THERE WAS NO DOUBT in anyone’s mind that Bonnie Butler was running wild and needed afirm hand but she was so general a favorite that no one had the heart to attempt the necessaryfirmness. She had first gotten out of control the months when she traveled with her father. Whenshe had been with Rhett in New Orleans and Charleston she had been permitted to sit up as late asshe pleased and had gone to sleep in his arms in theaters, restaurants and at card tables. Thereafter,nothing short of force would make her go to bed at the same time as the obedient Ella. While shehad been away with him, Rhett had let her wear any dress she chose and, since that time, she hadgone into tantrums when Mammy tried to dress her in dimity frocks and pinafores instead of bluetaffeta and lace collars.
There seemed no way to regain the ground which had been lost when the child was away fromhome and later when Scarlett had been ill and at Tara. As Bonnie grew older Scarlett tried todiscipline her, tried to keep her from becoming too headstrong and spoiled, but with little success.
Rhett always sided with the child, no matter how foolish her desires or how outrageous herbehavior. He encouraged her to talk and treated her as an adult, listening to her opinions withapparent seriousness and pretending to be guided by them. As a result, Bonnie interrupted herelders whenever she pleased and contradicted her father and put him in his place. He only laughedand would not permit Scarlett even to slap the little girl’s hand by way of reprimand.
If she wasn’t such a sweet, darling thing, she’d be impossible,” thought Scarlett ruefully,realizing that she had a child with a will equal to her own. “She adores Rhett and he could makeher behave better if he wanted to.
But Rhett showed no inclination to make Bonnie behave. Whatever she did was right and if shewanted the moon she could have it, if he could reach it for her. His pride in her beauty, her curls,her dimples, her graceful little gestures was boundless. He loved her pertness, her high spirits andthe quaint sweet manner she had of showing her love for him. For all her spoiled and willful waysshe was such a lovable child that he lacked the heart to try to curb her. He was her god, the centerof her small world, and that was too precious for him to risk losing by reprimands.
She clung to him like a shadow. She woke him earlier than he cared to wake, sat beside him atthe table, eating alternately from his plate and her own, rode in front of him on his horse andpermitted no one but Rhett to undress her and put her to sleep in the small bed beside his.
It amused and touched Scarlett to see the iron hand with which her small child ruled her father.
Who would have thought that Rhett, of all people, would take fatherhood so seriously? Butsometimes a dart of jealousy went through Scarlett because Bonnie, at the age of four, understoodRhett better than she had ever understood him and could manage him better than she had evermanaged him.
When Bonnie was four years old, Mammy began to grumble about the impropriety of a girlchild riding “a-straddle in front of her pa wid her dress flyin’ up.” Rhett lent an attentive ear to thisremark, as he did to all Mammy’s remarks about the proper raising of little girls. The result was asmall brown and white Shetland pony with a long silky mane and tail and a tiny sidesaddle withsilver trimmings. Ostensibly the pony was for all three children and Rhett bought a saddle forWade too. But Wade infinitely preferred his St. Bernard dog and Ella was afraid of all animals. Sothe pony became Bonnie’s own and was named “Mr. Butler.” The only flaw in Bonnie’s possessivejoy was that she could not still ride astride like her father, but after he had explained how muchmore difficult it was to ride on the sidesaddle, she was content and learned rapidly. Rhett’s pride inher good seat and her good hands was enormous.
Wait till she’s old enough to hunt,” he boasted. There’ll be no one like her on any field. I’ll takeher to Virginia then. That’s where the real hunting is. And Kentucky where they appreciate goodriders.
When it came to making her riding habit, as usual she had her choice of colors and as usualchose blue.
But, my darling! Not that blue velvet! The blue velvet is for a party dress for me,” laughedScarlett. “A nice black broadcloth is what little girls wear.” Seeing the small black brows comingtogether: “For Heaven’s sake, Rhett, tell her how unsuitable it would be and how dirty it will get.
Oh, let her have the blue velvet. If it gets dirty, we’ll make her another one,” said Rhett easily.
