飘- 第171部分

　
　When　Scarlett　leased　ten　convicts；　five　for　each　of　her　mills；　Archie　made　good　his　threat　and　refused　to　have　anything　further　to　do　with　her。　Not　all　Melanie’s　pleading　or　Frank’s　promises　of　higher　pay　would　induce　him　to　take　up　the　reins　again。　He　willingly　escorted　Melanie　and　Pitty　and　India　and　their　friends　about　the　town　but　not　Scarlett。　He　would　not　even　drive　for　the　other　ladies　if　Scarlett　was　in　the　carriage。　It　was　an　embarrassing　situation；　having　the　old　desperado　sitting　in　judgment　upon　her；　and　it　was　still　more　embarrassing　to　know　that　her　family　and　friends　agreed　with　the　old　man。
　Frank　pleaded　with　her　against　taking　the　step。　Ashley　at　first　refused　to　work　convicts　and　was　persuaded；　against　his　will；　only　after　tears　and　supplications　and　promises　that　when　times　were　better　she　would　hire　free　darkies。　Neighbors　were　so　outspoken　in　their　disapproval　that　Frank；　Pitty　and　Melanie　found　it　hard　to　hold　up　their　heads。　Even　Peter　and　Mammy　declared　that　it　was　bad　luck　to　work　convicts　and　no　good　would　come　of　it。　Everyone　said　it　was　wrong　to　take　advantage　of　the　miseries　and　misfortunes　of　others。
　“You　didn’t　have　any　objections　to　working　slaves！”　Scarlett　cried　indignantly。
　Ah；　but　that　was　different。　Slaves　were　neither　miserable　nor　unfortunate。　The　negroes　were　far　better　off　under　slavery　than　they　were　now　under　freedom；　and　if　she　didn’t　believe　it；　just　look　about　her！　But；　as　usual；　opposition　had　the　effect　of　making　Scarlett　more　determined　on　her　course。　She　removed　Hugh　from　the　management　of　the　mill；　put　him　to　driving　a　lumber　wagon　and　closed　the　final　details　of　hiring　Johnnie　Gallegher。
　He　seemed　to　be　the　only　person　she　knew　who　approved　of　the　convicts。　He　nodded　his　bullet　head　briefly　and　said　it　was　a　smart　move。　Scarlett；　looking　at　the　little　ex…jockey；　planted　firmly　on　his　short　bowed　legs；　his　gnomish　face　hard　and　businesslike；　thought：　“Whoever　let　him　ride　their　horses　didn’t　care　much　for　horse　flesh。　I　wouldn’t　let　him　get　within　ten　feet　of　any　horse　of　mine。”
　But　she　had　no　qualms　in　trusting　him　with　a　convict　gang。
　“And　I’m　to　have　a　free　hand　with　the　gang？”　he　questioned；　his　eyes　as　cold　as　gray　agates。
　“A　free　hand。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　keep　that　mill　running　and　deliver　my　lumber　when　I　want　it　and　as　much　as　I　want。”
　“I’m　your　man；”　said　Johnnie　shortly。　“I’ll　tell　Mr。　Wellburn　I’m　leaving　him。”
　As　he　rolled　off　through　the　crowd　of　masons　and　carpenters　and　hod　carriers　Scarlett　felt　relieved　and　her　spirits　rose。　Johnnie　was　indeed　her　man。　He　was　tough　and　hard　and　there　was　no　nonsense　about　him。　“Shanty　Irish　on　the　make；”　Frank　had　contemptuously　called　him；　but　for　that　very　reason　Scarlett　valued　him。　She　knew　that　an　Irishman　with　a　determination　to　get　somewhere　was　a　valuable　man　to　have；　regardless　of　what　his　personal　characteristics　might　be。　And　she　felt　a　closer　kinship　with　him　than　with　many　men　of　her　own　class；　for　Johnnie　knew　the　value　of　money。
　The　first　week　he　took　over　the　mill　he　justified　all　her　hopes；　for　he　accomplished　more　with　five　convicts　than　Hugh　had　ever　done　with　his　crew　of　ten　free　negroes。　More　than　that；　he　gave　Scarlett　greater　leisure　than　she　had　had　since　she　came　to　Atlanta　the　year　before；　because　he　had　no　liking　for　her　presence　at　the　mill　and　said　so　frankly。
