飘-第49章

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　Of　all　the　homes　which　had　received　him　in　the　fall　of　1862；　Miss　Pittypat’s　was　almost　the　only　one　into　which　he　could　enter　in　1863。　And；　except　for　Melanie；　he　probably　would　not　have　been　received　there。　Aunt　Pitty　was　in　a　state　whenever　he　was　in　town。　She　knew　very　well　what　her　friends　were　saying　when　she　permitted　him　to　call　but　she　still　lacked　the　courage　to　tell　him　he　was　unwelcome。　Each　time　he　arrived　in　Atlanta；　she　set　her　fat　mouth　and　told　the　girls　that　she　would　meet　him　at　the　door　and　forbid　him　to　enter。　And　each　time　he　came；　a　little　package　in　his　hand　and　a　compliment　for　her　charm　and　beauty　on　his　lips；　she　wilted。
　“I　just　don’t　know　what　to　do；”　she　would　moan。　“He　just　looks　at　me　and　I—I’m　scared　to　death　of　what　he　would　do　if　I　told　him。　He’s　got　such　a　bad　reputation。　Do　you　suppose　he　would　strike　me—or—or—　Oh；　dear；　if　Charlie　were　only　alive！　Scarlett；　you　must　tell　him　not　to　call　again—tell　him　in　a　nice　way。　Oh；　me！　I　do　believe　you　encourage　him；　and　the　whole　town　is　talking　and；　if　your　mother　ever　finds　out；　what　will　she　say　to　me？　Melly；　you　must　not　be　so　nice　to　him。　Be　cool　and　distant　and　he　will　understand。　Oh；　Melly；　do　you　think　I’d　better　write　Henry　a　note　and　ask　him　to　speak　to　Captain　Butler？”
　“No；　I　don’t；”　said　Melanie。　“And　I　won’t　be　rude　to　him；　either。　I　think　people　are　acting　like　chickens　with　their　heads　off　about　Captain　Butler。　I’m　sure　he　can’t　be　all　the　bad　things　Dr。　Meade　and　Mrs。　Merriwether　say　he　is。　He　wouldn’t　hold　food　from　starving　people。　Why；　he　even　gave　me　a　hundred　dollars　for　the　orphans。　I’m　sure　he’s　just　as　loyal　and　patriotic　as　any　of　us　and　he’s　just　too　proud　to　defend　himself。　You　know　how　obstinate　men　are　when　they　get　their　backs　up。”
　Aunt　Pitty　knew　nothing　about　men；　either　with　their　backs　up　or　otherwise；　and　she　could　only　wave　her　fat　little　hands　helplessly。　As　for　Scarlett；　she　had　long　ago　become　resigned　to　Melanie’s　habit　of　seeing　good　in　everyone。　Melanie　was　a　fool；　but　there　was　nothing　anybody　could　do　about　it。
　Scarlett　knew　that　Rhett　was　not　being　patriotic　and；　though　she　would　have　died　rather　than　confess　it；　she　did　not　care。　The　little　presents　he　brought　her　from　Nassau；　little　oddments　that　a　lady　could　accept　with　propriety；　were　what　mattered　most　to　her。　With　prices　as　high　as　they　were；　where　on　earth　could　she　get　needles　and　bonbons　and　hairpins；　if　she　forbade　the　house　to　him？　No；　it　was　easier　to　shift　the　responsibility　to　Aunt　Pitty；　who　after　all　was　the　head　of　the　house；　the　chaperon　and　the　arbiter　of　morals。　Scarlett　knew　the　town　gossiped　about　Rhett’s　calls；　and　about　her　too；　but　she　also　knew　that　in　the　eyes　of　Atlanta　Melanie　Wilkes　could　do　no　wrong；　and　if　Melanie　defended　Rhett　his　calls　were　still　tinged　with　respectability。
　However；　life　would　be　pleasanter　if　Rhett　would　recant　his　heresies。　She　wouldn’t　have　to　suffer　the　embarrassment　of　seeing　him　cut　openly　when　she　walked　down　Peachtree　Street　with　him。
　“Even　if　you　think　such　things；　why　do　you　say　them？”　she　scolded。　“If　you’d　just　think　what　you　please　but　keep　your　mouth　shut；　everything　would　be　so　much　nicer。”
　“That’s　your　system；　isn’t　it；　my　green…eyed　hypocrite？　Scarlett；　Scarlett！　I　hoped　for　more　courageous　conduct　from　you。　I　thought　the　Irish　said　what　they　thought　and　the　Divvil　take　the　hindermost。　Tell　me　truthfully；　don’t　you　sometimes　almost　burst　from　keeping　your　mouth　shut？”
　“Well—yes；”　Scarlett　confessed　reluctantly。　“I　do　get　awfully　bored　when　they　talk　about　the　Cause；　morning；　noon　and　night。　But　goodness；　Rhett　Butler；　if　I　admitted　it　nobody　would　speak　to　me　and　none　of　the　boys　would　dance　with　me！”
