[Gone with the Wind] Parallel Time and Space

Chapter 34 Secret

In the carriage, Wade was sitting in Scarlett's arms. In fact, she knew that the child was trying not to cry, but she couldn't expect how sensible a child of a few years old could behave.Besides, this is much more comforting to her than her child's indifference to her leaving.Her heart told her that she was... how to say, happy with Wade's performance.Because it means her kids need her, love her.

The scenery outside the carriage window flashed past Scarlett’s eyes. Mama Hei would wait for her to go back at home. Melanie suggested sending Wade to her so that she could have a company with Xiao Bo, and Wade agreed.She hired someone to look after her for a while at the lumberyard.Everything was arranged...Suddenly, there was a carriage heading towards theirs from the other side of the road.The curtains of the carriage were half drawn, and in the second or two of the intersection, she seemed to see a familiar person from the window.

"That wouldn't be..."

"What did you say, Mom?" Wade asked her, looking up, his bright black eyes.

"No, it's fine, baby," she replied, kissing Wade's hair.

When Scarlett set foot on the land of Charleston alone, she didn't know how much disaster this trip and the series of troubles that followed brought her.Later, she often imagined that if she had never received that letter, if the letter had been lost on the way, if she had just sent money, if Rhett was at home, if...

It was Rhett's mother who wrote the letter to her home. She originally wanted to write to Rhett, but Rhett was not at home. Scarlett, as a wife, was out of love for her husband in her heart-although she should not Meddling in her husband's private affairs, came alone.The state of Charleston was very bad, no, it was the state of the old Butler's house, and the neighbors had seen it early in the morning, but they could do nothing, after all, they were not safe.Old Butler was sick, and they had no money to eat, let alone see a doctor.So Scarlett came, and it was Rosemary, Rhett's sister, who came back to pick her up.The quiet girl was hardly Rhett's sister, and she was delighted to see Scarlett, and she liked the sister-in-law--at least the sister-in-law was from outside.

Scarlett provided Rosemary with some money and property relief, and they concealed Scarlett's arrival and said nothing to old Mr. Butler.Mrs. Butler lied to him that the money was borrowed from Eulali's family. The old Mr. Butler thanked them with emotion, and said that they were good people, and asked his wife and daughter to repay them well in the future, and they obediently agreed.

Scarlett stayed in Charleston for a few extra days in case they needed anything extra.In the past few days, she wandered around, and when she was facing the sea, she guessed that maybe Rhett had stood where she was, looking into the distance, looking into the distance, or the future, or a distant dream.As she passed a wood, she guessed Rhett might have climbed up and down here too, playing childish games with his mates.No, no, Rhett Butler must think that those partners are all idiots.

"My friend?" Rhett mused, searching his mind. "Many, countless. But... I only recognize one person."

Scarlett knew that man, his name was Vox Sparrow, who had attended her and Rhett's wedding.That was the only friend Rhett ever had.Scarlett has an inexplicable affection and affection for him, probably because his surname is also Sparrow, she thought.

She also stumbled across Charleston Church, which is the same structure as other Catholic churches in the United States.Or Rhett had worshiped here, she thought, even if he didn't go willingly.Scarlett didn't intend to go in at first, this church is common to her, and today is not Sunday, but just when she was about to leave, she saw old Mr. Butler.

Old Mr. Butler came tremblingly on crutches in her direction, and she had no choice but to go into the church.And old Butler obviously also came towards the church, so Scarlett went deep, and she hid behind the confessional.She didn't expect that it was an excellent place to eavesdrop.Eavesdropping, Ellen has always warned her not to eavesdrop on other people's private affairs, especially this kind of "confession" thing, but her feet seemed to be glued there and she couldn't move.But if I move around, I'll be found.She comforted herself like this.

Both old Butler and the priest went into the confessional.He began to babble and "confess" earnestly, maybe he was serious and felt pain, but for Scarlett, the things he told were not even worth mentioning and had long been forgotten in memory.She couldn't imagine that someone would remember for so long the incident of mocking others out of vanity at a dinner party more than ten years ago; She felt bad; she found it inconceivable that he would regret not being able to make a better impact in the area.Well, well, God, maybe there must be such a person.So, noble gentleman.