　“You　tend　to　your　end　of　selling　and　let　me　tend　to　my　end　of　lumbering；”　he　said　shortly。　“A　convict　camp　ain’t　any　place　for　a　lady　and　if　nobody　else’ll　tell　you　so；　Johnnie　Gallegher’s　telling　you　now。　I’m　delivering　your　lumber；　ain’t　I？　Well；　I’ve　got　no　notion　to　be　pestered　every　day　like　Mr。　Wilkes。　He　needs　pestering。　I　don’t。”
　So　Scarlett　reluctantly　stayed　away　from　Johnnie’s　mill；　fearing　that　if　she　came　too　often　he　might　quit　and　that　would　be　ruinous。　His　remark　that　Ashley　needed　pestering　stung　her；　for　there　was　more　truth　in　it　than　she　liked　to　admit。　Ashley　was　doing　little　better　with　convicts　than　he　had　done　with　free　labor；　although　why；　he　was　unable　to　tell。　Moreover；　he　looked　as　if　he　were　ashamed　to　be　working　convicts　and　he　had　little　to　say　to　her　these　days。
　Scarlett　was　worried　by　the　change　that　was　coming　over　him。　There　were　gray　hairs　in　his　bright　head　now　and　a　tired　slump　in　his　shoulders。　And　he　seldom　smiled。　He　no　longer　looked　the　debonair　Ashley　who　had　caught　her　fancy　so　many　years　before。　He　looked　like　a　man　secretly　gnawed　by　a　scarcely　endurable　pain　and　there　was　a　grim　tight　look　about　his　mouth　that　baffled　and　hurt　her。　She　wanted　to　drag　his　head　fiercely　down　on　her　shoulder；　stroke　the　graying　hair　and　cry：　“Tell　me　what’s　worrying　you！　I’ll　fix　it！　I’ll　make　it　right　for　you！”
　But　his　formal；　remote　air　kept　her　at　arm’s　length。
　
　CHAPTER　XLIII
　IT　WAS　ONE　of　those　rare　December　days　when　the　sun　was　almost　as　warm　as　Indian　summer。　Dry　red　leaves　still　clung　to　the　oak　in　Aunt　Pitty’s　yard　and　a　faint　yellow　green　still　persisted　in　the　dying　grass。　Scarlett；　with　the　baby　in　her　arms；　stepped　out　onto　the　side　porch　and　sat　down　in　a　rocking　chair　in　a　patch　of　sunshine。　She　was　wearing　a　new　green　challis　dress　trimmed　with　yards　and　yards　of　black　rickrack　braid　and　a　new　lace　house　cap　which　Aunt　Pitty　had　made　for　her。　Both　were　very　becoming　to　her　and　she　knew　it　and　took　great　pleasure　in　them。　How　good　it　was　to　look　pretty　again　after　the　long　months　of　looking　so　dreadful！
　As　she　sat　rocking　the　baby　and　humming　to　herself；　she　heard　the　sound　of　hooves　coming　up　the　side　street　and；　peering　curiously　through　the　tangle　of　dead　vines　on　the　porch；　she　saw　Rhett　Butler　riding　toward　the　house。
　He　had　been　away　from　Atlanta　for　months；　since　just　after　Gerald　died；　since　long　before　Ella　Lorena　was　born。　She　had　missed　him　but　she　now　wished　ardently　that　there　was　some　way　to　avoid　seeing　him。　In　fact；　the　sight　of　his　dark　face　brought　a　feeling　of　guilty　panic　to　her　breast。　A　matter　in　which　Ashley　was　concerned　lay　on　her　conscience　and　she　did　not　wish　to　discuss　it　with　Rhett；　but　she　knew　he　would　force　the　discussion；　no　matter　how　disinclined　she　might　be。
　He　drew　up　at　the　gate　and　swung　lightly　to　the　ground　and　she　thought；　staring　nervously　at　him；　that　he　looked　just　like　an　illustration　in　a　book　Wade　was　always　pestering　her　to　read　aloud。
　“All　he　needs　is　earrings　and　a　cutlass　between　his　teeth；”　she　thought。　“Well；　pirate　or　no；　he’s　not　going　to　cut　my　throat　today　if　I　can　help　it。”
　As　he　came　up　the　walk　she　called　a　greeting　to　him；　summoning　her　sweetest　smile。　How　lucky　that　she　had　on　her　new　dress　and　the　becoming　cap　and　looked　so　pretty！　As　his　eyes　went　swiftly　over　her；　she　knew　he　thought　her　pretty；　too。
