Throughout the afternoon, her voice went on like an
animal dying ina trap.
An he say: Where all she studyin bout goin? If he
isnt atthe hotel, go to the barrooms on Decatur Street and ask for him.
Hecould take them all away from this doomed place,
away from theYankees, somewhere, anywhere. The Yankees may beall over Tara by now,
all over the County.
Were the last of the menfrom the breastworks, bout
a mile north from here. SupposeMelanie should go on like this for two days! The
front gate clicked and Scarlett cried: Run,you goose! She could distinguish nothing
but a volume ofsound that rose and fell.
He fumbled in his pocket and produced a
handkerchief and wiped hereyes.
Youll never see yourmother again or anybody you
know and Ill sell you for a field handtoo.
And now she bragged about how good she had been.
Scarlett began to shake and her eyes burned with tears of fright. She strained
forward trying to hear andsoon she found her muscles aching from the
tension.
After an hour of this, Scarletts hands were so
swollen and bruisedshe could hardly flex them. She thought of the long walk back to
thehouse and it seemed interminable. Scarlett picked up the small baby and wrapped
him hastily in athick towel.
Miss Scarlett, Maw would weah me out wid a cotton
stalk, did Ah goin a bahroom or a ho house.
Youve got to bring thebaby and Ill help
you.
He was so tender, so infinitelysoothing, she longed
to stay in his arms forever.
The man at her feetlooked up at Scarlett
compassionately.
You fool, dont yousee that if you dont hurry and
find him the Yankees will surelyget us all?
The earth shook and the glass in the panes above
herhead shivered and came down around her.
In another moment youll be in a swoon and I haveno
smelling salts about me.
She fled up the stairs to her own room and hung out
the window fora better view.
Wade followed her down thestairs, his hiccoughs
stilled by his interest in the proceedings. If her heart would only stop bumping and
drumming andcavorting. She felt something brush her hair and wondered vaguely
through hertumult if it were his lips. Her heart began to pound and new life came
into herlimbs. She rose dizzily to her feet and started walking again.
Youngboys dragged sacks of corn and potatoes. She
jerked Prissy to her feet and sent her kitchenwards with ashove. She blew her nose
obediently, still trembling, but she could notthink what to tell him to do. But she
couldnt take Melanieto the woods.
For herself, she felt that she could never eat
againafter this afternoon. Wake Wade up and dress him and pack some clothes for all
of us.
There had always been friends, neighbors, the
competent handsof willing slaves. Theres no use telling pretty lies, Madam. They
swarmed on Melaniedespite the fan Scarlett kept in constant motion.