飘

　“She’s　always　been　jealous　because　I　loved　you　best；　dear。　She’ll　never　come　in　this　house　again　and　I’ll　never　put　foot　under　any　roof　that　receives　her。　Ashley　agrees　with　me；　but　it’s　just　about　broken　his　heart　that　his　own　sister　should　tell　such　a—”
　At　the　mention　of　Ashley’s　name；　Scarlett’s　overwrought　nerves　gave　way　and　she　burst　into　tears。　Would　she　never　stop　stabbing　him　to　the　heart？　Her　only　thought　had　been　to　make　him　happy　and　safe　but　at　every　turn　she　seemed　to　hurt　him。　She　had　wrecked　his　life；　broken　his　pride　and　self…respect；　shattered　that　inner　peace；　that　calm　based　on　integrity。　And　now　she　had　alienated　him　from　the　sister　he　loved　so　dearly。　To　save　her　own　reputation　and　his　wife’s　happiness；　India　had　to　be　sacrificed；　forced　into　the　light　of　a　lying；　half…crazed；　jealous　old　maid—India　who　was　absolutely　justified　in　every　suspicion　she　had　ever　harbored　and　every　accusing　word　she　had　uttered。　Whenever　Ashley　looked　into　India’s　eyes；　he　would　see　the　truth　shining　there；　truth　and　reproach　and　the　cold　contempt　of　which　the　Wilkeses　were　masters。
　Knowing　how　Ashley　valued　honor　above　his　life；　Scarlett　knew　he　must　be　writhing。　He；　like　Scarlett；　was　forced　to　shelter　behind　Melanie’s　skirts。　While　Scarlett　realized　the　necessity　for　this　and　knew　that　the　blame　for　his　false　position　lay　mostly　at　her　own　door；　still—still—　Womanlike　she　would　have　respected　Ashley　more；　had　he　shot　Archie　and　admitted　everything　to　Melanie　and　the　world。　She　knew　she　was　being　unfair　but　she　was　too　miserable　to　care　for　such　fine　points。　Some　of　Rhett’s　taunting　words　of　contempt　came　back　to　her　and　she　wondered　if　indeed　Ashley　had　played　the　manly　part　in　this　mess。　And；　for　the　first　time；　some　of　the　bright　glow　which　had　enveloped　him　since　the　first　day　she　fell　in　love　with　him　began　to　fade　imperceptibly。　The　tarnish　of　shame　and　guilt　that　enveloped　her　spread　to　him　as　well。　Resolutely　she　tried　to　fight　off　this　thought　but　it　only　made　her　cry　harder。
　“Don’t！　Don’t！”　cried　Melanie；　dropping　her　tatting　and　flinging　herself　onto　the　sofa　and　drawing　Scarlett’s　head　down　onto　her　shoulder。　“I　shouldn’t　have　talked　about　it　all　and　distressed　you　so。　I　know　how　dreadfully　you　must　feel　and　we’ll　never　mention　it　again。　No；　not　to　each　other　or　to　anybody。　It’ll　be　as　though　it　never　happened。　But；”　she　added　with　quiet　venom；　“I’m　going　to　show　India　and　Mrs。　Elsing　what’s　what。　They　needn’t　think　they　can　spread　lies　about　my　husband　and　my　sister…in…law。　I’m　going　to　fix　it　so　neither　of　them　can　hold　up　their　heads　in　Atlanta。　And　anybody　who　believes　them　or　receives　them　is　my　enemy。”
　Scarlett；　looking　sorrowfully　down　the　long　vista　of　years　to　come；　knew　that　she　was　the　cause　of　a　feud　that　would　split　the　town　and　the　family　for　generations。
　
