飘

　Grandma　fanned　herself　with　her　palmetto　leaf　and　went　on　briskly：　“I　don’t　approve　of　the　match　any　more　than　you　do　but　I’m　practical　and　so　are　you。　And　when　it　comes　to　something　that’s　unpleasant　but　can’t　be　helped；　I　don’t　see　any　sense　in　screaming　and　kicking　about　it。　That’s　no　way　to　meet　the　ups　and　downs　of　life。　I　know　because　my　family　and　the　Old　Doctor’s　family　have　had　more　than　our　share　of　ups　and　downs。　And　if　we　folks　have　a　motto；　it’s　this：　‘Don’t　holler—smile　and　bide　your　time。’　We’ve　survived　a　passel　of　things　that　way；　smiling　and　biding　our　time；　and　we’ve　gotten　to　be　experts　at　surviving。　We　had　to　be。　We’ve　always　bet　on　the　wrong　horses。　Run　out　of　France　with　the　Huguenots；　run　out　of　England　with　the　Cavaliers；　run　out　of　Scotland　with　Bonnie　Prince　Charlie；　run　out　of　Haiti　by　the　niggers　and　now　licked　by　the　Yankees。　But　we　always　turn　up　on　top　in　a　few　years。　You　know　why？”
　She　cocked　her　head　and　Scarlett　thought　she　looked　like　nothing　so　much　as　an　old；　knowing　parrot。
　“No；　I　don’t　know；　I’m　sure；”　she　answered　politely。　But　she　was　heartily　bored；　even　as　she　had　been　the　day　when　Grandma　launched　on　her　memories　of　the　Creek　uprising。
　“Well；　this　is　the　reason。　We　bow　to　the　inevitable。　We’re　not　wheat；　we’re　buckwheat！　When　a　storm　comes　along　it　flattens　ripe　wheat　because　it’s　dry　and　can’t　bend　with　the　wind。　But　ripe　buckwheat’s　got　sap　in　it　and　it　bends。　And　when　the　wind　has　passed；　it　springs　up　almost　as　straight　and　strong　as　before。　We　aren’t　a　stiff…necked　tribe。　We’re　mighty　limber　when　a　hard　wind’s　blowing；　because　we　know　it　pays　to　be　limber。　When　trouble　comes　we　bow　to　the　inevitable　without　any　mouthing；　and　we　work　and　we　smile　and　we　bide　our　time。　And　we　play　along　with　lesser　folks　and　we　take　what　we　can　get　from　them。　And　when　we’re　strong　enough；　we　kick　the　folks　whose　necks　we’ve　climbed　over。　That；　my　child；　is　the　secret　of　the　survival。”　And　after　a　pause；　she　added：　“I　pass　it　on　to　you。”
　The　old　lady　cackled；　as　if　she　were　amused　by　her　words；　despite　the　venom　in　them。　She　looked　as　if　she　expected　some　comment　from　Scarlett　but　the　words　had　made　little　sense　to　her　and　she　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。
　“No；　sir；”　Old　Miss　went　on；　“our　folks　get　flattened　out　but　they　rise　up　again；　and　that’s　more　than　I　can　say　for　plenty　of　people　not　so　far　away　from　here。　Look　at　Cathleen　Calvert。　You　can　see　what　she’s　come　to。　Poor　white！　And　a　heap　lower　than　the　man　she　married。　Look　at　the　McRae　family。　Flat　to　the　ground；　helpless；　don’t　know　what　to　do；　don’t　know　how　to　do　anything。　Won’t　even　try。　They　spend　their　time　whining　about　the　good　old　days。　And　look　at—well；　look　at　nearly　anybody　in　this　County　except　my　Alex　and　my　Sally　and　you　and　Jim　Tarleton　and　his　girls　and　some　others。　The　rest　have　gone　under　because　they　didn’t　have　any　sap　in　them；　because　they　didn’t　have　the　gumption　to　rise　up　again。　There　never　was　anything　to　those　folks　but　money　and　darkies；　and　now　that　the　money　and　darkies　are　gone；　those　folks　will　be　Cracker　in　another　generation。”