　“A　new　baby！　Why；　Scarlett；　this　is　a　surprise！”　he　laughed；　leaning　down　to　push　the　blanket　away　from　Ella　Lorena’s　small　ugly　face。
　“Don’t　be　silly；”　she　said；　blushing。　“How　are　you；　Rhett？　You’ve　been　away　a　long　time。”
　“So　I　have。　Let　me　hold　the　baby；　Scarlett。　Oh；　I　know　how　to　hold　babies。　I　have　many　strange　accomplishments。　Well；　he　certainly　looks　like　Frank。　All　except　the　whiskers；　but　give　him　time。”
　“I　hope　not。　It’s　a　girl。”
　“A　girl？　That’s　better　still。　Boys　are　such　nuisances。　Don’t　ever　have　any　more　boys；　Scarlett。”
　It　was　on　the　tip　of　her　tongue　to　reply　tartly　that　she　never　intended　to　have　any　more　babies；　boys　or　girls；　but　she　caught　herself　in　time　and　smiled；　casting　about　quickly　in　her　mind　for　some　topic　of　conversation　that　would　put　off　the　bad　moment　when　the　subject　she　feared　would　come　up　for　discussion。
　“Did　you　have　a　nice　trip；　Rhett？　Where　did　you　go　this　time？”
　“Oh—Cuba—New　Orleans—other　places。　Here；　Scarlett；　take　the　baby。　She’s　beginning　to　slobber　and　I　can’t　get　to　my　handkerchief。　She’s　a　fine　baby；　I’m　sure；　but　she’s　wetting　my　shirt　bosom。”
　She　took　the　child　back　into　her　lap　and　Rhett　settled　himself　lazily　on　the　banister　and　took　a　cigar　from　a　silver　case。
　“You　are　always　going　to　New　Orleans；”　she　said　and　pouted　a　little。　“And　you　never　will　tell　me　what　you　do　there。”
　“I　am　a　hard…working　man；　Scarlett；　and　perhaps　my　business　takes　me　there。”
　“Hard…working！　You！”　she　laughed　impertinently。　“You　never　worked　in　your　life。　You’re　too　lazy。　All　you　ever　do　is　finance　Carpetbaggers　in　their　thieving　and　take　half　the　profits　and　bribe　Yankee　officials　to　let　you　in　on　schemes　to　rob　us　taxpayers。”
　He　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。
　“And　how　you　would　love　to　have　money　enough　to　bribe　officials；　so　you　could　do　likewise！”
　“The　very　idea—”　She　began　to　ruffle。
　“But　perhaps　you　will　make　enough　money　to　get　into　bribery　on　a　large　scale　some　day。　Maybe　you’ll　get　rich　off　those　convicts　you　leased。”
　“Oh；”　she　said；　a　little　disconcerted；　“how　did　you　find　out　about　my　gang　so　soon？”
　“I　arrived　last　night　and　spent　the　evening　in　the　Girl　of　the　Period　Saloon；　where　one　hears　all　the　news　of　the　town。　It’s　a　clearing　house　for　gossip。　Better　than　a　ladies’　sewing　circle。　Everyone　told　me　that　you’d　leased　a　gang　and　put　that　little　plug…ugly；　Gallegher；　in　charge　to　work　them　to　death。”
　“That’s　a　lie；”　she　said　angrily。　“He　won’t　work　them　to　death。　I’ll　see　to　that”
　“Will　you？”
　“Of　course　I　will！　How　can　you　even　insinuate　such　things？”
　“Oh；　I　do　beg　your　pardon；　Mrs。　Kennedy！　I　know　your　motives　are　always　above　reproach。　However；　Johnnie　Gallegher　is　a　cold　little　bully　if　I　ever　saw　one。　Better　watch　him　or　you’ll　be　having　trouble　when　the　inspector　comes　around。”
　“You　tend　to　your　business　and　I’ll　tend　to　mine；”　she　said　indignantly。　“And　I　don’t　want　to　talk　about　convicts　any　more。　Everybody’s　been　hateful　about　them。　My　gang　is　my　own　business—　And　you　haven’t　told　me　yet　what　you　do　in　New　Orleans。　You　go　there　so　often　that　everybody　says—”　She　paused。　She　had　not　intended　to　say　so　much。
　“What　do　they　say？”
　“Well—that　you　have　a　sweetheart　there。　That　you　are　going　to　get　married。　Are　you；　Rhett？”
　She　had　been　curious　about　this　for　so　long　that　she　could　not　refrain　from　asking　the　point…blank　question。