Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3

«Scarlett’s right», said Mrs. Merriwether. «Both of you… all of you must come».

«Too good to be true!» said Scarlett’s joyful heart. A party! After a year’s seclusion! And she will see people and many lights and hear music!

The musicians clambered upon their platform. Then the fiddles, bull fiddles, accordions, banjos and knuckle-bones[14 - knuckle-bones – трещотки] began to play «Lorena». One-two-three, one-two-three. What a beautiful waltz! The hall was full of girls, girls who floated in bright dresses.

There were so many uniforms in the crowd… so many uniforms on so many men whom Scarlett knew, men she had met on hospital cots, on the streets. Such handsome men!

Turning, Scarlett saw Melly. She smiled at Scarlett, whimsically.

«I’m so happy», she whispered, «and so proud of the soldiers!».

There was a deep, almost fanatic glow in her eyes. The same look was on the faces of all the women, tears of pride on cheeks, smiles on lips. Scarlett realized that she did not share with these women their pride.

Scarlett wanted to scream. She wanted to dance. Her green eyes blazed eagerly. A man who was standing in the doorway, saw them, and grinned to himself. He was dressed in black broadcloth. His hair was black, and his black mustache was small.

She stood as if paralyzed.

«Permit me», he said bending over. «Do you recall me, Miss O’Hara?»

She looked up at him imploringly. This terrible person who gave her nightmares. Rhett Butler!

В«And what are you doing so far from Charleston, Mr.

Butler?В» said Melanie.

«A boring matter of business, Mrs. Wilkes. No wonder Miss O’Hara is faint. May I lead you to a window?»

В«NoВ», said Scarlett, so rudely that Melly stared.

«She is not Miss O’Hara any longer», said Melly. «She is Mrs. Hamilton. She is my sister now».

В«Your husbands are here tonight, I trust, on this happy occasion?В»

«My husband is in Virginia», said Melly. «But Charles…»

В«He died in campВ», said Scarlett flatly.

«My dear ladies… You must forgive me. But I’m a stranger here. To die for one’s country is to live forever».

He knows about Ashley and he knows I didn’t love Charlie, thought Scarlett. She said nothing. He leaned down across the counter and hissed:

В«Fear not, fair lady! Your guilty secret is safe with me!В»

There was a roll of drums and many voices cried В«Sh!В» as Dr. Meade mounted the platform.