　“You　forgot　the　Wilkes。”
　“No；　I　didn’t　forget　them。　I　just　thought　I’d　be　polite　and　not　mention　them；　seeing　that　Ashley’s　a　guest　under　this　roof。　But　seeing　as　how　you’ve　brought　up　their　names—look　at　them！　There’s　India　who　from　all　I　hear　is　a　dried…up　old　maid　already；　giving　herself　all　kinds　of　widowed　airs　because　Stu　Tarleton　was　killed　and　not　making　any　effort　to　forget　him　and　try　to　catch　another　man。　Of　course；　she’s　old　but　she　could　catch　some　widower　with　a　big　family　if　she　tried。　And　poor　Honey　was　always　a　man…crazy　fool　with　no　more　sense　than　a　guinea　hen。　And　as　for　Ashley；　look　at　him！”
　“Ashley　is　a　very　fine　man；”　began　Scarlett　hotly。
　“I　never　said　he　wasn’t　but　he’s　as　helpless　as　a　turtle　on　his　back。　If　the　Wilkes　family　pulls　through　these　hard　times；　it’ll　be　Melly　who　pulls　them　through。　Not　Ashley。”
　“Melly！　Lord；　Grandma！　What　are　you　talking　about？　I’ve　lived　with　Melly　long　enough　to　know　she’s　sickly　and　scared　and　hasn’t　the　gumption　to　say　Boo　to　a　goose。”
　“Now　why　on　earth　should　anyone　want　to　say　Boo　to　a　goose？　It　always　sounded　like　a　waste　of　time　to　me。　She　might　not　say　Boo　to　a　goose　but　she’d　say　Boo　to　the　world　or　the　Yankee　government　or　anything　else　that　threatened　her　precious　Ashley　or　her　boy　or　her　notions　of　gentility。　Her　way　isn’t　your　way；　Scarlett；　or　my　way。　It’s　the　way　your　mother　would　have　acted　if　she’d　lived。　Melly　puts　me　in　mind　of　your　mother　when　she　was　young。　。。。　And　maybe　she’ll　pull　the　Wilkes　family　through。”
　“Oh；　Melly’s　a　well…meaning　little　ninny。　But　you　are　very　unjust　to　Ashley。　He’s—”
　“Oh；　foot！　Ashley　was　bred　to　read　books　and　nothing　else。　That　doesn’t　help　a　man　pull　himself　out　of　a　tough　fix；　like　we’re　all　in　now。　From　what　I　hear；　he’s　the　worst　plow　hand　in　the　County！　Now　you　just　compare　him　with　my　Alex！　Before　the　war；　Alex　was　the　most　worthless　dandy　in　the　world　and　he　never　had　a　thought　beyond　a　new　cravat　and　getting　drunk　and　shooting　somebody　and　chasing　girls　who　were　no　better　than　they　should　be。　But　look　at　him　now！　He　learned　farming　because　he　had　to　learn。　He’d　have　starved　and　so　would　all　of　us。　Now　he　raises　the　best　cotton　in　the　County—yes；　Miss！　It’s　a　heap　better　than　Tara　cotton！—and　he　knows　what　to　do　with　hogs　and　chickens。　Ha！　He’s　a　fine　boy　for　all　his　bad　temper。　He　knows　how　to　bide　his　time　and　change　with　changing　ways　and　when　all　this　Reconstruction　misery　is　over；　you’re　going　to　see　my　Alex　as　rich　a　man　as　his　father　and　his　grandfather　were。　But　Ashley—”
　Scarlett　was　smarting　at　the　slight　to　Ashley。
　“It　all　sounds　like　tootle　to　me；”　she　said　coldly。
