第76章

“Oh， I don’t care！ I don’t care what they say！” she whispered， as a sweet madness swept over her. She tossed her head and sped out of the booth， tapping her heels like castanets， snapping open her black silk fan to its widest. For a fleeting instant she saw Melanie’s incredulous face， the look on the chaperons’ faces， the petulant girls， the enthusiastic approval of the soldiers.

Then she was on the floor and Rhett Butler was advancing toward her through the aisle of the crowd， that nasty mocking smile on his face. But she didn’t care—didn’t care if he were Abe Lincoln himself！ She was going to dance again. She was going to lead the reel. She swept him a low curtsy and a dazzling smile and he bowed， one hand on his frilled bosom. Levi， horrified， was quick to cover the situation and bawled： “Choose yo’ padners fo’ de Ferginny reel！”

And the orchestra crashed into that best of all reel tunes， “Dixie.”

“How dare you make me so conspicuous， Captain Butler？”

“But， my dear Mrs. Hamilton， you so obviously wanted to be conspicuous！”

“How could you call my name out in front of everybody？”

“You could have refused.”

“But—I owe it to the Cause—I—I couldn’t think of myself when you were offering so much in gold. Stop laughing， everyone is looking at us.”

“They will look at us anyway. Don’t try to palm off that twaddle about the Cause to me. You wanted to dance and I gave you the opportunity. This march is the last figure of the reel， isn’t it？”

“Yes—really， I must stop and sit down now.”

“Why？ Have I stepped on your feet？”

“No—but they’ll talk about me.”

“Do you really care—down in your heart？”

“Well—”

“You aren’t committing any crime， are you？ Why not dance the waltz with me？”

“But if Mother ever—”

“Still tied to mamma’s apronstrings.”

“Oh， you have the nastiest way of making virtues sound so stupid.”

“But virtues are stupid. Do you care if people talk？”

“No—but—well， let’s don’t talk about it. Thank goodness the waltz is beginning. Reels always leave me breathless.”

“Don’t dodge my questions. Has what other women said ever mattered to you？”

“Oh， if you’re going to pin me down—no！ But a girl is supposed to mind. Tonight， though， I don’t care.”

“Bravo！ Now you are beginning to think for yourself instead of letting others think for you. That’s the beginning of wisdom.”

“Oh， but—”

“When you’ve been talked about as much as I have， you’ll realize how little it matters. Just think， there’s not a home in Charleston where I am received. Not even my contribution to our just and holy Cause lifts the ban.”

“How dreadful！”

“Oh， not at all. Until you’ve lost your reputation， you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.”

“You do talk scandalous！”

“Scandalously and truly. Always providing you have enough courage—or money—you can do without a reputation.”

“Money can’t buy everything.”

“Someone must have told you that. You’d never think of such a platitude all by yourself. What can’t it buy？”

“Oh， well， I don’t know—not happiness or love， anyway.”

“Generally it can. And when it can’t it can buy some of the most remarkable substitutes.”

“And have you so much money， Captain Butler？”

“What an ill-bred question， Mrs. Hamilton. I’m surprised. But， yes. For a young man cut off without a shilling in early youth， I’ve done very well. And I’m sure I’ll clean up a million on the blockade.”

“Oh， no！”

“Oh， yes！ What most people don’t seem to realize is that there is just as much money to be made out of the wreckage of a civilization as from the upbuilding of one.”

“And what does all that mean？”

“Your family and my family and everyone here tonight made their money out of changing a wilderness into a civilization. That’s empire building. There’s good money in empire building. But， there’s more in empire wrecking.”

“What empire are you talking about？”

“This empire we’re living in—the South—the Confederacy—the Cotton Kingdom—it’s breaking up right under our feet. Only most fools won’t see it and take advantage of the situation created by the collapse. I’m making my fortune out of the wreckage.”

“Then you really think we’re going to get licked？”

“Yes. Why be an ostrich？”

“Oh， dear， it bores me to talk about such like. Don’t you ever say pretty things， Captain Butler？”

“Would it please you if I said your eyes were twin goldfish bowls filled to the brim with the clearest green water and that when the fish swim to the top， as they are doing now， you are devilishly charming？”

“Oh， I don’t like that. ... Isn’t the music gorgeous？ Oh， I could waltz forever！ I didn’t know I had missed it so！”

“You are the most beautiful dancer I’ve ever held in my arms.”

“Captain Butler， you must not hold me so tightly. Everybody is looking.”

“If no one were looking， would you care？”

“Captain Butler， you forget yourself.”

“Not for a minute. How could I， with you in my arms？ ... What is that tune？ Isn’t it new？”

“Yes. Isn’t it divine？ It’s something we captured from the Yankees.”

“What’s the name of it？”

“ ‘When This Cruel War Is Over.’ ”

“What are the words？ Sing them to me.”

“Dearest one， do you remember

When we last did meet？

When you told me how you loved me.

Kneeling at my feet？

Oh， how proud you stood before me

In your suit of gray，

When you vowed from me and country

Ne’er to go astray.

Weeping sad and lonely.

Sighs and tears how vain！

When this cruel war is over

Pray that we meet again！”

“Of course， it was ‘suit of blue’ but we changed it to ‘gray.’ ... Oh， you waltz so well， Captain Butler. Most big men don’t， you know. And to think it will be years and years before I’ll dance again，”

“It will only be a few minutes. I’m going to bid you in for the next reel—and the next and the next.”

“Oh， no， I couldn’t！ You mustn’t！ My reputation will be mined.”

“It’s in shreds already， so what does another dance matter？ Maybe I’ll give the other boys a chance after I’ve had five or six， but I must have the last one.”

“Oh， all right. I know I’m crazy but I don’t care. I don’t care a bit what anybody says. I’m so tired of sitting at home. I’m going to dance and dance—”

“And not wear black？ I loathe funeral crêpe.”