飘

　It　did　not　come　back　to　him　readily　and　he　spoke　slowly；　occasionally　falling　silent　for　a　space　as　he　waited　for　phrases　to　rise　from　his　memory。　But　this　measured　delivery　made　his　words　more　impressive；　and　mourners　who　had　been　dry…eyed　before　began　now　to　reach　for　handkerchiefs。　Sturdy　Baptists　and　Methodists　all；　they　thought　it　the　Catholic　ceremony　and　immediately　rearranged　their　first　opinion　that　the　Catholic　services　were　cold　and　Popish。　Scarlett　and　Suellen　were　equally　ignorant　and　thought　the　words　comforting　and　beautiful。　Only　Melanie　and　Carreen　realized　that　a　devoutly　Catholic　Irishman　was　being　laid　to　rest　by　the　Church　of　England’s　service。　And　Carreen　was　too　stunned　by　grief　and　her　hurt　at　Ashley’s　treachery　to　interfere。
　When　he　had　finished；　Ashley　opened　wide　his　sad　gray　eyes　and　looked　about　the　crowd。　After　a　pause；　his　eyes　caught　those　of　Will　and　he　said：　“Is　there　anyone　present　who　would　like　to　say　a　word？”
　Mrs。　Tarleton　twitched　nervously　but　before　she　could　act；　Will　stumped　forward　and　standing　at　the　head　of　the　coffin　began　to　speak。
　“Friends；”　he　began　in　his　flat　voice；　“maybe　you　think　I’m　gettin’　above　myself；　speakin’　first—me　who　never　knew　Mr。　O’Hara　till　“bout　a　year　ago　when　you　all　have　known　him　twenty　years　or　more。　But　this　here　is　my　excuse。　If　he’d　lived　a　month　or　so　longer；　I’d　have　had　the　right　to　call　him　Pa。”
　A　startled　ripple　went　over　the　crowd。　They　were　too　well　bred　to　whisper　but　they　shifted　on　their　feet　and　stared　at　Carreen’s　bowed　head。　Everyone　knew　his　dumb　devotion　to　her。　Seeing　the　direction　in　which　all　eyes　were　cast；　Will　went　on　as　if　he　had　taken　no　note。
　“So　bein’　as　how　I’m　to　marry　Miss　Suellen　as　soon　as　the　priest　comes　down　from　Atlanta；　I　thought　maybe　that　gives　me　the　right　to　speak　first。”
　The　last　part　of　his　speech　was　lost　in　a　faint　sibilant　buzz　that　went　through　the　gathering；　an　angry　beelike　buzz。　There　were　indignation　and　disappointment　in　the　sound。　Everyone　liked　Will；　everyone　respected　him　for　what　he　had　done　for　Tara。　Everyone　knew　his　affections　lay　with　Carreen；　so　the　news　that　he　was　to　marry　the　neighborhood　pariah　instead　sat　ill　upon　them。　Good　old　Will　marrying　that　nasty；　sneaking　little　Suellen　O’Hara！
　For　a　moment　the　air　was　tense。　Mrs。　Tarleton’s　eyes　began　to　snap　and　her　lips　to　shape　soundless　words。　In　the　silence；　old　man　McRae’s　high　voice　could　be　heard　imploring　his　grandson　to　tell　him　what　had　been　said。　Will　faced　them　all；　still　mild　of　face；　but　there　was　something　in　his　pale　blue　eyes　which　dared　them　to　say　one　word　about　his　future　wife。　For　a　moment　the　balance　hung　between　the　honest　affection　everyone　had　for　Will　and　their　contempt　for　Suellen。　And　Will　won。　He　continued　as　if　his　pause　had　been　a　natural　one。
