登陆注册
5410300000029

第29章

“I'm glad to hear you say it.After the surrender I had about ten dollars in silver and nothing else in the world.You know what they did to Jonesboro and my house and store there.I just didn't know what to do.But I used the ten dollars to put a roof on an old store down by Five Points and I moved the hospital equipment in and started selling it.Everybody needed beds and china and mattresses and I sold them cheap,because I figured it was about as much other folks'stuff as it was mine.But I cleared money on it and bought some more stuff and the store just went along fine.I think I'll make a lot of money on it if things pick up.”

At the word “money,”her mind came back to him,crystal clear.

“You say you've made money?”

He visibly expanded under her interest.Few women except Scarlett had ever given him more than perfunctory courtesy and it was very flattering to have a former belle like Scarlett hanging on his words.He slowed the horse so they would not reach home before he had finished his story.

“I'm not a millionaire,Miss Scarlett,and considering the money I used to have,what I've got now sounds small.But I made a thousand dollars this year.Of course,five hundred of it went to paying for new stock and repairing the store and paying the rent.But I've made five hundred clear and as things are certainly picking up,I ought to clear two thousand next year.I can sure use it,too,for you see,I've got another iron in the fire.”

Interest had sprung up sharply in her at the talk of money.She veiled her eyes with thick bristly lashes and moved a little closer to him.

“What does that mean,Mr.Kennedy?”

He laughed and slapped the reins against the horse's back.

“I guess I'm boring you,talking about business,Miss Scarlett.A pretty little woman like you doesn't need to know anything about business.”

The old fool.

“Oh,I know I'm a goose about business but I'm so interested!Please tell me all about it and you can explain what I don't understand.”

“Well,my other iron is a sawmill.”

“A what?”

“A mill to cut up lumber and plane it.I haven't bought it yet but I'm going to.There's a man named Johnson who has one,way out Peachtree road,and he's anxious to sell it.He needs some cash right away,so he wants to sell and stay and run it for me at a weekly wage.It's one of the few mills in this section,Miss Scarlett.The Yankees destroyed most of them.And anyone who owns a sawmill owns a gold mine,for nowadays you can ask your own price for lumber.The Yankees burned so many houses here and there aren't enough for people to live in and it looks like folks have gone crazy about rebuilding.They can't get enough lumber and they can't get it fast enough.People are just pouring into Atlanta now,all the folks from the country districts who can't make a go of farming without darkies and the Yankees and Carpetbaggers who are swarming in trying to pick our bones a little barer than they already are.I tell you Atlanta's going to be a big town soon.They've got to have lumber for their houses,so I'm going to buy this mill just as soon as—well,as soon as some of the bills owing me are paid.By this time next year,I ought to be breathing easier about money.I—I guess you know why I'm so anxious to make money quickly,don't you?”

He blushed and cackled again.He's thinking of Suellen,Scarlett thought in disgust.

For a moment she considered asking him to lend her three hundred dollars,but wearily she rejected the idea.He would be embarrassed;he would stammer;he would offer excuses,but he wouldn't lend it to her.He had worked hard for it,so he could marry Suellen in the spring and if he parted with it,his wedding would be postponed indefinitely.Even if she worked on his sympathies and his duty toward his future family and gained his promise of a loan,she knew Suellen would never permit it.Suellen was getting more and more worried over the fact that she was practically an old maid and she would move heaven and earth to prevent anything from delaying her marriage.

What was there in that whining complaining girl to make this old fool so anxious to give her a soft nest?Suellen didn't deserve a loving husband and the profits of a store and a sawmill.The moment Sue got her hands on a little money she'd give herself unendurable airs and never contribute one cent toward the upkeep of Tara.Not Suellen!She'd think herself well out of it and not care if Tara went for taxes or burned to the ground,so long as she had pretty clothes and a “Mrs.”in front of her name.

