飘

waist；　showed　a　brown　chest　covered　with　thick　black　hair。　Scarlett；　still　shaking　with　fright；　thought　how　strong　and　unyielding　that　chest　was；　and　she　whispered：　“Hold　me；　Rhett。”
　“Darling！”　he　said　swiftly；　and　picking　her　up　he　sat　down　in　a　large　chair；　cradling　her　body　against　him。
　“Oh；　Rhett；　it’s　awful　to　be　hungry。”
　“It　must　be　awful　to　dream　of　starvation　after　a　seven…course　dinner　including　that　enormous　crawfish。”　He　smiled　but　his　eyes　were　kind。
　“Oh；　Rhett；　I　just　run　and　run　and　hunt　and　I　can’t　ever　find　what　it　is　I’m　hunting　for。　It’s　always　hidden　in　the　mist。　I　know　if　I　could　find　it；　I’d　be　safe　forever　and　ever　and　never　be　cold　or　hungry　again。”
　“Is　it　a　person　or　a　thing　you’re　hunting？”
　“I　don’t　know。　I　never　thought　about　it。　Rhett；　do　you　think　I’ll　ever　dream　that　I　get　there　to　safety？”
　“No；”　he　said；　smoothing　her　tumbled　hair；　“I　don’t。　Dreams　aren’t　like　that。　But　I　do　think　that　if　you　get　used　to　being　safe　and　warm　and　well　fed　in　your　everyday　life；　you’ll　stop　dreaming　that　dream。　And；　Scarlett；　I’m　going　to　see　that　you　are　safe。”
　“Rhett；　you　are　so　nice。”
　“Thanks　for　the　crumbs　from　your　table；　Mrs。　Dives。　Scarlett；　I　want　you　to　say　to　yourself　every　morning　when　you　wake　up：　‘I　can’t　ever　be　hungry　again　and　nothing　can　ever　touch　me　so　long　as　Rhett　is　here　and　the　United　States　government　holds　out。”
　“The　United　States　government？”　she　questioned；　sitting　up；　startled；　tears　still　on　her　cheeks。
　“The　ex…Confederate　money　has　now　become　an　honest　woman。　I　invested　most　of　it　in　government　bonds。”
　“God’s　nightgown！”　cried　Scarlett；　sitting　up　in　his　lap；　forgetful　of　her　recent　terror。　“Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　you’ve　loaned　your　money　to　the　Yankees？”
　“At　a　fair　per　cent。”
　“I　don’t　care　if　it’s　a　hundred　percent！　You　must　sell　them　immediately。　The　idea　of　letting　the　Yankees　have　the　use　of　your　money！”
　“And　what　must　I　do　with　it？”　he　questioned　with　a　smile；　noting　that　her　eyes　were　no　longer　wide　with　fright。
　“Why—why　buy　property　at　Five　Points。　I’ll　bet　you　could　buy　all　of　Five　Points　with　the　money　you　have。”
　“Thank　you；　but　I　wouldn’t　have　Five　Points。　Now　that　the　Carpetbagger　government　has　really　gotten　control　of　Georgia；　there’s　no　telling　what　may　happen；　I　wouldn’t　put　anything　beyond　the　swarm　of　buzzards　that’s　swooping　down　on　Georgia　now　from　north；　east；　south　and　west。　I’m　playing　along　with　them；　you　understand；　as　a　good　Scalawag　should　do；　but　I　don’t　trust　them。　And　I’m　not　putting　my　money　in　real　estate。　I　prefer　bonds。　You　can　hide　them。　You　can’t　hide　real　estate　very　easily。”
　“Do　you　think—”　she　began；　paling　as　she　thought　of　the　mills　and　store。
　“I　don’t　know。　But　don’t　look　so　frightened；　Scarlett。　Our　charming　new　governor　is　a　good　friend　of　mine。　It’s　just　that　times　are　too　uncertain　now　and　I　don’t　want　much　of　my　money　tied　up　in　real　estate。”
　He　shifted　her　to　one　knee　and；　leaning　back；　reached　for　a　cigar　and　lit　it。　She　sat　with　her　bare　feet　dangling；　watching　the　play　of　muscles　on　his　brown　chest；　her　terrors　forgotten。
