飘

　another　squad　about　Aunt　Pitty’s　house；　waiting　for　Frank。
　Before　dawn　the　news　had　trickled　about　that　the　military　inquiry　would　take　place　that　day。　The　townspeople；　heavy　eyed　from　sleeplessness　and　anxious　waiting；　knew　that　the　safety　of　some　of　their　most　prominent　citizens　rested　on　three　things—the　ability　of　Ashley　Wilkes　to　stand　on　his　feet　and　appear　before　the　military　board；　as　though　he　suffered　nothing　more　serious　than　a　morning…after　headache；　the　word　of　Belle　Watling　that　these　men　had　been　in　her　house　all　evening　and　the　word　of　Rhett　Butler　that　he　had　been　with　them。
　The　town　writhed　at　these　last　two！　Belle　Watling！　To　owe　their　men’s　lives　to　her！　It　was　intolerable！　Women　who　had　ostentatiously　crossed　the　street　when　they　saw　Belle　coming；　wondered　if　she　remembered　and　trembled　for　fear　she　did。　The　men　felt　less　humiliation　at　taking　their　lives　from　Belle　than　the　women　did；　for　many　of　them　thought　her　a　good　sort。　But　they　were　stung　that　they　must　owe　lives　and　freedom　to　Rhett　Butler；　a　speculator　and　a　Scalawag。　Belle　and　Rhett；　the　town’s　best…known　fancy　woman　and　the　town’s　most　hated　man。　And　they　must　be　under　obligation　to　them。
　Another　thought　that　stung　them　to　impotent　wrath　was　the　knowledge　that　the　Yankees　and　Carpetbaggers　would　laugh。　Oh；　how　they　would　laugh！　Twelve　of　the　town’s　most　prominent　citizens　revealed　as　habitual　frequenters　of　Belle　Watling’s　sporting　house！　Two　of　them　killed　in　a　fight　over　a　cheap　little　girl；　others　ejected　from　the　place　as　too　drunk　to　be　tolerated　even　by　Belle　and　some　under　arrest；　refusing　to　admit　they　were　there　when　everyone　knew　they　were　there！
　Atlanta　was　right　in　fearing　that　the　Yankees　would　laugh。　They　had　squirmed　too　long　beneath　Southern　coldness　and　contempt　and　now　they　exploded　with　hilarity。　Officers　woke　comrades　and　retailed　the　news。　Husbands　roused　wives　at　dawn　and　told　them　as　much　as　could　be　decently　told　to　women。　And　the　women；　dressing　hastily；　knocked　on　their　neighbors’　doors　and　spread　the　story。　The　Yankee　ladies　were　charmed　with　it　all　and　laughed　until　tears　ran　down　their　faces。　This　was　Southern　chivalry　and　gallantry　for　you！　Maybe　those　women　who　carried　their　heads　so　high　and　snubbed　all　attempts　at　friendliness　wouldn’t　be　so　uppity；　now　that　everyone　knew　where　their　husbands　spent　their　time　when　they　were　supposed　to　be　at　political　meetings。　Political　meetings！　Well；　that　was　funny！
　But　even　as　they　laughed；　they　expressed　regret　for　Scarlett　and　her　tragedy。　After　all；　Scarlett　was　a　lady　and　one　of　the　few　ladies　in　Atlanta　who　were　nice　to　Yankees。　She　had　already　won　their　sympathy　by　the　fact　that　she　had　to　work　because　her　husband　couldn’t　or　wouldn’t　support　her　properly。　Even　though　her　husband　was　a　sorry　one；　it　was　dreadful　that　the　poor　thing　should　discover　he　had　been　untrue　to　her。　And　it　was　doubly　dreadful　that　his　death　should　occur　simultaneously　with　the　discovery　of　his　infidelity。　After　all；　a　poor　husband　was　better　than　no　husband　at　all；　and　the　Yankee　ladies　decided　they’d　be　extra　nice　to　Scarlett　But　the　others；　Mrs。　Meade；　Mrs。　Merriwether；　Mrs。　Elsing；　Tommy　Wellburn’s　widow　and　most　of　all；　Mrs。　Ashley　Wilkes；　they’d　laugh　in　their　faces　every　time　they　saw　them。　That　would　teach　them　a　little　courtesy。
