飘

uching　behind　the　sofa。
　“It’s　Gettysburg；”　she　explained。　“And　I’m　the　Yankees　and　I’ve　gotten　the　worst　of　it。　This　is　General　Lee；”　pointing　to　Beau；　“and　this　is　General　Pickett；”　putting　an　arm　about　Wade’s　shoulder。
　Yes；　Melanie　had　a　way　with　children　that　Scarlett　could　never　fathom。
　“At　least；”　she　thought；　“Bonnie　loves　me　and　likes　to　play　with　me。”　But　honesty　forced　her　to　admit　that　Bonnie　infinitely　preferred　Rhett　to　her。　And　perhaps　she　would　never　see　Bonnie　again。　For　all　she　knew；　Rhett　might　be　in　Persia　or　Egypt　and　intending　to　stay　there　forever。
　When　Dr。　Meade　told　her　she　was　pregnant；　she　was　astounded；　for　she　had　been　expecting　a　diagnosis　of　biliousness　and　over…wrought　nerves。　Then　her　mind　fled　back　to　that　wild　night　and　her　face　went　crimson　at　the　memory。　So　a　child　was　coming　from　those　moments　of　high　rapture—even　if　the　memory　of　the　rapture　was　dimmed　by　what　followed。　And　for　the　first　time　she　was　glad　that　she　was　going　to　have　a　child。　If　it　were　only　a　boy！　A　fine　boy；　not　a　spiritless　little　creature　like　Wade。　How　she　would　care　for　him！　Now　that　she　had　the　leisure　to　devote　to　a　baby　and　the　money　to　smooth　his　path；　how　happy　she　would　be！　She　had　an　impulse　to　write　to　Rhett　in　care　of　his　mother　in　Charleston　and　tell　him。　Good　Heavens；　he　must　come　home　now！　Suppose　he　stayed　away　till　after　the　baby　was　born！　She　could　never　explain　that！　But　if　she　wrote　him　he’d　think　she　wanted　him　to　come　home　and　he　would　be　amused。　And　he　mustn’t　ever　think　she　wanted　him　or　needed　him。
　She　was　very　glad　she　had　stifled　this　impulse　when　her　first　news　of　Rhett　came　in　a　letter　from　Aunt　Pauline　in　Charleston　where；　it　seemed；　Rhett　was　visiting　his　mother。　What　a　relief　to　know　he　was　still　in　the　United　States；　even　if　Aunt　Pauline’s　letter　was　infuriating。　Rhett　had　brought　Bonnie　to　see　her　and　Aunt　Eulalie　and　the　letter　was　full　of　praise。
　“Such　a　little　beauty！　When　she　grows　up　she　will　certainly　be　a　belle。　But　I　suppose　you　know　that　any　man　who　courts　her　will　have　a　tussle　with　Captain　Butler；　for　I　never　saw　such　a　devoted　father。　Now；　my　dear；　I　wish　to　confess　something。　Until　I　met　Captain　Butler；　I　felt　that　your　marriage　with　him　had　been　a　dreadful　mesalliance　for；　of　course；　no　one　in　Charleston　hears　anything　good　about　him　and　everyone　is　so　sorry　for　his　family。　In　fact；　Eulalie　and　I　were　uncertain　as　to　whether　or　not　we　should　receive　him—but；　after　all；　the　dear　child　is　our　great…niece。　When　he　came；　we　were　pleasantly　surprised；　most　pleasantly；　and　realized　how　un…Christian　it　is　to　credit　idle　gossip。　For　he　is　most　charming。　Quite　handsome；　too；　we　thought；　and　so　very　grave　and　courteous。　And　so　devoted　to　you　and　the　child。