　“Ah；　yes；　and　one　must　be　danced　with；　at　all　costs。　Well；　I　admire　your　self…control　but　I　do　not　find　myself　equal　to　it。　Nor　can　I　masquerade　in　a　cloak　of　romance　and　patriotism；　no　matter　how　convenient　it　might　be。　There　are　enough　stupid　patriots　who　are　risking　every　cent　they　have　in　the　blockade　and　who　are　going　to　come　out　of　this　war　paupers。　They　don’t　need　me　among　their　number；　either　to　brighten　the　record　of　patriotism　or　to　increase　the　roll　of　paupers；　Let　them　have　the　haloes。　They　deserve　them—for　once　I　am　being　sincere—and；　besides；　haloes　will　be　about　all　they　will　have　in　a　year　or　so。”
　“I　think　you　are　very　nasty　to　even　hint　such　things　when　you　know　very　well　that　England　and　France　are　coming　in　on　our　side　in　no　time　and—”
　“Why；　Scarlett！　You　must　have　been　reading　a　newspaper！　I’m　surprised　at　you。　Don’t　do　it　again。　It　addles　women’s　brains。　For　your　information；　I　was　in　England；　not　a　month　ago；　and　I’ll　tell　you　this。　England　will　never　help　the　Confederacy。　England　never　bets　on　the　underdog。　That’s　why　she’s　England。　Besides；　the　fat　Dutch　woman　who　is　sitting　on　the　throne　is　a　God…fearing　soul　and　she　doesn’t　approve　of　slavery。　Let　the　English　mill　workers　starve　because　they　can’t　get　our　cotton　but　never；　never　strike　a　blow　for　slavery。　And　as　for　France；　that　weak　imitation　of　Napoleon　is　far　too　busy　establishing　the　French　in　Mexico　to　be　bothered　with　us。　In　fact　he　welcomes　this　war；　because　it　keeps　us　too　busy　to　run　his　troops　out　of　Mexico。　。。。　No；　Scarlett；　the　idea　of　assistance　from　abroad　is　just　a　newspaper　invention　to　keep　up　the　morale　of　the　South。　The　Confederacy　is　doomed。　It’s　living　on　its　hump　now；　like　the　camel；　and　even　the　largest　of　humps　aren’t　inexhaustible。　I　give　myself　about　six　months　more　of　blockading　and　then　I’m　through。　After　that；　it　will　be　too　risky。　And　I’ll　sell　my　boats　to　some　foolish　Englishman　who　thinks　he　can　slip　them　through。　But　one　way　or　the　other；　it’s　not　bothering　me。　I’ve　made　money　enough；　and　it’s　in　English　banks　and　in　gold。　None　of　this　worthless　paper　for　me。”
　As　always　when　he　spoke；　he　sounded　so　plausible。　Other　people　might　call　his　utterances　treachery　but；　to　Scarlett；　they　always　rang　with　common　sense　and　truth。　And　she　knew　that　this　was　utterly　wrong；　knew　she　should　be　shocked　and　infuriated。　Actually　she　was　neither；　but　she　could　pretend　to　be。　It　made　her　feel　more　respectable　and　ladylike。
　“I　think　what　Dr。　Meade　wrote　about　was　right；　Captain　Butler。　The　only　way　to　redeem　yourself　is　to　enlist　after　you　sell　your　boats。　You’re　a　West　Pointer　and—”
　“You　talk　like　a　Baptist　preacher　making　a　recruiting　speech。　Suppose　I　don’t　want　to　redeem　myself？　Why　should　I　fight　to　uphold　the　system　that　cast　me　out？　I　shall　take　pleasure　in　seeing　it　smashed。”
　“I　never　heard　of　any　system；”　she　said　crossly。
　“No？　And　yet　you　are　a　part　of　it；　like　I　was；　and　I’ll　wager　you　don’t　like　it　any　more　than　I　did。　Well；　why　am　I　the　black　sheep　of　the　Butler　family？　For　this　reason　and　no　other—I　didn’t　conform　to　Charleston　and　I　couldn’t。　And　Charleston　is　the　South；　only　intensified。　I　wonder　if　you　realize　yet　what　a　bore　it　is？　So　many　things　that　one　must　do　because　they’ve　always　been　done。　So　many　things；　quite　harmless；　that　one　must　not　do　for　the　same　reason。　So　many　things　that　annoyed　me　by　their　senselessness。　Not　marrying　the　young　lady；　of　whom　you　have　probably　heard；　was　merely　the　last　straw。　Why　should　I　marry　a　boring　fool；　simply　because　an　accident　prevented　me　from　getting　her　home　before　dark？　And　why　permit　her　wild…eyed　brother　to　shoot　and　kill　me；　when　I　could　shoot　straighter？　