anything unpleasant now。 She wanted to be happy for her mind was full of the first party she would give in the new house。 It would be an enormous night reception with palms and an orchestra and all the porches shrouded in canvas； and a collation that made her mouth water in anticipation。 To it she intended to invite everyone she had ever known in Atlanta； all the old friends and all the new and charming ones she had met since returning from her honeymoon。 The excitement of the party banished； for the most part； the memory of Rhett’s barbs and she was happy； happier than she had been in years as she planned her reception。
Oh； what fun it was to be rich！ To give parties and never count the cost！ To buy the most expensive furniture and dresses and food and never think about the bills！ How marvelous to be able to send tidy checks to Aunt Pauline and Aunt Eulalie in Charleston； and to Will at Tara！ Oh； the jealous fools who said money wasn’t everything！ How perverse of Rhett to say that it had done nothing for her！
Scarlett issued cards of invitation to all her friends and acquaintances； old and new； even those she did not like。 She did not except even Mrs。 Merriwether who had been almost rude when she called on her at the National Hotel or Mrs。 Elsing who had been cool to frigidness。 She invited Mrs。 Meade and Mrs。 Whiting who she knew disliked her and who she knew would be embarrassed because they did not have the proper clothes to wear to so elegant a function。 For Scarlett’s housewarming； or “crush；” as it was fashionable to call such evening parties； half…reception； half…ball； was by far the most elaborate affair Atlanta had ever seen。
That night the house and canvas…covered veranda were filled with guests who drank her champagne punch and ate her patties and creamed oysters and danced to the music of the orchestra that was carefully screened by a wall of palms and rubber plants。 But none of those whom Rhett had termed the “Old Guard” were present except Melanie and Ashley； Aunt Pitty and Uncle Henry； Dr。 and Mrs。 Meade and Grandpa Merriwether。
Many of the Old Guard had reluctantly decided to attend the “crush。” Some had accepted because of Melanie’s attitude； others because they felt they owed Rhett a debt for saving their lives and those of their relatives。 But； two days before the function； a rumor went about Atlanta that Governor Bullock had been invited。 The Old Guard signified their disapproval by a sheaf of cards； regretting their inability to accept Scarlett’s kind invitation。 And the small group of old friends who did attend took their departure； embarrassed but firm； as soon as the governor entered Scarlett’s house。
Scarlett was so bewildered and infuriated at these slights that the party was utterly ruined for her。 Her elegant “crush”！ She had planned it so lovingly and so few old friends and no old enemies had been there to see how wonderful it was！ After the last guest had gone home at dawn； she would have cried and stormed had she not been afraid that Rhett would roar with laughter； afraid that she would read “I told you so” in his dancing black eyes； even if he did not speak the words。 So she swallowed her wrath with poor grace and pretended indifference。
Only to Melanie； the next morning； did she permit herself the luxury of exploding。
“You insulted me； Melly Wilkes； and you made Ashley and the others insult me！ You know they’d have never gone home so soon if you hadn’t dragged them。 Oh； I saw you！ Just when I started to bring Governor Bullock over to present him to you； you ran like a rabbit！”
“I did not believe—I could not believe that he would really be present；” answered Melanie unhappily。 “Even though everybody said—”
“Everybody？ So everybody’s been clacking and blabbing about me； have they？” cried Scarlett furiously。 “Do you mean to tell me if you’d known the governor was going to be present； you wouldn’t have come either？”
“No；” said Melanie in a low voice； her eyes on the floor。 “Darling； I just wouldn’t have come。”
“Great balls of fire！ So you’d have insulted me like everybody else did！”
“Oh； mercy！” cried Melly； in real distress。 “I didn’t mean to hurt you。 You’re my own sister； darling； my own Charlie’s widow and I—”
She put a timid hand on Scarlett’s arm。 But Scarlett flung it off； wishing fervently that she could roar as loudly as Gerald used to roar when in a temper。 But Melanie faced her wrath。 And as she looked into Scarlett’s stormy green eyes； her slight shoulders straightened and a mantle of dignity； strangely at variance with her childish face and figure； fell upon her。
“I’m sorry you’re hurt； my dear； but I cannot meet Governor Bullock or any Republican or any Scalawag。 I will not meet them； in your house or any other house。 No； not even if I have to—if I have to—” Melanie cast about her for the worst thing she could think of—“Not even if I have to be rude。”
“Are you criticizing my friends？”
“No； dear。 But they are your friends and not mine。”
“Are you criticizing me for having the governor at my house？”
Cornered； Melanie still met Scarlett’s eyes unwaveringly。
