飘

with　him；　even　if　there　was　always　someone　around。　She　had　missed　the　importance　and　activity　of　her　lumber　business　while　she　was　immured。　Of　course；　she　did　not　have　to　work　now。　She　could　easily　sell　the　mills　and　invest　the　money　for　Wade　and　Ella。　But　that　would　mean　she　would　hardly　ever　see　Ashley；　except　in　a　formal　social　way　with　crowds　of　people　around。　And　working　by　Ashley’s　side　was　her　greatest　pleasure。
　When　she　drove　up　to　the　yard　she　saw　with　interest　how　high　the　piles　of　lumber　were　and　how　many　customers　were　standing　among　them；　talking　to　Hugh　Elsing。　And　there　were　six　mule　teams　and　wagons　being　loaded　by　the　negro　drivers。　Six　teams；　she　thought；　with　pride。　And　I　did　all　this　by　myself！
　Ashley　came　to　the　door　of　the　little　office；　his　eyes　joyful　with　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her　again　and　he　handed　her　out　of　her　carriage　and　into　the　office　as　if　she　were　a　queen。
　But　some　of　her　pleasure　was　dimmed　when　she　went　over　the　books　of　his　null　and　compared　them　with　Johnnie　Gallegher’s　books。　Ashley　had　barely　made　expenses　and　Johnnie　had　a　remarkable　sum　to　his　credit。　She　forbore　to　say　anything　as　she　looked　at　the　two　sheets　but　Ashley　read　her　face。
　“Scarlett；　I’m　sorry。　All　I　can　say　is　that　I　wish　you’d　let　me　hire　free　darkies　instead　of　using　convicts。　I　believe　I　could　do　better。”
　“Darkies！　Why；　their　pay　would　break　us。　Convicts　are　dirt　cheap。　If　Johnnie　can　make　this　much　with　them—”
　Ashley’s　eyes　went　over　her　shoulder；　looking　at　something　she　could　not　see；　and　the　glad　light　went　out　of　his　eyes。
　“I　can’t　work　convicts　like　Johnnie　Gallegher。　I　can’t　drive　men。”
　“God’s　nightgown！　Johnnie’s　a　wonder　at　it。　Ashley；　you　are　just　too　soft　hearted。　You　ought　to　get　more　work　out　of　them。　Johnnie　told　me　that　any　time　a　malingerer　wanted　to　get　out　of　work　he　told　you　he　was　sick　and　you　gave　him　a　day　off。　Good　Lord；　Ashley！　That’s　no　way　to　make　money。　A　couple　of　licks　will　cure　most　any　sickness　short　of　a　broken　leg—”
　“Scarlett！　Scarlett！　Stop！　I　can’t　bear　to　hear　you　talk　that　way；”　cried　Ashley；　his　eyes　coming　back　to　her　with　a　fierceness　that　stopped　her　short。　“Don’t　you　realize　that　they　are　men—some　of　them　sick；　underfed；　miserable　and—　Oh；　my　dear；　I　can’t　bear　to　see　the　way　he　has　brutalized　you；　you　who　were　always　so　sweet—”
　“Who　has　whatted　me？”
　“I’ve　got　to　say　it　and　I　haven’t　any　right。　But　I’ve　got　to　say　it　Your—Rhett　Butler。　Everything　he　touches　he　poisons。　And　he　has　taken　you　who　were　so　sweet　and　generous　and　gentle；　for　all　your　spirited　ways；　and　he　has　done　this　to　you—hardened　you；　brutalized　you　by　his　contact。”
　“Oh；”　breathed　Scarlett；　guilt　struggling　with　joy　that　Ashley　should　feel　so　deeply　about　her；　should　still　think　her　sweet。　Thank　God；　he　thought　Rhett　to　blame　for　her　penny…pinching　ways。　Of　course；　Rhett　had　nothing　to　do　with　it　and　the　guilt　was　hers　but；　after　all；　another　black　mark　on　Rhett　could　do　him　no　harm。
