飘

　“Oh；　are　you　going　to　the　lumber　yard？”　asked　Melanie。　“Ashley　is　coming　in　to　the　yard　in　the　late　afternoon　to　see　Hugh。　Can　you　possibly　hold　him　there　till　five　o’clock？　If　he　comes　home　earlier　he’ll　be　sure　to　catch　us　finishing　up　a　cake　or　something　and　then　he　won’t　be　surprised　at　all。”
　Scarlett　smiled　inwardly；　good　temper　restored。
　“Yes；　I’ll　hold　him；”　she　said。
　As　she　spoke；　India’s　pale　lashless　eyes　met　hers　piercingly。　She　always　looks　at　me　so　oddly　when　I　speak　of　Ashley；　thought　Scarlett。
　“Well；　hold　him　there　as　long　as　you　can　after　five　o’clock；”　said　Melanie。　“And　then　India　will　drive　down　and　pick　him　up。　。。。　Scarlett；　do　come　early　tonight。　I　don’t　want　you　to　miss　a　minute　of　the　reception。”
　As　Scarlett　rode　home　she　thought　sullenly：　“She　doesn’t　want　me　to　miss　a　minute　of　the　reception；　eh？　Well　then；　why　didn’t　she　invite　me　to　receive　with　her　and　India　and　Aunt　Pitty？”
　Generally；　Scarlett　would　not　have　cared　whether　she　received　at　Melly’s　piddling　parties　or　not。　But　this　was　the　largest　party　Melanie　had　ever　given　and　Ashley’s　birthday　party　too；　and　Scarlett　longed　to　stand　by　Ash…ley’s　side　and　receive　with　him。　But　she　knew　why　she　had　not　been　invited　to　receive。　Even　had　she　not　known　it；　Rhett’s　comment　on　the　subject　had　been　frank　enough。
　“A　Scalawag　receive　when　all　die　prominent　ex…Confederates　and　Democrats　are　going　to　be　there？　Your　notions　are　as　enchanting　as　they　are　muddle　headed。　It’s　only　because　of　Miss　Melly’s　loyalty　that　you　are　invited　at　all。”
　Scarlett　dressed　with　more　than　usual　care　that　afternoon　for　her　trip　to　the　store　and　the　lumber　yard；　wearing　the　new　dull…green　changeable　taffeta　frock　that　looked　lilac　in　some　lights　and　the　new　pale…green　bonnet；　circled　about　with　dark…green　plumes。　If　only　Rhett　would　let　her　cut　bangs　and　frizzle　them　on　her　forehead；　how　much　better　this　bonnet　would　look！　But　he　had　declared　that　he　would　shave　her　whole　head　if　she　banged　her　forelocks。　And　these　days　he　acted　so　atrociously　he　really　might　do　it。
　It　was　a　lovely　afternoon；　sunny　but　not　too　hot；　bright　but　not　glaring；　and　the　warm　breeze　that　rustled　the　trees　along　Peachtree　Street　made　the　plumes　on　Scarlett’s　bonnet　dance。　Her　heart　danced　too；　as　always　when　she　was　going　to　see　Ashley。　Perhaps；　if　she　paid　off　the　team　drivers　and　Hugh　early；　they　would　go　home　and　leave　her　and　Ashley　alone　in　the　square　little　office　in　the　middle　of　the　lumber　yard。　Chances　to　see　Ashley　alone　were　all　too　infrequent　these　days。　And　to　think　that　Melanie　had　asked　her　to　hold　him！　That　was　funny！
　Her　heart　was　merry　when　she　reached　the　store；　and　she　paid　off　Willie　and　the　other　counter　boys　without　even　asking　what　the　day’s　business　had　been。　It　was　Saturday；　the　biggest　day　of　the　week　for　the　store；　for　all　the　farmers　came　to　town　to　shop　that　day；　but　she　asked　no　questions。
