Gone with the Wind / Унесённые ветром. Уровень 3

«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…»

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

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

«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 them».

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

«Prissy is a pretty little wench».

«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».

«How are they all at Twelve Oaks?»

«As usual. Cade Calvert was there and, we all sat on the gallery. Cade has just come from Atlanta».

«Did they say anything about the barbecue tomorrow?»

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

«Was Ashley there, too?»

«He was». Gerald turned and peered sharply into her face. «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?»

«There is nothing», she said shortly.

«Really? Has he asked to marry you?»

«No», she said shortly.

«Nor will he», said Gerald.

Fury flamed in her.

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

So it was true!

«Is it a spectacle you’ve been making of yourself?» he bawled. «Have you been running after a man who’s not in love with you?»

«I haven’t been running after him. It… it just surprised me».

«You’re lying!» said Gerald, and then he added: «I’m sorry, daughter. But there are lots of other lads. If you had any sense you’d have married Stuart or Brent Tarleton long ago. Think it over, daughter. You know little enough of any man, and of Ashley, too. Those Wilkes… The whole family is strange enough. Yes, Ashley can ride and play poker. He can do all those things, but his heart’s not in it. He’s queer».

Scarlett was silent and her heart sank.

«Scarlett! Why won’t you marry Cade Calvert? The Calverts are good folk, all of them. I’ll leave Tara to you and Cade…»

«I don’t want marry Cade!» cried Scarlett in fury. «And I don’t want Tara or any old plantation! They don’t amount to anything[5 - They don’t amount to anything. – Они ничего не стоят.]».

«Do you tell me that Tara… that land… doesn’t amount to anything?»

Scarlett nodded obstinately.

«Land is the only thing in the world that amounts to anything», he shouted.

«Oh, Pa», she said disgustedly, «you talk like an Irishman!»

«And I am proud of it. And don’t forget that you are half Irish, Miss!»

Chapter III

That night at supper, Scarlett’s mind was in a ferment over the dreadful news she had heard about Ashley and Melanie. Of course, she did not intend to tell her mother what was so heavy on her heart. Her mother, Ellen, will be shocked and grieved to know that a daughter of hers wants a man who is engaged to another girl. But she wanted the very comfort of her mother’s presence. She always felt secure when Ellen was by her.

She rose suddenly from her chair at the sound of creaking wheels in the driveway. Looking out the window, Scarlett saw Pork. Pork entered, his usual dignity was gone, his eyes were rolling.

«Mister Gerald», he announced, breathing hard, «your new housemaid is here».

«New housemaid? I didn’t buy any new housemaid», declared Gerald.

«Yes, you did, Mister Gerald! Yes! And she wants to speak with you», answered Pork, giggling and twisting his hands in excitement.

«Well, bring in your wife», said Gerald, and Pork beckoned into the hall to his wife. She arrived from the Wilkes plantation to become part of the household of Tara. She entered, and behind her came her twelve-year-old daughter.

Dilcey was tall. Her immobile bronze face was unlined. Indian blood was plain in her features. The red color of her skin, narrow high forehead, all showed the mixture of two races. When she spoke, her voice was not so slurred as most negroes’ and she chose her words more carefully.

«Good evening, young Misses. Mister Gerald, I am sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to come here and thank you again for buying me and my daughter».

«Hm-hmm», said Gerald.

Dilcey turned to Scarlett and something like a smile wrinkled the corners of her eyes.

«Miss Scarlett, Poke told me how you asked Mister Gerald to buy me. And so I give you my Prissy for your own maid».

She jerked the little girl forward. She was a brown little creature, with skinny legs like a bird. She had sharp eyes and stupid look on her face.

«Thank you, Dilcey», Scarlett replied, «but I’m afraid Mammy will have something to say about that. She’s been my maid ever since I was born».

«Mammy is getting old», said Dilcey. «She a good mammy, but you are a young lady now and you need a good maid. Prissy has been maiding for Miss India for a year. She can sew and fix hair».