Віднесені вітром

Chapter 18

           TheoldmenandboysoftheHomeGuardmarchedby,thegraybeardsalmosttoowearytolifttheirfeet,theboyswearingthefacesoftiredchildren,confrontedtooearlywithadultproblems.ScarlettcaughtsightofPhilMeadeandhardlyrecognizedhim,soblackwashisfacewithpowderandgrime,sotautwithstrainandweariness.UncleHenrywentlimpingby,hatlessintherain,hisheadstuckthroughaholeinapieceofoldoilcloth.GrandpaMerriwetherrodeinonaguncarriage,hisbarefeettiedinquiltscraps.Butsearchthoughshemight,shesawnosignofJohnWilkes.

           Johnston’sveterans,however,wentbywiththetireless,carelessstepwhichhadcarriedthemforthreeyears,andtheystillhadtheenergytogrinandwaveatprettygirlsandtocallrudegibestomennotinuniform.Theywereontheirwaytotheentrenchmentsthatringedthetownnoshallow,hastilydugtrenches,these,butearthworks,breasthigh,reinforcedwithsandbagsandtippedwithsharpenedstavesofwood.Formileaftermilethetrenchesencircledthetown,redgashessurmountedbyredmounds,waitingforthemenwhowouldfillthem.

           Thecrowdcheeredthetroopsastheywouldhavecheeredtheminvictory.Therewasfearineveryheartbut,nowthattheyknewthetruth,nowthattheworsthadhappened,nowthatthewarwasintheirfrontyard,achangecameoverthetown.Therewasnopanicnow,nohysteria.Whateverlayinheartsdidnotshowonfaces.Everyonelookedcheerfulevenifthecheerwasstrained.Everyonetriedtoshowbrave,confidentfacestothetroops.

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