Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3. Маргарет Митчелл
disliked him heartily.
«Why don’t you say what you really think?» he demanded. «Why don’t you say I’m a damned rascal and no gentleman? I see that you are a coward. You don’t say what you really think».
«Then I’ll say», she said. «I don’t want to see you again! You aren’t a gentleman!»
«Listen,» he said with a grin. «You just wanted to dance and have a good time and you can’t. Tell the truth. Am I not right?»
«Captain Butler», she said. «Just because you’re the ‘great blockader’, it doesn’t give you the right to insult women».
«The great blockader! That’s a joke. Blockading is a business. And the Yankees help me make my money. Last month I sailed my boat right into New York harbor and took on a cargo».
«What!» cried Scarlett. «Didn’t they shoot you?»
«Of course not. There are plenty of sturdy Union patriots who want to get some money selling goods to the Confederacy. I run my boat into New York, buy goods from Yankee, and away I go. It’s more convenient than going to England».
«And now, ladies and gentlemen, I am going to propose a surprise. But this is for the Case. The dancing is about to begin. Gentlemen, if you wish to danse with the lady of your choice, you must bargain for her. I will be auctioneer and the proceeds will go to the hospital!»
Scarlett said nothing but her eyes glittered. She’s a widow! Suddenly she heard her own name:
«Mrs. Charles Hamilton, one hundred and fifty dollars, in gold».
«Another one of our belles, perhaps?» questioned the doctor.
«No», said Rhett clearly. «Mrs. Hamilton».
«I tell you it is impossible», said the doctor testily. «Mrs. Hamilton will not…»
Scarlett cried,
«Yes, I will!»
Chapter VIII
Next morning, Pittypat was lachrymose, Melanie was silent and Scarlett defiant.
«I don’t care if they talk. I made more money for the hospital than any girl there».
«Oh, dear, what does the money matter?» wailed Pittypat. «I just couldn’t believe my eyes. Poor Charlie! And that awful Captain Butler, he’s a terrible, terrible person!»
«Oh, I can’t believe he’s that bad», said Melly gently. «He seemed a perfect gentleman and he is brave. Darling, I understand and it was a brave thing you did last night and it will help the hospital a lot. Aunt Pitty, don’t cry. We must have three convalescents in our house, like everybody else, and some of the soldiers out to dinner every Sunday. Scarlett, don’t you fret. We know you loved Charlie».
Prissy entered with a bulky letter.
«For you, Miss Melly. A little boy has brought it».
«For me?» said Melly, wondering, as she opened the envelope.
Scarlett saw a broad gold ring.
«Read it», said Melly, pointing to the. «Oh, how sweet, how kind, he is!»
Scarlett, bewildered, picked up the sheet:
«Accept, dear Madam, this token of my reverence for your courage. This ring has been redeemed at ten times its value. Captain Rhett Butler».
Melanie slipped the ring on her finger and looked at it lovingly.
«I told you he was a gentleman, didn’t I?» she said turning to Pittypat. «Aunt Pittypat, you must write him a note and invite him to Sunday dinner so I can thank him».
So Captain Butler got the invitation into Pittypat’s house.
«It is difficult for me to believe that you forgot yourself», ran Ellen’s letter and Scarlett scowled. Which of the old cats had written to Ellen? «To dance, and with such a man as Captain Butler! He is a man of bad repute. I am heartbroken. Your father will be in Atlanta on Friday, he will speak with Captain Butler and escort you home».
Scarlett was frightened. Sh
«Not… not bad news?» quavered Pittypat.
«Pa is coming tomorrow and he’s going to give me a good lesson», answered Scarlett dolorously.
«I feel ill», said Pittypat weakly. «I must go lie down. You must give him my excuses».
«I’ll help you. I’ll explain how you did it for the hospital. Surely he’ll understand», said Melly.
«No, he won’t», said Scarlett.
«He can’t take you to Tara!» said Melly. «This is your home now. What will we do without you?»
Soon Gerald arrived.
Melanie and Pittypat had gone to sleep, but Scarlett lay awake in the warm darkness. To leave Atlanta when life had just begun again! She heard some noise. Gerald was coming home. He was drunk and singing songs.
Someone was with him. She heard Gerald’s voice, «Now I’ll sing you another song. You must know it, lad. I’ll teach it to you».
«I’ll learn it», replied his companion. «But not now, Mr. O’Hara».
«I suppose I must go down», thought Scarlett. «After all he’s my father».
She unlocked the door and saw Rhett Butler. He was supporting her small father.
«Your father, I believe?» said Captain Butler.
«Bring him in», she said shortly. «Here. Now lay him down».
«I will be seeing you Sunday at dinner», he said and went out.
At five-thirty Gerald was awake. He looked up furtively as she entered. He groaned.
«Morning!»
«It’s a fine way you’ve acted, Pa», she began in a furious whisper.
«I remember nothing».
«Oh», moaned Gerald. «It happened after the game. That Butler bragged that he was the best poker player in…»
«How much did you lose?»
«Five hundred dollars», said Gerald.
«What will Mother say when she hears?»
«You won’t tell your mother a word, will you?»
Scarlett said nothing.
«Please, don’t», pleaded Gerald.
«I won’t», said Scarlett, «if you let me stay here and if you tell Mother that it was nothing but a lot of gossip from old cats».
Gerald looked mournfully at his daughter.
«It’s blackmail. Anyway, we’ll forget all that. And do you think Miss Pittypat has any brandy in the house?»
Chapter IX
The war went on. Confederate money dropped alarmingly and the price of food and clothing rose accordingly. The Yankee blockade about the Confederate ports tightened, and luxuries such as tea, coffee, silks, whalebone stays, fashion magazines and books were scarce and dear. The hospitals were worrying about the scarcity of quinine, calomel, opium, chloroform and iodine. Linen and cotton bandages were precious, and ladies who nursed at the hospitals brought home baskets of bloody strips, They washed and ironed and returned them.
But Scarlett was happy to be in the world again. She did not care if the war lasted forever. The helpless wounded succumbed to her charms without a struggle. They fell in love easily.
Scarlett was happy. War and marriage and childbirth had passed over her and she was unchanged. She had a child but she almost forgot him. She went to parties, danced, went riding with soldiers, flirted. Sometimes Scarlett went to Tara. These visits were disappointing.
Though Scarlett always went home to Tara with a happy heart, she was never sorry to return. Rhett Butler called frequently