As Scarlett thought of Suellen's secure future and the precarious one of herself and Tara,anger flamed in her at the unfairness of life.Hastily she looked out of the buggy into the muddy street,lest Frank should see her expression.She was going to lose everything she had,while Sue—Suddenly a determination was born in her.

Suellen should not have Frank and his store and his mill!

Suellen didn't deserve them.She was going to have them herself.She thought of Tara and remembered Jonas Wilkerson,venomous as a rattler,at the foot of the front steps,and she grasped at the last straw floating above the shipwreck of her life.Rhett had failed her but the Lord had provided Frank.

But can I get him?Her fingers clenched as she looked unseeingly into the rain.Can I make him forget Sue and propose to me real quick?If I could make Rhett almost propose,I know I could get Frank!Her eyes went over him,her lids flickering.Certainly,he's no beauty,she thought coolly,and he's got very bad teeth and his breath smells bad and he's old enough to be my father.Moreover,he's nervous and timid and well meaning,and I don't know of any more damning qualities a man can have.But at least,he's a gentleman and I believe I could stand living with him better than with Rhett.Certainly I could manage him easier.At any rate,beggars can't be choosers.

同类推荐
  • 终极英语日常用语1980句

    终极英语日常用语1980句

    本书内容包括:用餐宴请;居家交流;职场办公;校园求学;旅游出行;逛街购物等基本交际口语。
  • 带本英语书游世界

    带本英语书游世界

    本书章节分为 Chapter 1 万事俱备 Chapter 2 快乐出发 Chapter 3 平安到达 Chapter 4 享受美食 Chapter 5 遨游世界 Chapter 6 疯狂购物每个章节详细描写了相关旅游出行的细节,词汇补给、旅游应急句、实用情景对话帮助读者轻松出行。
  • 心理学批判与批判心理学:《印度之行》的心理政治解读(英文版)

    心理学批判与批判心理学:《印度之行》的心理政治解读(英文版)

    本著作梳理了从心理学角度对于福斯特名著《印度之行》进行阐释的五个典型文本,并对其存在的问题进行批判,旨在找出精神分析与分析心理学这两大心理批评理论所存在的问题,进而延伸到对整个西方主流资产阶级心理学的批判,最终将批判心理学(尤其是克劳兹?霍茨坎普创立的德国批判心理学)建构为新的文学理论范式,并将心理-政治解读确立为新的文学批评方法,并将其运用于对《印度之行》的批评实践中,从种族与性属的角度对具体文本进行解读。
  • 出国英语对答如流

    出国英语对答如流

    内容涉及出国过程中的各种典型场景,从出入境、住宿、交通、用餐、购物、娱乐、出国求学、境外旅游、出国参展和商务出行等方面来展现出国过程中的各种真实情景,语言简洁明快,易学好记,实用性强。格式分为互动问答、高频精句、场景会话、金词放送和精彩片段等部分,结构清晰,设计活泼,突出场景,实用性强。
  • Real Marriage 裸婚

    Real Marriage 裸婚

    我在新浪以“介末开门”之名开博,连载自己的婚姻生活。飙升的点击率膨胀了我的虚荣心,我志得意满地准备出书吹嘘自己的幸福生活。出书的事还未见眉目,我离婚了,以雪崩的速度。我第一次真正领略了生活的荒诞,简直想笑。接下来的两年时间,我写了一出话剧,编了一本杂志,又谈了一次热情的恋爱结了一次婚,出书的事情顺理成章地被耽搁下来。本书是作者介末完全真实的个人经历,但也不是自传,毕竟这只是介末不足十年的个人经历,虽然客观真实,但只截取了与婚姻相关的片段,还不能作为全面了解一个人的标准。给婚姻撒上一把“介末”,让人感受超刺激又泪流满面的生活。不粉饰、不矫情、不夸张,一个睿智的女人带你学会生活、婚姻哲学。
热门推荐
  • 世界最具发明性的科学大家(1)

