Унесенные ветром

           No,shewasnothappynow,andatfirstshehadbeenradiantwiththepleasureofbeinginacrowd.Nowjustbeingpresentwasnotenough.Shewasatthebazaarbutnotapartofit.Noonepaidheranyattentionandshewastheonlyyoungunmarriedwomanpresentwhodidnothaveabeau.Andallherlifeshehadenjoyedthecenterofthestage.Itwasn’tfair!Shewasseventeenyearsoldandherfeetwerepattingthefloor,wantingtoskipanddance.ShewasseventeenyearsoldandshehadahusbandlyingatOaklandCemeteryandababyinhiscradleatAuntPittypat’sandeveryonethoughtsheshouldbecontentwithherlot.Shehadawhiterbosomandasmallerwaistandatinierfootthananygirlpresent,butforalltheymatteredshemightjustaswellbelyingbesideCharleswith"BelovedWifeof"carvedoverher.

           Shewasn’tagirlwhocoulddanceandflirtandshewasn’tawifewhocouldsitwithotherwivesandcriticizethedancingandflirtinggirls.Andshewasn’toldenoughtobeawidow.Widowsshouldbeold—soterriblyoldtheydidn’twanttodanceandflirtandbeadmired.Oh,itwasn’tfairthatsheshouldhavetosithereprimlyandbetheacmeofwidoweddignityandproprietywhenshewasonlyseventeen.Itwasn’tfairthatshemustkeephervoicelowandhereyescastmodestlydown,whenmen,attractiveones,too,cametotheirbooth.

           EverygirlinAtlantawasthreedeepinmen.Eventheplainestgirlswerecarryingonlikebelles—and,oh,worstofall,theywerecarryingoninsuchlovely,lovelydresses!

           Hereshesatlikeacrowwithhotblacktaffetatoherwristsandbuttoneduptoherchin,withnotevenahintoflaceorbraid,notajewelexceptEllen’sonyxmourningbrooch,watchingtacky-lookinggirlshangingonthearmsofgood-lookingmen.