　Much　of　the　whispering　that　went　on　in　the　dark　rooms　on　the　north　side　of　town　that　night　was　on　this　same　subject。　Atlanta　ladies　vehemently　told　their　husbands　that　they　did　not　care　a　rap　what　the　Yankees　thought。　But　inwardly　they　felt　that　running　an　Indian　gantlet　would　be　infinitely　preferable　to　suffering　the　ordeal　of　Yankee　grins　and　not　being　able　to　tell　the　truth　about　their　husbands。
　Dr。　Meade；　beside　himself　with　outraged　dignity　at　the　position　into　which　Rhett　had　jockeyed　him　and　the　others；　told　Mrs。　Meade　that；　but　for　the　fact　that　it　would　implicate　the　others；　he　would　rather　confess　and　be　hanged　than　say　he　had　been　at　Belle’s　house。
　“It　is　an　insult　to　you；　Mrs。　Meade；”　he　fumed。
　“But　everyone　will　know　you　weren’t　there　for—for—”
　“The　Yankees　won’t　know。　They’ll　have　to　believe　it　if　we　save　our　necks。　And　they’ll　laugh。　The　very　thought　that　anyone　will　believe　it　and　laugh　infuriates　me。　And　it　insults　you　because—my　dear；　I　have　always　been　faithful　to　you。”
　“I　know　that；”　and　in　the　darkness　Mrs。　Meade　smiled　and　slipped　a　thin　hand　into　the　doctor’s。　“But　I’d　rather　it　were　really　true　than　have　one　hair　of　your　head　in　danger。”
　“Mrs。　Meade；　do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？”　cried　the　doctor；　aghast　at　the　unsuspected　realism　of　his　wife。”
　“Yes；　I　know。　I’ve　lost　Darcy　and　I’ve　lost　Phil　and　you　are　all　I　have　and；　rather　than　lose　you；　I’d　have　you　take　up　your　permanent　abode　at　that　place。”
　“You　are　distrait！　You　cannot　know　what　you　are　saying。”
　“You　old　fool；”　said　Mrs。　Meade　tenderly　and　laid　her　head　against　his　sleeve。
　Dr。　Meade　fumed　into　silence　and　stroked　her　cheek　and　then　exploded　again。　“And　to　be　under　obligation　to　that　Butler　man！　Hanging　would　be　easy　compared　to　that。　No；　not　even　if　I　owe　him　my　life；　can　I　be　polite　to　him。　His　insolence　is　monumental　and　his　shamelessness　about　his　profiteering　makes　me　boil。　To　owe　my　life　to　a　man　who　never　went　in　the　army—”
　“Melly　said　he　enlisted　after　Atlanta　fell。”
　“It’s　a　lie。　Miss　Melly　will　believe　any　plausible　scoundrel。　And　what　I　can’t　understand　is　why　he　is　doing　all　this—going　to　all　this　trouble。　I　hate　to　say　it　but—well；　there’s　always　been　talk　about　him　and　Mrs。　Kennedy。　I’ve　seen　them　coming　in　from　rides　together　too　often　this　last　year。　He　must　have　done　it　because　of　her。”
　“If　it　was　because　of　Scarlett；　he　wouldn’t　have　lifted　his　hand。　He’d　have　been　glad　to　see　Frank　Kennedy　hanged。　I　think　it’s　because　of　Melly—”
　“Mrs。　Meade；　you　can’t　be　insinuating　that　there’s　ever　been　anything　between　those　two！”
