飘

im　which　she　would　never　be　able　to　forget。
　“Don’t　be　a　fool；”　he　said　quietly。　“And　you　are　a　fool；　if　you　are　crying　for　shame。　Come；　Scarlett；　don’t　be　a　child。　Surely　you　must　know　that；　not　being　blind；　I　knew　you　were　pregnant。”
　She　said　“Oh”　in　a　stunned　voice　and　tightened　her　fingers　over　her　crimson　face。　The　word　itself　horrified　her。　Frank　always　referred　to　her　pregnancy　embarrassedly　as　“your　condition；”　Gerald　had　been　won’t　to　say　delicately　“in　the　family　way；”　when　he　had　to　mention　such　matters；　and　ladies　genteelly　referred　to　pregnancy　as　being　“in　a　fix。”
　“You　are　a　child　if　you　thought　I　didn’t　know；　for　all　your　smothering　yourself　under　that　hot　lap　robe。　Of　course；　I　knew。　Why　else　do　you　think　I’ve　been—”
　He　stopped　suddenly　and　a　silence　fell　between　them。　He　picked　up　the　reins　and　clucked　to　the　horse。　He　went　on　talking　quietly　and　as　his　drawl　fell　pleasantly　on　her　ears；　some　of　the　color　faded　from　her　down…tucked　face。
　“I　didn’t　think　you　could　be　so　shocked；　Scarlett。　I　thought　you　were　a　sensible　person　and　I’m　disappointed。　Can　it　be　possible　that　modesty　still　lingers　in　your　breast？　I’m　afraid　I’m　not　a　gentleman　to　have　mentioned　the　matter。　And　I　know　I’m　not　a　gentleman；　in　view　of　the　fact　that　pregnant　women　do　not　embarrass　me　as　they　should。　I　find　it　possible　to　treat　them　as　normal　creatures　and　not　look　at　the　ground　or　the　sky　or　anywhere　else　in　the　universe　except　their　waist　lines—and　then　cast　at　them　those　furtive　glances　I’ve　always　thought　the　height　of　indecency。　Why　should　I？　It’s　a　perfectly　normal　state。　The　Europeans　are　far　more　sensible　than　we　are。　They　compliment　expectant　mothers　upon　their　expectations。　While　I　wouldn’t　advise　going　that　far；　still　it’s　more　sensible　than　our　way　of　trying　to　ignore　it。　It’s　a　normal　state　and　women　should　be　proud　of　it；　instead　of　hiding　behind　closed　doors　as　if　they’d　committed　a　crime。”
　“Proud！”　she　cried　in　a　strangled　voice。　“Proud—ugh！”
　“Aren’t　you　proud　to　be　having　a　child？”
　“Oh　dear　God；　no！　I—I　hate　babies！”
　“You　mean—Frank’s　baby。”
　“No—anybody’s　baby。”
　For　a　moment　she　went　sick　again　at　this　new　error　of　speech；　but　his　voice　went　on　as　easily　as　though　he　had　not　marked　it。
　“Then　we’re　different。　I　like　babies。”
　“You　like　them？”　she　cried；　looking　up；　so　startled　at　the　statement　that　she　forgot　her　embarrassment　“What　a　liar　you　are！”
　“I　like　babies　and　I　like　little　children；　till　they　begin　to　grow　up　and　acquire　adult　habits　of　thought　and　adult　abilities　to　lie　and　cheat　and　be　dirty。　That　can’t　be　news　to　you。　You　know　I　like　Wade　Hampton　a　lot；　for　all　that　he　isn’t　the　boy　he　ought　to　be。”
　That　was　true；　thought　Scarlett；　suddenly　marveling。　He　did　seem　to　enjoy　playing　with　Wade　and　often　brought　him　presents。