　“And　while　we　are　on　the　subject　of　real　estate；　Scarlett；”　he　said；　“I　am　going　to　build　a　house。　You　might　have　bullied　Frank　into　living　in　Miss　Pitty’s　house；　but　not　me。　I　don’t　believe　I　could　bear　her　vaporings　three　times　a　day　and；　moreover；　I　believe　Uncle　Peter　would　assassinate　me　before　he　would　let　me　live　under　the　sacred　Hamilton　roof。　Miss　Pitty　can　get　Miss　India　Wilkes　to　stay　with　her　and　keep　the　bogyman　away。　When　we　get　back　to　Atlanta　we　are　going　to　stay　in　the　bridal　suite　of　the　National　Hotel　until　our　house　is　finished。　Before　we　left　Atlanta　I　was　dickering　for　that　big　lot　on　Peachtree；　the　one　near　the　Leyden　house。　You　know　the　one　I　mean？”
　“Oh；　Rhett；　how　lovely！　I　do　so　want　a　house　of　my　own。　A　great　big　one！”
　“Then　at　last　we　are　agreed　on　something。　What　about　a　white　stucco　with　wrought…iron　work　like　these　Creole　houses　here？”
　“Oh；　no；　Rhett。　Not　anything　old　fashioned　like　these　New　Orleans　houses。　I　know　just　what　I　want。　It’s　the　newest　thing　because　I　saw　a　picture　of　it　in—let　me　see—it　was　in　that　Harper’s　Weekly　I　was　looking　at。　It　was　modeled　after　a　Swiss　chalet。”
　“A　Swiss　what？”
　“A　chalet。”
　“Spell　it。”
　She　complied。
　“Oh；”　he　said　and　stroked　his　mustache。
　“It　was　lovely。　It　had　a　high　mansard　roof　with　a　picket　fence　on　top　and　a　tower　made　of　fancy　shingles　at　each　end。　And　the　towers　had　windows　with　red　and　blue　glass　in　them。　It　was　so　stylish　looking。”
　“I　suppose　it　had　jigsaw　work　on　the　porch　banisters？”
　“Yes。”
　“And　a　fringe　of　wooden　scrollwork　hanging　from　the　roof　of　the　porch？”
　“Yes。　You　must　have　seen　one　like　it。”
　“I　have—but　not　in　Switzerland。　The　Swiss　are　a　very　intelligent　race　and　keenly　alive　to　architectural　beauty。　Do　you　really　want　a　house　like　that？”
　“Oh；　yes！”
　“I　had　hoped　that　association　with　me　might　Improve　your　taste。　Why　not　a　Creole　house　or　a　Colonial　with　six　white　columns？”
　“I　tell　you　I　don’t　want　anything　tacky　and　old…fashioned　looking。　And　inside　let’s　have　red　wall　paper　and　red　velvet　portieres　over　all　the　folding　doors　and　oh；　lots　of　expensive　walnut　furniture　and　grand　thick　carpets　and—oh；　Rhett；　everybody　will　be　pea　green　when　they　see　our　house！”
　“It　is　very　necessary　that　everyone　shall　be　envious？　Well；　if　you　like　they　shall　be　green。　But　Scarlett；　has　it　occurred　to　you　that　it’s　hardly　in　good　taste　to　furnish　the　house　on　so　lavish　a　scale　when　everyone　is　so　poor？”
　“I　want　it　that　way；”　she　said　obstinately。　“I　want　to　make　everybody　who’s　been　mean　to　me　feel　bad。　And　we’ll　give　big　receptions　that’ll　make　the　whole　town　wish　they　hadn’t　said　such　nasty　things。”
　“But　who　will　come　to　our　receptions？”
　“Why；　everybody；　of　course。”
　“I　doubt　it。　The　Old　Guard　dies　but　it　never　surrenders。”
　“Oh；　Rhett；　how　you　run　on！　If　you’ve　got　money；　people　always　like　you。”
