飘

ld　show　and　still　remain　a　lady—peeping　from　beneath　them。　She　had　scarcely　touched　plate　in　her　hands　and　seven　cavaliers　about　her。　The　barbecue　had　reached　its　peak　and　the　warm　air　was　full　of　laughter　and　talk；　the　click　of　silver　on　porcelain　and　the　rich　heavy　smells　of　roasting　meats　and　redolent　gravies。　Occasionally　when　the　slight　breeze　veered；　puffs　of　smoke　from　the　long　barbecue　pits　floated　over　the　crowd　and　were　greeted　with　squeals　of　mock　dismay　from　the　ladies　and　violent　flappings　of　palmetto　fans。
　Most　of　the　young　ladies　were　seated　with　partners　on　the　long　benches　that　faced　the　tables；　but　Scarlett；　realizing　that　a　girl　has　only　two　sides　and　only　one　man　can　sit　on　each　of　these　sides；　had　elected　to　sit　apart　so　she　could　gather　about　her　as　many　men　as　possible。
　Under　the　arbor　sat　the　married　women；　their　dark　dresses　decorous　notes　in　the　surrounding　color　and　gaiety。　Matrons；　regardless　of　their　ages；　always　grouped　together　apart　from　the　bright…eyed　girls；　beaux　and　laughter；　for　there　were　no　married　belles　in　the　South。　From　Grandma　Fontaine；　who　was　belching　frankly　with　the　privilege　of　her　age；　to　seventeen…year…old　Alice　Munroe；　struggling　against　the　nausea　of　a　first　pregnancy；　they　had　their　heads　together　in　the　endless　genealogical　and　obstetrical　discussions　that　made　such　gatherings　very　pleasant　and　instructive　affairs。
　Casting　contemptuous　glances　at　them；　Scarlett　thought　that　they　looked　like　a　clump　of　fat　crows。　Married　women　never　had　any　fun。　It　did　not　occur　to　her　that　if　she　married　Ashley　she　would　automatically　be　relegated　to　arbors　and　front　parlors　with　staid　matrons　in　dull　silks；　as　staid　and　dull　as　they　and　not　a　part　of　the　fun　and　frolicking。　Like　most　girls；　her　imagination　carried　her　just　as　far　as　the　altar　and　no　further。　Besides；　she　was　too　unhappy　now　to　pursue　an　abstraction。
　She　dropped　her　eyes　to　her　plate　and　nibbled　daintily　on　a　beaten　biscuit　with　an　elegance　and　an　utter　lack　of　appetite　that　would　have　won　Mammy’s　approval。　For　all　that　she　had　a　superfluity　of　beaux；　she　had　never　been　more　miserable　in　her　life。　In　some　way　that　she　could　not　understand；　her　plans　of　last　night　had　failed　utterly　so　far　as　Ashley　was　concerned。　She　had　attracted　other　beaux　by　the　dozens；　but　not　Ashley；　and　all　the　fears　of　yesterday　afternoon　were　sweeping　back　upon　her；　making　her　heart　beat　fast　and　then　slow；　and　color　flame　and　whiten　in　her　cheeks。
　Ashley　had　made　no　attempt　to　join　the　circle　about　her；　in　fact　she　had　not　had　a　word　alone　with　him　since　arriving；　or　even　spoken　to　him　since　their　first　greeting。　He　had　come　forward　to　welcome　her　when　she　came　into　the　back　garden；　but　Melanie　had　been　on　his　arm　then；　Melanie　who　hardly　came　up　to　his　shoulder。
