Унесенные ветром

           Attheiredgesrosethevirginforests,darkandcooleveninthehottestnoons,mysterious,alittlesinister,thesoughingpinesseemingtowaitwithanage-oldpatience,tothreatenwithsoftsighs: "Becareful! Becareful! Wehadyouonce. Wecantakeyoubackagain." 

           Totheearsofthethreeontheporchcamethesoundsofhooves,thejinglingofharnesschainsandtheshrillcarelesslaughterofnegrovoices,asthefieldhandsandmulescameinfromthefields. FromwithinthehousefloatedthesoftvoiceofScarlett’smother,EllenO’Hara,asshecalledtothelittleblackgirlwhocarriedherbasketofkeys. Thehigh-pitched,childishvoiceanswered"Yas’m,"andthereweresoundsoffootstepsgoingoutthebackwaytowardthesmokehousewhereEllenwouldrationoutthefoodtothehome-cominghands. TherewastheclickofchinaandtherattleofsilverasPork,thevalet-butlerofTara,laidthetableforsupper. 

           Attheselastsounds,thetwinsrealizeditwastimetheywerestartinghome. ButtheywereloathtofacetheirmotherandtheylingeredontheporchofTara,momentarilyexpectingScarletttogivethemaninvitationtosupper. 

           "Look,Scarlett.Abouttomorrow,"saidBrent. "Justbecausewe’vebeenawayanddidn’tknowaboutthebarbecueandtheball,that’snoreasonwhyweshouldn’tgetplentyofdancestomorrownight. Youhaven’tpromisedthemall,haveyou?" 

           "Well,Ihave! HowdidIknowyouallwouldbehome? Icouldn’triskbeingawallflowerjustwaitingonyoutwo." 

           "Youawallflower! "Theboyslaugheduproariously. 

           "Look,honey.You’vegottogivemethefirstwaltzandStuthelastoneandyou’vegottoeatsupperwithus. We’llsitonthestairlandinglikewedidatthelastballandgetMammyJincytocometellourfortunesagain."