飘

　“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　he　was　welcomed　by　the　children。　She　sat　down　abruptly。　She　had　had　her　way。　This　was　what　she　wanted　and　Ashley　wanted。　But　it　was　not　making　her　happy。　Her　vanity　was　sore　and　she　was　mortified　at　the　thought　that　Rhett　had　taken　it　all　so　lightly；　that　he　didn’t　want　her；　that　he　put　her　on　the　level　of　other　women　in　other　beds。
　She　wished　she　could　think　of　some　delicate　way　to　tell　Ashley　that　she　and　Rhett　were　no　longer　actually　man　and　wife。　But　she　knew　now　she　could　not。　It　all　seemed　a　terrible　mess　now　and　she　half　heartedly　wished　she　had　said　nothing　about　it。　She　would　miss　the　long　amusing　conversations　in　bed　with　Rhett　when　the　ember　of　his　cigar　glowed　in　the　dark。　She　would　miss　the　comfort　of　his　arms　when　she　woke　terrified　from　the　dreams　that　she　was　running　through　cold　mist。
　Suddenly　she　felt　very　unhappy　and　leaning　her　head　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　she　cried。
　
　CHAPTER　LII
　ONE　RAINY　AFTERNOON　when　Bonnie　was　barely　past　her　first　birthday；　Wade　moped　about　the　sitting　room；　occasionally　going　to　the　window　and　flattening　his　nose　on　the　dripping　pane。　He　was　a　slender；　weedy　boy；　small　for　his　eight　years；　quiet　almost　to　shyness；　never　speaking　unless　spoken　to。　He　was　bored　and　obviously　at　loss　for　entertainment；　for　Ella　was　busy　in　the　corner　with　her　dolls；　Scarlett　was　at　her　secretary　muttering　to　herself　as　she　added　a　long　column　of　figures；　and　Rhett　was　lying　on　the　floor；　swinging　his　watch　by　its　chain；　just　out　of　Bonnie’s　reach。
　After　Wade　had　picked　up　several　books　and　let　them　drop　with　bangs　and　sighed　deeply；　Scarlett　turned　to　him　in　irritation。
　“Heavens；　Wade！　Run　out　and　play。”
　“I　can’t。　It’s　raining。”
　“Is　it？　I　hadn’t　noticed。　Well；　do　something。　You　make　me　nervous；　fidgeting　about。　Go　tell　Pork　to　hitch　up　the　carriage　and　take　you　over　to　play　with　Beau。”
　“He　isn’t　home；”　sighed　Wade。　“He’s　at　Raoul　Picard’s　birthday　party。”
　Raoul　was　the　small　son　of　Maybelle　and　René　Picard—a　detestable　little　brat；　Scarlett　thought；　more　like　an　ape　than　a　child。
　“Well；　you　can　go　to　see　anyone　you　want　to。　Run　tell　Pork。”
　“Nobody’s　at　home；”　answered　Wade。　“Everybody’s　at　the　party。”
　The　unspoken　words　“everybody—but　me”　hung　in　the　air；　but　Scarlett；　her　mind　on　her　account　books；　paid　no　heed。
　Rhett　raised　himself　to　a　sitting　posture　and　said：　“Why　aren’t　you　at　the　party　too；　son？”
　Wade　edged　closer　to　him；　scuffing　one　foot　and　looking　unhappy。
　“I　wasn’t　invited；　sir。”
　Rhett　handed　his　watch　into　Bonnie’s　destructive　grasp　and　rose　lightly　to　his　feet。
　“Leave　those　damned　figures　alone；　Scarlett。　Why　wasn’t　Wade　invited　to　this　party？”
　“For　Heaven’s　sake；　Rhett！　Don’t　bother　me　now。　Ashley　has　gotten　these　accounts　in　an　awful　snarl—　Oh；　that　party？　Well；　I　think　it’s　nothing　unusual　that　Wade　wasn’t　invited　and　I　wouldn’t　let　him　go　if　he　had　been。　Don’t　forget　that　Raoul　is　Mrs。　Merriwether’s　grandchild　and　Mrs。　Merriwether　would　as　soon　have　a　free　issue　nigger　in　her　sacred　parlor　as　one　of　us。”
