[Gone with the Wind] Parallel Time and Space

Chapter33Development

Scarlett had always liked parties.

People are dressed brightly and chatting and laughing happily. Whenever this happens, Scarlett feels a burst of rejoicing: Fortunately, those days are over.

Her old neighbors seldom threw parties after the war, and now it was the Yankees new to Atlanta who were keen on it.Of course, it didn't mean that Scarlett was standing among the ladies from the north just for the banquet—she was for business.

"Have you heard? About Mrs. Stephen?" Mrs. Margot lowered her voice. This is the wife of a high-ranking congressman in Atlanta. Several married wives formed a circle.Scarlett glanced around. Their husbands were all military officers, administrators or businessmen from the north who held great power in Atlanta.

Another sharp-faced woman took up the conversation: "That's right, it's all spread, and there's a lot of buzz. It's really unlucky, I heard that I had an affair with my lover, and I was caught by Mr. Stephen!"

"Let me tell you, this was planned by Mr. Stephen a long time ago. He got the news early in the morning but he didn't say a word. My husband was working at his place and heard some news..." The woman had a round face with a smile on her lips. Mole.

Scarlett really didn't want to inquire about this kind of news. Normally, she couldn't remember the names of these people, not because of anything else, but because this group of people is really boring, and they always want to talk about other people's affairs.She felt a little uncomfortable, and the group burst into laughter, so she had no choice but to laugh along with her.

"Why do you say that? It doesn't affect anything. If they divorced, it would be a big shame! Besides, Mr. Stephen's style is not clean. You don't know that he often goes to that woman in Watling ?” said Mrs. Margot again.

Scarlett had never seen any wife say that woman's name so openly.How would you feel if your husband went to Bel Watling's and people talked about it like that?Scarlett felt a rare sense of peace, for her moral conscience still made her uncomfortable hearing these words.

"It is said that Mrs. Stephen was unable to-"

"Speak quickly, stammer, speak quickly!"

"They said they were infertile!"

Scarlett's heart skipped a beat, and she wanted to leave a little bit.Everyone was silent, and they looked sympathetic.

"No, no, it's just a rumor." The lady was a little embarrassed. "Maybe she doesn't want to?"

"That's right, if you don't want to have a baby, there is still a way." This is another woman.

"What way?" Scarlett asked, she never knew about it.But she regretted it as soon as she opened her mouth. She didn't want to make people feel that she was very interested in this topic. Fortunately, no one cared about it.

"It is said that it is going to be operated on, and the others..."

"Ahem..." Mrs. Margot coughed twice, reminding them that a man was coming towards them. Scarlett had no choice but to give up, and for the sake of face, she stopped asking about it.

And now she only knows that women don't have to have children if they don't want to.She was conflicted because she really didn't want to have another child.Pregnancy was a shameful and annoying thing, and every woman had to have children when she got married, which made her think that women married to have children.In fact, pregnancy is not so comfortable. Besides, if she becomes pregnant, it means that she will give up the management of the timber factory.But Rhett never told her he wanted to have a baby either.

She had been thinking about it all night, and the ball had lost her interest. When the carriage stopped at the door of the house, she realized that she had been thinking about it for so long.Mammy was already waiting for her on the porch, and she took a breath of fresh air and lifted her skirt up the steps.

"Is Wade asleep?" she asked.

"I watched him sleep just now, Master Wade originally wanted to wait for you." Mama Hei's complexion was not very good, she expressed her dissatisfaction with Scarlett's attendance at the banquet.

"I'll go see him." Scarlett pretended not to feel Mama Hei's anger and went straight in. She knew that Mama Hei would scold her if she stayed for a while longer, mercilessly.

Scarlett changed her shoes and clothes, and quietly opened the door of Wade's room.The child had already fallen asleep, and although it was in the dark, she could still make out a face similar to his father's against the moonlight.This child was too much like his father, sincere and kind, with a little timidity-at least she thought so.She glanced lovingly over Wade's face and twirled him.Unexpectedly, Wade woke up, he buzzed "Mom", and Scarlett answered him.

"Go to sleep, child." She kissed his forehead, gave him a smile, and walked out of the room gently.

Scarlett went back to her room, and Mammy brought her the toilet and the letter along the way.

"Did it come from Rhett?" Scarlett burst into joy.

"I'm afraid he hasn't come to England yet," said Mammy, "from Tara."

"Well, yes." Scarlett muttered and took the letter.

"Oh! Mammy, Melanie's coming to Atlanta! Ashley's going to open a flower shop in Atlanta! But I thought he'd be happy to open a bookstore... Well, it doesn't make any difference, Melanie It would be great to come…”

Mama Black interrupted: "Mrs. Wilkes can come and show her what you look like, you can listen to no one in this house!"

