飘

as　neither　glorious　nor　sacred？　Who　goaded　you　into　admitting　that　you　thought　men　were　fools　to　die　for　high…sounding　principles？　Who　has　aided　you　in　giving　the　old　ladies　plenty　to　gossip　about？　Who　is　getting　you　out　of　mourning　several　years　too　soon？　And　who；　to　end　all　this；　has　lured　you　into　accepting　a　gift　which　no　lady　can　accept　and　still　remain　a　lady？”
　“You　flatter　yourself；　Captain　Butler。　I　haven’t　done　anything　so　scandalous　and　I’d　have　done　everything　you　mentioned　without　your　aid　anyway。”
　“I　doubt　that；”　he　said　and　his　face　went　suddenly　quiet　and　somber。　“You’d　still　be　the　broken…hearted　widow　of　Charles　Hamilton　and　famed　for　your　good　deeds　among　the　wounded。　Eventually；　however—”
　But　she　was　not　listening；　for　she　was　regarding　herself　pleasedly　in　the　mirror　again；　thinking　she　would　wear　the　bonnet　to　the　hospital　this　very　afternoon　and　take　flowers　to　the　convalescent　officers。
　That　there　was　truth　in　his　last　words　did　not　occur　to　her。　She　did　not　see　that　Rhett　had　pried　open　the　prison　of　her　widowhood　and　set　her　free　to　queen　it　over　unmarried　girls　when　her　days　as　a　belle　should　have　been　long　past。　Nor　did　she　see　that　under　his　influence　she　had　come　a　long　way　from　Ellen’s　teachings。　The　change　had　been　so　gradual；　the　flouting　of　one　small　convention　seeming　to　have　no　connection　with　the　flouting　of　another；　and　none　of　them　any　connection　with　Rhett。　She　did　not　realize　that；　with　his　encouragement；　she　had　disregarded　many　of　the　sternest　injunctions　of　her　mother　concerning　the　proprieties；　forgotten　the　difficult　lessons　in　being　a　lady。
　She　only　saw　that　the　bonnet　was　the　most　becoming　one　she　ever　had；　that　it　had　not　cost　her　a　penny　and　that　Rhett　must　be　in　love　with　her；　whether　he　admitted　it　or　not。　And　she　certainly　intended　to　find　a　way　to　make　him　admit　it。
　
　The　next　day；　Scarlett　was　standing　in　front　of　the　mirror　with　a　comb　in　her　hand　and　her　mouth　full　of　hairpins；　attempting　a　new　coiffure　which　Maybelle；　fresh　from　a　visit　to　her　husband　in　Richmond；　had　said　was　the　rage　at　the　Capital。　It　was　called　“Cats；　Rats　and　Mice”　and　presented　many　difficulties。　The　hair　was　parted　in　the　middle　and　arranged　in　three　rolls　of　graduating　size　on　each　side　of　the　head；　the　largest；　nearest　the　part；　being　the　“cat。”　The　“cat”　and　the　“rat”　were　easy　to　fix　but　the　“mice”　kept　slipping　out　of　her　hairpins　in　an　exasperating　manner。　However；　she　was　determined　to　accomplish　it；　for　Rhett　was　coming　to　supper　and　he　always　noticed　and　commented　upon　any　innovation　of　dress　or　hair。
　As　she　struggled　with　her　bushy；　obstinate　locks；　perspiration　beading　her　forehead；　she　heard　light　running　feet　in　the　downstairs　hall　and　knew　that　Melanie　was　home　from　the　hospital。　As　she　heard　her　fly　up　the　stairs；　two　at　a　time；　she　paused；　hairpin　in　mid…air；　realizing　that　something　must　be　wrong；　for　Melanie　always　moved　as　decorously　as　a　dowager。　She　went　to　the　door　and　threw　it　open；　and　Melanie　ran　in；　her　face　flushed　and　frightened；　looking　like　a　guilty　child。