　Rhett；　watching　Wade’s　face　with　meditative　eyes；　saw　the　boy　flinch。
　“Come　here；　son；”　he　said；　drawing　the　boy　to　him。　“Would　you　like　to　be　at　that　party？”
　“No；　sir；”　said　Wade　bravely　but　his　eyes　fell。
　“Hum。　Tell　me；　Wade；　do　you　go　to　little　Joe　Whiting’s　parties　or　Frank　Bonnell’s　or—well；　any　of　your　playmates？”
　“No；　sir。　I　don’t　get　invited　to　many　parties。”
　“Wade；　you　are　lying！”　cried　Scarlett；　turning。　“You　went　to　three　last　week；　the　Bart　children’s　party　and　the　Gelerts’　and　the　Hundons’。”
　“As　choice　a　collection　of　mules　in　horse　harness　as　you　could　group　together；”　said　Rhett；　his　voice　going　into　a　soft　drawl。　“Did　you　have　a　good　time　at　those　parties？　Speak　up。”
　“No；　sir。”
　“Why　not？”
　“I—I　dunno；　sir。　Mammy—Mammy　says　they’re　white　trash。”
　“I’ll　skin　Mammy　this　minute！”　cried　Scarlett；　leaping　to　her　feet　“And　as　for　you；　Wade；　talking　so　about　Mother’s　friends—”
　“The　boy’s　telling　the　truth　and　so　is　Mammy；”　said　Rhett。　“But；　of　course；　you’ve　never　been　able　to　know　the　truth　if　you　met　it　in　the　road。　。。。　Don’t　bother；　son。　You　don’t　have　to　go　to　any　more　parties　you　don’t　want　to　go　to。　Here；”　he　pulled　a　bill　from　his　pocket；　“tell　Pork　to　harness　the　carriage　and　take　you　downtown。　Buy　yourself　some　candy—a　lot；　enough　to　give　you　a　wonderful　stomach　ache。”
　Wade；　beaming；　pocketed　the　bill　and　looked　anxiously　toward　his　mother　for　confirmation。　But　she；　with　a　pucker　in　her　brows；　was　watching　Rhett。　He　had　picked　Bonnie　from　the　floor　and　was　cradling　her　to　him；　her　small　face　against　his　cheek。　She　could　not　read　his　face　but　there　was　something　in　his　eyes　almost　like　fear—fear　and　self…accusation。
　Wade；　encouraged　by　his　stepfather’s　generosity；　came　shyly　toward　him。
　“Uncle　Rhett；　can　I　ask　you　sumpin’？”
　“Of　course。”　Rhett’s　look　was　anxious；　absent；　as　he　held　Bonnie’s　head　closer。　“What　is　it；　Wade？”
　“Uncle　Rhett；　were　you—did　you　fight　in　the　war？”
　Rhett’s　eyes　came　alertly　back　and　they　were　sharp；　but　his　voice　was　casual。
　“Why　do　you　ask；　son？”
　“Well；　Joe　Whiting　said　you　didn’t　and　so　did　Frankie　Bonnell。”
　“Ah；”　said　Rhett；　“and　what　did　you　tell　them？”
　Wade　looked　unhappy。
　“I—I　said—I　told　them　I　didn’t　know。”　And　with　a　rush；　“But　I　didn’t　care　and　I　hit　them。　Were　you　in　the　war；　Uncle　Rhett？”
　“Yes；”　said　Rhett；　suddenly　violent　“I　was　in　the　war。　I　was　in　the　army　for　eight　months。　I　fought　all　the　way　from　Lovejoy　up　to　Franklin；　Tennessee。　And　I　was　with　Johnston　when　he　surrendered。”
　Wade　wriggled　with　pride　but　Scarlett　laughed。
　“I　thought　you　were　ashamed　of　your　war　record；”　she　said。　“Didn’t　you　tell　me　to　keep　it　quiet？”
　“Hush；”　he　said　briefly。　“Does　that　satisfy　you；　Wade？”
　“Oh；　yes；　sir！　I　knew　you　were　in　the　war。　I　knew　you　weren’t　scared　like　they　said。　But—why　weren’t　you　with　the　other　little　boys’　fathers？”
