[Gone with the Wind] Parallel Time and Space

Chapter11

As Rhett Butler's partner, Vox Sparrow feels a little strange these days.He saw some subtle changes in Captain Butler.

This time when he came to Washington, the first thing he said when he got off the boat at [-] in the evening was "Walker, I can't imagine seeing you become so handsome in a few days." Walker remembered that Butler always said "Catherine (or something) in front of his girlfriend." Other names), I haven't seen you for a few days, and you are even more beautiful." So Walker's weird eyes lasted all morning.In this short period of time, Butler expressed an unusually friendly attitude, which made Walker full of question marks.After a night's rest, when Walker opened the office door, he found Butler was already there, humming.Damn it.

"Morning, Rhett, are you in a good mood?" Walker walked in and casually handed him a list. "I need a lot of medicines, aspirin, etc. when going to sea this time? Difficult, very."

"Morning, Walker, another beautiful day." Rhett wore that trademark smirk. "I know you have a way. After all, you are so smart and capable. I don't know how I can be so lucky to have you."

"I remember you sent a special telegram from Atlanta to Washington a year ago, just to say how stupid I am, sir." Walker squinted his eyes, expressionless. "It took a lot of money to send eighteen words."

Butler skipped the topic with a smile, and they chatted about the voyage.After the end, Walker went to the red light district for a drink as usual, but Rhett vetoed it.

"Huh? You are Rhett Butler? You won't be impersonated." Walker raised his good-looking eyebrows.

"That place is not interesting, I want to go shopping first." Rhett took out a cigar and handed it to Walker.

Walker took over. "It's not interesting? Let me think about it, whoever visits Miss Catherine every time I come here, is that the name?" He lit the cigar, took a puff and slowly exhaled the white smoke ring, and then said: "Say I don't understand your tastes, but Miss Catherine is very ill-tempered and stubborn like a cow. Her green eyes are the only thing that stands out."

Rhett shrugged: "I like a girl."

"Is that unusual?" Walker shook the ashes in the ashtray.

Rhett took one last deep puff of his cigar and squeezed the cigarette into the ashtray. He stood up and patted the ash off his body. "Stop talking nonsense, you go and deal with the matter first, see you later."

Walker waved his hand indifferently and watched Rhett go out.Walker was busy with affairs for several days, and he was free until the night before Rhett left, and the two made an appointment to have dinner together.

"This week has been really busy." Walker raised his glass and took a sip. "So, what did you buy?"

Rhett buttoned up his cuff buttons, picked up his knife and fork, cut off a steak and ate it. "Yeah! Delicious as always."

"Well, if you don't want to say..." Walker has a different northern accent from Rhett, and he is from Washington.

"By the way, how is your sister doing?" Rhett asked slowly while eating.

"Green? She's okay, has been writing at home since she got kicked out of Fayetteville Girls a few years ago. Why mention her?"

"It's nothing, she is a respectable woman." Rhett tasted the sweet red wine. "She went to college in Paris?"

"Yes, that's right."

Rhett thought of a conversation with Melanie Wilkes one sunny afternoon that inevitably brought up Scarlett.Before that, Rhett didn't know that Melanie and Scarlett were classmates.

"I fell in love with Scarlett when I first saw her. She is a lovely girl." Melanie told Rhett. "We didn't have a good relationship at first, but I always paid attention to her. She is very bright and has a strong temper. She always eats alone in class and eats alone. She also hates naps-every time she runs out of bed during naps, I can't help it." I know. But there's one person she's on good terms with."

"Who is it, Mrs. Wilkes?" Rhett has always been well-behaved in front of Melanie.

"It's Sparrow Green. Scarlett calls her Miss Green. Scarlett likes her women's and literature courses very much. Teacher Green also takes good care of her. They always chat and discuss events together. They are like friends. , not teachers and students." Melanie recalled Scarlett at that time.

"What are they talking about?"

"To be honest, I hope you won't be surprised, Captain Butler." Melanie looked at him with sincere black eyes.

"Just say it, I won't have any bad opinion of Scarlett because of this." Rhett also responded sincerely.

"Women's rights are the core vocabulary of their discussion topic." Melanie paused for a while. "I only heard it once and didn't dare to listen anymore, some..."

"Deviant?"

Melanie nodded. "Later, Teacher Green published an article in the school newspaper—she was the editor-in-chief, inciting the students to protest and demand that the government grant women the right to vote. Teacher Green was expelled because of this, and Scarlett also voluntarily dropped out of school."

"So in order to show support for Scarlett, you also dropped out of school." Rhett admired Melanie deeply, and he understood the courage Melanie needed for this move.This courage is different from Scarlett's. Scarlett's is born, but Melanie's is because of wisdom and rationality.

Melanie nodded and smiled.

……

Vox Sparrow liked Captain Butler.He never regarded his partners as friends, but the famous Captain Butler was different.He was willing to regard him as a friend, so much so that he felt a little reluctant to see the ships sailing out to sea in the dark night.Reluctant?Walker sneered, Rhett Butler is really a character.Who am I, Vox Sparrow?He looked up at the sky, and there were dark clouds.I hope you live up to your name, Captain Butler.

Scarlett feels a little boring these days. She is tired of going to the nursery to take care of the wounded. Since the last bazaar, she has not been able to attend any other dances. I have read the letter from Tara Manor, Reitbart Le was also away for a week.Just as she was chatting and sitting by the window watching the passing carriages, she heard Melanie's thumping upstairs, and she hurriedly called Scarlett's name: "Scarlett! Scarlett! !"

Scarlett welcomed her up, and Melanie faltered and told her that Belle Watling had given her a handkerchief to contribute to the South.Poor Melanie was on the verge of tears.Scarlett comforted her: "It's not your fault, Melanie." The two of them opened the handkerchief, Scarlett was pleasantly surprised to find that the money was quite a lot, and then when she saw the three letters RKB on the handkerchief The feeling in my heart is indescribable.She had the same one in her drawer, which he used to wrap flowers for her when they went to fold flowers together that day.She hesitated to tell Melanie about it.

At this moment, a hotel waiter named Tom knocked on the door and said that Mr. Butler asked Mrs. Hamilton to come over.Scarlett secretly hid the handkerchief in her pocket without even thinking about preparing to go there, but was stopped by Melanie.

"You can't go like this, Scarlett. If someone sees you, your reputation..." Melanie didn't continue, she turned to Tom and said, "Did Mr. Butler say something?"

"He said he was sick."

"You go back first, Mrs. Hamilton can't go now." So Tom hesitated for a while and left. He still remembered the profound and painful lesson he had given to Captain Butler a year ago.He accidentally spilled the soup for Captain Butler that day, and the manager arranged to clean the toilet for a month.

Scarlett watched in surprise as Melanie made her own way. "Melanie?"

Melanie pulled Scarlett back into the room silently. "Honey, forgive me for my behavior just now. You are always so kind to me. I can't bear to see my friends in Atlanta talking about you."

"They've already done this to me." Scarlett knew it was all because of the ball, but she didn't care.

"That's because they don't know you, dear, I know what a good person you are." Melanie's gentle voice echoed in Scarlett's ears. "So we're going to see Captain Butler at night, without anyone seeing it. I'll be with you, my dear."

Scarlett raised her eyebrows in surprise: "Melanie! Are you really Melanie Wilkes?"

"It's true." Melanie blinked mischievously.This expression is not often seen on Melanie's face, Scarlett thought.