So Bonnie had her blue velvet habit with a skirt that trailed down the pony’s side and a black hatwith a red plume in it, because Aunt Melly’s stories of Jeb Stuart’s plume had appealed to herimagination. On days that were bright and dear the two could be seen riding down PeachtreeStreet, Rhett reining in his big black horse to keep pace with the fat pony’s gait. Sometimes theywent tearing down the quiet roads about the town, scattering chickens and dogs and children,Bonnie beating Mr. Butler with her crop, her tangled curls flying, Rhett holding in his horse with afirm hand that she might think Mr. Butler was winning the race.
When he had assured himself of her seat, her hands, her utter fearlessness, Rhett decided that thetime had come for her to learn to make the low jumps that were within the reach of Mr. Butler’sshort legs. To this end, he built a hurdle in the back yard and paid Wash, one of Uncle Peter’s smallnephews, twenty-five cents a day to teach Mr. Butler to jump. He began with a bar two inches fromthe ground and gradually worked up the height to a foot.
This arrangement met with the disapproval of the three parties concerned, Wash, Mr. Butler andBonnie. Wash was afraid of horses and only the princely sum offered induced him to take thestubborn pony over the bar dozens of times a day; Mr. Butler, who bore with equanimity havinghis tail pulled by his small mistress and his hooves examined constantly, felt that the Creator ofponies had not intended him to put his fat body over the bar; Bonnie, who could not bear to seeanyone else upon her pony, danced with impatience while Mr. Butler was learning his lessons.
When Rhett finally decided that the pony knew his business well enough to trust Bonnie uponhim, the child’s excitement was boundless. She made her first jump with flying colors and,thereafter, riding abroad with her father held no charms for her. Scarlett could not help laughing atthe pride and enthusiasm of father and daughter. She thought, however, that once the novelty hadpassed, Bonnie would turn to other things and the neighborhood would have some peace. But thissport did not pall. There was a bare track worn from the arbor at the far end of the yard to thehurdle, and all morning long the yard resounded with excited yells. Grandpa Merriwether, who hadmade the overland trip in 1849, said that the yells sounded just like an Apache after a successfulscalping.
After the first week, Bonnie begged for a higher bar, a bar that was a foot and a half from theground.
When you are six years old,” said Rhett. “Then you’ll be big enough for a higher jump and I’llbuy you a bigger horse. Mr. Butler’s legs aren’t long enough.
They are, too, I jumped Aunt Melly’s rose bushes and they are ‘normously high
No, you must wait,” said Rhett, firm for once. But the firmness gradually faded away beforeher incessant importunings and tantrums.
Oh, all right,” he said with a laugh one morning and moved the narrow white cross bar higher.
If you fall off, don’t cry and blame me
Mother!” screamed Bonnie, turning her head up toward Scarlett’s bedroom. “Mother! Watchme! Daddy says I can
Scarlett, who was combing her hair, came to the window and smiled down at the tiny excitedfigure, so absurd in the soiled blue habit.
I really must get her another habit,” she thought. “Though Heaven only knows how I’ll makeher give up that dirty one.
Mother, watch
I’m watching dear,” said Scarlett smiling.
As Rhett lifted the child and set her on the pony, Scarlett called with a swift rush of pride at thestraight back and the proud set of the head, “You’re mighty pretty, precious
So are you,” said Bonnie generously and, hammering a heel into Mr. Butler’s ribs, she gallopeddown the yard toward the arbor.
Mother, watch me take this one!” she cried, laying on the crop.
Watch me take this one
Memory rang a bell far back in Scarlett’s mind. There was something ominous about thosewords. What was it? Why couldn’t she remember? She looked down at her small daughter, solightly poised on the galloping pony and her brow wrinkled as a chill swept swiftly through herbreast. Bonnie came on with a rush, her crisp black curls jerking, her blue eyes blazing.
They are like Pa’s eyes,” thought Scarlett, “Irish blue eyes and she’s just like him in everyway.