　“Now　that　we’ve　brought　this　dreadful　subject　into　the　light　and　you　admit　that　you　expect　a　baby　some　time　in　the　not　too　distant　future；　I’ll　say　something　I’ve　been　wanting　to　say　for　weeks—two　things。　The　first　is　that　it’s　dangerous　for　you　to　drive　alone。　You　know　it。　You’ve　been　told　it　often　enough。　If　you　don’t　care　personally　whether　or　not　you　are　raped；　you　might　consider　the　consequences。　Because　of　your　obstinacy；　you　may　get　yourself　into　a　situation　where　your　gallant　fellow　townsmen　will　be　forced　to　avenge　you　by　stringing　up　a　few　darkies。　And　that　will　bring　the　Yankees　down　on　them　and　someone　will　probably　get　hanged。　Has　it　ever　occurred　to　you　that　perhaps　one　of　the　reasons　the　ladies　do　not　like　you　is　that　your　conduct　may　cause　the　neck…stretching　of　their　sons　and　husbands？　And　furthermore；　if　the　Ku　Klux　handles　many　more　negroes；　the　Yankees　are　going　to　tighten　up　on　Atlanta　in　a　way　that　will　make　Sherman’s　conduct　look　angelic。　I　know　what　I’m　talking　about；　for　I’m　hand　in　glove　with　the　Yankees。　Shameful　to　state；　they　treat　me　as　one　of　them　and　I　hear　them　talk　openly。　They　mean　to　stamp　out　the　Ku　Klux　if　it　means　burning　the　whole　town　again　and　hanging　every　male　over　ten。　That　would　hurt　you；　Scarlett。　You　might　lose　money。　And　there’s　no　telling　where　a　prairie　fire　will　stop；　once　it　gets　started。　Confiscation　of　property；　higher　taxes；　fines　for　suspected　women—I’ve　heard　them　all　suggested。　The　Ku　Klux—”
　“Do　you　know　any　Ku　Klux？　Is　Tommy　Wellburn　or　Hugh　or—”
　He　shrugged　impatiently。
　“How　should　I　know？　I’m　a　renegade；　a　turncoat；　a　Scalawag。　Would　I　be　likely　to　know？　But　I　do　know　men　who　are　suspected　by　the　Yankees　and　one　false　move　from　them　and　they　are　as　good　as　hanged。　While　I　know　you　would　have　no　regrets　at　getting　your　neighbors　on　the　gallows；　I　do　believe　you’d　regret　losing　your　mills。　I　see　by　the　stubborn　look　on　your　face　that　you　do　not　believe　me　and　my　words　are　falling　on　stony　ground。　So　all　I　can　say　is；　keep　that　pistol　of　yours　handy—and　when　I’m　in　town；　I’ll　try　to　be　on　hand　to　drive　you。”
　“Rhett；　do　you　really—is　it　to　protect　me　that　you—”
　“Yes；　my　dear；　it　is　my　much　advertised　chivalry　that　makes　me　protect　you。”　The　mocking　light　began　to　dance　in　his　black　eyes　and　all　signs　of　earnestness　fled　from　his　face。　“And　why？　Because　of　my　deep　love　for　you；　Mrs。　Kennedy。　Yes；　I　have　silently　hungered　and　thirsted　for　you　and　worshipped　you　from　afar；　but　being　an　honorable　man；　like　Mr。　Ashley　Wilkes；　I　have　concealed　it　from　you。　You　are；　alas；　Frank’s　wife　and　honor　has　forbidden　my　telling　this　to　you。　But　even　as　Mr。　Wilkes’　honor　cracks　occasionally；　so　mine　is　cracking　now　and　I　reveal　my　secret　passion　and　my—”
　“Oh；　for　God’s　sake；　hush！”　interrupted　Scarlett；　annoyed　as　usual　when　he　made　her　look　like　a　conceited　fool；　and　not　caring　to　have　Ashley　and　his　honor　become　the　subject　of　further　conversation。　“What　was　the　other　thing　you　wanted　to　tell　me？”
　“What！　You　change　the　subject　when　I　am　baring　a　loving　but　lacerated　heart？　Well；　the　other　thing　is　this。”　The　mocking　light　died　out　of　his　eyes　again　and　his　face　was　dark　and　quiet。
