Скачать книгу

href="#n_36" type="note">[36], but for the moment she could not recall who he was. But he was the first man in months who had displayed an interest in her, and she threw him a gay smile. Suddenly, she knew who he was.

      Thunderstruck, she stood as if paralyzed while he made his way through the crowd. Then, she tried to run away, but her skirt caught on a nail of the booth. She jerked furiously at it, tearing it and, in an instant, he was beside her.

      “Permit me,” he said bending over. “I hardly hoped that you would recall me, Miss O’Hara.”

      His voice was oddly pleasant to the ear. She looked up at him, her face red with the shame of their last meeting, and met his eyes, dancing in merciless merriment. Of all the people in the world to turn up here, this terrible person who had witnessed that scene with Ashley, who had said, and with good cause, that she was not a lady.

      At the sound of his voice, Melanie turned and for the first time in her life Scarlett thanked God for the existence of her sister-in-law.

      “Why – it’s – it’s Mr. Rhett Butler, isn’t it?” said Melanie with a little smile, putting out her hand. “I met you —”

      “On the happy occasion of the announcement of your engagement,” he finished, bending over her hand. “It is kind of you to recall me.”

      “And what are you doing so far from Charleston, Mr. Butler?”

      “A boring matter of business, Mrs. Wilkes. I will be in and out of your town from now on[37]. I find I must not only bring in goods but supervise the use of them.”

      “Bring in —” Melly broke into a delighted smile. “Why, you – you must be the famous Captain Butler we’ve been hearing so much about – the blockade runner. Why, every girl here is wearing dresses you brought in. Scarlett, aren’t you excited – what’s the matter, dear? Are you faint? Do sit down.”

      Scarlett sank to the stool. Oh, what a terrible thing to happen! She had never thought to meet this man again. He took her black fan from the counter and began fanning her, his face grave but his eyes still dancing.

      “It is quite warm in here,” he said. “No wonder Miss O’Hara is faint. May I lead you to a window?”

      “No,” said Scarlett, so rudely that Melly stared.

      “She is not Miss O’Hara any longer,” said Melly. “She is Mrs. Hamilton. She is my sister now.”

      “Your husbands are here tonight, I trust, on this happy occasion? It would be a pleasure to renew acquaintances.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

      Примечания

      1

      Джорджия, штат на юго-востоке США

      2

      Атланта, столица и крупнейший город штата Джорджия

      3

      Авраам Линкольн, президент США (1861-1865)

      4

      Конфедерация южных штатов, де-факто независимое государство, существовавшее в период с 1861 по 1865 год в южной части Северной Америки

      5

      Форт Самтер, штат Южная Каролина. Его взятие южанами послужило формальным предлогом для начала Гражданской войны в США (1861-1865 гг.)

      6

      Старая гвардия

      7

      Округ Клейтон, штат Джорджия

      8

      Джоунзборо, город в округе Клейтон

      9

      Здесь и далее: буквенная звукопередача негритянской речи

      10

      ходить вокруг да около

      11

      Чарльстон, старейший и крупнейший город штата Южная Каролина

      12

      Но когда он говорит, я почти ничего не понимаю.

      13

      пустые ра зговоры

      14

      Саванна, город в штате Джорджия, на побережье Атлантического океана

      15

      с хорошими манерами

      16

      Из двух зол

      17

      набивать брюхо

      18

      худая как щепка

      19

      он принял сказанное за чистую монету

      20

      попался на крючок

      21

      Борджиа, испано-итальянский дворянский род. Это имя стало синонимом распущенности и вероломства.

      22

      Она

Скачать книгу


<p>37</p>

Отныне я буду периодически появляться в вашем городе.