[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

In the hot summer after the armistice, Tara was suddenly no longer deserted.For several months, groups of skinny soldiers with long beards and ragged clothes dragged their painful feet up the red slope and came to the shady front porch in front of Tara to take a rest and beg the master Give them a bite to eat and let them stay for a night.These were all Confederate soldiers returning home on foot, and the trains had transported General Johnston's remnants from North Carolina to Atlanta, where they were left unloaded, and they had to go home on their own two legs.Just as Johnston's men left, the Virginia veterans came again.Then came men from the Western Front, batch after batch, heading south to seek homes that might no longer exist, relatives who had been separated or died.go home, go home!All the soldiers had only this thought in their hearts.

They didn't want to talk about the battle or the wounds anymore, they just wanted to go home.There will be plenty of time in the future to tell their sons and grandsons how they fought, how they took surprise attacks and forced marches, how they starved and wounded, but not now.Some were missing arms or legs or just one eye, and many were covered in scars.If I can live to be 70 years old, these scars will be aching when the weather is cloudy and rainy, but they are nothing to worry about right now, and they will become a major event in the future.

All soldiers—young and old, rich and poor, were subject to two major afflictions: lice and diarrhea.The Confederates didn't take the lice seriously, and scratched and scratched carelessly in front of the ladies.But diarrhea — nicknamed red dysentery by the ladies — is far more serious.Four years of half-starvation, four years of extensive food, half-cooked and rotten food have already ruined their stomachs.Every soldier who was panting at Tara had either just had the disease or was seriously ill.

"There isn't a good stomach left in the Confederacy!" Mammy commented unceremoniously, scooping up the blackberry root soup from the pot, and filling a bowl for the soldiers one by one, without bothering to ask how their stomachs were.And the soldiers also swallowed obediently with a bitter face, perhaps thinking of other stern black faces and raised black hands far away in their hometown.

Mammy was equally ruthless with anyone who wanted to spend the night, and any soldier with lice would never step into Tara.She drove them all behind thick bushes, stripped them naked, bathed them in a large basin of water and a bar of lye soap, and at the same time set up a cauldron and threw all the clothes of the soldiers into the boiling water and stirred them vigorously. , don't give others any face at all.Not even Ellen could beat Mammy on that.

But Scarlett and Ellen stood together on the issue of lodging. They cleaned up the bedroom downstairs as much as possible so that the poor travelers could sleep well at night.Later, more and more soldiers came to the door, and the bedroom was gradually not enough. Ellen, Meili, Catherine, and Karin worked together to make pillows and quilts out of cotton and old cloth, and tidied up the living room as a collective dormitory.Mammy looked at the velvet carpet with distress, but Ellen insisted, and she could only mutter to herself.

However, the mother and daughter disagreed again on the food issue.Scarlett agreed and believed that the soldiers should be entertained, but her tolerance was only to let them eat a meal or two that was better than dry food, so that they would not be hungry, but Ellen wanted to entertain these Confederate warriors. "Soldiers like locusts can eat us in a few days with their stomachs open!" Scarlett said angrily, "No one in my family dares to open their stomachs and eat a few meals."

While she and Ellen were arguing, Merry didn't say anything.But it didn't take long for Scarlett to find out that Meili had ordered Mammy to give her only a little food, and to distribute her original portion to the soldiers.

"Merry, how can you treat your body like this?" Scarlett couldn't help shouting excitedly when she found out, "God, look at your crooked appearance! Usually you love to rush to work Son, how can you not eat?"

Melanie smiled weakly: "Of course I know, but please forgive me, Scarlett, I have to do this. You will not understand how much comfort this is to me." She said gratefully, "Scarlett, when you think of Ashley is also on his way back, and he might be dying of hunger as well. I really hope that some kind woman in the north will give him a bite. Thinking about it this way, I think I can get through it too."