　She　was　a　tiny；　frailly　built　girl；　who　gave　the　appearance　of　a　child　masquerading　in　her　mother’s　enormous　hoop　skirts—an　illusion　that　was　heightened　by　the　shy；　almost　frightened　look　in　her　too　large　brown　eyes。　She　had　a　cloud　of　curly　dark　hair　which　was　so　sternly　repressed　beneath　its　net　that　no　vagrant　tendrils　escaped；　and　this　dark　mass；　with　its　long　widow’s　peak；　accentuated　the　heart　shape　of　her　face。　Too　wide　across　the　cheek　bones；　too　pointed　at　the　chin；　it　was　a　sweet；　timid　face　but　a　plain　face；　and　she　had　no　feminine　tricks　of　allure　to　make　observers　forget　its　plainness。　She　looked—and　was—as　simple　as　earth；　as　good　as　bread；　as　transparent　as　spring　water。　But　for　all　her　plainness　of　feature　and　smallness　of　stature；　there　was　a　sedate　dignity　about　her　movements　that　was　oddly　touching　and　far　older　than　her　seventeen　years。
　Her　gray　organdie　dress；　with　its　cherry…colored　satin　sash；　disguised　with　its　billows　and　ruffles　how　childishly　undeveloped　her　body　was；　and　the　yellow　hat　with　long　cherry　streamers　made　her　creamy　skin　glow。　Her　heavy　earbobs　with　their　long　gold　fringe　hung　down　from　loops　of　tidily　netted　hair；　swinging　close　to　her　brown　eyes；　eyes　that　had　the　still　gleam　of　a　forest　pool　in　winter　when　brown　leaves　shine　up　through　quiet　water。
　She　had　smiled　with　timid　liking　when　she　greeted　Scarlett　and　told　her　how　pretty　her　green　dress　was；　and　Scarlett　had　been　hard　put　to　be　even　civil　in　reply；　so　violently　did　she　want　to　speak　alone　with　Ashley。　Since　then；　Ashley　had　sat　on　a　stool　at　Melanie’s　feet；　apart　from　the　other　guests；　and　talked　quietly　with　her；　smiling　the　slow　drowsy　smile　that　Scarlett　loved。　What　made　matters　worse　was　that　under　his　smile　a　little　sparkle　had　come　into　Melanie’s　eyes；　so　that　even　Scarlett　had　to　admit　that　she　looked　almost　pretty。　As　Melanie　looked　at　Ashley；　her　plain　face　lit　up　as　with　an　inner　fire；　for　if　ever　a　loving　heart　showed　itself　upon　a　face；　it　was　showing　now　on　Melanie　Hamilton’s。
　Scarlett　tried　to　keep　her　eyes　from　these　two　but　could　not；　and　after　each　glance　she　redoubled　her　gaiety　with　her　cavaliers；　laughing；　saying　daring　things；　teasing；　tossing　her　head　at　their　compliments　until　her　earrings　danced。　She　said　“fiddle…dee…dee”　many　times；　declared　that　the　truth　wasn’t　in　any　of　them；　and　vowed　that　she’d　never　believe　anything　any　man　told　her。　But　Ashley　did　not　seem　to　notice　her　at　all。　He　only　looked　up　at　Melanie　and　talked　on；　and　Melanie　looked　down　at　him　with　an　expression　that　radiated　the　fact　that　she　belonged　to　him。
　So；　Scarlett　was　miserable。
　To　the　outward　eye；　never　had　a　girl　less　cause　to　he　miserable。　She　was　undoubtedly　the　belle　of　the　barbecue；　the　center　of　attention。　The　furore　she　was　causing　among　the　men；　coupled　with　the　heart　burnings　of　the　other　girls；　would　have　pleased　her　enormously　at　any　other　time。