If　I　had　been　a　gentleman；　of　course；　I　would　have　let　him　kill　me　and　that　would　have　wiped　the　blot　from　the　Butler　escutcheon。　But—I　like　to　live。　And　so　I’ve　lived　and　I’ve　had　a　good　time。　。。。　When　I　think　of　my　brother；　living　among　the　sacred　cows　of　Charleston；　and　most　reverent　toward　them；　and　remember　his　stodgy　wife　and　his　Saint　Cecilia　Balls　and　his　everlasting　rice　fields—then　I　know　the　compensation　for　breaking　with　the　system。　Scarlett；　our　Southern　way　of　living　is　as　antiquated　as　the　feudal　system　of　the　Middle　Ages。　The　wonder　is　that　it’s　lasted　as　long　as　it　has。　It　had　to　go　and　it’s　going　now。　And　yet　you　expect　me　to　listen　to　orators　like　Dr。　Meade　who　tell　me　our　Cause　is　just　and　holy？　And　get　so　excited　by　the　roll　of　drums　that　I’ll　grab　a　musket　and　rush　off　to　Virginia　to　shed　my　blood　for　Marse　Robert？　What　kind　of　a　fool　do　you　think　I　am？　Kissing　the　rod　that　chastised　me　is　not　in　my　line。　The　South　and　I　are　even　now。　The　South　threw　me　out　to　starve　once。　I　haven’t　starved；　and　I　am　making　enough　money　out　of　the　South’s　death　throes　to　compensate　me　for　my　lost　birthright。”
　“I　think　you　are　vile　and　mercenary；”　said　Scarlett；　but　her　remark　was　automatic。　Most　of　what　he　was　saying　went　over　her　head；　as　did　any　conversation　that　was　not　personal。　But　part　of　it　made　sense。　There　were　such　a　lot　of　foolish　things　about　life　among　nice　people。　Having　to　pretend　that　her　heart　was　in　the　grave　when　it　wasn’t。　And　how　shocked　everybody　had　been　when　she　danced　at　the　bazaar。　And　the　infuriating　way　people　lifted　their　eyebrows　every　time　she　did　or　said　anything　the　least　bit　different　from　what　every　other　young　woman　did　and　said。　But　still；　she　was　jarred　at　hearing　him　attack　the　very　traditions　that　irked　her　most。　She　had　lived　too　long　among　people　who　dissembled　politely　not　to　feel　disturbed　at　hearing　her　own　thoughts　put　into　words。
　“Mercenary？　No；　I’m　only　farsighted。　Though　perhaps　that　is　merely　a　synonym　for　mercenary。　At　least；　people　who　were　not　as　farsighted　as　I　will　call　it　that。　Any　loyal　Confederate　who　had　a　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　1861　could　have　done　what　I　did；　but　how　few　were　mercenary　enough　to　take　advantage　of　their　opportunities！　As　for　instance；　right　after　Fort　Sumter　fell　and　before　the　blockade　was　established；　I　bought　up　several　thousand　bales　of　cotton　at　dirt…cheap　prices　and　ran　them　to　England。　They　are　still　there　in　warehouses　in　Liverpool。　I’ve　never　sold　them。　I’m　holding　them　until　the　English　mills　have　to　have　cotton　and　will　give　me　any　price　I　ask。　I　wouldn’t　be　surprised　if　I　got　a　dollar　a　pound。”
　“You’ll　get　a　dollar　a　pound　when　elephants　roost　in　trees！”
　“I’ll　believe　I’ll　get　it。　Cotton　is　at　seventy…two　cents　a　pound　already。　I’m　going　to　be　a　rich　man　when　this　war　is　over；　Scarlett；　because　I　was　farsighted—pardon　me；　mercenary。　I　told　you　once　before　that　there　were　two　times　for　making　big　money；　one　in　the　upbuilding　of　a　country　and　the　other　in　its　destruction。　Slow　money　on　the　upbuilding；　fast　money　in　the　crack…up。　Remember　my　words。　Perhaps　they　may　be　of　use　to　you　some　day。”
　“I　do　appreciate　good　advice　so　much；”　said　Scarlett；　with　all　the　sarcasm　she　could　muster。　“But　I　don’t　need　your　advice。　Do　you　think　Pa　is　a　pauper？　He’s　got　all　the　money　I’ll　ever　need　and　then　I　have　Charles’　property　besides。”
　“I　imagine　the　French　aristocrats　thought　practically　the　same　thing　until　the　very　moment　when　they　climbed　into　the　tumbrils。”
　
　Frequently　Rhett　pointed　out　to　Scarlett　the　inconsistency　of　her　wearing　black　mourning　clothes　when　she　was　participating　in　all　social　activities。　He　liked　bright　colors　and　Scarlett’s　funeral　dresses　and　the　crêpe　veil　that　hung　from　her　bonnet　to　her　heels　both　amu