　“Oh；　don’t　be　silly！　But　she’s　always　been　unaccountably　fond　of　him　ever　since　he　tried　to　get　Ashley　exchanged　during　the　war。　And　I　must　say　this　for　him；　he　never　smiles　in　that　nasty…nice　way　when　he’s　with　her。　He’s　just　as　pleasant　and　thoughtful　as　can　be—really　a　different　man。　You　can　tell　by　the　way　he　acts　with　Melly　that　he　could　be　decent　if　he　wanted　to。　Now；　my　idea　of　why　he’s　doing　all　this　is—”　She　paused。　“Doctor；　you　won’t　like　my　idea。”
　“I　don’t　like　anything　about　this　whole　affair！”
　“Well；　I　think　he　did　it　partly　for　Melly’s　sake　but　mostly　because　he　thought　it　would　be　a　huge　joke　on　us　all。　We’ve　hated　him　so　much　and　showed　it　so　plainly　and　now　he’s　got　us　in　a　fix　where　all　of　you　have　your　choice　of　saying　you　were　at　that　Watling　woman’s　house　and　shaming　yourself　and　wives　before　the　Yankees—or　telling　the　truth　and　getting　hanged。　And　he　knows　we’ll　all　be　under　obligation　to　him　and　his—mistress　and　that　we’d　almost　rather　be　hanged　than　be　obliged　to　them。　Oh；　I’ll　wager　he’s　enjoying　it。”
　The　doctor　groaned。　“He　did　look　amused　when　he　took　us　upstairs　in　that　place。”
　“Doctor；”　Mrs。　Meade　hesitated；　“what　did　it　look　like？”
　“What　are　you　saying；　Mrs。　Meade？”
　“Her　house。　What　did　it　look　like？　Are　there　cut…glass　chandeliers？　And　red　plush　curtains　and　dozens　of　full…length　gilt　mirrors？　And　were　the　girls—were　they　unclothed？”
　“Good　God！”　cried　the　doctor；　thunderstruck；　for　it　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　the　curiosity　of　a　chaste　woman　concerning　her　unchaste　sisters　was　so　devouring。　“How　can　you　ask　such　immodest　questions？　You　are　not　yourself。　I　will　mix　you　a　sedative。”
　“I　don’t　want　a　sedative。　I　want　to　know。　Oh；　dear；　this　is　my　only　chance　to　know　what　a　bad　house　looks　like　and　now　you　are　mean　enough　not　to　tell　me！”
　“I　noticed　nothing。　I　assure　you　I　was　too　embarrassed　at　finding　myself　in　such　a　place　to　take　note　of　my　surroundings；”　said　the　doctor　formally；　more　upset　at　this　unsuspected　revelation　of　his　wife’s　character　than　he　had　been　by　all　the　previous　events　of　the　evening。　“If　you　will　excuse　me　now；　I　will　try　to　get　some　sleep。”
　“Well；　go　to　sleep　then；”　she　answered；　disappointment　in　her　tones。　Then　as　the　doctor　leaned　over　to　remove　his　boots；　her　voice　spoke　from　the　darkness　with　renewed　cheerfulness。　“I　imagine　Dolly　has　gotten　it　all　out　of　old　man　Merriwether　and　she　can　tell　me　about　it。”
　“Good　Heavens；　Mrs。　Meade！　Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　nice　women　talk　about　such　things　among　them—”
　“Oh；　go　to　bed；”　said　Mrs。　Meade。
　
　It　sleeted　the　next　day；　but　as　the　wintry　twilight　drew　on　the　icy　particles　stopped　falling　and　a　cold　wind　blew。　Wrapped　in　her　cloak；　Melanie　went　bewilderedly　down　her　front　walk　behind　a　strange　negro　coachman；　who　had　summoned　her　mysteriously　to　a　closed　carriage　waiting　in　front　of　the　house。　As　she　came　up　to　the　carriage　the　door　was　opened　and　she　saw　a　woman　in　the　dim　ulterior。
　Leaning　closer；　peering　inside；　Melanie　questioned：　“Who　is　it？　Won’t　you　come　in　the　house？　It’s　so　cold—”
　“Please　come　in　here　and　set　with　me　a　minute；　Miz　Wilkes；”　came　a　faintly　familiar　voice；　an　embarrassed　voice　from　the　dep