　Along　the　way　to　the　lumber　yard　she　stopped　a　dozen　times　to　speak　with　Carpetbagger　ladies　in　splendid　equipages—not　so　splendid　as　her　own；　she　thought　with　pleasure—and　with　many　men　who　came　through　the　red　dust　of　the　street　to　stand　hat　in　hand　and　compliment　her。　It　was　a　beautiful　afternoon；　she　was　happy；　she　looked　pretty　and　her　progress　was　a　royal　one。　Because　of　these　delays　she　arrived　at　the　lumber　yard　later　than　she　intended　and　found　Hugh　and　the　team　drivers　sitting　on　a　low　pile　of　lumber　waiting　for　her。
　“Is　Ashley　here？”
　“Yes；　he’s　in　the　office；”　said　Hugh；　the　habitually　worried　expression　leaving　his　face　at　the　sight　of　her　happy；　dancing　eyes。　“He’s　trying　to—I　mean；　he’s　going　over　the　books。”
　“Oh；　he　needn’t　bother　about　that　today；”　she　said　and　then　lowering　her　voice：　“Melly　sent　me　down　to　keep　him　here　till　they　get　the　house　straight　for　the　reception　tonight。”
　Hugh　smiled　for　he　was　going　to　the　reception。　He　liked　parties　and　he　guessed　Scarlett　did　too　from　the　way　she　looked　this　afternoon。　She　paid　off　the　teamsters　and　Hugh　and；　abruptly　leaving　them；　walked　toward　the　office；　showing　plainly　by　her　manner　that　she　did　not　care　to　be　accompanied。　Ashley　met　her　at　the　door　and　stood　in　the　afternoon　sunshine；　his　hair　bright　and　on　his　lips　a　little　smile　that　was　almost　a　grin。
　“Why；　Scarlett；　what　are　you　doing　downtown　this　time　of　the　day？　Why　aren’t　you　out　at　my　house　helping　Melly　get　ready　for　the　surprise　party？”
　“Why；　Ashley　Wilkes！”　she　cried　indignantly。　“You　weren’t　supposed　to　know　a　thing　about　it。　Melly　will　be　so　disappointed　if　you　aren’t　surprised。”
　“Oh；　I　won’t　let　on。　I’ll　be　the　most　surprised　man　in　Atlanta；”　said　Ashley；　his　eyes　laughing。
　“Now；　who　was　mean　enough　to　tell　you？”
　“Practically　every　man　Melly　invited。　General　Gordon　was　the　first。　He　said　it　had　been　his　experience　that　when　women　gave　surprise　parties　they　usually　gave　them　on　the　very　nights　men　had　decided　to　polish　and　clean　all　the　guns　in　the　house。　And　then　Grandpa　Merriwether　warned　me。　He　said　Mrs。　Merriwether　gave　him　a　surprise　party　once　and　she　was　the　most　surprised　person　there；　because　Grandpa　had　been　treating　his　rheumatism；　on　the　sly；　with　a　bottle　of　whisky　and　he　was　too　drunk　to　get　out　of　bed　and—oh；　every　man　who’s　ever　had　a　surprise　party　given　him　told　me。”
　“The　mean　things！”　cried　Scarlett　but　she　had　to　smile。
　He　looked　like　the　old　Ashley　she　knew　at　Twelve　Oaks　when　he　smiled　like　this。　And　he　smiled　so　seldom　these　days。　The　air　was　so　soft；　the　sun　so　gentle；　Ashley’s　face　so　gay；　his　talk　so　unconstrained　that　her　heart　leaped　with　happiness。　It　swelled　in　her　bosom　until　it　positively　ached　with　pleasure；　ached　as　with　a　burden　of　joyful；　hot；　unshed　tears。　Suddenly　she　felt　sixteen　again　and　happy；　a　little　breathless　and　excited。　She　had　a　mad　impulse　to　snatch　off　her　bonnet　and　toss　it　into　the　air　and　cry　“Hurray！”　Then　she　thought　how　startled　Ashley　would　be　if　she　did　this；　and　she　suddenly　laughed；　laughed　until　tears　came　to　her　eyes。　He　laughed；　too；　throwing　back　his　head　as　though　he　enjoyed　laughter；　thinking　her　mirth　came　from　the　friendly　treachery　of　the　men　who　had　given　Melly’s　secret　away。