And, as she thought of Gerald, the memory for which she had been rumbling came to herswiftly, came with the heart stopping clarity of summer lightning, throwing, for an instant, a wholecountryside into unnatural brightness. She could hear an Irish voice singing, hear the hard rapidpounding of hooves coming up the pasture hill at Tara, hear a reckless voice, so like the voice ofher child: “Ellen! Watch me take this one
No!” she cried. “No! Oh, Bonnie, stop
Even as she leaned from the window there was a fearful sound of splintering wood, a hoarse cryfrom Rhett, a melee of blue velvet and flying hooves on the ground. Then Mr. Butler scrambled tohis feet and trotted off with an empty saddle.
On the third night after Bonnie’s death, Mammy waddled slowly up the kitchen steps ofMelanie’s house. She was dressed in black from her huge men’s shoes, slashed to permit freedomfor her toes, to her black head rag. Her blurred old eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed, and miserycried out in every line of her mountainous figure. Her face was puckered in the sadbewilderment of an old ape but there was determination in her jaw.
She spoke a few soft words to Dilcey who nodded kindly, as though an unspoken armisticeexisted in their old feud. Dilcey put down the supper dishes she was holding and went quietlythrough the pantry toward the dining room. In a minute Melanie was in the kitchen, her tablenapkin in her hand, anxiety in her face.
Miss Scarlet isn’t
Miss Scarlett bearin’ up, same as allus,” said Mammy heavily. “Ah din’ ten ter ‘sturb yo
supper, Miss Melly. Ah kin wait tell you thoo ter tell you whut Ah got on mah mine.
Supper can wait,” said Melanie. “Dilcey, serve the rest of the supper. Mammy, come with me.
Mammy waddled after her, down the hall past the dining room where Ashley sat at the head ofthe table, his own little Beau beside him and Scarlett’s two children opposite, pairing a great clatterwith their soup spoons. The happy voices of Wade and Ella filled the room. It was like a picnic forthem to spend so long a visit with Aunt Melly. Aunt Melly was always so kind and she was especially so now. The death of their younger sister had affected them very little. Bonnie had fallenoff her pony and Mother had cried a long time and Aunt Melly had taken them home with her toplay in the back yard with Beau and have tea cakes whenever they wanted them.
Melanie led the way to the small book-lined sitting room, shut the door and motioned Mammyto the sofa.
I was going over right after supper,” she said. “Now that Captain Butler’s mother has come, Isuppose the funeral will be tomorrow morning.
De fune’l. Dat’s jes’ it,” said Mammy. “Miss Melly, we’s all in deep trouble an’ Ah’s come teryou fer he’p. Ain’ nuthin’ but weery load, honey, nuthin’ but weery load.
Has Miss Scarlett collapsed?” questioned Melanie worriedly. “I’ve hardly seen her sinceBonnie— She has been in her room and Captain Butler has been out of the house and
Suddenly tears began to flow down Mammy’s black face. Melanie sat down beside her andpatted her arm and, after a moment, Mammy lifted the hem of her black skirt and dried her eyes.
You got ter come he’p us, Miss Melly. Ah done de bes’Ah kin but it doan do no good.
Miss Scarlett
Mammy straightened.
Miss Melly, you knows Miss Scarlett well’s Ah does. Whut dat chile got ter stan’, de goodLawd give her strent ter stan’. Disyere done broke her heart but she kin stan’ it. It’s Mist’ Rhett Ahcome ‘bout.
I have so wanted to see him but whenever I’ve been there, he has either been downtown orlocked in his room with— And Scarlett has looked like a ghost and wouldn’t speak— Tell mequickly, Mammy. You know I’ll help if I can.
Mammy wiped her nose on the back of her hand. “Ah say Miss Scarlett kin stan’ whut de Lawdsen’, kase she done had ter stan’ a-plen’y, but Mist’ Rhett— Miss Melly, he ain’ never had ter stan
nuthin’ he din’ wanter stan’, not nuthin’. It’s him Ah come ter see you ‘bout.