    世界最具发明性的科学大家(1)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 净土简要录

    净土简要录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 感觉有点冷

    感觉有点冷

    秋老头静静地躺在棺材里。他躺在他的床上听沟边的流水。学屋外的鸟叫。数老伴坟上的石头。这些都是秋老头最近一直做着的有趣的事情。秋老头数完了坟上的最后一块石头,轻轻说了一声青发今天又不得回来了。他张了张口,习惯性地用舌头在牙齿周围扫了一圈。秋老头感觉到了稀疏的牙齿间异物的存在。他知道这是昨天下午残留在牙缝间的肉丝。他伸出两个手指准确地将它拔出来,用舌尖舔了两舔,来不及咀嚼便吞下了肚里。秋老头尝到了一种香辣辣的味道,他在这种亲切的味道里走进三年前的一个早晨。
  • 山外有个世界

    山外有个世界

    母亲苍老父亲更苍老。小兴安岭原本不是他们的家乡,皆因老实厚道的父亲从抗美援朝战场上下来后,其调令被最亲近的战友使了个偷梁换柱的卑劣手段所致,他们一家人才有了这样的命运。如果不换的话,她的出生地就应该是北京了。那个代替父亲去了北京的战友,在文革之后,为了还他情感上的债务,专程从北京翻山越岭到了他们家,一进门就给父亲跪下了。他拿出五万元给父亲,可是父亲分文没要,父亲也没有任何抱怨的话。这就是她的父亲。她在讲述这样的奇特事情时,轻描淡写地说,自己就跟父亲差不多。
  • 释迦氏谱

    释迦氏谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 守坟人

    守坟人

    世人皆以为,守坟即是看坟,可两者却截然不同的区别,守坟人非是有驱鬼降魔之大能者不能为之,而我,就是个守坟人。鬼有恶鬼,痴鬼,厉鬼,亦有善鬼,明辨是非之鬼。身而为鬼,是生的结束,也是生的开始。
  • 合同的订立与效力

    合同的订立与效力

    本书是中华人民共和国重要基本法律知识宣讲系列丛书之一,具体内容是对我国合同法所规定的合同的订立与效力,以及与其相关的司法解释等内容进行宣讲和普及。
  • 八鲜汤

    八鲜汤

    《莫兰系列1:八鲜汤》是《莫兰系列》之一。八年前,莫兰还是大学外语系—年级的新生,被安排在条件颇为艰苦的八人间宿舍居住,而睡在她下铺的正是后来因为恐怖血腥的“人骨八鲜汤”命案而声名大燥的张素萍。八年后,曾同是大学烹饪社团成城的四姐妹。突然接到神秘的聚会邀请函,“八鲜汤”三个字更是唤起了众人对多年前那桩可怕凶杀案的恐怖记忆……聚会当天,八年前的惨剧在众目睽睽下再度上演,原来,杀机竞潜藏于烹饪社团的姐妹之中……也许,一切的罪孽只源自深藏于人心的爱与欲……
  • 中国市场领导力

    中国市场领导力

    领导力就好像爱情,人人都知道它的存在,却很难有人说清楚它究竟是什么。对此,许多西方学者曾著书立说,提出过不同的模型,但对于中国这样的新兴市场来说,在哪方面修炼,能够更有成效地发展领导力呢?哪些才是具有“中国特色”的领导力?
  • 美食掌厨人

    美食掌厨人

    “老板,来一个茶叶蛋。”“五十块一个。”“……怎么这么贵?”位于市区破败街道的一家店铺。看似普通的茶叶蛋居然敢卖五十块一个,这是要逆天的节奏,老板疯了吗?不怕查水表?这是一个机智的小老板,凭借美食系统,通过自身努力,发扬中华美食,成为美食掌厨人的故事。(本文完结,番外有时间继续连载)(新作《家族飞升传》,仙侠文,连载中)