Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3

«Well, Miss», he said, «so, you’re spying on me and, like your sister Suellen last week, you’ll tell your mother about me?»

Scarlett teasingly clicked her tongue.

«No, Pa, I’m not a tattletale[4 - tattletale – ябеда] like Suellen», she assured him.

Gerald was a small man, little more than five feet tall, but very heavy. His thick torso was supported by short sturdy legs. He was sixty years old and his curly hair was silver-white, but his little blue eyes were young. His was Irish.

And he had the tenderest of hearts.

Scarlett was his oldest child. She was more like her father than her younger sisters, Carreen and Suellen.

«You look very presentable now», she said. «But it seems to me that after you broke your knee last year, jumping that fence…»

В«Well, my own daughter is telling me what I shall jump and not jump!В» he shouted. В«Miss, what are you doing out here without your shawl?В»

В«I was waiting for you. I want to know if you bought DilceyВ».

В«Yes I did, and the price has ruined me. Bought her and her little wench, Prissy. I gave him three thousand for the two of themВ».

«Pa, three thousand! And you didn’t need to buy Prissy!»

В«Prissy is a pretty little wenchВ».

«I know her. She’s a sly, stupid creature», Scarlett rejoined calmly. «And the only reason you bought her was because Dilcey asked you to buy her».

«Well, what if I did? Well, come on, let’s go to supper».

В«How are they all at Twelve Oaks?В»

В«As usual.

Cade Calvert was there and, we all sat on the gallery. Cade has just come from AtlantaВ».

В«Did they say anything about the barbecue tomorrow?В»

«Yes, they did. Ashley’s cousin, Miss Melanie Hamilton, and her brother Charles have already come from Atlanta and…»

В«Was Ashley there, too?В»

В«He wasВ». Gerald turned and peered sharply into her face. В«You want to talk about him, right? He was there and he asked most kindly about you.

And now, daughter, what’s all this about you and Ashley?»

В«There is nothingВ», she said shortly.

В«Really? Has he asked to marry you?В»

В«NoВ», she said shortly.

В«Nor will heВ», said Gerald.

Fury flamed in her.

В«Miss! I learned from John Wilkes that Ashley was going to marry Miss Melanie. It will be announced tomorrowВ».

So it was true!

«Is it a spectacle you’ve been making of yourself?» he bawled.