[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

There was another long, palpitating silence.

When Scarlett finally couldn't stand the atmosphere and was about to say something to break it, Rhett spoke.His voice was slightly hoarse, with rare sorrow and regret:

"To this day, I still don't think there is anything wrong with rejecting that marriage," he said. Too young, Scarlett . . . and it never occurred to me that she deserved that fate."

"—I hurt her and nearly destroyed her home."

He paused for a moment, as if to ease his emotions, and then continued quietly:

"After asking Bell for the girl's last name, my last trace of luck disappeared. I wish I hadn't caused her the source of all the suffering... I never expected that. I was really... sad Terrible. I was very confused, as if I did a lot of mistakes, but everything I did was clear and reasonable. For the first time in my life, I began to doubt myself... How selfish I am, I only see myself and no one else. But In the end I realized that my problem was not selfishness, because my usual selfish behavior never gave myself any extra touches, my real fault... I was too arrogant... I despised her... and therefore despised her for suffering Yes. I don't have that caring feeling that Belle has . . . but I'm sure I have a right to say no to that marriage."

"Yes, I'm sure I have the right to say no to that marriage, and what happened to her was down to the traditional system of the South. I'm not trying to defend myself, Scarlett. For example, when there was a war, the Confederates had a The squad assassinated the chief of the Yankees, and the Yankees massacred a city in the south in a rage. Are the southerners going to condemn that squad? The real root lies in the Yankees. The system in the South has reached the point of decay and collapse, and it must be avoided when it is overthrown. No one will get hurt, if someone agrees with 'Don't stand up and push, so no one will get hurt', it's ridiculous! But the problem is that the people who push out ignore the sacrifice because someone will definitely get hurt, Even if it was an avoidable sacrifice, would that be right? That was the mistake I made...Scarlett, my personal rebellion against my family may not rise to the level of rebellion against the Southern system, but the essence is the same. Think about it , if I am willing to think about that girl and her family, I can't do anything without getting married... But I didn't care at the time, I didn't care about other people's sacrifices... So, after a few years, the reality gave I slapped her hard. That girl was still killed by me."

There was a faint smile on Rhett's face, Scarlett had never seen him like this.

"The boy—David was four years old...had soft brown hair. I couldn't say anything into his innocent eyes. I don't remember his mother anymore, but I think she seemed to use him eyes on me. I told Bell everything and she slapped me. I went to see the girl's grave and then went back to Savannah to find out what was going on with her family...very, very Not good. After the reputation was ruined, the remaining girls of this family failed to marry, and the manor suffered two more bad lucks. In short, the situation is not good. I went to see the cemetery where I shot|killed the young man, and then used Some means got the family a sum of money without them knowing... I should have done that. Then I went back to New Orleans to find Bell, and I offered to be David's guardian. I Promise that I will take care of him to grow up to the point where he can support himself, and leave a part of the inheritance to him. Bell finally agreed to my request... I became the godfather of the child. You know the rest." He said.

"Well." Scarlett said, "Then, after that, although you still travel around the world doing business for a long time, you will visit David in New Orleans every now and then?"

"It's almost like that." A smile appeared on Rhett's lips, "Give him all kinds of gifts, chat with him about the little boy's thoughts, and then play together, it's all very good - I have always liked children .”

"Then you and Watling have been—"

"I have no other relationship with Bell, at least after that incident, it is impossible." Rhett said hastily, noticing that Scarlett was still obsessed with Watling's name. It's because of David."

Scarlett fell silent. She bent her head and played with her fingers.In fact, the more complicated the relationship, the more it would make her dizzy. From this point of view, Rhett is not really wrong. Watling is still kind and righteous, and that girl is also pitiful, but this does not mean that she can let go of her heart.She was silent for a while and asked, "What about her, why did she come to Atlanta? Since David is in New Orleans."

Rhett breathed a sigh of relief and explained: "Bell hopes that David can have a happy life. She doesn't want David to be looked down upon because of her status, so she has to go to other cities to earn money. During the war, Atlanta It is the center of this area. After that, I also came to Atlanta and stayed for a long time because of——you. It was during that time that my friendship with her was restored. That’s all.” He simply put himself And the later part of Bell is also explained clearly.

This was the first time that Rhett admitted that he stayed in Atlanta during the war because of Scarlett, and how Scarlett teased and coaxed him before would not say anything.However, Scarlett was not happy at all now.It's not clear if Rhett's connection with Bell upset her or Rhett's own pain when he talked about the past infected her - she wasn't happy.