But
Miss Melly, you got ter come home wid me, dis evenin’.” There was urgency in Mammy’svoice. “Maybe Mist’ Rhett lissen ter you. He allus did think a heap of yo’ ‘pinion.
Oh, Mammy, what is it? What do you mean
Mammy squared her shoulders.
Miss Melly, Mist’ Rhett done—done los’ his mine. He woan let us put Lil Miss away.
Lost his mind? Oh, Mammy, no
Ah ain’ lyin’. It’s de Gawd’s truff. He ain’ gwine let us buhy dat chile. He done tole me sohisseff, not mo’n an hour ago.
But he can’t—he isn’t
Dat’s huccome Ah say he los’ his mine.
But why
Miss Melly, Ah tell you everything. Ah oughtn’ tell nobody, but you is our fambly an’ you is deonlies’ one Ah kin tell. Ah tell you eve’ything. You knows whut a sto’ he set by dat chile. Ah ain
never seed no man, black or w’ite, set sech a sto’ by any chile. Look lak he go plumb crazy w’enDoctah Meade say her neck broke. He grab his gun an’ he run right out an’ shoot dat po’ pony an’,fo’ Gawd, Ah think he gwine shoot hisseff. Ah wuz plumb ‘stracted whut wid Miss Scarlett in aswoon an’ all de neighbors in an’ outer de house an’ Mist’ Rhett cahyin’ on an’ jes’ holin’ dat chilean’ not even lettin’ me wash her lil face whar de grabble cut it. An’ w’en Miss Scarlett come to, Ahthink, bress Gawd! Now dey kin comfo’t each other.
Again the tears began to fall but this time Mammy did not even wipe them away.
But w’en she come to, she go inter de room whar he setin’, holin’ Miss Bonnie, an’ she say
Gimme mah baby whut you kilt.
Oh, no! She couldn’t
Yas’m. Dat whut she say. She say: ‘You kilt her.’ An’ Ah felt so sorry fer Mist’ Rhett Ah bustout cryin’, kase he look lak a whup houn’. An’ Ah say: ‘Give dat chile ter its mammy. Ah ain
gwine have no sech goin’s on over mah Lil Miss.’ An’ Ah tek de chile away frum him an’ tek herinter her room an’ wash her face. An’ Ah hear dem talkin’ an’ it lak ter tuhn mah blood cole, whutdey say. Miss Scarlett wuz callin’ him a mudderer fer lettin’ her try ter jump dat high, an’ himsayin’ Miss Scarlett hadn’ never keered nuthin’ ‘bout Miss Bonnie nor none of her chillun. ...
Stop, Mammy! Don’t tell me any more. It isn’t right for you to tell me this!” cried Melanie, hermind shrinking away from the picture Mammy’s words evoked.
Ah knows Ah got no bizness tellin’ you, but mah heart too full ter know jes’ whut not ter say.
Den he tuck her ter de unnertaker’s hisseff an’ he bring her back an’ he put her in her baid in hisroom. An’ w’en Miss Scarlett say she b’long in de pahlor in de coffin, Ah thought Mist’ Rhettgwine hit her. An’ he say, right cole lak: ‘She b’long in mah room.’ An’ he tuhn ter me an’ he say
Mammy, you se dat she stay right hyah tell Ah gits back.’ Den he light outer de house on de hawsean’ he wuz gone tell ‘bout sundown. W’en he come t’arin’ home, Ah seed dat he’d been drinkin
an’ drinkin’ heavy, but he wuz cahyin’ it well’s usual. He fling inter de house an’ not even speak terMiss Scarlett or Miss Pitty or any of de ladies as wuz callin’, but he fly up de steps an’ th’ow opende do’ of his room an’ den he yell for me. W’en Ah comes runnin’ as fas’ as Ah kin, he wuz stan’in
by de baid an’ it wuz so dahk in de room Ah couldn’ sceercely see him, kase de shutters wuz donedrawed.
