飘

　She　took　new　courage　at　this　thought　and　redoubled　her　efforts　in　the　direction　of　Charles；　whose　brown　eyes　glowed　down　eagerly　at　her。　It　was　a　wonderful　day　for　Charles；　a　dream　day；　and　he　had　fallen　in　love　with　Scarlett　with　no　effort　at　all。　Before　this　new　emotion；　Honey　receded　into　a　dim　haze。　Honey　was　a　shrill…voiced　sparrow　and　Scarlett　a　gleaming　hummingbird。　She　teased　him　and　favored　him　and　asked　him　questions　and　answered　them　herself；　so　that　he　appeared　very　clever　without　having　to　say　a　word。　The　other　boys　were　puzzled　and　annoyed　by　her　obvious　interest　in　him；　for　they　knew　Charles　was　too　shy　to　hitch　two　consecutive　words　together；　and　politeness　was　being　severely　strained　to　conceal　their　growing　rage。　Everyone　was　smoldering；　and　it　would　have　been　a　positive　triumph　for　Scarlett；　except　for　Ashley。
　When　the　last　forkful　of　pork　and　chicken　and　mutton　had　been　eaten；　Scarlett　hoped　the　time　had　come　when　India　would　rise　and　suggest　that　the　ladies　retire　to　the　house。　It　was　two　o’clock　and　the　sun　was　warm　overhead；　but　India；　wearied　with　the　three…day　preparations　for　the　barbecue；　was　only　too　glad　to　remain　sitting　beneath　the　arbor；　shouting　remarks　to　a　deaf　old　gentleman　from　Fayetteville。
　A　lazy　somnolence　descended　on　the　crowd。　The　negroes　idled　about；　clearing　the　long　tables　on　which　the　food　had　been　laid。　The　laughter　and　talking　became　less　animated　and　groups　here　and　there　fell　silent。　All　were　waiting　for　their　hostess　to　signal　the　end　of　the　morning’s　festivities。　Palmetto　fans　were　wagging　more　slowly；　and　several　gentlemen　were　nodding　from　the　heat　and　overloaded　stomachs。　The　barbecue　was　over　and　all　were　content　to　take　their　ease　while　sun　was　at　its　height。
　In　this　interval　between　the　morning　party　and　the　evening’s　ball；　they　seemed　a　placid；　peaceful　lot。　Only　the　young　men　retained　the　restless　energy　which　had　filled　the　whole　throng　a　short　while　before。　Moving　from　group　to　group；　drawling　in　their　soft　voices；　they　were　as　handsome　as　blooded　stallions　and　as　dangerous。　The　languor　of　midday　had　taken　hold　of　the　gathering；　but　underneath　lurked　tempers　that　could　rise　to　killing　heights　in　a　second　and　flare　out　as　quickly。　Men　and　women；　they　were　beautiful　and　wild；　all　a　little　violent　under　their　pleasant　ways　and　only　a　little　tamed。
　Some　time　dragged　by　while　the　sun　grew　hotter；　and　Scarlett　and　others　looked　again　toward　India。　Conversation　was　dying　out　when；　in　the　lull；　everyone　in　the　grove　heard　Gerald’s　voice　raised　in　furious　accents。　Standing　some　little　distance　away　from　the　barbecue　tables；　he　was　at　the　peak　of　an　argument　with　John　Wilkes。
　“God’s　nightgown；　man！　Pray　for　a　peaceable　settlement　with　the　Yankees。　After　we’ve　fired　on　the　rascals　at　Fort　Sumter？　Peaceable？　The　South　should　show　by　arms　that　she　cannot　be　insulted　and　that　she　is　not　leaving　the　Union　by　the　Union’s　kindness　but　by　her　own　strength！”
　“Oh；　my　God！”　thought　Scarlett。　“He’s　done　it！　Now；　we’ll　all　sit　here　till　midnight。”
