飘

use　they　are　of　use　again　and　feel　that　they　are　needed。　And　they　like　this　new　day　that　gives　old　men　another　chance。　But　there　are　plenty　of　people；　young　people；　who　feel　like　my　father　and　your　father。　They　can’t　and　won’t　adjust　and　that　brings　me　to　the　unpleasant　subject　I　want　to　discuss　with　you；　Scarlett。”
　His　sudden　shift　so　disconcerted　her　that　she　stammered：　“What—what—”　and　inwardly　groaned：　“Oh；　Lord！　Now；　it’s　coming。　I　wonder　if　I　can　butter　him　down？”
　“I　shouldn’t　have　expected　either　truth　or　honor　or　fair　dealing　from　you；　knowing　you　as　I　do。　But　foolishly；　I　trusted　you。”
　“I　don’t　know　what　you　mean。”
　“I　think　you　do。　At　any　rate；　you　look　very　guilty。　As　I　was　riding　along　Ivy　Street　a　white　ago；　on　my　way　to　call　on　you；　who　should　hail　me　from　behind　a　hedge　but　Mrs。　Ashley　Wilkes！　Of　course；　I　stopped　and　chatted　with　her。”
　“Indeed？”
　“Yes；　we　had　an　enjoyable　talk。　She　told　me　she　had　always　wanted　to　let　me　know　how　brave　she　thought　I　was　to　have　struck　a　blow　for　the　Confederacy；　even　at　the　eleventh　hour。”
　“Oh；　fiddle…dee…dee！　Melly’s　a　fool。　She　might　have　died　that　night　because　you　acted　so　heroic。”
　“I　imagine　she　would　have　thought　her　life　given　in　a　good　cause。　And　when　I　asked　her　what　she　was　doing　in　Atlanta　she　looked　quite　surprised　at　my　ignorance　and　told　me　that　they　were　living　here　now　and　that　you　had　been　kind　enough　to　make　Mr。　Wilkes　a　partner　in　your　mill。”
　“Well；　what　of　it？”　questioned　Scarlett；　shortly。
　“When　I　lent　you　the　money　to　buy　that　mill　I　made　one　stipulation；　to　which　you　agreed；　and　that　was　that　it　should　not　go　to　the　support　of　Ashley　Wilkes。”
　“You　are　being　very　offensive。　I’ve　paid　you　back　your　money　and　I　own　the　mill　and　what　I　do　with　it　is　my　own　business。”
　“Would　you　mind　telling　me　how　you　made　the　money　to　pay　back　my　loan？”
　“I　made　it　selling　lumber；　of　course。”
　“You　made　it　with　the　money　I　lent　you　to　give　you　your　start。　That’s　what　you　mean。　My　money　is　being　used　to　support　Ashley。　You　are　a　woman　quite　without　honor　and　if　you　hadn’t　repaid　my　loan；　I’d　take　great　pleasure　in　calling　it　in　now　and　selling　you　out　at　public　auction　if　you　couldn’t　pay。”
　He　spoke　lightly　but　there　was　anger　flickering　in　his　eyes。
　Scarlett　hastily　carried　the　warfare　into　the　enemy’s　territory。
　“Why　do　you　hate　Ashley　so　much？　I　believe　you’re　jealous　of　him。”
　After　she　had　spoken　she　could　have　bitten　her　tongue；　for　he　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed　until　she　went　red　with　mortification。
　“Add　conceit　to　dishonor；”　he　said。　“You’ll　never　get　over　being　the　belle　of　the　County；　will　you？　You’ll　always　think　you’re　the　cutest　little　trick　in　shoe　leather　and　that　every　man　you　meet　is　expiring　for　love　of　you。”
　“I　don’t　either！”　she　cried　hotly。　“But　I　just　can’t　see　why　you　hate　Ashley　so　much　and　that’s　the　only　explanation　I　can　think　of。”
　“Well；　think　something　else；　pretty　charmer；　for　that’s　the　wrong　explanation。　And　as　for　hating　Ashley—　I　don’t　hate　him　any　more　than　I　like　him。　In　fact；　my　only　emotion　toward　him　and　his　kind　is　pity。”