An’ he say ter me, right fierce lak: ‘Open dem shutters. It’s dahk in hyah.’ An’ Ah fling demopen an’ he look at me an’, fo’ Gawd, Miss Melly, mah knees ‘bout give way, kase he look sostrange. Den he say: Bring lights. Bring lots of lights. An’ keep dem buhnin’. An’ doan draw noshades an’ no shutters. Doan you know Miss Bonnie’s fraid of de dahk
Melanie’s horror struck eyes met Mammy’s and Mammy nodded ominously.
Dat’s whut he say. ‘Miss Bonnie’s ‘fraid of de dahk.
Mammy shivered.
W’en Ah gits him a dozen candles, he say ‘Git!’ An’ den he lock de do’ an’ dar he set wid LilMiss, an’ he din’ open de do’ fer Miss Scarlett even w’en she beat an’ hollered ter him. An’ dat’s deway it been fer two days. He woan say nuthin’ ‘bout de fune’l, an’ in de mawnin’ he lock de do’ an
git on his hawse an’ go off ter town. An’ he come back at sundown drunk an’ lock hisseff in agin,an’ he ain’ et nuthin’ or slept none. An’ now his ma, Ole Miss Butler, she come frum Cha’ston ferde fune’l an’ Miss Suellen an’ Mist’ Will, dey come frum Tara, but Mist’ Rhett woan talk ter noneof dem. Oh, Miss Melly, it been awful! An’ it’s gwine be wuss, an’ folks gwine talk sumpin
scanlous.
An’ den, dis evenin’,” Mammy paused and again wiped her nose on her hand. “Dis evenin
Miss Scarlett ketch him in de upstairs hall w’en he come in, an’ she go in de room wid him an’ shesay: ‘De fune’l set fer termorrer mawnin’.’An’ he say: ‘Do dat an’Ah kills you termorrer.
Oh, he must have lost his mind
Yas’m. An’ den dey talks kinder low an’ Ah doan hear all whut dey say, ‘cept he say agin ‘boutMiss Bonnie bein’ sceered of de dahk an’ de grabe pow’ful dahk. An’ affer aw’ile, Miss Scarlettsay ‘You is a fine one ter tek on so, affer killin’ her ter please yo’ pride.’ An’ he say: ‘Ain’ you gotno mercy?’ An’ she say: ‘No. An’ Ah ain’ got no chile, needer. An’ Ah’m wo’out wid de way youbeen ackin’ sence Bonnie wuz kilt. You is a scan’al ter de town. You been drunk all de time an’ efyou doan think Ah knows whar you been spendin’ yo’ days, you is a fool. Ah knows you beendown ter dat creeter’s house, dat Belle Watling.
Oh, Mammy, no
Yas’m. Dat whut she said. An’, Miss Melly, it’s de truff. Niggers knows a heap of thingsquicker dan w’ite folks, an’ Ah knowed dat’s whar he been but Ah ain’ said nuthin’ ‘bout it An’ hedoan deny it He say: ‘Yas’m, dat’s whar Ah been an’ you neen tek on, kase you doan give a damn.
A bawdy house is a haben of refuge affer dis house of hell. An’ Belle is got one of de worl’s kines
hearts. She doan th’ow it up ter me dat Ah done kilt mah chile.
Oh,” cried Melanie, stricken to the heart.
Her own life was so pleasant, so sheltered, so wrapped about with people who loved her, so fullof kindness that what Mammy told her was almost beyond comprehension or belief. Yet therecrawled into her mind a memory, a picture which she hastily put from her, as she would put fromher the thought of another’s nudity. Rhett had spoken of Belle Watling the day he cried with hishead on her knees. But he loved Scarlett. She could not have been mistaken that day. And ofcourse, Scarlett loved him. What had come between them? How could a husband and a wife cuteach other to pieces with such sharp knives
Mammy took up her story heavily.