　In　an　instant；　the　somnolence　had　fled　from　the　lounging　throng　and　something　electric　went　snapping　through　the　air。　The　men　sprang　from　benches　and　chain；　arms　in　wide　gestures；　voices　clashing　for　the　right　to　be　heard　above　other　voices。　There　had　been　no　talk　of　politics　or　impending　war　all　during　the　morning；　because　of　Mr。　Wilkes’　request　that　the　ladies　should　not　be　bored。　But　now　Gerald　had　bawled　the　words　“Fort　Sumter；”　and　every　man　present　forgot　his　host’s　admonition。
　“Of　course　we’ll　fight—”　“Yankee　thieves—”　“We　could　lick　them　in　a　month—”　“Why；　one　Southerner　can　lick　twenty　Yankees—”　“Teach　them　a　lesson　they　won’t　soon　forget—”　“Peaceably？　They　won’t　let　us　go　in　peace—”　“No；　look　how　Mr。　Lincoln　insulted　our　Commissioners！”　“Yes；　kept　them　hanging　around　for　weeks—swearing　he’d　have　Sumter　evacuated！”　They　want　war；　we’ll　make　them　sick　of　war—”　And　above　all　the　voices；　Gerald’s　boomed。　All　Scarlett　could　hear　was　“States’　rights；　by　God！”　shouted　over　and　over。　Gerald　was　having　an　excellent　time；　but　not　his　daughter。
　Secession；　war—these　words　long　since　had　become　acutely　boring　to　Scarlett　from　much　repetition；　but　now　she　hated　the　sound　of　them；　for　they　meant　that　the　men　would　stand　there　for　hours　haranguing　one　another　and　she　would　have　no　chance　to　corner　Ashley。　Of　course　there　would　be　no　war　and　the　men　all　knew　it。　They　just　loved　to　talk　and　hear　themselves　talk。
　Charles　Hamilton　had　not　risen　with　the　others　and；　finding　himself　comparatively　alone　with　Scarlett；　he　leaned　closer　and；　with　the　daring　born　of　new　love；　whispered　a　confession。
　“Miss　O’Hara—I—I　had　already　decided　that　if　we　did　fight；　I’d　go　over　to　South　Carolina　and　join　a　troop　there。　It’s　said　that　Mr。　Wade　Hampton　is　organizing　a　cavalry　troop；　and　of　course　I　would　want　to　go　with　him。　He’s　a　splendid　person　and　was　my　father’s　best　friend。”
　Scarlett　thought；　“What　am　I　supposed　to　do—give　three　cheers？”　for　Charles’　expression　showed　that　he　was　baring　his　heart’s　secrets　to　her。　She　could　think　of　nothing　to　say　and　so　merely　looked　at　him；　wondering　why　men　were　such　fools　as　to　think　women　interested　in　such　matters。　He　took　her　expression　to　mean　stunned　approbation　and　went　on　rapidly；　daringly—
　“If　I　went—would—would　you　be　sorry；　Miss　O’Hara？”
　“I　should　cry　into　my　pillow　every　night；”　said　Scarlett；　meaning　to　be　flippant；　but　he　took　the　statement　at　face　value　and　went　red　with　pleasure。　Her　hand　was　concealed　in　the　folds　of　her　dress　and　he　cautiously　wormed　his　hand　to　it　and　squeezed　it；　overwhelmed　at　his　own　boldness　and　at　her　acquiescence。
　“Would　you　pray　for　me？”
　“What　a　fool！”　thought　Scarlett　bitterly；　casting　a　surreptitious　glance　about　her　in　the　hope　of　being　rescued　from　the　conversation。
　“Would　you？”
　“Oh—yes；　indeed；　Mr。　Hamilton。　Three　Rosaries　a　night；　at　least！”
　Charles　gave　a　swift　look　about　him；　drew　in　his　breath；　stiffened　the　muscles　of　his　stomach。　They　were　practically　alone　and　he　might　never　get　another　such　opportunity。　And；　even　given　another　such　Godsent　occasion；　his　courage　might　fail　him。
