　scandal　concerning　the　Charleston　girl　he　had　compromised　and　the　brother　he　had　killed　was　public　property。　Correspondence　with　Charleston　friends　elicited　the　further　information　that　his　father；　a　charming　old　gentleman　with　an　iron　will　and　a　ramrod　for　a　backbone；　had　cast　him　out　without　a　penny　when　he　was　twenty　and　even　stricken　his　name　from　the　family　Bible。　After　that　he　had　wandered　to　California　in　the　gold　rush　of　1849　and　thence　to　South　America　and　Cuba；　and　the　reports　of　his　activities　in　these　parts　were　none　too　savory。　Scrapes　about　women；　several　shootings；　gun　running　to　the　revolutionists　in　Central　America　and；　worst　of　all；　professional　gambling　were　included　in　his　career；　as　Atlanta　heard　it。
　There　was　hardly　a　family　in　Georgia　who　could　not　own　to　their　sorrow　at　least　one　male　member　or　relative　who　gambled；　losing　money；　houses；　land　and　slaves。　But　that　was　different。　A　man　could　gamble　himself　to　poverty　and　still　be　a　gentleman；　but　a　professional　gambler　could　never　be　anything　but　an　outcast。
　Had　it　not　been　for　the　upset　conditions　due　to　the　war　and　his　own　services　to　the　Confederate　government；　Rhett　Butler　would　never　have　been　received　in　Atlanta。　But　now；　even　the　most　strait　laced　felt　that　patriotism　called　upon　them　to　be　more　broad　minded。　The　more　sentimental　were　inclined　to　view　that　the　black　sheep　of　the　Butler　family　had　repented　of　his　evil　ways　and　was　making　an　attempt　to　atone　for　his　sins。　So　the　ladies　felt　in　duty　bound　to　stretch　a　point；　especially　in　the　case　of　so　intrepid　a　blockader。　Everyone　knew　now　that　the　fate　of　the　Confederacy　rested　as　much　upon　the　skill　of　the　blockade　boats　in　eluding　the　Yankee　fleet　as　it　did　upon　the　soldiers　at　the　front。
　Rumor　had　it　that　Captain　Butler　was　one　of　the　best　pilots　in　the　South　and　that　he　was　reckless　and　utterly　without　nerves。　Reared　in　Charleston；　he　knew　every　inlet；　creek；　shoal　and　rock　of　the　Carolina　coast　near　that　port；　and　he　was　equally　at　home　in　the　waters　around　Wilmington。　He　had　never　lost　a　boat　or　even　been　forced　to　dump　a　cargo。　At　the　onset　of　the　war；　he　had　emerged　from　obscurity　with　enough　money　to　buy　a　small　swift　boat　and　now；　when　blockaded　goods　realized　two　thousand　per　cent　on　each　cargo；　he　owned　four　boats。　He　had　good　pilots　and　paid　them　well；　and　they　slid　out　of　Charleston　and　Wilmington　on　dark　nights；　bearing　cotton　for　Nassau；　England　and　Canada。　The　cotton　mills　of　England　were　standing　idle　and　the　workers　were　starving；　and　any　blockader　who　could　outwit　the　Yankee　fleet　could　command　his　own　price　in　Liverpool。　Rhett’s　boats　were　singularly　lucky　both　in　taking　out　cotton　for　the　Confederacy　and　bringing　in　the　war　materials　for　which　the　South　was　desperate。　Yes；　the　ladies　felt　they　could　forgive　and　forget　a　great　many　things　for　such　a　brave　man。
　He　was　a　dashing　figure　and　one　that　people　turned　to　look　at。　He　spent　money　freely；　rode　a　wild　black　stallion；　and　wore　clothes　which　were　always　the　height　of　style　and　tailoring。　The　latter　in　itself　was　enough　to　attract　attention　to　him；　for　the　uniforms　of　the　soldiers　were　dingy　and　worn　now　and　the　civilians；　even　when　turned　out　in　their　best；　showed　skillful　patching　and　darning。　Scarlett　thought　she　had　never　seen　such　elegant　pants　as　he　wore；　fawn　colored；　shepherd’s　plaid；　and　checked。　As　for　his　waistcoats；　they　were　indescribably　handsome；　especially　the　white　watered…silk　one　with　tiny　pink　rosebuds　embroidered　on　it。　And　he　wore　these　garments　with　a　still　more　elegant　air　as　though　unaware　of　their　glory。
