按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“Hell； no！ Don’t be a fool。 She laughed like everything when we told her about it。 And besides Scarlett don’t set any more store by book learning than we do。”
Brent turned in the saddle and called to the negro groom。
“Jeems！”
“Suh？”
“You heard what we were talking to Miss Scarlett about？”
“Nawsuh； Mist’ Brent！ Huccome you think Ah be spyin’ on w’ite folks？”
“Spying； my God！ You darkies know everything that goes on。 Why； you liar； I saw you with my own eyes sidle round the corner of the porch and squat in the cape jessamine bush by the wall。 Now； did you hear us say anything that might have made Miss Scarlett mad—or hurt her feelings？”
Thus appealed to； Teems gave up further pretense of not having overheard the conversation and furrowed his black brow。
“Nawsuh； Ah din’ notice y’all say anything ter mek her mad。 Look ter me lak she sho glad ter see you an’ sho had missed you； an’ she cheep along happy as a bird； tell ‘bout de time y’all got ter talkin’ ‘bout Mist’ Ashley an’ Miss Melly Hamilton gittin’ mah’ied。 Den she quiet down lak a bird w’en de hawk fly ober。”
The twins looked at each other and nodded； but without comprehension。
“Jeems is right。 But I don’t see why；” said Stuart。 “My Lord！ Ashley don’t mean anything to her； ‘cept a friend。 She’s not crazy about him。 It’s us she’s crazy about。”
Brent nodded an agreement。
“But do you suppose；” he said； “that maybe Ashley hadn’t told her he was going to announce it tomorrow night and she was mad at him for not telling her； an old friend； before he told everybody else？ Girls set a big store on knowing such things first。”
“Well； maybe。 But what if he hadn’t told her it was tomorrow？ It was supposed to be a secret and a surprise； and a man’s got a right to keep his own engagement quiet； hasn’t he？ We wouldn’t have known it if Miss Melly’s aunt hadn’t let it out。 But Scarlett must have known he was going to marry Miss Melly sometime。 Why； we’ve known it for years。 The Wilkes and Hamiltons always marry their own cousins。 Everybody knew he’d probably marry her some day； just like Honey Wilkes is going to marry Miss Melly’s brother； Charles。”
“Well； I give it up。 But I’m sorry she didn’t ask us to supper。 I swear I don’t want to go home and listen to Ma take on about us being expelled。 It isn’t as if this was the first time。”
“Maybe Boyd will have smoothed her down by now。 You know what a slick talker that little varmint is。 You know he always can smooth her down。”
“Yes； he can do it； but it takes Boyd time。 He has to talk around in circles till Ma gets so confused that she gives up and tells him to save his voice for his law practice。 But he ain’t had time to get good started yet。 Why； I’ll bet you Ma is still so excited about the new horse that she’ll never even realize we’re home again till She sits down to supper tonight and sees Boyd。 And before supper is over she’ll be going strong and breathing fire。 And it’ll be ten o’clock before Boyd gets a chance to tell her that it wouldn’t have been honorable for any of us to stay in college after the way the Chancellor talked to you and me。 And it’ll be midnight before he gets her turned around to where she’s so mad at the Chancellor she’ll be asking Boyd why he didn’t shoot him。 No； we can’t go home till after midnight”
The twins looked at each other glumly。 They were completely fearless of wild horses； shooting affrays and the indignation of their neighbors； but they had a wholesome fear of their red…haired mother’s outspoken remarks and the riding crop that she did not scruple to lay across their breeches。
“Well； look；” said Brent。 “Let’s go over to the Wilkes’。 Ashley and the girls’ll be glad to have us for supper。”
Stuart looked a little discomforted。
“No； don’t let’s go there。 They’ll be in a stew getting ready for the barbecue tomorrow and besides—”
“Oh； I forgot about that；” said Brent hastily。 “No； don’t let’s go there。”
They clucked to their horses and rode along in silence for a while； a flush of embarrassment on Stuart’s brown cheeks。 Until the previous summer； Stuart had courted India Wilkes with the approbation of both families and the entire County。 The County felt that perhaps the cool and contained India Wilkes would have a quieting effect on him。 They fervently hoped so； at any rate。 And Stuart might have made the match； but Brent had not been satisfied。 Brent liked India but he thought her mighty plain and tame； and he simply could not fall in love with her himself to keep Stuart company。 That was the first time the twins’ interest had ever diverged； and Brent was resentful of his brother’s attentions to a girl who seemed to him not at all remarkable。
Then； last summer at a political speaking in a grove of oak trees at Jonesboro； they both suddenly became aware of Scarlett O’Hara。 They had known her for years； and； since their childhood； she had been a favorite playmate； for she could ride horses and climb trees almost as well as they。 But now to their amazement she had become a grown…up young lady and quite the most charming one in all the world。
They noticed for the first time how her green eyes danced； how deep her dimples were when she laughed； how tiny her hands and feet and what a small waist she had。 Their clever remarks sent her into merry peals of laughter and； inspired by the thought that she considered them a remarkable pair； they fairly outdid themselves。
It was a memorable day in the life of the twins。 Thereafter； when they talked it over； they always wondered just why they had failed to notice Scarlett’s charms before。 They never arrived at the correct answer； which was that Scarlett on that day had decided to make them notice。 She was constitutionally unable to endure any man being in love with any woman not herself； and the sight of India Wilkes and Stuart at the speaking had been too much for her predatory nature。 Not content with Stuart alone； she had set her cap for Brent as well； and with a thoroughness that overwhelmed the two of them。
Now they were both in love with her； and India Wilkes and Letty Munroe； from Lovejoy； whom Brent had been half…heartedly courting； were far in the back of their minds。 Just what the loser would do； should Scarlett accept either one of them； the twins did not ask。 They would cross that bridge when they came to it。 For the present they were quite satisfied to be in accord again about one girl； for they had no jealousies between them。 It was a situation which interested the neighbors and annoyed their mother； who had no liking for Scarlett。
“It will serve you right if that sly piece does accept one of you；” she said。 “Or maybe she’ll accept both of you； and then you’ll have to move to Utah； if the Mormons’ll have you—which I doubt。 。。。 All that bothers me is that some one of these days you’re both going to get lickered up and jealous of each other about that two…faced； little； green…eyed baggage； and you’ll shoot each other。 But that might not be a bad idea either。”
Since the day of the speaking； Stuart had been uncomfortable in India’s presence。 Not that India ever reproac