　There　were　tears　on　her　cheeks；　her　bonnet　was　hanging　on　her　neck　by　the　ribbons　and　her　hoops　swaying　violently。　She　was　clutching　something　in　her　hand；　and　the　reek　of　heavy　cheap　perfume　came　into　the　room　with　her。
　“Oh；　Scarlett！”　she　cried；　shutting　the　door　and　sinking　on　the　bed。　“Is　Auntie　home　yet？　She　isn’t？　Oh；　thank　the　Lord！　Scarlett；　I’m　so　mortified　I　could　die！　I　nearly　swooned　and；　Scarlett；　Uncle　Peter　is　threatening　to　tell　Aunt　Pitty！”
　“Tell　what？”
　“That　I　was　talking　to　that—to　Miss—Mrs。—”　Melanie　fanned　her　hot　face　with　her　handkerchief。　“That　woman　with　red　hair；　named　Belle　Watling！”
　“Why；　Melly！”　cried　Scarlett；　so　shocked　she　could　only　stare。
　Belle　Watling　was　the　red…haired　woman　she　had　seen　on　the　street　the　first　day　she　came　to　Atlanta　and　by　now；　she　was　easily　the　most　notorious　woman　in　town。　Many　prostitutes　had　flocked　into　Atlanta；　following　the　soldiers；　but　Belle　stood　out　above　the　rest；　due　to　her　flaming　hair　and　the　gaudy；　overly　fashionable　dresses　she　wore。　She　was　seldom　seen　on　Peachtree　Street　or　in　any　nice　neighborhood；　but　when　she　did　appear　respectable　women　made　haste　to　cross　the　street　to　remove　themselves　from　her　vicinity。　And　Melanie　had　been　talking　with　her。　No　wonder　Uncle　Peter　was　outraged。
　“I　shall　die　if　Aunt　Pitty　finds　out！　You　know　she’ll　cry　and　tell　everybody　in　town　and　I’ll　be　disgraced；”　sobbed　Melanie。　“And　it　wasn’t　my　fault。　I—I　couldn’t　run　away　from　her。　It　would　have　been　so　rude。　Scarlett；　I—I　felt　sorry　for　her。　Do　you　think　I’m　bad　for　feeling　that　way？”
　But　Scarlett　was　not　concerned　with　the　ethics　of　the　matter。　Like　most　innocent　and　well…bred　young　women；　she　had　a　devouring　curiosity　about　prostitutes。
　“What　did　she　want？　What　does　she　talk　like？”
　“Oh；　she　used　awful　grammar　but　I　could　see　she　was　trying　so　hard　to　be　elegant；　poor　thing。　I　came　out　of　the　hospital　and　Uncle　Peter　and　the　carriage　weren’t　waiting；　so　I　thought　I’d　walk　home。　And　when　I　went　by　the　Emersons’　yard；　there　she　was　hiding　behind　the　hedge！　Oh；　thank　Heaven；　the　Emersons　are　in　Macon！　And　she　said；　‘Please；　Mrs。　Wilkes；　do　speak　a　minute　with　me。’　I　don’t　know　how　she　knew　my　name。　I　knew　I　ought　to　run　as　hard　as　I　could　but—well；　Scarlett；　she　looked　so　sad　and—well；　sort　of　pleading。　And　she　had　on　a　black　dress　and　black　bonnet　and　no　paint　and　really　looked　decent　but　for　that　red　hair。　And　before　I　could　answer　she　said；　‘I　know　I　shouldn’t　speak　to　you　but　I　tried　to　talk　to　that　old　peahen；　Mrs。　Elsing；　and　she　ran　me　away　from　the　hospital。’　”
　“Did　she　really　call　her　a　peahen？”　said　Scarlett　pleasedly　and　laughed。
　“Oh；　don’t　laugh。　It　isn’t　funny。　It　seems　that　Miss—this　woman；　wanted　to　do　something　for　the　hospital—can　you　imagine　it？　She　offered　to　nurse　every　morning　and；　of　course；　Mrs。　Elsing　must　have　nearly　died　at　the　idea　and　ordered　her　out　of　the　hospital。　And　then　she　said；　‘I　want　to　do　something；　too。　Ain’t　I　a　Confedrut；　good　as　you？’　And；　Scarlett；　I　was　right　touched　at　her　wanting　to　help。　You　know；　she　can’t　be　all　bad　if　she　wants　to　help　the　Cause。　Do　you　think　I’m　bad　to　feel　that　way？”