　“And　now；　my　dear；　I　must　write　you　of　something　that　has　come　to　our　ears—something　Eulalie　and　I　were　loath　to　believe　at　first。　We　had　heard；　of　course；　that　you　sometimes　did　about　at　the　store　that　Mr。　Kennedy　had　left　you。　We　had　heard　rumors　but；　of　course；　we　denied　them。　We　realized　that　in　those　first　dreadful　days　after　the　war；　it　was　perhaps　necessary；　conditions　being　what　they　were。　But　there　is　no　necessity　now　for　such　conduct　on　your　part；　as　I　know　Captain　Butler　is　in　quite　comfortable　circumstances　and　is；　moreover；　fully　capable　of　managing　for　you　any　business　and　property　you　may　own。　We　had　to　know　the　truth　of　these　rumors　and　were　forced　to　ask　Captain　Butler　point…blank　questions　which　was　most　distressing　to　all　of　us。
　“With　reluctance　he　told　us　that　you　spent　your　mornings　at　the　store　and　would　permit　no　one　else　to　do　the　bookkeeping。　He　also　admitted　that　you　had　some　interest　in　a　mill　or　mills　（we　did　not　press　him　on　this；　being　most　upset　at　this　information　which　was　news　to　us）　that　necessitated　your　riding　about　alone；　or　attended　by　a　ruffian　who；　Captain　Butler　assures　us；　is　a　murderer。　We　could　see　how　this　wrung　his　heart　and　think　he　must　be　a　most　indulgent—in　fact；　a　far　too　indulgent　husband。　Scarlett；　this　must　stop。　Your　mother　is　not　here　to　command　you　and　I　must　do　it　in　her　place。　Think　how　your　little　children　will　feel　when　they　grow　older　and　realize　that　you　were　in　trade！　How　mortified　they　will　be　to　know　that　you　exposed　yourself　to　the　insults　of　rude　men　and　the　dangers　of　careless　gossip　in　attending　to　mills。　Such　unwomanly—”
　Scarlett　flung　down　the　letter　unfinished；　with　an　oath。　She　could　just　see　Aunt　Pauline　and　Aunt　Eulalie　sitting　in　judgment　on　her　in　the　crumbling　house　on　the　Battery　with　little　between　them　and　starvation　except　what　she；　Scarlett；　sent　them　every　month。　Unwomanly？　By　God；　if　she　hadn’t　been　unwomanly　Aunt　Pauline　and　Aunt　Eulalie　probably　wouldn’t　have　a　roof　over　their　heads　this　very　moment。　And　damn　Rhett　for　telling　them　about　the　store　and　the　bookkeeping　and　the　mills！　Reluctant；　was　he？　She　knew　very　well　the　joy　he　took　in　palming　himself　off　on　the　old　ladies　as　grave；　courteous　and　charming；　the　devoted　husband　and　father。　How　he　must　have　loved　harrowing　them　with　descriptions　of　her　activities　with　the　store；　the　mills；　the　saloon。　What　a　devil　he　was。　Why　did　such　perverse　things　give　him　such　pleasure？
　But　soon；　even　this　rage　passed　into　apathy。　So　much　of　the　keen　zest　had　gone　out　of　life　recently。　If　only　she　could　recapture　the　thrill　and　the　glow　of　Ashley—if　only　Rhett　would　come　home　and　make　her　laugh。
　
　They　were　home　again；　without　warning。　The　first　intimation　of　their　return　was　the　sound　of　luggage　being　thumped　on　the　front…hall　floor　and　Bonnie’s　voice　crying；　“Mother！”
　Scarlett　hurried　from　her　room　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　saw　her　daughter　stretching　her　short　plump　legs　in　an　effort　to　climb　the　steps。　A　resigned　striped　kitten　was　clutched　to　her　breast。
　“Gran’ma　gave　him　to　me；”　she　cried　excitedly；　holding　the　kitten　out　by　the　scruff。
　Scarlett　swept　her　up　into　her　arms　and　kissed　her；　thankful　that　the　child’s　presence　spared　her　her　first　meeting　alone　with　Rhett　Looking　over　Bonnie’s　head；　she　saw　him　in　the　hall　below；　paying　the　cab　driver。　He　looked　up；　saw　her　and　swept　off　his　hat　in　a　wide　gesture；　bowing　as　he　did。　When　she　met　his　dark　eyes；　her　heart　leaped。　No　matter　what　he　was；　no　matter　what　he　had　done；　he　was　home　and　she　was　glad。