　Melanie　was　as　good　as　her　word。　She　never　again　mentioned　the　subject　to　Scarlett　or　to　Ashley。　Nor；　for　that　matter；　would　she　discuss　it　with　anyone。　She　maintained　an　air　of　cool　indifference　that　could　speedily　change　to　icy　formality　if　anyone　even　dared　hint　about　the　matter。　During　the　weeks　that　followed　her　surprise　party；　while　Rhett　was　mysteriously　absent　and　the　town　in　a　frenzied　state　of　gossip；　excitement　and　partisanship；　she　gave　no　quarter　to　Scarlett’s　detractors；　whether　they　were　her　old　friends　or　her　blood　kin。　She　did　not　speak；　she　acted。
　She　stuck　by　Scarlett’s　side　like　a　cocklebur。　She　made　Scarlett　go　to　the　store　and　the　lumber　yard；　as　usual；　every　morning　and　she　went　with　her。　She　insisted　that　Scarlett　go　driving　in　the　afternoons；　little　though　Scarlett　wished　to　expose　herself　to　the　eager　carious　gaze　of　her　fellow　townspeople。　And　Melanie　sat　in　the　carriage　beside　her。　Melanie　took　her　calling　with　her　on　formal　afternoons；　gently　forcing　her　into　parlors　in　which　Scarlett　had　not　sat　for　more　than　two　years。　And　Melanie；　with　a　fierce　“love…me…love…my…dog”　look　on　her　face；　made　converse　with　astounded　hostesses。
　She　made　Scarlett　arrive　early　on　these　afternoons　and　remain　until　the　last　callers　had　gone；　thereby　depriving　the　ladies　of　the　opportunity　for　enjoyable　group　discussion　and　speculation；　a　matter　which　caused　some　mild　indignation。　These　calls　were　an　especial　torment　to　Scarlett　but　she　dared　not　refuse　to　go　with　Melanie。　She　hated　to　sit　amid　crowds　of　women　who　were　secretly　wondering　if　she　had　been　actually　taken　in　adultery。　She　hated　the　knowledge　that　these　women　would　not　have　spoken　to　her；　had　it　not　been　that　they　loved　Melanie　and　did　not　want　to　lose　her　friendship。　But　Scarlett　knew　that；　having　once　received　her；　they　could　not　cut　her　thereafter。
　It　was　characteristic　of　the　regard　in　which　Scarlett　was　held　that　few　people　based　their　defense　or　their　criticism　of　her　on　her　personal　integrity。　“I　wouldn’t　put　much　beyond　her；”　was　the　universal　attitude。　Scarlett　had　made　too　many　enemies　to　have　many　champions　now。　Her　words　and　her　actions　rankled　in　too　many　hearts　for　many　people　to　care　whether　this　scandal　hurt　her　or　not。　But　everyone　cared　violently　about　hurting　Melanie　or　India　and　the　storm　revolved　around　them；　rather　than　Scarlett；　centering　upon　the　one　question—“Did　India　lie？”
　Those　who　espoused　Melanie’s　side　pointed　triumphantly　to　the　fact　that　Melanie　was　constantly　with　Scarlett　these　days。　Would　a　woman　of　Melanie’s　high　principles　champion　the　cause　of　a　guilty　woman；　especially　a　woman　guilty　with　her　own　husband？　No；　indeed！　India　was　just　a　cracked　old　maid　who　hated　Scarlett　and　lied　about　her　and　induced　Archie　and　Mrs。　Elsing　to　believe　her　lies。
　But；　questioned　India’s　adherents；　if　Scarlett　isn’t　guilty；　where　is　Captain　Butler？　Why　isn’t　he　here　at　his　wife’s　side；　lending　her　the　strength　of　his　countenance？　That　was　an　unanswerable　question　and；　as　the　weeks　went　by　and　the　rumor　spread　that　Scarlett　was　pregnant；　the　pro…India　group　nodded　with　satisfaction。　It　couldn’t　be　Captain　Butler’s　baby；　they　said。　For　too　long　the　fact　of　their　estrangement　had　been　public　property。　For　too　long　the　town　had　been　scandalized　by　the　separate　bedrooms。