Scarlett is skeptical about Rhett's statement that he and Bell are pure friendship now.Rhett didn't have to lie to her about this, of course, but it was possible to omit some details that would make her uncomfortable by the way.The only thing that can be confirmed is that they really have no flesh-and-blood relationship now, but according to Scarlett, Watling's feelings for Rhett are definitely not simple.According to Rhett's description, Bell must have had a crush on him in the early days, and the two were also close lovers--thinking of this makes Scarlett's teeth sour.It's just that the relationship between the two was interrupted with the guardianship of David's life experience, and in the following years they were only connected because of David.However, when Bell and Rhett came to Atlanta one after another, after the two reunited in this city, their friendship was revived-and Bell's thoughts for Rhett must also be revived together.

Scarlett was not making wild guesses.In her previous life, she was so hostile to Bell because after she broke up with Rhett, every time that man came back, there were always traces of Bell's provocation against her on his body-it was an escalation of the handkerchief incident in his early years.According to the information learned today, since Rhett is distressed by the past, the possibility that he regards Bell as a friend rather than a lover is greatly enhanced.Scarlett can even speculate that when she and Rhett had a cold war in the previous life, the woman Rhett would find even if he stayed overnight was definitely not Belle (he would find her to drink at most).Because Rhett has become David's godfather instead of adoptive father, he will consciously avoid suspicion with David's adoptive mother Bell in his behavior. Scarlett still trusts Rhett in this matter.He won't cross that line for a moment of indulgence, causing regret and pain, but he may still make her think that on purpose to stimulate her.This is Rhett Butler-indulgence, as if he doesn't care, but there is still something persistent in his heart.

In fact, Scarlett can somewhat understand Belle's feelings for her in her previous life-mixed with resentment and sympathy, because she turned a blind eye to Rhett's feelings, and at the same time made a mess of her own life.Bell challenged her in the verses, prodded her, complained about Rhett and herself.But in the big festival, Bell has done an impeccable job. She is indeed a very smart woman.Including taking risks to help the Klansmen, and even earning a sliver of gratitude from those stubborn gentlemen--at the same time Scarlett just happened to be blamed by the whole city.Looking back on the past, Scarlett could only reluctantly admit that Bell's methods in her previous life were indeed better than hers.

In the limited number of encounters with Bell in this life, Scarlett has been able to confirm that the woman has not given up on Rhett, although she is still smart to a certain extent.The handkerchief that Rhett left with her was passed on to her through Meili, which was the first provocation. After the confrontation at the door of the bar, the other party's condescending attitude and dismissing her as a young girl completely angered Scarlett.This woman is said to be a patriot despite her depravity—that was the evaluation in her previous life, and after hearing Rhett's past in this life, Scarlett reluctantly admitted that she was kind.However, this does not prevent her from continuing to hate Bell.Yes, she still hates Belle Watling!

"Don't tell me you don't know she likes you." Scarlett accused angrily.

"But that doesn't stop our friendship," Rhett replied. "That's two different things."

Scarlett couldn't figure out how a man could divide his feelings so clearly. In her opinion, the boundaries were blurred and easy to slip past.

"I had a clear talk with her about it, shortly after the reunion in Atlanta," Rhett added. "I'm sure I made my position clear, and then it wouldn't be a big problem. We all have self-control, There's no need to give up a friendship for a vague feeling, and it would be good for David."

Ah yes.So you told her you and her can only be friends, how can you take it so relaxed?thought Scarlett.She knew that Rhett had a loose personality, but if he wanted to, he would definitely find Bell's ambiguous hints in some details, but the fact is that even if he noticed, he didn't care, and he didn't take it seriously in his heart.He trusted his will too much, and at the same time had faith in Belle's cleverness, to treat these as harmless little jokes.Surely he had no idea how much this annoyed Scarlett, and Scarlett had secretly fought Belle several times.In short, the two women are no longer simply unhappy with each other, but this man still doesn't realize it.

"Whatever you want." Scarlett faltered over, her mind was no longer on that.She figured it out, there was no way to judge Rhett for her past.Anyway, she just hates Watling—but then again, Rhett was originally talking about his past, so why did the topic focus on the woman Bell Watling after the talk?Scarlett was a little confused.Perhaps speaking about those pasts will suffice, though.As for the present and the future, those that she believes she will be able to grasp, these are the topics she cares about.Including that Watling who has a heart for Rhett!She definitely did it on purpose!

——Scarlett recalled Watling's coquettish and seductive smile across the carriage, and immediately believed that it was full of provocative meaning.