飘

　“You’ll　be　sorry；”　she　said。
　Uncle　Peter　whipped　up　the　horse。
　“You　young　misses　ought　ter　tek　shame；　gittin’　Miss　Pitty　in　a　state；”　he　scolded。
　“I’m　not　in　a　state；”　replied　Pitty；　surprisingly；　for　less　strain　than　this　had　frequently　brought　on　fainting　fits。　“Melly；　honey；　I　knew　you　were　doing　it　just　to　take　up　for　me　and；　really；　I　was　glad　to　see　somebody　take　Dolly　down　a　peg。　She’s　so　bossy。　How　did　you　have　the　courage？　But　do　you　think　you　should　have　said　that　about　Ashley？”
　“But　it’s　true；”　answered　Melanie　and　she　began　to　cry　softly。　“And　I’m　not　ashamed　that　he　thinks　that　way。　He　thinks　the　war　is　all　wrong　but　he’s　willing　to　fight　and　die　anyway；　and　that　takes　lots　more　courage　than　fighting　for　something　you　think　is　right。”
　“Lawd；　Miss　Melly；　doan　cry　hyah　on　Peachtree　Street；”　groaned　Uncle　Peter；　hastening　his　horse’s　pace。　“Folks’ll　talk　sumpin’　scan’lous。　Wait　till　us　gits　home。”
　Scarlett　said　nothing。　She　did　not　even　squeeze　the　hand　that　Melanie　had　inserted　into　her　palm　for　comfort。　She　had　read　Ashley’s　letters　for　only　one　purpose—to　assure　herself　that　he　still　loved　her。　Now　Melanie　had　given　a　new　meaning　to　passages　in　the　letters　which　Scarlett’s　eyes　had　barely　seen。　It　shocked　her　to　realize　that　anyone　as　absolutely　perfect　as　Ashley　could　have　any　thought　in　common　with　such　a　reprobate　as　Rhett　Butler。　She　thought：　“They　both　see　the　truth　of　this　war；　but　Ashley　is　willing　to　die　about　it　and　Rhett　isn’t。　I　think　that　shows　Rhett’s　good　sense。”　She　paused　a　moment；　horror　struck　that　she　could　have　such　a　thought　about　Ashley。　“They　both　see　the　same　unpleasant　truth；　but　Rhett　likes　to　look　it　in　the　face　and　enrage　people　by　talking　about　it—and　Ashley　can　hardly　bear　to　face　it”
　It　was　very　bewildering。
　
　CHAPTER　XIII
　UNDER　MRS。　MERRIWETHER’S　GOADING；　Dr。　Meade　took　action；　in　the　form　of　a　letter　to　the　newspaper　wherein　be　did　not　mention　Rhett　by　name；　though　his　meaning　was　obvious。　The　editor；　sensing　the　social　drama　of　the　letter；　put　it　on　the　second　page　of　the　paper；　in　itself　a　startling　innovation；　as　the　first　two　pages　of　the　paper　were　always　devoted　to　advertisements　of　slaves；　mules；　plows；　coffins；　houses　for　sale　or　rent；　cures　for　private　diseases；　abortifacients　and　restoratives　for　lost　manhood。
　The　doctor’s　letter　was　the　first　of　a　chorus　of　indignation　that　was　beginning　to　be　heard　all　over　the　South　against　speculators；　profiteers　and　holders　of　government　contracts。　Conditions　in　Wilmington；　the　chief　blockade　port；　now　that　Charleston’s　port　was　practically　sealed　by　the　Yankee　gunboats；　had　reached　the　proportions　of　an　open　scandal。　Speculators　swarmed　Wilmington　and；　having　the　ready　cash；　bought　up　boatloads　of　goods　and　held　them　for　a　rise　in　prices。　The　rise　always　came；　for　with　the　increasing　scarcity　of　necessities；　prices　leaped　higher　by　the　month。　The　civilian　population　had　either　to　do　without　or　buy　at　the　speculators’　prices；　and　the　poor　and　those　in　moderate　circumstances　were　suffering　increasing　hardships。　With　the　rise　in　prices；　Confederate　money　sank；　and　with　its　rapid　fall　there　rose　a　wild　passion　for　luxuries。　Blockaders　were　commissioned　to　bring　in　necessities　but　now　it　was　the　higher…priced　luxuries　that　filled　their　boats　to　the　exclusion　of　the　things　the　Confederacy　vitally　needed。　People　frenziedly　bought　these　luxuries　with　the　money　they　had　today；　fearing　that　tomorrow’s　prices　would　be　higher　and　the　money　worthless。
