Унесенные ветром

           Thegroupturnedtowardhimandaccordedhimthepolitenessalwaysdueanoutsider.

           "Hasanyoneofyougentlemeneverthoughtthatthere’snotacannonfactorysouthoftheMason–DixonLine?OrhowfewironfoundriesthereareintheSouth?Orwoolenmillsorcottonfactoriesortanneries?HaveyouthoughtthatwewouldnothaveasinglewarshipandthattheYankeefleetcouldbottleupourharborsinaweek,sothatwecouldnotsellourcottonabroad?But—ofcourse—yougentlemenhavethoughtofthesethings."

           "Why,hemeanstheboysareapasseloffools!"thoughtScarlettindignantly,thehotbloodcomingtohercheeks.

           Evidently,shewasnottheonlyonetowhomthisideaoccurred,forseveraloftheboyswerebeginningtostickouttheirchins.JohnWilkescasuallybutswiftlycamebacktohisplacebesidethespeaker,asiftoimpressonallpresentthatthismanwashisguestandthat,moreover,therewereladiespresent.

           "ThetroublewithmostofusSoutherners,"continuedRhettButler,"isthatweeitherdon’ttravelenoughorwedon’tprofitenoughbyourtravels.Now,ofcourse,allyougentlemenarewelltraveled.Butwhathaveyouseen?EuropeandNewYorkandPhiladelphiaand,ofcourse,theladieshavebeentoSaratoga"(hebowedslightlytothegroupunderthearbor)."You’veseenthehotelsandthemuseumsandtheballsandthegamblinghouses.Andyou’vecomehomebelievingthatthere’snoplaceliketheSouth.Asforme,IwasCharlestonborn,butIhavespentthelastfewyearsintheNorth."Hiswhiteteethshowedinagrin,asthoughherealizedthateveryonepresentknewjustwhyhenolongerlivedinCharleston,andcarednotatalliftheydidknow."Ihaveseenmanythingsthatyouallhavenotseen.