Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3

В«When may I speak to your father?В»

В«The sooner the betterВ».

He leaped up and looked down at her radiantly. The white house will never be her house now. Ashley will never marry her. Oh, Ashley, Ashley! What have I done? She loved Ashley and she knew she loved him.

Chapter V

Within two weeks Scarlett had become a wife, and within two months more she was a widow. But, to her dismay, motherhood soon followed. Two weeks! So short an engagement was impossible in times of peace. But the South was aflame with war.

Charles was impatient to be off to South Carolina to join Wade Hampton’s Legion. The South was intoxicated with enthusiasm and excitement. Every young man hastened to enlist, hastened to marry his sweetheart before he rushed off to Virginia to fight the Yankees. There were dozens of war weddings in the County.

Scarlett was clad in Ellen’s wedding dress and veil. Gerald was happy that his daughter was marrying both money and a fine name. Ashley was standing at the bottom of the steps with Melanie’s arm through his.

When she saw the look on his face, she thought: «This can’t be real. It can’t be. It’s a nightmare. I mustn’t think of it now. I’ll think later, when I can’t see his eyes».

It was all very dreamlike, the passage through the aisle of smiling people, Charles’ face, the congratulations, the kissing and the dancing… all, all like a dream. Even the feel of Ashley’s kiss upon her cheek, even Melanie’s soft whisper, «Now, we’re really and truly sisters», were unreal.

As Cherles hesitatingly approached the bed Scarlett spoke in a hoarse whisper:

«I’ll scream out loud if you come near me. I will! Get away from me!»

So Charles Hamilton spent his wedding night in an armchair in the corner. Her own wedding had been nightmarish, but Ashley’s wedding was even worse. Melanie Hamilton became Melanie Wilkes. Ashley had said he loved her, but what separated them?

Oh, how she regretted it all. That night Charles had emerged shyly from the dressing room, and she burst into tears[8 - she burst into tears – она разрыдалась].

A week after the wedding Charles left to join Colonel Wade Hampton, and two weeks later Ashley and the Troop departed.

In those two weeks, Scarlett never saw Ashley alone, never had a private word with him. Melanie said: «You must kiss Scarlett, Ashley. She’s my sister now», and Ashley bent and touched her cheek with cold lips.