　“Miss　O’Hara—I　must　tell　you　something。　I—I　love　you！”
　“Um？”　said　Scarlett　absently；　trying　to　peer　through　the　crowd　of　arguing　men　to　where　Ashley　still　sat　talking　at　Melanie’s　feet。
　“Yes！”　whispered　Charles；　in　a　rapture　that　she　had　neither　laughed；　screamed　nor　fainted；　as　he　had　always　imagined　young　girls　did　under　such　circumstances。　“I　love　you！　You　are　the　most—the　most—”　and　he　found　his　tongue　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。　“The　most　beautiful　girl　I’ve　ever　known　and　the　sweetest　and　the　kindest；　and　you　have　the　dearest　ways　and　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart。　I　cannot　hope　that　you　could　love　anyone　like　me　but；　my　dear　Miss　O’Hara；　if　you　can　give　me　any　encouragement；　I　will　do　anything　in　the　world　to　make　you　love　me。　I　will—”
　Charles　stopped；　for　he　couldn’t　think　of　anything　difficult　enough　of　accomplishment　to　really　prove　to　Scarlett　the　depth　of　his　feeling；　so　he　said　simply：　“I　want　to　marry　you。”
　Scarlett　came　back　to　earth　with　a　jerk；　at　the　sound　of　the　word　“marry。”　She　had　been　thinking　of　marriage　and　of　Ashley；　and　she　looked　at　Charles　with　poorly　concealed　irritation。　Why　must　this　calf…like　fool　intrude　his　feelings　on　this　particular　day　when　she　was　so　worried　she　was　about　to　lose　her　mind？　She　looked　into　the　pleading　brown　eyes　and　she　saw　none　of　the　beauty　of　a　shy　boy’s　first　love；　of　the　adoration　of　an　ideal　come　true　or　the　wild　happiness　and　tenderness　that　were　sweeping　through　him　like　a　flame。　Scarlett　was　used　to　men　asking　her　to　marry　them；　men　much　more　attractive　than　Charles　Hamilton；　and　men　who　had　more　finesse　than　to　propose　at　a　barbecue　when　she　had　more　important　matters　on　her　mind。　She　only　saw　a　boy　of　twenty；　red　as　a　beet　and　looking　very　silly。　She　wished　that　she　could　tell　him　how　silly　he　looked。　But　automatically；　the　words　Ellen　had　taught　her　to　say　in　such　emergencies　rose　to　her　lips　and　casting　down　her　eyes；　from　force　of　long　habit；　she　murmured：　“Mr。　Hamilton；　I　am　not　unaware　of　the　honor　you　have　bestowed　on　me　in　wanting　me　to　become　your　wife；　but　this　is　all　so　sudden　that　I　do　not　know　what　to　say。”
　That　was　a　neat　way　of　smoothing　a　man’s　vanity　and　yet　keeping　him　on　the　string；　and　Charles　rose　to　it　as　though　such　bait　were　new　and　he　the　first　to　swallow　it。
　“I　would　wait　forever！　I　wouldn’t　want　you　unless　you　were　quite　sure。　Please；　Miss　O’Hara；　tell　me　that　I　may　hope！”
　“Um；”　said　Scarlett；　her　sharp　eyes　noting　that　Ashley；　who　had　not　risen　to　take　part　in　the　war　talk；　was　smiling　up　at　Melanie。　If　this　fool　who　was　grappling　for　her　hand　would　only　keep　quiet　for　a　moment；　perhaps　she　could　hear　what　they　were　saying。　She　must　hear　what　they　said。　What　did　Melanie　say　to　him　that　brought　that　look　of　interest　to　his　eyes？
　Charles’　words　blurred　the　voices　she　strained　to　hear。
　“Oh；　hush！”　she　hissed　at　him；　pinching　his　hand　and　not　even　looking　at　him。
　Startled；　at　first　abashed；　Charles　blushed　at　th