　“If　it　were　any　other　man　in　the　world；　I　wouldn’t　care　so　much—but　Rhett　Butler！　I’ve　seen　what　he’s　done　to　you。　Without　your　realizing　it；　he’s　twisted　your　thoughts　into　the　same　hard　path　his　own　run　in。　Oh；　yes；　I　know　I　shouldn’t　say　this—　He　saved　my　life　and　I　am　grateful　but　I　wish　to　God　it　had　been　any　other　man　but　him！　And　I　haven’t　the　right　to　talk　to　you　like—”
　“Oh；　Ashley；　you　have　the　right—no　one　else　has！”
　“I　tell　you　I　can’t　bear　it；　seeing　your　fineness　coarsened　by　him；　knowing　that　your　beauty　and　your　charm　are　in　the　keeping　of　a　man　who—　When　I　think　of　him　touching　you；　I—”
　“He’s　going　to　kiss　me！”　thought　Scarlett　ecstatically。　“And　it　won’t　be　my　fault！”　She　swayed　toward　him。　But　he　drew　back　suddenly；　as　if　realizing　he　had　said　too　much—said　things　he　never　intended　to　say。
　“I　apologize　most　humbly；　Scarlett　I—I’ve　been　insinuating　that　your　husband　is　not　a　gentleman　and　my　own　words　have　proved　that　I’m　not　one。　No　one　has　a　right　to　criticize　a　husband　to　a　wife。　I　haven’t　any　excuse　except—except—”　He　faltered　and　his　face　twisted。　She　waited　breathless。
　“I　haven’t　any　excuse　at　all。”
　All　the　way　home　in　the　carriage　Scarlett’s　mind　raced。　No　excuse　at　all　except—except　that　he　loved　her！　And　the　thought　of　her　lying　in　Rhett’s　arms　roused　a　fury　in　him　that　she　did　not　think　possible。　Well；　she　could　understand　that。　If　it　wasn’t　for　the　knowledge　that　his　relations　with　Melanie　were；　necessarily；　those　of　brother　and　sister；　her　own　life　would　be　a　torment　And　Rhett’s　embraces　coarsened　her；　brutalized　her！　Well；　if　Ashley　thought　that；　she　could　do　very　well　without　those　embraces。　She　thought　how　sweet　and　romantic　it　would　be　for　them　both　to　be　physically　true　to　each　other；　even　though　married　to　other　people。　The　idea　possessed　her　imagination　and　she　took　pleasure　in　it。　And　then；　too；　there　was　the　practical　side　of　it。　It　would　mean　that　she　would　not　have　to　have　any　more　children。
　When　she　reached　home　and　dismissed　the　carriage；　some　of　the　exaltation　which　had　filled　her　at　Ashley’s　words　began　to　fade　as　she　faced　the　prospect　of　telling　Rhett　that　she　wanted　separate　bedrooms　and　all　which　that　implied。　It　would　be　difficult。　Moreover；　how　could　she　tell　Ashley　that　she　had　denied　herself　to　Rhett；　because　of　his　wishes？　What　earthly　good　was　a　sacrifice　if　no　one　knew　about　it？　What　a　burden　modesty　and　delicacy　were！　If　she　could　only　talk　to　Ashley　as　frankly　as　she　could　to　Rhett！　Well；　no　matter。　She’d　insinuate　the　truth　to　Ashley　somehow。
　She　went　up　the　stairs　and；　opening　the　nursery　door；　found　Rhett　sitting　beside　Bonnie’s　crib　with　Ella　upon　his　lap　and　Wade　displaying　the　contents　of　his　pocket　to　him。　What　a　blessing　Rhett　liked　children　and　made　much　of　them！　Some　stepfathers　were　so　bitter　about　children　of　former　marriages。
　“I　want　to　talk　to　you；”　she　said　and　passed　on　into　their　bedroom。　Better　have　this　over　now　while　her　determination　not　to　have　any　more　children　was　hot　within　her　and　while　Ashley’s　love　was　giving　her　strength。