　“I　never　knew　Mr。　O’Hara　in　his　prime　like　you　all　done。　All　I　knew　personally　was　a　fine　old　gentleman　who　was　a　mite　addled。　But　I’ve　heard　tell　from　you　all　“bout　what　he　used　to　be　like。　And　I　want　to　say　this。　He　was　a　fightin’　Irishman　and　a　Southern　gentleman　and　as　loyal　a　Confederate　as　ever　lived。　You　can’t　get　no　better　combination　than　that。　And　we　ain’t　likely　to　see　many　more　like　him；　because　the　times　that　bred　men　like　him　are　as　dead　as　he　is。　He　was　born　in　a　furrin　country　but　the　man　we’re　buryin’　here　today　was　more　of　a　Georgian　than　any　of　us　mournin’　him。　He　lived　our　life；　he　loved　our　land　and；　when　you　come　right　down　to　it；　he　died　for　our　Cause；　same　as　the　soldiers　did。　He　was　one　of　us　and　he　had　our　good　points　and　our　bad　points　and　he　had　our　strength　and　he　had　our　failin’s。　He　had　our　good　points　in　that　couldn’t　nothin’　stop　him　when　his　mind　was　made　up　and　he　warn’t　scared　of　nothin’　that　walked　in　shoe　leather。　There　warn’t　nothin’　that　come　to　him　from　the　outside　that　could　lick　him。
　“He　warn’t　scared　of　the　English　government　when　they　wanted　to　hang　him。　He　just　lit　out　and　left　home。　And　when　he　come　to　this　country　and　was　pore；　that　didn’t　scare　him　a　mite　neither。　He　went　to　work　and　he　made　his　money。　And　he　warn’t　scared　to　tackle　this　section　when　it　was　part　wild　and　the　Injuns　had　just　been　run　out　of　it。　He　made　a　big　plantation　out　of　a　wilderness。　And　when　the　war　come　on　and　his　money　begun　to　go；　he　warn’t　scared　to　be　pore　again。　And　when　the　Yankees　come　through　Tara　and　might　of　burnt　him　out　or　killed　him；　he　warn’t　fazed　a　bit　and　he　warn’t　licked　neither。　He　just　planted　his　front　feet　and　stood　his　ground。　That’s　why　I　say　he　had　our　good　points。　There　ain’t　nothin’　from　the　outside　can　lick　any　of　us。
　“But　he　had　our　failin’s　too；　‘cause　he　could　be　licked　from　the　inside。　I　mean　to　say　that　what　the　whole　world　couldn’t　do；　his　own　heart　could。　When　Mrs。　O’Hara　died；　his　heart　died　too　and　he　was　licked。　And　what　we　seen　walking　‘round　here　warn’t　him。”
　Will　paused　and　his　eyes　went　quietly　around　the　circle　of　faces。　The　crowd　stood　in　the　hot　sun　as　if　enchanted　to　the　ground　and　whatever　wrath　they　had　felt　for　Suellen　was　forgotten。　Will’s　eyes　rested　for　a　moment　on　Scarlett　and　they　crinkled　slightly　at　the　corners　as　if　he　were　inwardly　smiling　comfort　to　her。　Scarlett；　who　had　been　fighting　back　rising　tears；　did　feel　comforted。　Will　was　talking　common　sense　instead　of　a　lot　of　tootle　about　reunions　in　another　and　better　world　and　submitting　her　will　to　God’s。　And　Scarlett　had　always　found　strength　and　comfort　in　common　sense。
　“And　I　don’t　want　none　of　you　to　think　the　less　of　him　for　breakin’　like　he　done。　All　you　all　and　me；　too；　are　like　him。　We　got　the　same　weakness　and　failin’。　There　ain’t　nothin’　that　walks　can　lick　us；　any　more　than　it　could　lick　him；　not　Yankees　nor　Carpetbaggers　nor　hard　times　nor　high　taxes　nor　even　downright　starvation。　But　that　weakness　that’s　in　our　hearts　can　lick　us　in　the　time　it　takes　to　bat　your　eye。　It　ain’t　always　losin’　someone　you　love　that　does　it；　like　it　done　Mr。　O’Hara。　Everybody’s　mainspring　is　different。　And　I　want　to　say　this—folks　whose　mainsprings　are　busted　are　better　dead。　