"I listen to you, Mammy."

"That's unlikely." Her eyes were wide open, contrasting sharply with her chocolate-colored skin.

"Well, I listen to Rhett, too."

"Tell me that's more irritating! He'll do everything for you, and of course you'll listen to him. Don't tell me he's from a good family. It's no use. He should be doing it for your own good." Take care of you..." For some reason, Scarlett unconsciously raised the corners of her mouth and wanted to laugh, she was in a good mood after hearing this.

After Melanie came to Atlanta, she first stayed with Scarlett at Scarlett's invitation—this made Aunt Pitty a little unhappy.Scarlett wanted to help Melanie find a big house but was rejected. After some twists and turns, the Wilkes family found a small brick house not far from Scarlett. The humble little house felt very embarrassed. "If you consider me a friend you should let me help you find a better place," she said.

And Melanie obviously didn't care about that. "No matter how small this house is, it will be my home, Scarlett. Besides, you have already kindly funded us to open a store! All right, don't say anything else, it's settled like this."

Melanie's flower shop also allowed Scarlett to do all the troublesome things in the early stage-she didn't feel tired when she saw a shop opened by herself, but she enjoyed it, not to mention opening a timber factory and Flower shops are very similar in nature, and she knows exactly what to do.The only thing that surprised Scarlett was that Melanie also got involved in running the store, which she thought was just Ashley.

First of all, Aunt Pitty, a sensitive and excitable little woman, couldn't bear it. There were two women in the family who were involved in opening the store. She didn't think of Mrs. Merriwether having sex with her daughter. The matter of the pie was taken away to let Rene sell it-after all, it was just a behind-the-scenes job.But Scarlett and Melanie are completely different. Sometimes Scarlett even goes out to solicit business!In this regard, Melanie is much better. She only needs to stay in the shop, and there is a big difference between selling flowers and selling wood.This allowed Aunt Pitty to be rescued with smelling salts.

Compared to Scarlett, people in Atlanta are much more tolerant towards Melanie.Alas, it is not easy for everyone.They all spoke of Melanie with sympathy.Melanie's centrality in Atlanta was confirmed at a meeting.At that meeting, there was a discussion about whether the bodies of Northern soldiers from the war should be buried with headstones and wreaths.Without exception, everyone except Melanie - Scarlett didn't go, all advocated negative opinions.But Melanie's kindness and sincerity moved everyone. She said: "In the south, we treat the corpses of northern soldiers kindly, but in the north, I think... there will be some women who are willing to give to our relatives, to our families , Lovers as a destination, and treat their dead well.” Therefore, due to the close relationship between Scarlett and Melanie, everyone’s attitude towards Scarlett also improved.

That day, the work at the lumber factory ended early, and Scarlett drove the carriage to Melanie's flower shop.When they talked about it, Scarlett praised that she was now the central figure in Atlanta, and Melanie blushed naturally.They talked and laughed for a while, during which some Northern officers came to buy flowers, two of whom Scarlett knew, and they greeted each other.And Melanie sold them the flowers with a calm and kind face——Aunt Pitty would have kicked them out.After the officers left, Scarlett teased her and said, "You look like a decent florist now, Melanie."

After the flower shop closed, Scarlett invited her back to her home for dinner. "Just talk to Ashley when you pass by Peachtree Street." Melanie agreed.

For dinner there was foie gras and chicken with some vegetables, made by Mammy. "I feel that I have eaten a little too much recently. I don't know why I always feel that I don't have enough to eat. I'm afraid my waistline will get bigger again." Scarlett said, she asked Mama Hei to eat with them.

"'Scarlett's not a little girl anymore, and she can eat as much as she likes when she's married.' That's what Captain Butler said, and why should you care about your girth any more? You look as charming as ever, Scarlett." Melanie said with a smile.

Scarlett suddenly felt a little embarrassed, she changed the subject and asked Mama Hei to eat with them.

"Wait, there's a letter today, I'll get it first." Mama Hei said.

"Ha! It might be Rhett. He wrote last time that he might have to stay out for another month. Tell me what needs to be done for another month."

Melanie knew that Scarlett was just complaining, not really asking her.

"It's not from abroad, it's from Charleston." Mammy's voice came, and she handed the letter to Scarlett, but she didn't want to sit down and eat with them.

"Charleston? Maybe it's Aunt Eulalie. She has written to me several times asking for money, as if I have nothing but money in my body." But when she opened the letter, she found that it was not Aunt Eulalie. ——She read the signature first.

Scarlett remained silent at this time. She read the entire not-so-long letter with a serious face, and then looked up at Mama Hei and Melanie. There was no laughter in her eyes, but solemnity instead.

"I think I've got to go to Charleston," she said.