"If it's Rhett..." Scarlett couldn't help thinking about Meili's words, "If saving a few bites can save him from starving, of course I am willing. But can speculators really keep themselves hungry after going to war? Maybe he's gone abroad long ago—but what if something happens and he's really hungry?" Scarlett felt a sharp pain in her heart at the thought that Rhett might be hungry.

"Besides," Melanie added, "Scarlett, you probably haven't noticed that Cade is cutting back on his food too. He's not getting better--poor thing, but since he's our friend, everyone They are all willing to take care of him, find food for him, and don’t want him to work. But Cade has always been uncomfortable in his heart, and he barely survived because of his sister Catherine. Cade was once a great Southern soldier, and now he feels alive It's also a waste of food, so I wish I could save it for others."

"He can't do this." Scarlett frowned. Although she did feel that dragging Cade would cost extra food, she never thought of being stingy with him. Can he have a good talk? Tell him we need him."

Meili smiled wryly: "Perhaps it is because we need him to live that Cade didn't give up."

"What are you talking about?" Scarlett didn't hear clearly, "Anyway, you're better at this than me. As for the food—" she rarely showed a trace of hesitation, "Merry, you and Cade give me a good meal—" —I'll discuss it with my mother."

Before long, Merry noticed that the portions on the table increased when guests came—though Scarlett probably felt sorry for every bite the guests ate.

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Sue Ellen and Melanie eagerly asked everyone in the past for news about Kennedy and Ashley.Frank left with the army shortly after his last visit to Tara and was never heard from again.And had Ashley left the camp?How soon can I come back?None of these are known.But no one among the soldiers had heard of them, and no one wanted to talk about missing persons.Those who survived were so depressed that they would not want to think about the thousands of friends who died in a foreign land.

Scarlett was also worried about Rhett, but she couldn't ask the soldiers openly like Sue Ellen or Mei Li, so she could only pretend to ask a few questions casually when no one was there.If Rhett was alive, he should give her some news.If he didn't, then he didn't take her seriously - I hope he's safe and sound!Scarlett prayed in her heart, carrying the tray to the next soldier.

"Thank you, kind lady." The soldier who had just taken a shower had a wet beard and rubbed his hands with embarrassment.He took the plate, but in no hurry to eat, he asked, "I'm sorry, but may I see Miss Scarlett?"

Scarlett's heart jumped violently without any warning from these clearly pointed words: "I am, sir——I am Scarlett O'Hara." She seemed anxious to prove her identity, "Isn't it Someone asked you to bring me a message? Was that person—”

The soldier was obviously a little startled by her reaction, he froze for a moment before hastily nodded and said: "Yes, that's right. One of my comrades in arms, he is—Mr. Rhett Butler, please let me send you a message Son." He finally got to the crucial point, and immediately noticed the tears in the eyes of the beautiful green-eyed girl, and the southern gentleman's demeanor was immediately reflected, "Miss, don't worry, everything is fine with him, there is no injury or disease, and all limbs are complete. "

Even though Scarlett was full of questions, she was amused by his simple and rude report. She was just going to grab the soldier and ask for a few details, such as where Rhett went, what battle they fought, and whether they met. and how Rhett had asked him about himself, but he found his face embarrassed.Scarlett thought for a while, and smiled at the soldier who was so cute in her eyes: "Thank you, thank you for bringing me this news, sir—wait for me, I will go get something , we eat and talk."

Her heart was pounding in her chest with joy, Scarlett walked like flying, she just felt like she was in a dream, and she couldn't help smiling.She has to hurry and get something else, yes, pour a couple of glasses of wine Papa stole as a reward, and beg Mammy to cut some slices of ham.Also, she must be calm, calm!Anyway, Rhett Butler is safe and sound!Thank goodness!

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Joe Brown felt embarrassed.

In fact, at the beginning, he couldn't get used to the new Butler.Although this man said that he wanted to join the army to apologize for his conscience, but he had a playful smile all day long and was full of witty words, and he was wearing brand-new clothes (that's really stupid, although the thing looks good, it is not cold-resistant and easy to break), which soldier would know this ghost look?Especially after hearing that he was expelled from West Point for drinking and women - and Butler talks about it with glee and no sign of regret (Jesus, how do you think people know about him Breaking things? They are all at war, who has the leisure to check the eighth generation of others!).

