Унесенные ветром

           Otherwomen’shusbandsyouletseverelyalone,eveniftheywereyourowndiscardedbeaux,andnomatterhowtemptinglyattractivetheywere.Ifyouweretoonicetoyounghusbands,theirwivessaidyouwerefastandyougotabadreputationandnevercaughtanybeauxofyourown.

           Butwithyoungbachelors—ah,thatwasadifferentmatter!Youcouldlaughsoftlyatthemandwhentheycameflyingtoseewhyyoulaughed,youcouldrefusetotellthemandlaughharderandkeepthemaroundindefinitelytryingtofindout.Youcouldpromise,withyoureyes,anynumberofexcitingthingsthatwouldmakeamanmaneuvertogetyoualone.And,havinggottenyoualone,youcouldbevery,veryhurtorvery,veryangrywhenhetriedtokissyou.Youcouldmakehimapologizeforbeingacurandforgivehimsosweetlythathewouldhangaroundtryingtokissyouasecondtime.Sometimes,butnotoften,youdidlethimkissyou.(EllenandMammyhadnottaughtherthatbutshelearneditwaseffective.)Thenyoucriedanddeclaredyoudidn’tknowwhathadcomeoveryouandthathecouldn’teverrespectyouagain.Thenhehadtodryyoureyesandusuallyheproposed,toshowjusthowmuchhedidrespectyou.Andthentherewere—Oh,thereweresomanythingstodotobachelorsandsheknewthemall,thenuanceofthesidelongglance,thehalf-smilebehindthefan,theswayingofthehipssothatskirtsswunglikeabell,thetears,thelaughter,theflattery,thesweetsympathy.Oh,allthetricksthatneverfailedtowork—exceptwithAshley.

           No,itdidn’tseemrighttolearnallthesesmarttricks,usethemsobrieflyandthenputthemawayforever.Howwonderfulitwouldbenevertomarrybuttogoonbeinglovelyinpalegreendressesandforevercourtedbyhandsomemen.But,ifyouwentontoolong,yougottobeanoldmaidlikeIndiaWilkesandeveryonesaid"poorthing"inthatsmughatefulway.No,afterallitwasbettertomarryandkeepyourself-respectevenifyouneverhadanymorefun.