　“Come　in；　Scarlett。　I’m　going　over　the　books。”
　She　passed　into　the　small　room；　blazing　with　the　afternoon　sun；　and　sat　down　in　the　chair　before　the　roll…topped　desk。　Ashley；　following　her；　seated　himself　on　the　corner　of　the　rough　table；　his　long　legs　dangling　easily。
　“Oh；　don’t　let’s　fool　with　any　books　this　afternoon；　Ashley！　I　just　can’t　be　bothered。　When　I’m　wearing　a　new　bonnet；　it　seems　like　all　the　figures　I　know　leave　my　head。”
　“Figures　are　well　lost　when　the　bonnet’s　as　pretty　as　that　one；”　he　said。　“Scarlett；　you　get　prettier　all　the　time！”
　He　slipped　from　the　table　and；　laughing；　took　her　hands；　spreading　them　wide　so　he　could　see　her　dress。　“You　are　so　pretty！　I　don’t　believe　you’ll　ever　get　old！”
　At　his　touch　she　realized　that；　without　being　conscious　of　it；　she　had　hoped　that　just　this　thing　would　happen。　All　this　happy　afternoon；　she　had　hoped　for　the　warmth　of　his　hands；　the　tenderness　of　his　eyes；　a　word　that　would　show　he　cared。　This　was　the　first　time　they　had　been　utterly　alone　since　the　cold　day　in　the　orchard　at　Tara；　the　first　time　their　hands　had　met　in　any　but　formal　gestures；　and　through　the　long　months　she　had　hungered　for　closer　contact。　But　now—
　How　odd　that　the　touch　of　his　hands　did　not　excite　her！　Once　his　very　nearness　would　have　set　her　a…tremble。　Now　she　felt　a　curious　warm　friendliness　and　content。　No　fever　leaped　from　his　hands　to　hers　and　in　his　hands　her　heart　hushed　to　happy　quietness。　This　puzzled　her；　made　her　a　little　disconcerted。　He　was　still　her　Ashley；　still　her　bright；　shining　darling　and　she　loved　him　better　than　life。　Then　why—
　But　she　pushed　the　thought　from　her　mind。　It　was　enough　that　she　was　with　him　and　he　was　holding　her　hands　and　smiling；　completely　friendly；　without　strain　or　fever。　It　seemed　miraculous　that　this　could　be　when　she　thought　of　all　the　unsaid　things　that　lay　between　them。　His　eyes　looked　into　hers；　clear　and　shining；　smiling　in　the　old　way　she　loved；　smiling　as　though　there　had　never　been　anything　between　them　but　happiness。　There　was　no　barrier　between　his　eyes　and　hers　now；　no　baffling　remoteness。　She　laughed。
　“Oh；　Ashley；　I’m　getting　old　and　decrepit。”
　“Ah；　that’s　very　apparent！　No；　Scarlett；　when　you　are　sixty；　you’ll　look　the　same　to　me。　I’ll　always　remember　you　as　you　were　that　day　of　our　last　barbecue；　sitting　under　an　oak　with　a　dozen　boys　around　you。　I　can　even　tell　you　just　how　you　were　dressed；　in　a　white　dress　covered　with　tiny　green　flowers　and　a　white　lace　shawl　about　your　shoulders。　You　had　on　little　green　slippers　with　black　lacings　and　an　enormous　leghorn　hat　with　long　green　streamers。　I　know　that　dress　by　heart　because　when　I　was　in　prison　and　things　got　too　bad；　I’d　take　out　my　memories　and　thumb　them　over　like　pictures；　recalling　every　little　detail—”
　He　stopped　abruptly　and　the　eager　light　faded　from　his　face。　He　dropped　her　hands　gently　and　she　sat　waiting；　waiting　for　his　next　words。
　“We’ve　come　a　long　way；　both　of　us；　since　that　da