But I don't know if it's because Joe is too bad at hiding, his emotions are all written on his face, in short, Rhett Butler soon found that he was not friendly to him.And this former rebellious man obviously didn't take it seriously, instead he took it as something interesting, and he had to look at his expression every time he showed that hateful face.Joe is a brave soldier with a tough heart, but his face is obviously not cultivated enough.He was born in a family of country gentlemen, and he was a standard southern gentleman since he was a child. He was inexperienced in dealing with villains, so he was always led by the nose by Butler, and then listened to the other party laughing.But despite this, Joe's perception of Rhett Butler went from being skeptical at the beginning to being reluctant to admit later on. After all, this man is indeed a good soldier, and no one who has seen his performance on the battlefield will doubt his Loyalty--despite his change of countenance at the first sight of the battle, and his bright witticisms, which made Jo's fresh gleam of admiration vanish.

What really brought Joe and Butler into a friendship was an accident.That time, Joe was injured in the leg in the heavy artillery fire, and he was on the way to the opposing camp at that time.When the Yankee's machete fell, Joman thought he was going to die, but I'm afraid everyone had guessed it—Rhett saved him.Joe has all the shortcomings of a southern gentleman, such as being rigid and serious, and also has all the advantages of a southern gentleman, such as integrity and kindness.Butler had marched silently for ten hours with his broken leg on his back, and Joe had truly admired the man ever since.Although he still frowned at Rhett's dubious remarks, and Rhett hated his earnestness, they became friends.

Joe couldn't understand what Rhett was thinking. Since he fought so bravely and loyally, what was he thinking before?Or, what changed him?When Rhett joined the army, the south was already in decline, and the camp was miserable after every battle.The soldiers couldn't bear it one after another, telling each other how they missed their family members, but they never said any words of frustration.The officers were also willing to understand, but they sighed with brows that could never be untied.Joe talked to Rhett, and he thought about his sister and fiancée at home.At that time, Rhett sneered and threw him the last cigarette in his pocket, and the two smoked together.Rhett produced a short letter (or a note-it-note better) from his chest, his eyes bright and triumphant, as Joe had never seen him like this.The other party claimed that it was written to him by the cutest lady he had ever seen, and he promised to keep this letter in his heart—although he said it to her as a joke, I don’t know if the other party would agree. will take it seriously.This is the only time Rhett mentioned people and things he cares about, and he said that this text message is his most precious thing.

"Atlanta toward Jonesboro," Rhett gestured to him. "Go a little further south of Jonesboro, walk seven or eight miles along the avenue, and then climb up the slope, and you will see Tara Manor. Yes, the slope is Red land, she likes to brag about it." Here Rhett laughed, "If I'm unlucky, you gotta take the letter there. Man, I know you gotta go home that way— —if you get off from Atlanta."

Joe rolled his eyes: "Come on, Rhett. If you want to confess, you can go by yourself-but you have been bragging for a long time, and you haven't told me the name of your sweetheart." He asked with interest, "You can't let Shall I go and ask?"

Rhett Butler acted like a scalded cat when he said the word sweetheart.

"Well," he replied reluctantly, "you remember, Scarlett—Scarlett O'Hara. She was the prettiest lady at Tara." Get up, "If my luck is not too bad, you can't worry about your sweetheart even if you pass by—" Seeing Joe's suspicious face, Rhett coughed, "It's not like you don't know what I was doing, Ta I haven't even entered the door. It's better for me to mention it myself-if I can survive."

"You will survive," said Jo sincerely.

However, the situation is obviously different from what they both estimated at the time.Rhett was not injured or ill, but he didn't come back, but went abroad immediately because of an urgent matter-Joe couldn't help being embarrassed when he looked at the beautiful green-eyed girl in front of him.How should he fulfill Captain Butler's ardent entrustment?