There　ain’t　no　place　for　them　in　the　world　these　days；　and　they’re　happier　bein’　dead。　。。。　That’s　why　I’m　sayin’　you　all　ain’t　got　no　cause　to　grieve　for　Mr。　O’Hara　now。　The　time　to　grieve　was　back　when　Sherman　come　through　and　he　lost　Mrs。　O’Hara。　Now　that　his　body’s　gone　to　join　his　heart；　I　don’t　see　that　we　got　reason　to　mourn；　unless　we’re　pretty　damned　selfish；　and　I’m　sayin’　it　who　loved　him　like　he　was　my　own　pa。　。。。　There　won’t　be　no　more　words　said；　if　you　folks　don’t　mind。　The　family　is　too　cut　up　to　listen　and　it　wouldn’t　be　no　kindness　to　them。”
　Will　stopped　and；　turning　to　Mrs。　Tarleton；　he　said　in　a　lower　voice：　“I　wonder　couldn’t　you　take　Scarlett　in　the　house；　Ma’m？　It　ain’t　right　for　her　to　be　standin’　in　the　sun　so　long。　And　Grandma　Fontaine　don’t　look　any　too　peart　neither；　meanin’　no　disrespect；”
　Startled　at　the　abrupt　switching　from　the　eulogy　to　herself；　Scarlett　went　red　with　embarrassment　as　all　eyes　turned　toward　her。　Why　should　Will　advertise　her　already　obvious　pregnancy？　She　gave　him　a　shamed　indignant　look；　but　Will’s　placid　gaze　bore　her　down。
　“Please；”　his　look　said。　“I　know　what　I’m　doin’。”
　Already　he　was　the　man　of　the　house　and；　not　wishing　to　make　a　scene；　Scarlett　turned　helplessly　to　Mrs。　Tarleton。　That　lady；　suddenly　diverted；　as　Will　had　intended；　from　thoughts　of　Suellen　to　the　always　fascinating　matter　of　breeding；　be　it　animal　or　human；　took　Scarlett’s　arm。
　“Come　in　the　house；　honey。”
　Her　face　took　on　a　look　of　kind；　absorbed　interest　and　Scarlett　suffered　herself　to　be　led　through　the　crowd　that　gave　way　and　made　a　narrow　path　for　her。　There　was　a　sympathetic　murmuring　as　she　passed　and　several　hands　went　out　to　pat　her　comfortingly。　When　she　came　abreast　Grandma　Fontaine；　the　old　lady　put　out　a　skinny　claw　and　said：　“Give　me　your　arm；　child；”　and　added　with　a　fierce　glance　at　Sally　and　Young　Miss：　“No；　don’t　you　come。　I　don’t　want　you。”
　They　passed　slowly　through　the　crowd　which　closed　behind　them　and　went　up　the　shady　path　toward　the　house；　Mrs。　Tarleton’s　eager　helping　hand　so　strong　under　Scarlett’s　elbow　that　she　was　almost　lifted　from　the　ground　at　each　step。
　“Now；　why　did　Will　do　that？”　cried　Scarlett　heatedly；　when　they　were　out　of　earshot。　“He　practically　said：　‘Look　at　her！　She’s　going　to　have　a　baby！’　”
　“Well；　sake’s　alive；　you　are；　aren’t　you？”　said　Mrs。　Tarleton。　“Will　did　right　It　was　foolish　of　you　to　stand　in　the　hot　sun　when　you　might　have　fainted　and　had　a　miscarriage。”
　“Will　wasn’t　bothered　about　her　miscarrying；”　said　Grandma；　a　little　breathless　as　she　labored　across　the　front　yard　toward　the　steps。　There　was　a　grim；　knowing　smile　on　her　face。　“Will’s　smart。　He　didn’t　want　either　you　or　me；　Beetrice；　at　the　graveside。　He　was　scared　of　what　we’d　say　and　he　knew　this　was　the　only　way　to　get　rid　of　us。　。。。　And　it　was　more　than　that。　He　didn’t　want　Scarlett　to　hear　the　clods　dropping　on　the　coffin。　And　he’s　right。　Just　remember；　Scarlett；　as　long　as　you　don’t　hear　that　sound；　folks　aren’t　actually　dead　to　you。　But　once　you　hear　it