Унесенные ветром

Chapter 3

           Taracriedoutforamistress.Thefatcook,ayardnegroelevatedbynecessitytothekitchen,neverhadthemealsontime,andthechambermaid,formerlyafieldhand,letdustaccumulateonthefurnitureandneverseemedtohavecleanlinenonhand,sothatthearrivalofguestswasalwaystheoccasionofmuchstirringandto-do.Pork,theonlytrainedhousenegroontheplace,hadgeneralsupervisionovertheotherservants,butevenhehadgrownslackandcarelessafterseveralyearsofexposuretoGerald’shappy-go-luckymodeofliving.Asvalet,hekeptGerald’sbedroominorder,and,asbutler,heservedthemealswithdignityandstyle,butotherwiseheprettywellletmattersfollowtheirowncourse.

           WithunerringAfricaninstinct,thenegroeshadalldiscoveredthatGeraldhadaloudbarkandnobiteatall,andtheytookshamelessadvantageofhim.Theairwasalwaysthickwiththreatsofsellingslavessouthandofdirefulwhippings,butthereneverhadbeenaslavesoldfromTaraandonlyonewhipping,andthatadministeredfornotgroomingdownGerald’spethorseafteralongday’shunting.

           Gerald’ssharpblueeyesnoticedhowefficientlyhisneighbors’houseswererunandwithwhateasethesmooth-hairedwivesinrustlingskirtsmanagedtheirservants.Hehadnoknowledgeofthedawn-till-midnightactivitiesofthesewomen,chainedtosupervisionofcooking,nursing,sewingandlaundering.Heonlysawtheoutwardresults,andthoseresultsimpressedhim.

           TheurgentneedofawifebecamecleartohimonemorningwhenhewasdressingtoridetotownforCourtDay.Porkbroughtforthhisfavoriteruffledshirt,soinexpertlymendedbythechambermaidastobeunwearablebyanyoneexcepthisvalet.

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