　“Pity？”
　“Yes；　and　a　little　contempt。　Now；　swell　up　like　a　gobbler　and　tell　me　that　he　is　worth　a　thousand　blackguards　like　me　and　that　I　shouldn’t　dare　to　be　so　presumptuous　as　to　feel　either　pity　or　contempt　for　him。　And　when　you　have　finished　swelling；　I’ll　tell　you　what　I　mean；　if　you’re　interested。”
　“Well；　I’m　not。”
　“I　shall　tell　you；　just　the　same；　for　I　can’t　bear　for　you　to　go　on　nursing　your　pleasant　delusion　of　my　jealousy。　I　pity　him　because　he　ought　to　be　dead　and　he　isn’t。　And　I　have　a　contempt　for　him　because　he　doesn’t　know　what　to　do　with　himself　now　that　his　world　is　gone。”
　There　was　something　familiar　in　the　idea　he　expressed。　She　had　a　confused　memory　of　having　beard　similar　words　but　she　could　not　remember　when　and　where。　She　did　not　think　very　hard　about　it　for　her　anger　was　hot。
　“If　you　had　your　way　all　the　decent　men　in　the　South　would　be　dead！”
　“And　if　they　had　their　way；　I　think　Ashley’s　kind　would　prefer　to　be　dead。　Dead　with　neat　stones　above　them；　saying：　‘Here　lies　a　soldier　of　the　Confederacy；　dead　for　the　Southland’　or　‘Dulce　et　decorum　est—‘　or　any　of　the　other　popular　epitaphs。”
　“I　don’t　see　why！”
　“You　never　see　anything　that　isn’t　written　in　letters　a　foot　high　and　then　shoved　under　your　nose；　do　you？　If　they　were　dead；　their　troubles　would　be　over；　there’d　be　no　problems　to　face；　problems　that　have　no　solutions。　Moreover；　their　families　would　be　proud　of　them　through　countless　generations。　And　I’ve　heard　the　dead　are　happy。　Do　you　suppose　Ashley　Wilkes　is　happy？”
　“Why；　of　course—”　she　began　and　then　she　remembered　the　look　in　Ashley’s　eyes　recently　and　stopped。
　“Is　he　happy　or　Hugh　Elsing　or　Dr。　Meade？　Any　more　than　my　father　and　your　father　were　happy？”
　“Well；　perhaps　not　as　happy　as　they　might　be；　because　they’ve　all　lost　their　money。”
　He　laughed。
　“It　isn’t　losing　their　money；　my　pet。　I　tell　you　it’s　losing　their　world—the　world　they　were　raised　in。　They’re　like　fish　out　of　water　or　cats　with　wings。　They　were　raised　to　be　certain　persons；　to　do　certain　things；　to　occupy　certain　niches。　And　those　persons　and　things　and　niches　disappeared　forever　when　General　Lee　arrived　at　Appomattox。　Oh；　Scarlett；　don’t　look　so　stupid！　What　is　there　for　Ashley　Wilkes　to　do；　now　that　his　home　is　gone　and　his　plantation　taken　up　for　taxes　and　fine　gentlemen　are　going　twenty　for　a　penny？　Can　he　work　with　his　head　or　his　hands？　I’ll　bet　you’ve　lost　money　hand　over　fist　since　he　took　over　that　mill。”
　“I　have　not！”
　“How　nice。　May　I　look　over　your　books　some　Sunday　evening　when　you　are　at　leisure？”
　“You　can　go　to　the　devil　and　not　at　your　leisure。　You　can　go　now；　for　all　I　care。”