　Charles　Hamilton；　emboldened　by　her　notice；　was　firmly　planted　on　her　right；　refusing　to　be　dislodged　by　the　combined　efforts　of　the　Tarteton　twins。　He　held　her　fan　in　one　hand　and　his　untouched　plate　of　barbecue　in　the　other　and　stubbornly　refused　to　meet　the　eyes　of　Honey；　who　seemed　on　the　verge　of　an　outburst　of　tears。　Cade　lounged　gracefully　on　her　left；　plucking　at　her　skirt　to　attract　her　attention　and　staring　up　with　smoldering　eyes　at　Stuart　Already　the　air　was　electric　between　him　and　the　twins　and　rude　words　had　passed。　Frank　Kennedy　fussed　about　like　a　hen　with　one　chick；　running　back　and　forth　from　the　shade　of　the　oak　to　the　tables　to　fetch　dainties　to　tempt　Scarlett；　as　if　there　were　not　a　dozen　servants　there　for　that　purpose。　As　a　result；　Suellen’s　sullen　resentment　had　passed　beyond　the　point　of　ladylike　concealment　and　she　glowered　at　Scarlett　Small　Carreen　could　have　cried　because；　for　all　Scarlett’s　encouraging　words　that　morning；　Brent　had　done　no　more　than　say　“Hello；　Sis”　and　jerk　her　hair　ribbon　before　turning　his　full　attention　to　Scarlett。　Usually　he　was　so　kind　and　treated　her　with　a　careless　deference　that　made　her　feel　grown　up；　and　Carreen　secretly　dreamed　of　the　day　when　she　would　put　her　hair　up　and　her　skirts　down　and　receive　him　as　a　real　beau。　And　now　it　seemed　that　Scarlett　had　him。　The　Munroe　girls　were　concealing　their　chagrin　at　the　defection　of　the　swarthy　Fontaine　boys；　but　they　were　annoyed　at　the　way　Tony　and　Alex　stood　about　the　circle；　jockeying　for　a　position　near　Scarlett　should　any　of　the　others　arise　from　their　places。
　They　telegraphed　their　disapproval　of　Scarlett’s　conduct　to　Hetty　Tarleton　by　delicately　raised　eyebrows。　“Fast”　was　the　only　word　for　Scarlett。　Simultaneously；　the　three　young　ladies　raised　lacy　parasols；　said　they　had　had　quite　enough　to　eat　thank　you；　and；　laying　light　fingers　on　the　arms　of　the　men　nearest　them；　clamored　sweetly　to　see　the　rose　garden；　the　spring　and　the　summerhouse。　This　strategic　retreat　in　good　order　was　not　lost　on　a　woman　present　or　observed　by　a　man。
　Scarlett　giggled　as　she　saw　three　men　dragged　out　of　the　line　of　her　charms　to　investigate　landmarks　familiar　to　the　girls　from　childhood；　and　cut　her　eye　sharply　to　see　if　Ashley　had　taken　note。　But　he　was　playing　with　the　ends　of　Melanie’s　sash　and　smiling　up　at　her。　Pain　twisted　Scarlett’s　heart。　She　felt　that　she　could　claw　Melanie’s　ivory　skin　till　the　blood　ran　and　take　pleasure　in　doing　it。
　As　her　eyes　wandered　from　Melanie；　she　caught　the　gaze　of　Rhett　Butler；　who　was　not　mixing　with　the　crowd　but　standing　apart　talking　to　John　Wilkes。　He　had　been　watching　her　and　when　she　looked　at　him　he　laughed　outright。　Scarlett　had　an　uneasy　feeling　that　this　man　who　was　not　received　was　the　only　one　present　who　knew　what　lay　behind　her　wild　gaiety　and　that　it　was　affording　him　sardonic　amusement。　She　could　have　clawed　him　with　pleasure　too。
　“If　I　can　just　live　through　this　barbecue　till　this　afternoon；”　she　thought；　“all　the　girls　will　go　upstairs　to　take　naps　to　be　fresh　for　tonight　and　I’ll　stay　downstairs　and　get　to　talk　to　Ashley。　Surely　he　must　have　noticed　how　popular　I　am。”　She　soothed　her　heart　with　another　hope：　“Of　course；　he　has　to　be　attentive　to　Melanie　because；　after　all；　she　is　his　cousin　and　she　isn’t　popular　at　all；　and　if　he　didn’t　look　out　for　her　she’d　just　be　a　wallflower。”
　She　took　new　courage　at　this　thought　and　redoubled　her　efforts　in　the　direction　of　Charles；　whose　brown　eyes　glowed　down　eagerly　at　her。　I