　“Because　the　other　little　boys’　fathers　were　such　fools　they　had　to　put　them　in　the　infantry。　I　was　a　West　Pointer　and　so　I　was　in　the　artillery。　In　the　regular　artillery；　Wade；　not　the　Home　Guard。　It　takes　a　pile　of　sense　to　be　in　the　artillery；　Wade。”
　“I　bet；”　said　Wade；　his　face　shining。　“Did　you　get　wounded；　Uncle　Rhett？’
　Rhett　hesitated。
　“Tell　him　about　your　dysentery；”　jeered　Scarlett。
　Rhett　carefully　set　the　baby　on　the　floor　and　pulled　his　shirt　and　undershirt　out　of　his　trouser　band。
　“Come　here；　Wade；　and　I’ll　show　you　where　I　was　wounded。”
　Wade　advanced；　excited；　and　gazed　where　Rhett’s　finger　pointed。　A　long　raised　scar　ran　across　his　brown　chest　and　down　into　his　heavily　muscled　abdomen。　It　was　the　souvenir　of　a　knife　fight　in　the　California　gold　fields　but　Wade　did　not　know　it。　He　breathed　heavily　and　happily。
　“I　guess　you’re　‘bout　as　brave　as　my　father；　Uncle　Rhett。”
　“Almost　but　not　quite；”　said　Rhett；　stuffing　his　shirt　into　his　trousers。　“Now；　go　on　and　spend　your　dollar　and　whale　hell　out　of　any　boy　who　says　I　wasn’t　in　the　army。”
　Wade　went　dancing　out　happily；　calling　to　Pork；　and　Rhett　picked　up　the　baby　again。
　“Now　why　all　these　lies；　my　gallant　soldier　laddie？”　asked　Scarlett。
　“A　boy　has　to　be　proud　of　his　father—or　stepfather。　I　can’t　let　him　be　ashamed　before　the　other　little　brutes。　Cruel　creatures；　children。”
　“Oh；　fiddle…dee…dee！”
　“I　never　thought　about　what　it　meant　to　Wade；”　said　Rhett　slowly。　“I　never　thought　how　he’s　suffered。　And　it’s　not　going　to　be　that　way　for　Bonnie。”
　“What　way？”
　“Do　you　think　I’m　going　to　have　my　Bonnie　ashamed　of　her　father？　Have　her　left　out　of　parties　when　she’s　nine　or　ten？　Do　you　think　I’m　going　to　have　her　humiliated　like　Wade　for　things　that　aren’t　her　fault　but　yours　and　mine？”
　“Oh；　children’s　parties！”
　“Out　of　children’s　parties　grow　young　girls’　début　parties。　Do　you　think　I’m　going　to　let　my　daughter　grow　up　outside　of　everything　decent　in　Atlanta？　I’m　not　going　to　send　her　North　to　school　and　to　visit　because　she　won’t　be　accepted　here　or　in　Charleston　or　Savannah　or　New　Orleans。　And　I’m　not　going　to　see　her　forced　to　marry　a　Yankee　or　a　foreigner　because　no　decent　Southern　family　will　have　her—because　her　mother　was　a　fool　and　her　father　a　blackguard。”
　Wade；　who　had　come　back　to　the　door；　was　an　interested　but　puzzled　listener。
　“Bonnie　can　marry　Beau；　Uncle　Rhett。”
　The　anger　went　from　Rhett’s　face　as　he　turned　to　the　little　boy；　and　he　considered　his　words　with　apparent　seriousness　as　he　always　did　when　dealing　with　the　children。
　“That’s　true；　Wade。　Bonnie　can　marry　Beau　Wilkes；　but　who　will　you　marry？”
　“Oh；　I　shan’t　marry　anyone；”　said　Wade　confidently；　luxuriating　in　a　man…to…man　talk　with　the　one　person；　except　Aunt　Melly；　who　never　reproved　and　always　encouraged　him。　“I’m　going　to　go　to　Harvard　and　be　a　lawyer；　like　my　father；　and　then　I’m　going　to　be　a　brav