　“My　pet；　I’ve　been　to　the　devil　and　he’s　a　very　dull　fellow。　I　won’t　go　there　again；　even　for　you。　。。。　You　took　my　money　when　you　needed　it　desperately　and　you　used　it。　We　had　an　agreement　as　to　how　it　should　be　used　and　you　have　broken　that　agreement。　Just　remember；　my　precious　little　cheat；　the　time　will　come　when　you　win　want　to　borrow　more　money　from　me。　You’ll　want　me　to　bank　you；　at　some　incredibly　low　interest；　so　you　can　buy　more　mills　and　more　mules　and　build　more　saloons。　And　you　can　whistle　for　the　money。”
　“When　I　need　money　I’ll　borrow　it　from　the　bank；　thank　you；”　she　said　coldly；　but　her　breast　was　heaving　with　rage。
　“Will　you？　Try　to　do　it。　I　own　plenty　of　stock　in　the　bank。”
　“You　do？”
　“Yes；　I　am　interested　in　some　honest　enterprises。”
　“There　are　other　banks—”
　“Plenty　of　them。　And　if　I　can　manage　it；　you’ll　play　hell　getting　a　cent　from　any　of　them。　You　can　go　to　the　Carpetbag　usurers　if　you　want　money。”
　“I’ll　go　to　them　with　pleasure。”
　“You’ll　go　but　with　little　pleasure　when　you　learn　their　rates　of　interest。　My　pretty；　there　are　penalties　in　the　business　world　for　crooked　dealing。　You　should　have　played　straight　with　me。”
　“You’re　a　fine　man；　aren’t　you？　So　rich　and　powerful　yet　picking　on　people　who　are　down；　like　Ashley　and　me！”
　“Don’t　put　yourself　in　his　class。　You　aren’t　down。　Nothing　will　down　you。　But　he　is　down　and　he’ll　stay　there　unless　there’s　some　energetic　person　behind　him；　guiding　and　protecting　him　as　long　as　he　lives。　I’m　of　no　mind　to　have　my　money　used　for　the　benefit　of　such　a　person。”
　“You　didn’t　mind　helping　me　and　I　was　down　and—”
　“You　were　a　good　risk；　my　dear；　an　interesting　risk。　Why？　Because　you　didn’t　plump　yourself　down　on　your　male　relatives　and　sob　for　the　old　days。　You　got　out　and　hustled　and　now　your　fortunes　are　firmly　planted　on　money　stolen　from　a　dead　man’s　wallet　and　money　stolen　from　the　Confederacy。　You’ve　got　murder　to　your　credit；　and　husband　stealing；　attempted　fornication；　lying　and　sharp　dealing　and　any　amount　of　chicanery　that　won’t　bear　close　inspection。　Admirable　things；　all　of　them。　They　show　you　to　be　a　person　of　energy　and　determination　and　a　good　money　risk。　It’s　entertaining；　helping　people　who　help　themselves。　I’d　lend　ten　thousand　dollars　without　even　a　note　to　that　old　Roman　matron；　Mrs。　Merriwether。　She　started　with　a　basket　of　pies　and　look　at　her　now！　A　bakery　employing　half　a　dozen　people；　old　Grandpa　happy　with　his　delivery　wagon　and　that　lazy　little　Creole；　René；　working　hard　and　liking　it。　。。。　Or　that　poor　devil；　Tommy　Wellburn；　who　does　two　men’s　work　with　half　a　man’s　body　and　does　it　well　or—well；　I　won’t　go　on　and　bore　you。”
　“You　do　bore　me。　You　bore　me　to　distraction；”　said　Scarlett　coldly；　hoping　to　annoy　him　and　divert　him　from　the　ever…unfortunate　subject　of　Ashley。　But　he　only　laughed　shortly　and　refused　to　take　up　the　gauntlet。
　“People　like　them　are　worth　helping。　But　Ashley　Wilkes—bah！　His　breed　is　of　no　use　or　value　in　an　upside…down　world　like　ours。　Whenever　the　world　up…ends；　his　kind　is　the　first　to　perish。　And　why　not？　They　don’t　deserve　to　survive　because　they　won’t　fight—don’t　know　how　to　fight。　This　isn’t　the　first　time　the　world’s　been　upside　down　and　it　won’t　be　the　last。　It’s　happened　before　and　it’l