Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3

«You look like the ragpicker’s child», he observed. Why was he so rude?

«Drive me somewhere where nobody will see me. I won’t go back to the hospital!»

В«A traitor to Our Glorious Cause!В»

He was well dressed. His coat and trousers were new, not ragged. His brown face was bland.

«You little fraud», he said. «You dance all night with the soldiers and give them roses and ribbons and tell them how you’d die for the Cause, and after that you decamp hastily».

«I’m just sick and tired of that old hospital», she said.

«And every day more and more wounded come in. It’s all General Johnston’s fault».

В«My dear, I wear no uniform and wave no sword and the fortunes of the Confederacy mean nothing at all to meВ».

«Rhett, look, down the street! That crowd of men! They aren’t soldiers. Why, they’re darkies!»

There was a great cloud of red dust coming up the street and from the cloud came the sound of a hundred or more negro voices. Scarlett looked curiously at the black men, picks and shovels over their shoulders.

Then her eyes saw Big Sam, the foreman of Tara! But what was Big Sam doing here, so far away from home?

The giant caught sight of her and his black face split in a grin of delighted recognition. He halted, dropped his shovel and started toward her: «Oh God! It’s Miss Scarlett! Elijah, Apostle, Prophet, it’s Miss Scarlett!»

There was confusion in the ranks. The crowd halted, and Big Sam, followed by three other large negroes, ran across the road to the carriage.

An officer shouted,

«Get back in line, you fellows! Get back, I tell you! Why it’s Mrs. Hamilton. Good morning, Ma’m, and you, too, sir».

«Oh, Captain Randall, don’t scold them! They are our people. This is Big Sam our foreman, and Elijah and Apostle and Prophet from Tara. How are you, boys? What are you boys doing so far from Tara?»

В«They came and took usВ», answered Big Sam. В«Because we are the biggest and the strongest men at TaraВ». His white teeth showed proudly.

«Oh, turn the horse around. I’m going home, back home to Tara, right away. You know the Yankees will never get to Atlanta».

«I’ll bet you they will be here within the month. I’ll bet you a box of bonbons against a kiss».

«I’d better kiss a pig», she said coolly. «Captain Butler, I wish to go back to the hospital».

В«Do you indeed, my angel?В»

He turned the horse’s head and they started back toward Five Points.