　“Not　Southerners。　It’s　harder　for　speculators’　money　to　get　into　the　best　parlors　than　for　the　camel　to　go　through　the　needle’s　eye。　And　as　for　Scalawags—that’s　you　and　me；　my　pet—we’ll　be　lucky　if　we　aren’t　spit　upon。　But　if　you’d　like　to　try；　I’ll　back　you；　my　dear；　and　I’m　sure　I　shall　enjoy　your　campaign　intensely。　And　while　we　are　on　the　subject　of　money；　let　me　make　this　clear　to　you。　You　can　have　all　the　cash　you　want　for　the　house　and　all　you　want　for　your　fal…lals。　And　if　you　like　jewelry；　you　can　have　it　but　I’m　going　to　pick　it　out。　You　have　such　execrable　taste；　my　pet。　And　anything　you　want　for　Wade　or　Ella。　And　if　Will　Benteen　can’t　make　a　go　of　the　cotton；　I’m　willing　to　chip　in　and　help　out　on　that　white　elephant　in　Clayton　County　that　you　love　so　much。　That’s　fair　enough；　isn’t　it？”
　“Of　course。　You’re　very　generous。”
　“But　listen　closely。　Not　one　cent　for　the　store　and　not　one　cent　for　that　kindling　factory　of　yours。”
　“Oh；”　said　Scarlett；　her　face　falling。　All　during　the　honeymoon　she　had　been　thinking　how　she　could　bring　up　the　subject　of　the　thousand　dollars　she　needed　to　buy　fifty　feet　more　of　land　to　enlarge　her　lumber　yard。
　“I　thought　you　always　bragged　about　being　broad　minded　and　not　caring　what　people　said　about　my　running　a　business；　and　you’re　just　like　every　other　man—so　afraid　people　will　say　I　wear　the　pants　in　the　family。”
　“There’s　never　going　to　be　any　doubt　in　anybody’s　mind　about　who　wears　the　pants　in　the　Butler　family；”　drawled　Rhett。　“I　don’t　care　what　fools　say。　In　fact；　I’m　ill　bred　enough　to　be　proud　of　having　a　smart　wife。　I　want　you　to　keep　on　running　the　store　and　the　mills。　They　are　your　children’s。　When　Wade　grows　up　he　won’t　feel　right　about　being　supported　by　his　stepfather；　and　then　he　can　take　over　the　management。　But　not　one　cent　of　mine　goes　into　either　business。”
　“Why？”
　“Because　I　don’t　care　to　contribute　to　the　support　of　Ashley　Wilkes。”
　“Are　you　going　to　begin　that　again？”
　“No。　But　you　asked　my　reasons　and　I　have　given　them。　And　another　thing。　Don’t　think　you　can　juggle　books　on　me　and　lie　about　how　much　your　clothes　cost　and　how　much　it　takes　to　run　the　house；　so　that　you　can　use　the　money　to　buy　more　mules　or　another　mill　for　Ashley。　I　intend　to　look　over　and　carefully　check　your　expenditures　and　I　know　what　things　cost。　Oh；　don’t　get　insulted。　You’d　do　it。　I　wouldn’t　put　it　beyond　you。　In　fact；　I　wouldn’t　put　anything　beyond　you　where　either　Tara　or　Ashley　is　concerned。　I　don’t　mind　Tara。　But　I　must　draw　the　line　at　Ashley。　I’m　riding　you　with　a　slack　rein；　my　pet；　but　don’t　forget　that　I’m　riding　with　curb　and　spurs　just　the　same。”
　
　CHAPTER　XLIX
　MRS。　ELSING　cocked　her　ear　toward　the　hall。　Hearing　Melanie’s　steps　die　away　into　the　kitchen　where　rattling　dishes　and　clinking　silverware　gave　promise　of　refreshments；　she　turned　and　spoke　softly　to　the　ladies　who　sat　in　a　circle　in　the　parlor；　their　sewing　baskets　in　their　laps。
　“Personally；　I　do　not　intend　to　call　on　Scarlett　now　or　ever；”　she　said；　the　chill　elegance　of　her　face　colder　than　usual。
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