　“For　Heaven’s　sake；　Melly；　who　cares　if　you’re　bad？　What　else　did　she　say？”
　“She　said　she’d　been　watching　the　ladies　go　by　to　the　hospital　and　thought　I　had—a—a　kind　face　and　so　she　stopped　me。　She　had　some　money　and　she　wanted　me　to　take　it　and　use　it　for　the　hospital　…and　not　tell　a　soul　where　it　came　from。　She　said　Mrs。　Elsing　wouldn’t　let　it　be　used　if　she　knew　what　kind　of　money　it　was。　What　kind　of　money！　That’s　when　I　thought　I’d　swoon！　And　I　was　so　upset　and　anxious　to　get　away；　I　just　said：　‘Oh；　yes；　indeed；　how　sweet　of　you’　or　something　idiotic；　and　she　smiled　and　said：　That’s　right　Christian　of　you’　and　shoved　this　duty　handkerchief　into　my　hand。　Ugh；　can　you　smell　the　perfume？”
　Melanie　held　out　a　man’s　handkerchief；　soiled　and　highly　perfumed；　in　which　some　coins　were　knotted。
　“She　was　saying　thank　you　and　something　about　bringing　me　some　money　every　week　and　just　then　Uncle　Peter　drove　up　and　saw　me！”　Melly　collapsed　into　tears　and　laid　her　head　on　the　pillow。　“And　when　he　saw　who　was　with　me；　he—Scarlett；　he　hollered　at　me！　Nobody　has　ever　hollered　at　me　before　in　my　whole　life。　And　he　said。　‘You　git　in　dis　ayah　cah’ige　dis　minute！’　Of　course；　I　did；　and　all　the　way　home　he　blessed　me　out　and　wouldn’t　let　me　explain　and　said　he　was　going　to　tell　Aunt　Pitty。　Scarlett；　do　go　down　and　beg　him　not　to　tell　her。　Perhaps　he　will　listen　to　you。　It　will　kill　Auntie　if　she　knows　I　ever　even　looked　that　woman　in　the　face。　Will　you？”
　“Yes；　I　will。　But　let’s　see　how　much　money　is　in　here。　It　feels　heavy。”
　She　untied　the　knot　and　a　handful　of　gold　coins　rolled　out　on　the　bed。
　“Scarlett；　there’s　fifty　dollars　here！　And　in　gold！”　cried　Melanie；　awed；　as　she　counted　the　bright　pieces。　“Tell　me；　do　you　think　it’s　all　right　to　use　this　kind—well；　money　made—er—this　way　for　the　boys？　Don’t　you　think　that　maybe　God　will　understand　that　she　wanted　to　help　and　won’t　care　if　it　is　tainted？　When　I　think　of　how　many　things　the　hospital　needs—”
　But　Scarlett　was　not　listening。　She　was　looking　at　the　dirty　handkerchief；　and　humiliation　and　fury　were　filling　her。　There　was　a　monogram　in　the　corner　in　which　were　the　initials　“R。　K。　B。”　In　her　top　drawer　was　a　handkerchief　just　like　this；　one　that　Rhett　Butler　had　lent　her　only　yesterday　to　wrap　about　the　stems　of　wild　flowers　they　had　picked。　She　had　planned　to　return　it　to　him　when　he　came　to　supper　tonight。
　So　Rhett　consorted　with　that　vile　Watling　creature　and　gave　her　money。　That　was　where　the　contribution　to　the　hospital　came　from。　Blockade　gold。　And　to　think　that　Rhett　would　have　the　gall　to　look　a　decent　woman　in　the　face　after　being　with　that　creature！　And　to　think　that　she　could　have　believed　he　was　in　love　with　her！　This　proved　he　couldn’t　be。
　Bad　women　and　all　they　involved　were　mysterious　and　revolting　matters　to　her。　She　knew　that　men　patronized　these　women　for　purposes　which　no　lady　shoul