Affer a w’ile, Miss Scarlett come outer de room, w’ite as a sheet but her jaw set, an’ she see mestan’in’ dar an’ she say: ‘De fune’l be termorrer, Mammy.’ An’ she pass me by lak a ghos’. Denmah heart tuhn over, kase whut Miss Scarlett say, she mean. An’ whut Mist’ Rhett say, he meantoo. An’ he say he kill her ef she do dat. Ah wuz plumb ‘stracted, Miss Melly, kase Ah done hadsumpin’ on mah conscience all de time an’ it weighin’ me down. Miss Melly, it wuz me as sceeredLil Miss of de dahk.
Oh, but Mammy, it doesn’t matter—not now.
Yas’m, it do. Dat whut de whole trouble. An’ it come ter me Ah better tell Mist’ Rhett even efhe kill me, kase it on mah conscience. So Ah slip in de do’real quick, fo’ he kin lock it, an’Ah say
Mist’ Rhett, Ah’s come ter confess.’ An’ he swung roun’ on me lak a crazy man an’ say: ‘Git
An’, fo’ Gawd, Ah ain’ never been so sceered! But Ah say: ‘Please, suh, Mist’ Rhett, let me tellyou. It’s bout ter kill me. It wuz me as sceered Lil Miss of de dahk.’ An den, Miss Melly, Ah putmah haid down an’ waited fer him ter hit me. But he din’ say nuthin’. An’ Ah say: ‘Ah din’ meanno hahm. But, Mist’ Rhett, dat chile din’ have no caution an’ she wuzn’ sceered of nuthin’. An’ shewuz allus gittin’ outer baid affer eve’ybody sleep an’ runnin’ roun’ de house barefoot An’ it worritme, kase Ah ‘fraid she hu’t herseff. So Ah tells her dar’s ghos’es an’ buggerboos in de dahk.
An’ den—Miss Melly, you know whut he done? His face got right gentle lak an’ he come terme an’ put his han’ on mah arm. Dat’s de fust time he ever done dat. An’ he say: ‘She wuz sobrave, wuzn’ she? ‘Cept fer de dahk, she wuzn’ sceered of nuthin’.’ An’ wen Ah bust out cryin’ hesay: ‘Now, Mammy,’ an’ he pat me. ‘Now, Mammy, doan you cahy on so. Ah’s glad you tole me.
Ah knows you love Miss Bonnie an’ kase you love her, it doan matter. It’s whut de heart is datmatter.’ Well’m dat kinder cheered me up, so Ah ventu’ ter say: ‘Mist Rhett, suh, what ‘bout defune’l?’ Den he tuhn on me lak a wile man an’ his eyes glitter an’ he say: ‘Good Gawd, Ah thoughtyou’d unnerstan’ even ef nobody else din’! Does you think Ah’m gwine ter put mah chile away inde dahk w’en she so sceered of it? Right now Ah kin hear de way she uster scream w’en she wakeup in de dahk. Ah ain’ gwine have her sceered.’ Miss Melly, den Ah know he los’ his mine. Hedrunk an’ he need sleep an’ sumpin’ ter eat but dat ain’ all. He plumb crazy. He jes’ push me outerde do’ an’ say: ‘Git de hell outer hyah
Ah goes downstairs an’ Ah gits ter thinkin’ dat he say dar ain’ gwine be no fune’l an’ MissScarlett say it be termorrer mawnin’ an’ he say dar be shootin’. An’ all de kinfolks in de house an
all de neighbors already gabblin’ ‘bout it lak a flock of guinea hens, an’ Ah thought of you, MissMelly. You got ter come he’p us.
Oh, Mammy, I couldn’t intrude
Ef you kain, who kin
But what could I do, Mammy
Miss Melly, Ah doan know. But you kin do sumpin’. You kin talk ter Mist’ Rhett an’ maybe helissen ter you. He set a gret sto’ by you, Miss Melly. Maybe you doan know it, but he do. Ah donehear him say time an’ agin, you is de onlies’ gret lady he knows.