　To　make　matters　worse；　there　was　only　one　railroad　line　from　Wilmington　to　Richmond　and；　while　thousands　of　barrels　of　flour　and　boxes　of　bacon　spoiled　and　rotted　in　wayside　stations　for　want　of　transportation；　speculators　with　wines；　taffetas　and　coffee　to　sell　seemed　always　able　to　get　their　goods　to　Richmond　two　days　after　they　were　landed　at　Wilmington。
　The　rumor　which　had　been　creeping　about　underground　was　now　being　openly　discussed；　that　Rhett　Butler　not　only　ran　his　own　four　boats　and　sold　the　cargoes　at　unheard…of　prices　but　bought　up　the　cargoes　of　other　boats　and　held　them　for　rises　in　prices。　It　was　said　that　he　was　at　the　head　of　a　combine　worth　more　than　a　million　dollars；　with　Wilmington　as　its　headquarters　for　the　purpose　of　buying　blockade　goods　on　the　docks。　They　had　dozens　of　warehouses　in　that　city　and　in　Richmond；　so　the　story　ran；　and　the　warehouses　were　crammed　with　food　and　clothing　that　were　being　held　for　higher　prices。　Already　soldiers　and　civilians　alike　were　feeling　the　pinch；　and　the　muttering　against　him　and　his　fellow　speculators　was　bitter。
　“There　are　many　brave　and　patriotic　men　in　the　blockade　arm　of　the　Confederacy’s　naval　service；”　ran　the　last　of　the　doctor’s　letter；　“unselfish　men　who　are　risking　their　lives　and　all　their　wealth　that　the　Confederacy　may　survive。　They　are　enshrined　in　the　hearts　of　all　loyal　Southerners；　and　no　one　begrudges　them　the　scant　monetary　returns　they　make　for　their　risks。　They　are　unselfish　gentlemen；　and　we　honor　them。　Of　these　men；　I　do　not　speak。
　“But　there　are　other　scoundrels　who　masquerade　under　the　cloak　of　the　blockader　for　their　own　selfish　gains；　and　I　call　down　the　just　wrath　and　vengeance　of　an　embattled　people；　fighting　in　the　justest　of　Causes；　on　these　human　vultures　who　bring　in　satins　and　laces　when　our　men　are　dying　for　want　of　quinine；　who　load　their　boats　with　tea　and　wines　when　our　heroes　are　writhing　for　lack　of　morphia。　I　execrate　these　vampires　who　are　sucking　the　lifeblood　of　the　men　who　follow　Robert　Lee—these　men　who　are　making　the　very　name　of　blockader　a　stench　in　the　nostrils　of　all　patriotic　men。　How　can　we　endure　these　scavengers　in　our　midst　with　their　varnished　boots　when　our　boys　are　tramping　barefoot　into　battle？　How　can　we　tolerate　them　with　their　champagnes　and　their　pates　of　Strasbourg　when　our　soldiers　are　shivering　about　their　camp　fires　and　gnawing　moldy　bacon？　I　call　upon　every　loyal　Confederate　to　cast　them　out。”
　Atlanta　read；　knew　the　oracle　had　spoken；　and；　as　loyal　Confederates；　they　hastened　to　cast　Rhett　out。