　“Rhett；”　she　said　abruptly　when　he　had　closed　the　bedroom　door　behind　him；　“I’ve　decided　that　I　don’t　want　any　more　children。”
　If　he　was　startled　at　her　unexpected　statement　he　did　not　show　it。　He　lounged　to　a　chair　and　sitting　down；　tilted　it　back。
　“My　pet；　as　I　told　you　before　Bonnie　was　born；　it　is　immaterial　to　me　whether　you　have　one　child　or　twenty。”
　How　perverse　of　him　to　evade　the　issue　so　neatly；　as　if　not　caring　whether　children　came　had　anything　to　do　with　their　actual　arrival。
　“I　think　three　are　enough。　I　don’t　intend　to　have　one　every　year。”
　“Three　seems　an　adequate　number。”
　“You　know　very　well—”　she　began；　embarrassment　making　her　cheeks　red。　“You　know　what　I　mean？”
　“I　do。　Do　you　realize　that　I　can　divorce　you　for　refusing　me　my　marital　rights？”
　“You　are　just　low　enough　to　think　of　something　like　that；”　she　cried；　annoyed　that　nothing　was　going　as　she　planned　it。　“If　you　had　any　chivalry　you’d—you’d　be　nice　like—　Well；　look　at　Ashley　Wilkes。’　Melanie　can’t　have　any　children　and　he—”
　“Quite　the　little　gentleman；　Ashley；”　said　Rhett　and　his　eyes　began　to　gleam　oddly。　“Pray　go　on　with　your　discourse。”
　Scarlett　choked；　for　her　discourse　was　at　its　end　and　she　had　nothing　more　to　say。　Now　she　saw　how　foolish　had　been　her　hope　of　amicably　settling　so　important　a　matter；　especially　with　a　selfish　swine　like　Rhett。
　“You’ve　been　to　the　lumber　office　this　afternoon；　haven’t　you？”
　“What　has　that　to　do　with　it？”
　“You　like　dogs；　don’t　you；　Scarlett？　Do　you　prefer　them　in　kennels　or　mangers？”
　The　allusion　was　lost　on　her　as　the　tide　of　her　anger　and　disappointment　rose。
　He　got　lightly　to　his　feet　and　coming　to　her　put　his　hand　under　her　chin　and　jerked　her　face　up　to　his。
　“What　a　child　you　are！　You　have　lived　with　three　men　and　still　know　nothing　of　men’s　natures。　You　seem　to　think　they　are　like　old　ladies　past　the　change　of　life。”
　He　pinched　her　chin　playfully　and　his　hand　dropped　away　from　her。　One　black　eyebrow　went　up　as　he　bent　a　cool　long　look　on　her。
　“Scarlett；　understand　this。　If　you　and　your　bed　still　held　any　charms　for　me；　no　looks　and　no　entreaties　could　keep　me　away。　And　I　would　have　no　sense　of　shame　for　anything　I　did；　for　I　made　a　bargain　with　you—a　bargain　which　I　have　kept　and　you　are　now　breaking。　Keep　your　chaste　bed；　my　dear。”
　“Do　you　mean　to　tell　me；”　cried　Scarlett　indignantly；　“that　you　don’t　care—”
　“You　have　tired　of　me；　haven’t　you？　Well；　men　tire　more　easily　than　women。　Keep　your　sanctity；　Scarlett。　It　will　work　no　hardship　on　me。　It　doesn’t　matter；”　he　shrugged　and　grinned。　“Fortunately　the　world　is　full　of　beds—and　most　of　the　beds　are　full　of　women。”
　“You　mean　you’d　actually　be　so—”
　“My　dear　innocent！　But；　of　course。　It’s　a　wonder　I　haven’t　strayed　long　ere　this。　I　never　held　fidelity　to　be　a　virtue。”
　“I　shall　lock　my　door　every　night！”
　“Why　bother？　If　I　wanted　you；　no　lock　would　keep　me　out。”
　He　turned；　as　though　the　subject　were　closed；　and　left　the　room。　Scarlett　heard　him　going　back　to　the　nursery　where