　“I　want　you　to　do　something　about　this　horse。　He’s　stubborn　and　he’s　got　a　mouth　as　tough　as　iron。　Tires　you　to　drive　him；　doesn’t　it？　Well；　if　he　chose　to　bolt；　you　couldn’t　possibly　stop　him。　And　if　you　turned　over　in　a　ditch；　it　might　kill　your　baby　and　you　too。　You　ought　to　get　the　heaviest　curb　bit　you　can；　or　else　let　me　swap　him　for　a　gentle　horse　with　a　more　sensitive　mouth。”
　She　looked　up　into　his　blank；　smooth　face　and　suddenly　her　irritation　fell　away；　even　as　her　embarrassment　had　disappeared　after　the　conversation　about　her　pregnancy。　He　had　been　kind；　a　few　moments　before；　to　put　her　at　her　ease　when　she　was　wishing　that　she　were　dead。　And　he　was　being　kinder　now　and　very　thoughtful　about　the　horse。　She　felt　a　rush　of　gratitude　to　him　and　she　wondered　why　he　could　not　always　be　this　way。
　“The　horse　is　hard　to　drive；”　she　agreed　meekly。　“Sometimes　my　arms　ache　all　night　from　tugging　at　him。　You　do　what　you　think　best　about　him；　Rhett。”
　His　eyes　sparkled　wickedly。
　“That　sounds　very　sweet　and　feminine；　Mrs。　Kennedy。　Not　in　your　usual　masterful　vein　at　all。　Well；　it　only　takes　proper　handling　to　make　a　clinging　vine　out　of　you。”
　She　scowled　and　her　temper　came　back。
　“You　will　get　out　of　this　buggy　this　time；　or　I　will　hit　you　with　the　whip。　I　don’t　know　why　I　put　up　with　you—why　I　try　to　be　nice　to　you。　You　have　no　manners。　You　have　no　morals。　You　are　nothing　but　a—　Well；　get　out　I　mean　it。”
　But　when　he　had　climbed　down　and　untied　his　horse　from　the　back　of　the　buggy　and　stood　in　the　twilight　road；　grinning　tantalizingly　at　her；　she　could　not　smother　her　own　grin　as　she　drove　off。
　Yes；　he　was　coarse；　he　was　tricky；　he　was　unsafe　to　have　dealings　with；　and　you　never　could　tell　when　the　dull　weapon　you　put　into　his　hands　in　an　unguarded　moment　might　turn　into　the　keenest　of　blades。　But；　after　all；　he　was　as　stimulating　as—well；　as　a　surreptitious　glass　of　brandy！
　During　these　months　Scarlett　had　learned　the　use　of　brandy。　When　she　came　home　in　the　late　afternoons；　damp　from　the　rain；　cramped　and　aching　from　long　hours　in　the　buggy；　nothing　sustained　her　except　the　thought　of　the　bottle　hidden　in　her　top　bureau　drawer；　locked　against　Mammy’s　prying　eyes。　Dr。　Meade　had　not　thought　to　warn　her　that　a　woman　in　her　condition　should　not　drink；　for　it　never　occurred　to　him　that　a　decent　woman　would　drink　anything　stronger　than　scuppernong　wine。　Except；　of　course；　a　glass　of　champagne　at　a　wedding　or　a　hot　toddy　when　confined　to　bed　with　a　hard　cold。　Of　course；　there　were　unfortunate　women　who　drank；　to　the　eternal　disgrace　of　their　families；　just　as　there　were　women　who　were　insane　or　divorced　or　who　believed；　with　Miss　Susan　B。　Anthony；　that　women　should　have　the　vote。　But　as　much　as　the　doctor　disapproved　of　Scarlett；　he　never　suspected　her　of　drinking。
　Scarlett　had　found　that　a　drink　of　neat　brandy　before　supper　helped　immeasurably　and　she　would　always　chew　coffee　or　gargle　cologne　to　disguise　the　smell。　Why　were　people　so　silly　about　women　drinking；　when　men　could　and　did　get　reeling　drunk　whenever　they　wanted　to？　Sometimes　when　Frank　lay　snoring　beside　her　an