　Of　all　the　homes　which　had　received　him　in　the　fall　of　1862；　Miss　Pittypat’s　was　almost　the　only　one　into　which　he　could　enter　in　1863。　And；　except　for　Melanie；　he　probably　would　not　have　been　received　there。　Aunt　Pitty　was　in　a　state　whenever　he　was　in　town。　She　knew　very　well　what　her　friends　were　saying　when　she　permitted　him　to　call　but　she　still　lacked　the　courage　to　tell　him　he　was　unwelcome。　Each　time　he　arrived　in　Atlanta；　she　set　her　fat　mouth　and　told　the　girls　that　she　would　meet　him　at　the　door　and　forbid　him　to　enter。　And　each　time　he　came；　a　little　package　in　his　hand　and　a　compliment　for　her　charm　and　beauty　on　his　lips；　she　wilted。
　“I　just　don’t　know　what　to　do；”　she　would　moan。　“He　just　looks　at　me　and　I—I’m　scared　to　death　of　what　he　would　do　if　I　told　him。　He’s　got　such　a　bad　reputation。　Do　you　suppose　he　would　strike　me—or—or—　Oh；　dear；　if　Charlie　were　only　alive！　Scarlett；　you　must　tell　him　not　to　call　again—tell　him　in　a　nice　way。　Oh；　me！　I　do　believe　you　encourage　him；　and　the　whole　town　is　talking　and；　if　your　mother　ever　finds　out；　what　will　she　say　to　me？　Melly；　you　must　not　be　so　nice　to　him。　Be　cool　and　distant　and　he　will　understand。　Oh；　Melly；　do　you　think　I’d　better　write　Henry　a　note　and　ask　him　to　speak　to　Captain　Butler？”
　“No；　I　don’t；”　said　Melanie。　“And　I　won’t　be　rude　to　him；　either。　I　think　people　are　acting　like　chickens　with　their　heads　off　about　Captain　Butler。　I’m　sure　he　can’t　be　all　the　bad　things　Dr。　Meade　and　Mrs。　Merriwether　say　he　is。　He　wouldn’t　hold　food　from　starving　people。　Why；　he　even　gave　me　a　hundred　dollars　for　the　orphans。　I’m　sure　he’s　just　as　loyal　and　patriotic　as　any　of　us　and　he’s　just　too　proud　to　defend　himself。　You　know　how　obstinate　men　are　when　they　get　their　backs　up。”
　Aunt　Pitty　knew　nothing　about　men；　either　with　their　backs　up　or　otherwise；　and　she　could　only　wave　her　fat　little　hands　helplessly。　As　for　Scarlett；　she　had　long　ago　become　resigned　to　Melanie’s　habit　of　seeing　good　in　everyone。　Melanie　was　a　fool；　but　there　was　nothing　anybody　could　do　about　it。
　Scarlett　knew　that　Rhett　was　not　being　patriotic　and；　though　she　would　have　died　rather　than　confess　it；　she　did　not　care。　The　little　presents　he　brought　her　from　Nassau；　little　oddments　that　a　lady　could　accept　with　propriety；　were　what　mattered　most　to　her。　With　prices　as　high　as　they　were；　where　on　earth　could　she　get　needles　and　bonbons　and　hairpins；　if　she　forbade　the　house　to　him？　No；　it　was　easier　to　shift　the　responsibility　to　Aunt　Pitty；　who　after　all　was　the　head　of　the　house；　the　chaperon　and　the　arbiter　of　morals。　Scarlett　knew　the　town　gossiped　about　Rhett’s　calls；　and　about　her　too；　but　she　also　knew　that　in　the　eyes　of　Atlanta　Melanie　Wilkes　could　do　no　wrong；　and　if　Melanie　defended　Rhett　his　calls　were　still　tinged　with　respectability。
　However；　life　would　be　pleasanter　if　Rhett　would　recant　his　heresies。　She　wouldn’t　have　to　suffer　the　embarrassment　of　seeing　him　cut　openly　when　she　walked　down　Peachtree　Street　with　him。
　“Even　if　you　think　such　things；　why　do　you　say　them？”　she　scolded。　“If　you’d　jus