“Darling； what you do； you always do for a good reason and I love you and trust you and it is not for me to criticize。 And I will not permit anyone to criticize you in my hearing。 But； oh； Scarlett！” Suddenly words began to bubble out； swift hot words and there was inflexible hate in the low voice。 “Can you forget what these people did to us？ Can you forget darling Charlie dead and Ashley’s health ruined and Twelve Oaks burned？ Oh； Scarlett； you can’t forget that terrible man you shot with your mother’s sewing box in his hands！ You can’t forget Sherman’s men at Tara and how they even stole our underwear！ And tried to burn the place down and actually handled my father’s sword！ Oh； Scarlett； it was these same people who robbed us and tortured us and left us to starve that you invited to your party！ The same people who have set the darkies up to lord it over us； who are robbing us and keeping out men from voting！ I can’t forget。 I won’t forget。 I won’t let my Beau forget and I’ll teach my grandchildren to hate these people—and my grandchildren’s grandchildren if God lets me live that long！ Scarlett； how can you forget？”
Melanie paused for breath and Scarlett stared at her； startled out of her own anger by the quivering note of violence in Melanie’s voice。
“Do you think I’m a fool？” she questioned impatiently。 “Of course； I remember！ But all that’s past； Melly。 It’s up to us to make the best of things and I’m trying to do it。 Governor Bullock and some of the nicer Republicans can help us a lot if we handle them right。”
“There are no nice Republicans；” said Melanie flatly。 “And I don’t want their help。 And I don’t intend to make the best of things—if they are Yankee things。”
“Good Heaven； Melly； why get in such a pet？”
“Oh！” cried Melanie； looking conscience stricken。 “How I have run on！ Scarlett I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or to criticize。 Everybody thinks differently and everybody’s got a right to their own opinion。 Now； dear； I love you and you know I love you and nothing you could ever do would make me change。 And you still love me； don’t you？ I haven’t made you hate me； have I？ Scarlett； I couldn’t stand it if anything ever came between us—after all we’ve been through together！ Say it’s all right。”
“Fiddle…dee…dee； Melly； what a tempest you make in a teapot；” said Scarlett grudgingly； but she did not throw off the hand that stole around her waist。
“Now； we’re all right again；” said Melanie pleasedly but she added softly； “I want us to visit each other just like we always did； darling。 Just you let me know what days Republicans and Scalawags are coming to see you and I’ll stay at home on those days。”
“It’s a matter of supreme indifference to me whether you come or not；” said Scarlett； putting on her bonnet and going home in a huff。 There was some satisfaction to her wounded vanity in the hurt look on Melanie’s face。
In the weeks that followed her first party； Scarlett was hard put to keep up her pretense of supreme indifference to public opinion。 When she did not receive calls from old friends； except Melanie and Pitty and Uncle Henry and Ashley； and did not get cards to their modest entertainments； she was genuinely puzzled and hurt。 Had she not gone out of her way to bury old hatchets and show these people that she bore them no ill will for their gossiping and backbiting？ Surely they must know that she didn’t like Governor Bullock any more than they did but that it was expedient to be nice to him。 The idiots！ If everybody would be nice to the Republicans； Georgia would get out of the fix she was in very quickly。
She did not realize then that with one stroke she had cut forever any fragile tie that still bound her to the old days； to old friends。 Not even Melanie’s influence could repair the break of that gossamer thread。 And Melanie； bewildered； broken hearted but still loyal； did not try to repair it。 Even had Scarlett wanted to turn back to old ways； old friends； there was no turning back possible now。 The face of the town was set against her as stonily as granite。 The hate that enveloped the Bullock regime enveloped her too； a hate that had little fire and fury in it but much cold implacability。 Scarlett had cast her lot with the enemy and； whatever her birth and family connections； she was now in the category of a turncoat； a nigger lover； a traitor； a Republican—and a Scalawag。
After a miserable while； Scarlett’s pretended indifference gave way to the real thing。 She had never been one to worry long over the vagaries of human conduct or to be cast down for long if one line of action failed。 Soon she did not care what the Merriwethers； the Elsings； the Whitings； the Bonnells； the Meades and others thought of her。 At least； Melanie called； bringing Ashley； and Ashley was the one who mattered the most。 And there were other people in Atlanta who would come to her parties； other people far more congenial than those hide…bound old hens。 Any time she wanted to fill her house with guests； she could do so and these guests