　So　the　gossip　ran；　tearing　the　town　apart；　tearing　apart；　too；　the　close…knit　clan　of　Hamiltons；　Wilkeses；　Burrs；　Whitemans　and　Winfields。　Everyone　in　the　family　connection　was　forced　to　take　sides。　There　was　no　neutral　ground。　Melanie　with　cool　dignity　and　India　with　acid　bitterness　saw　to　that。　But　no　matter　which　side　the　relatives　took；　they　all　were　resentful　that　Scarlett　should　have　been　the　cause　of　the　family　breach。　None　of　them　thought　her　worth　it。　And　no　matter　which　side　they　took；　the　relatives　heartily　deplored　the　fact　that　India　had　taken　it　upon　herself　to　wash　the　family　dirty　linen　so　publicly　and　involve　Ashley　in　so　degrading　a　scandal。　But　now　that　she　had　spoken；　many　rushed　to　her　defense　and　took　her　side　against　Scarlett；　even　as　others；　loving　Melanie；　stood　by　her　and　Scarlett。
　Half　of　Atlanta　was　kin　to　or　claimed　kin　with　Melanie　and　India。　The　ramifications　of　cousins；　double　cousins；　cousins…in…law　and　kissing　cousins　were　so　intricate　and　involved　that　no　one　but　a　born　Georgian　could　ever　unravel　them。　They　had　always　been　a　clannish　tribe；　presenting　an　unbroken　phalanx　of　overlapping　shields　to　the　world　in　time　of　stress；　no　matter　what　their　private　opinions　of　the　conduct　of　individual　kinsmen　might　be。　With　the　exception　of　the　guerrilla　warfare　carried　on　by　Aunt　Pitty　against　Uncle　Henry；　which　had　been　a　matter　for　hilarious　laughter　within　the　family　for　years；　there　had　never　been　an　open　breach　in　the　pleasant　relations。　They　were　gentle；　quiet　spoken；　reserved　people　and　not　given　to　even　the　amiable　bickering　that　characterized　most　Atlanta　families。
　But　now　they　were　split　in　twain　and　the　town　was　privileged　to　witness　cousins　of　the　fifth　and　sixth　degree　taking　sides　in　the　most　shattering　scandal　Atlanta　had　ever　seen。　This　worked　great　hardship　and　strained　the　tact　and　forbearance　of　the　unrelated　half　of　the　town；　for　the　India…Melanie　feud　made　a　rupture　in　practically　every　social　organization。　The　Thalians；　the　Sewing　Circle　for　the　Widows　and　Orphans　of　the　Confederacy；　the　Association　for　the　Beautification　of　the　Graves　of　Our　Glorious　Dead；　the　Saturday　Night　Musical　Circle；　the　Ladies　Evening　Cotillion　Society；　the　Young　Men’s　Library　were　all　involved。　So　were　four　churches　with　their　Ladies’　Aid　and　Missionary　societies。　Great　care　had　to　be　taken　to　avoid　putting　members　of　warring　factions　on　the　same　committees。
　On　their　regular　afternoons　at　home；　Atlanta　matrons　were　in　anguish　from　four　to　six　o’clock　for　fear　Melanie　and　Scarlett　would　call　at　the　same　time　India　and　her　loyal　kin　were　in　their　parlors。
　Of　all　the　family；　poor　Aunt　Pitty　suffered　the　most。　Pitty；　who　desired　nothing　except　to　live　comfortably　amid　the　love　of　her　relatives；　would　have　been　very　pleased；　in　this　matter；　to　run　with　the　hares　and　hunt　with　the　hounds。　But　neither　the　hares　nor　the　hounds　would　permit　this。
　India　lived　with　Aunt　Pitty　and；　if　Pitty　sided　with　Melanie；　as　she　wished　to　do；　India　would　leave。　And　if　India　left　her；　what　would　poor　Pitty　do