But noble gentleman, don't you repent of having a starving wife and children at home?You don't take Rhett's money and you don't let them take it, don't you regret it?This hypocritical noble gentleman.

Oh, Scarlett is a little early to jump to conclusions.Because, as if hearing Scarlett's voice, the old Butler began to confess his treatment of his wife and children.

He mentioned Rhett.And this is the beginning of this confession.Big confession.

When Rhett's name was mentioned, he paused first.There was no sound from the confession room for a long time, and the priest asked him if he was in good condition before he replied.He continued, this time starting with Rhett's birth.

"My first child, his name is Rhett Butler. God knows how happy I was, how happy I was when he was born. I took him to every house in town and showed them off my baby Those days were probably the happiest days in my life..." Scarlett heard him listen for a while, wondering if he was immersed in memories.

After a while, he continued. "Yeah, what a cute little guy."

His voice dropped. "However, as he got older, I saw that he was becoming more and more different. Yes, different from me. I was a gentleman, and a gentleman should have good character and conduct. He was different from me as I was different. like my father."

He suddenly changed the subject and talked about his father. "I loved my dad, ever since I was a kid. But he didn't love me, or at least he didn't like me. Ha! I tried so hard to be liked when I was a kid - just like Rhett tried to be liked when I was a kid Same. But it’s useless, in his eyes, I’m just a cowardly and cowardly man. It was only later that I broke up with my father, and it’s all, all my pride. "

The subsequent words let Scarlett understand why he changed the subject and talked about Rhett's grandfather. ". . . and Rhett, oh, he's just like my father. They're both cut out of the same mold. . . . God! God . . .

I'm jealous. "

Scarlett's mind was buzzing.

"I'm jealous that he's like my father, and I'm jealous that my son is like my father. My son easily does what I've been trying to do half my life."

Then he began to sob, and Scarlett could hear the sound.

"No, no...no." He stopped sobbing.

"Father, I will be forgiven by God, won't I?" he asked the priest.

"God forgives all who are sincerely repentant..." the priest told him.

But Scarlett only felt her teeth chattering in anger, and her mind was buzzing.All of this, all of Rhett's suffering just because of... this shameful, this nonsensical, this incomprehensible... jealousy?And this hypocritical old man came to the confessional to confess not because of the condemnation of his conscience, but because he was afraid of going to hell!

Scarlett punched old Butler in the face at the door of the church.Immediately, the old Butler fell to the ground, his face covered with blood from his nose.

Old Butler naturally found her too, so he knew everything as a matter of course. He opened his eyes wide in horror and spoke vaguely.And the blood also made Scarlett panic, and the old Butler pulled her skirt.He said, "Did you hear? Did you hear? You heard! I must tell you this! Come here, come here! I'm going to show you that it's not my fault, it's not my fault!"

Old Butler leaned against the church door and yelled a secret—a secret to Scarlett alone.

At this time, the priest heard a noise outside, and someone from the church came out.Scarlett panicked, she couldn't think now, so she ran away with her instinct.

When she got back to the hotel she immediately booked the earliest train back to Atlanta, usually at night.She had to go, had to go, had to go home.Ah, now my mind can't think, it hurts, it hurts!I'll think about it tomorrow, think about it tomorrow.Tomorrow will be another day.

She packed quickly, without saying hello or note to Mrs. Butler or Rosemary—she didn't want to.The next night, she arrived in Atlanta.

She felt a little relieved to have her feet on Atlanta again, but then hesitated at the thought of going home.She wondered if Rhett was back.She was afraid of his return and expected him to come back.Due to the haste of her return, she didn't notify Mama Hei to pick her up, so she hired a carriage to take her back. After some hesitation, she went to Melanie's flower shop but found that the door was closed.She hesitated and went to Melanie's house, but only Ashley and Xiao Bo were at home, and Wade was playing with Xiao Bo.Scarlett declined Ashley's invitation, but she decided to go home when Melanie was at her home.

"By the way, Ashley, is Rhett back?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"No, Scarlett, what's wrong with you? You don't look right."

"No, no, nothing." Scarlett turned to leave, and Ashley stopped her behind her.

He said: "If he bullies you, I, the older brother, will help you out."

Scarlett froze for a moment, then nodded politely with a smile. "Okay," she said.

And when she got home, another bad news came.

"Scarlett, your father Gerald...he died."