But
Melanie rose to her feet, confused, her heart quailing at the thought of confronting Rhett. Thethought of arguing with a man as grief crazed as the one Mammy depicted made her go cold. Thethought of entering that brightly lighted room where lay the little girl she loved so much wrung herheart. What could she do? What could she say to Rhett that would ease his grief and bring himback to reason? For a moment she stood irresolute and through the closed door came the sound ofher boy’s treble laughter. Like a cold knife in her heart came the thought of him dead. Suppose herBeau were lying upstairs, his little body cold and still, his merry laughter hushed.
Oh,” she cried aloud, in fright, and in her mind she clutched him close to her heart. She knewhow Rhett felt. If Beau were dead, how could she put him away, alone with the wind and the rainand the darkness
Oh! Poor, poor Captain Butler!” she cried. “I’ll go to him now, right away.
She sped back to the dining room, said a few soft words to Ashley and surprised her little boy byhugging him close to her and kissing his blond curls passionately.
She left the house without a hat, her dinner napkin still clutched in her hand, and the pace she setwas hard for Mammy’s old legs. Once in Scarlett’s front hall, she bowed briefly to the gathering inthe library, to the frightened Miss Pittypat, the stately old Mrs. Butler, Will and Suellen. She wentup the stairs swiftly, with Mammy panting behind her. For a moment, she paused before Scarlett’sclosed door but Mammy hissed, “No’m, doan do dat.
Down the hall Melly went, more slowly now, and stopped in front of Rhett’s room. She stoodirresolutely for a moment as though she longed to take flight. Then, bracing herself, like a smallsoldier going into battle, she knocked on the door and called softly: “Please let me in, CaptainButler. It’s Mrs. Wilkes. I want to see Bonnie.
The door opened quickly and Mammy, shrinking back into the shadows of the hall, saw Rhetthuge and dark against the blazing background of candles. He was swaying on his feet and Mammycould smell the whisky on his breath. He looked down at Melly for a moment and then, taking herby the arm, he pulled her into the room and shut the door.
Mammy edged herself stealthily to a chair beside the door and sank into it wearily, her shapelessbody overflowing it. She sat still, weeping silently and praying. Now and then she lifted the hem ofher dress and wiped her eyes. Strain her ears as hard as she might, she could hear no words fromthe room, only a low broken humming sound.
After an interminable period, the door cracked open and Melly’s face white and strained,appeared.
Bring me a pot of coffee, quickly, and some sandwiches.
When the devil drove, Mammy could be as swift as a lithe black sixteen-year-old and hercuriosity to get into Rhett’s room made her work faster. But her hope turned to disappointmentwhen Melly merely opened the door a crack and took the tray. For a long time Mammy strainedher sharp ears but she could distinguish nothing except the clatter of silver on china, and themuffled soft tones of Melanie’s voice. Then she heard the creaking of the bed as a heavy body fellupon it and, soon after, the sound of boots dropping to the floor. After an interval, Melanie appearedin the doorway but, strive though she might, Mammy could not see past her into the room.
Melanie looked tired and there were tears glistening on her lashes but her face was serene again.
Go tell Miss Scarlett that Captain Butler is quite willing for the funeral to take place tomorrowmorning,” she whispered.
Bress Gawd!” ejaculated Mammy. “How on uth
Don’t talk so loud. He’s going to sleep. And, Mammy, tell Miss Scarlett, too, that I’ll be hereall night and you bring me some coffee. Bring it here.
Ter disyere room
Yes, I promised Captain Butler that if he would go to sleep I would sit up by her all night. Nowgo tell Miss Scarlett, so she won’t worry any more.
Mammy started off down the hall, her weight shaking the floor, her relieved heart singing“Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” She paused thoughtfully outside of Scarlett’s door, her mind in a fermentof thankfulness and curiosity.
How Miss Melley done it beyon’ me. De angels fight on her side, Ah specs. Ah’ll tell MissScarlett de fune’l termorrer but Ah specs Ah better keep hid dat Miss Melly settin’ up wid Lil Miss.
Miss Scarlett ain’ gwine lak dat a-tall.