　There　were　few　ladies　who　could　resist　his　charms　when　he　chose　to　exert　them；　and　finally　even　Mrs。　Merriwether　unbent　and　invited　him　to　Sunday　dinner。
　Maybelle　Merriwether　was　to　marry　her　little　Zouave　when　he　got　his　next　furlough；　and　she　cried　every　time　she　thought　of　it；　for　she　had　set　her　heart　on　marrying　in　a　white　satin　dress　and　there　was　no　white　satin　in　the　Confederacy。　Nor　could　she　borrow　a　dress；　for　the　satin　wedding　dresses　of　years　past　had　all　gone　into　the　making　of　battle　flags。　Useless　for　the　patriotic　Mrs。　Merriwether　to　upbraid　her　daughter　and　point　out　that　homespun　was　the　proper　bridal　attire　for　a　Confederate　bride。　Maybelle　wanted　satin。　She　was　willing；　even　proud　to　go　without　hairpins　and　buttons　and　nice　shoes　and　candy　and　tea　for　the　sake　of　the　Cause；　but　she　wanted　a　satin　wedding　dress。
　Rhett；　hearing　of　this　from　Melanie；　brought　in　from　England　yards　and　yards　of　gleaming　white　satin　and　a　lace　veil　and　presented　them　to　her　as　a　wedding　gift。　He　did　it　in　such　a　way　that　it　was　unthinkable　to　even　mention　paying　him　for　them；　and　Maybelle　was　so　delighted　she　almost　kissed　him。　Mrs。　Merriwether　knew　that　so　expensive　a　gift—and　a　gift　of　clothing　at　that—was　highly　improper；　but　she　could　think　of　no　way　of　refusing　when　Rhett　told　her　in　the　most　florid　language　that　nothing　was　too　good　to　deck　the　bride　of　one　of　our　brave　heroes。　So　Mrs。　Merriwether　invited　him　to　dinner；　feeling　that　this　concession　more　than　paid　for　the　gift。
　He　not　only　brought　Maybelle　the　satin　but　he　was　able　to　give　excellent　hints　on　the　making　of　the　wedding　dress。　Hoops　in　Paris　were　wider　this　season　and　skirts　were　shorter。　They　were　no　longer　ruffled　but　were　gathered　up　in　scalloped　festoons；　showing　braided　petticoats　beneath。　He　said；　too；　that　he　had　seen　no　pantalets　on　the　streets；　so　he　imagined　they　were　“out。”　Afterwards；　Mrs。　Merriwether　told　Mrs。　Elsing　she　feared　that　if　she　had　given　him　any　encouragement　at　all；　he　would　have　told　her　exactly　what　kind　of　drawers　were　being　worn　by　Parisiennes。
　Had　he　been　less　obviously　masculine；　his　ability　to　recall　details　of　dresses；　bonnets　and　coiffures　would　have　been　put　down　as　the　rankest　effeminacy。　The　ladies　always　felt　a　little　odd　when　they　besieged　him　with　questions　about　styles；　but　they　did　it　nevertheless。　They　were　as　isolated　from　the　world　of　fashion　as　shipwrecked　mariners；　for　few　books　of　fashion　came　through　the　blockade。　For　all　they　knew　the　ladies　of　France　might　be　shaving　their　heads　and　wearing　coonskin　caps；　so　Rhett’s　memory　for　furbelows　was　an　excellent　substitute　for　Godey’s　Lady’s　Book。　He　could　and　did　notice　details　so　dear　to　feminine　hearts；　and　after　each　trip　abroad　he　could　be　found　in　the　center　of　a　group　of　ladies；　telling　that　bonnets　were　smaller　this　year　and　perched　higher；　covering　most　of　the　top　of　the　head；　that　plumes　and　not　flowers　were　being　used　to　trim　them；　that　the　Empress　of　France　had　abandoned　the　chignon　for　evening　wear　and　had　her　hair　piled　almost　on　the　top　of　her　head；　showing　all　of　her　ears；　and　that　evening　frocks　were　shockingly　low　again。
　
　For　some　months；　he　was　the　most　popular　and　romantic　figure　the　town　knew；　despite　his　previous　reputation；　despite　the　faint　rumors　that　he　was　engaged