　“Where’s　Mammy？”　asked　Bonnie；　wriggling　in　Scarlett’s　grasp　and　she　reluctantly　set　the　child　on　her　feet
　It　was　going　to　be　more　difficult　than　she　anticipated；　greeting　Rhett　with　just　the　proper　degree　of　casualness　and；　as　for　telling　him　about　the　new　baby！　She　looked　at　his　face　as　he　came　up　the　steps；　that　dark　nonchalant　face；　so　impervious；　so　blank。　No；　she’d　wait　to　tell　him。　She　couldn’t　tell　him　right　away。　And　yet；　such　tidings　as　these　belonged　first　to　a　husband；　for　a　husband　was　always　happy　to　hear　them。　But　she　did　not　think　he　would　be　happy　about　it。
　She　stood　on　the　landing；　leaning　against　the　banisters　and　wondered　if　he　would　kiss　her。　But　he　did　not。　He　said　only：　“You　are　looking　pale；　Mrs。　Butler。　Is　there　a　rouge　shortage？”
　No　word　of　missing　her；　even　if　he　didn’t　mean　it。　And　he　might　have　at　least　kissed　her　in　front　of　Mammy　who；　after　bobbing　a　curtsy；　was　leading　Bonnie　away　down　the　hall　to　the　nursery。　He　stood　beside　her　on　the　landing；　his　eyes　appraising　her　carelessly。
　“Can　this　wanness　mean　that　you’ve　been　missing　me？”　he　questioned　and　though　his　lips　smiled；　his　eyes　did　not。
　So　that　was　going　to　be　his　attitude。　He　was　going　to　be　as　hateful　as　ever。　Suddenly　the　child　she　was　carrying　became　a　nauseating　burden　instead　of　something　she　had　gladly　carried；　and　this　man　before　her；　standing　carelessly　with　his　wide　Panama　hat　upon　his　hip；　her　bitterest　foe；　the　cause　of　all　her　troubles。　There　was　venom　in　her　eyes　as　she　answered；　venom　that　was　too　unmistakable　to　be　missed；　and　the　smile　went　from　his　face。
　“If　I’m　pale　it’s　your　fault　and　not　because　I’ve　missed　you；　you　conceited　thing。　It’s　because—”　Oh；　she　hadn’t　intended　to　tell　him　like　this　but　the　hot　words　rushed　to　her　lips　and　she　flung　them　at　him；　careless　of　the　servants　who　might　hear。　“It’s　because　I’m　going　to　have　a　baby！”
　He　sucked　in　his　breath　suddenly　and　his　eyes　went　rapidly　over　her。　He　took　a　quick　step　toward　her　as　though　to　put　a　hand　on　her　arm　but　she　twisted　away　from　him；　and　before　the　hate　in　her　eyes　his　face　hardened。
　“Indeed！”　he　said　coolly。　“Well；　who’s　the　happy　father？　Ashley？”
　She　clutched　the　newel　post　until　the　ears　of　the　carved　lion　dug　with　sudden　pain　into　her　palm。　Even　she　who　knew　him　so　well　had　not　anticipated　this　insult。　Of　course；　he　was　joking　but　there　were　some　jokes　too　monstrous　to　be　borne。　She　wanted　to　rake　her　sharp　nails　across　his　eyes　and　blot　out　that　queer　light　in　them。
　“Damn　you！”　she　began；　her　voice　shaking　with　sick　rage。　“You—you　know　it’s　yours。　And　I　don’t　want　it　any　more　than　you　do。　No—no　woman　would　want　the　children　of　a　cad　like　you。　I　wish—　Oh；　God；　I　wish　it　was　anybody’s　baby　but　yours！”
　She　saw　his　swarthy　face　change　suddenly；　anger　and　something　she　could　not　analyze　making　it　twitch　as　though　stung。
　“There！”　she　th