　“Well；　it　shouldn’t；”　said　Grandma；　fastening　a　sharp　eye　upon　her。　“For　it’s　just　exactly　the　course　you’ve　been　following　since　you　went　to　Atlanta。　Oh；　yes！　We　hear　of　your　didoes；　even　if　we　are　buried　down　here　in　the　country。　You’ve　changed　with　the　changing　times　too。　We　hear　how　you　suck　up　to　the　Yankees　and　the　white　trash　and　the　new…rich　Carpetbaggers　to　get　money　out　of　them。　Butter　doesn’t　melt　in　your　mouth　from　all　I　can　hear。　Well；　go　to　it；　I　say。　And　get　every　cent　out　of　them　you　can；　but　when　you’ve　got　enough　money；　kick　them　in　the　face；　because　they　can’t　serve　you　any　longer。　Be　sure　you　do　that　and　do　it　properly；　for　trash　hanging　onto　your　coat　tails　can　ruin　you。”
　Scarlett　looked　at　her；　her　brow　wrinkling　with　the　effort　to　digest　the　words。　They　still　didn’t　make　much　sense　and　she　was　still　angry　at　Ashley　being　called　a　turtle　on　his　back。
　“I　think　you’re　wrong　about　Ashley；”　she　said　abruptly。
　“Scarlett；　you　just　aren’t　smart。”
　“That’s　your　opinion；”　said　Scarlett　rudely；　wishing　it　were　permissible　to　smack　old　ladies’　jaws。
　“Oh；　you’re　smart　enough　about　dollars　and　cents。　That’s　a　man’s　way　of　being　smart。　But　you　aren’t　smart　at　all　like　a　woman。　You　aren’t　a　speck　smart　about　folks。”
　Scarlett’s　eyes　began　to　snap　fire　and　her　hands　to　clench　and　unclench。
　“I’ve　made　you　good　and　mad；　haven’t　I？”　asked　the　old　lady；　smiling。　“Well；　I　aimed　to　do　just　that。”
　“Oh；　you　did；　did　you？　And　why；　pray？”
　“I　had　good　and　plenty　reasons。”
　Grandma　sank　back　in　her　chair　and　Scarlett　suddenly　realized　that　she　looked　very　tired　and　incredibly　old。　The　tiny　clawlike　hands　folded　over　the　fan　were　yellow　and　waxy　as　a　dead　person’s。　The　anger　went　out　of　Scarlett’s　heart　as　a　thought　came　to　her。　She　leaned　over　and　took　one　of　the　hands　in　hers。
　“You’re　a　mighty　sweet　old　liar；”　she　said。　“You　didn’t　mean　a　word　of　all　this　rigmarole。　You’ve　just　been　talking　to　keep　my　mind　off　Pa；　haven’t　you？”
　“Don’t　fiddle　with　me！”　said　Old　Miss　grumpily；　Jerking　away　her　hand。　“Partly　for　that　reason；　partly　because　what　I’ve　been　telling　you　is　the　truth　and　you’re　just　too　stupid　to　realize　it。”
　But　she　smiled　a　little　and　took　the　sting　from　her　words。　Scarlett’s　heart　emptied　itself　of　wrath　about　Ashley。　It　was　nice　to　know　Grandma　hadn’t　meant　any　of　it。
　“Thank　you；　just　the　same。　It　was　nice　of　you　to　talk　to　me—and　I’m　glad　to　know　you’re　with　me　about　Will　and　Suellen；　even　if—even　if　a　lot　of　other　people　do　disapprove。”
　Mrs。　Tarleton　came　down　the　hall；　carrying　two　glasses　of　buttermilk。　She　did　all　domestic　things　badly　and　the　glasses　were　slopping　over。
　“I　had　to　go　clear　to　the　spring　house　to　get　it；”　she　said。　“Drink　it　quick　because　the　folks　are　coming　up　from　the　burying　ground。　Scarlett；　are　you　really　going　to　let　Suellen　marry　Will？　Not　that　he　isn’t　a　sight　too　good　for　her　but　you　know　he　is　a　Cracker　and—”
　Scarlett’s　eyes　met　those　of　Grandma。　There　was　a　wicked　sparkle　in　the　old　eyes　that　found　an　answer　in　her　own。
　
　CHAPTER　XLI
　WHEN　THE　LAST　GOOD…BY　had　been　said　and　the　last　sound　of　wheels　and　hooves　died　away；　Scarlett　went　into　Ellen’s　office　and　removed　a　gleaming　object　from　where　she　had　hidden　it　the　night　before　between　the　yellowed　papers　in　the　pigeon…holes　of　the　secretary。　Hearing　Po