She looked down at Melanie and saw that her dark eyes were opened. They were sick eyes. She opened her lips and whispered appealingly: «Water».
«Get up, Prissy», ordered Scarlett. «We’ll go to the well and get some water. Get out of this wagon».
Scarlett ran around the wagon. The horse was lying on the ground. But the horse was alive. Breathing heavily, sick eyes half closed, but alive.
Why hadn’t she brought her sun hat? Why hadn’t she brought something to eat? She’d acted like a fool.
Rhett! How she hated him! How contemptible he had been! And she had stood there in the road and let him kiss her… and almost liked it. She had been crazy last night. How despicable he was!
She gathered some apples and divided them up and threw the rest into the back of the wagon. The horse raised. But he looked far worse in the daylight than he had the night before. He walked very slowly. Oh, if only she didn’t have Melanie and Wade and the baby and Prissy to bother with! How swiftly she could walk home!
They couldn’t be more than fifteen miles from home. She looked back at Melanie who lay with sick eyes closed against the sun.
Was Tara still standing? Or was Tara also gone with the wind which had swept through Georgia?
There was death in the air. The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment. Scarlett felt that the familiar woods were full of ghosts. Thousands had died in the fighting near Jonesboro. They were here in these haunted woods.
«Mother! Mother!» she whispered. Mother would know what to do. She wouldn’t let Melanie and her baby die. She would drive away all ghosts and fears. But Mother was ill, perhaps dying.
Why was she dragging Melanie and her child? Why did not die in Atlanta?
But Ashley had left Melanie in her care. «Take care of her». Oh, that beautiful day when he had kissed her good-bye before he went away forever! «You’ll take care of her, won’t you? Promise!» And she had promised.
Oh, Ashley! Where was he tonight while she was with his wife and baby? Was he alive? Or was he dead of smallpox months ago?
A sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. Prissy screamed loudly.
«It’s only a cow», said Scarlett. «Don’t be a fool, Prissy. You’ve frightened Miss Melly and Wade».
«It’s a ghost», moaned Prissy.
«Sit up, you fool», said Scarlett.
It was, indeed, a cow, a red and white animal which stood looking at them appealingly with large frightened eyes.
«We’ll take it with us», Scarlett decided swiftly. «Then we can have some milk for the baby».
«How will we take the cow, Miss Scarlett? We can take no cow with us».
«Take off your petticoat and tear it up and tie her to the back of the wagon».
«Miss Scarlett, you know, I have no petticoat. And I’m scared of cows».
Scarlett pulled up her skirt. She untied the waist tape and slipped it down over her feet. Resolutely she put it in her mouth and gnawed. She gnawed furiously, tore with both hands and the petticoat lay in strips in her hands. She knotted the ends with fingers that bled from blisters and shook from fatigue.
«Slip this over her horns», she directed. But Prissy balked.
«I’m scared of cows, Miss Scarlett. I’m no yard nigger. I’m a house nigger».
«You’re a fool nigger», said Scarlett slowly, too tired for anger.
Scarlett climbed down from the seat. Prissy was not the only one who was «scared» of cows. Scarlett had always feared them, even the mildest cow seemed sinister to her. Fortunately the cow was gentle. She looped one end of the torn petticoat about its horns. She tied the other end to the back of the wagon.
Melanie opened her eyes and, seeing Scarlett, whispered:
«Dear… are we home?»
Home! Hot tears came to Scarlett’s eyes at the word. Home. Melanie did not know there was no home and that they were alone in a mad and desolate world.
«Not yet», she said gently, «but we will be, soon. I’ve just found a cow and soon we’ll have some milk for you and the baby».
«Poor baby», whispered Melanie.
The horse started slowly. The wagon was creaking and the cow was lowing mournfully at every step. At last, they reached the hill. Tara lay behind it! But the decrepit animal will never go up the hill with the heavy load.
She dismounted and took the animal by the bridle.
«Get out, Prissy», she commanded, «and take Wade. Lay the baby by Miss Melanie».
Wade began to sob and whimper: «Dark… dark… Wade frightened!»
«Miss Scarlett, I can’t walk. And I’m not heavy».
«Get out! Get out before I pull you out! Quick, now!»
Prissy moaned. But she laid the baby beside Melanie, scrambled to the ground and lifted Wade out. The little boy sobbed.
«Hush. I can’t stand it», said Scarlett. «Be a little man, Wade, and stop crying».
Why had God invented children, she thought savagely. Useless, crying nuisances they were, always demanding care, always in the way. In her exhaustion, there was no room for compassion for the frightened child.
She turned the horse’s head into the driveway. Straining her eyes she saw ahead… or did she see? Home! Home! The dear white walls, the windows with the curtains, the wide verandas.
She pulled the horse forward faster. The white walls showed there through the darkness. Home! She dropped the bridle and ran. Then she saw the blackness of the front veranda. Tara was not deserted. Someone was home!
A cry of joy rose to her throat and died there. The house was dark and still and the figure did not move or call to her. What was wrong? Then the figure moved. Stiffly and slowly, it came down the steps.
«Pa?» she whispered huskily. «It’s me… Scarlett. I’ve come home».
Gerald moved toward her, silent as a sleepwalker. He came close to her and looked at her as if he believed she was part of a dream. He laid his hand on her shoulder. It was trembling.
«Daughter», he said with an effort. «Daughter».
Then he was silent.
“Why… he’s an old man!” thought Scarlett.
In Gerald’s face, there was none of the virility, the restless vitality of Gerald. He was only a little old man.
«It’s Melanie and her baby», whispered Scarlett rapidly. «She’s very ill… I brought her home».
Gerald dropped his hand from her arm and straightened his shoulders. He moved slowly to the wagon.
«Cousin Melanie!»
Melanie’s voice murmured indistinctly.
«Cousin Melanie, this is your home. Twelve Oaks is burned. You must stay with us».
«She can’t walk», said Scarlett.
Another dark figure emerged from the cave of the hall. Pork ran down the steps.
«Miss Scarlett! Miss Scarlett!» he cried.
Scarlett caught him by the arms.
Prissy burst into tears: «Pork! Pork, honey!»
Little Wade began sniffling: «Wade is thirsty!»
«Miss Melanie is in the wagon and her baby too”, – said Scarlett. “Pork, you must carry her upstairs very carefully and put her in the room. Prissy, take the baby and Wade inside and give Wade a drink of water. Is Mammy here, Pork?»
«Did they get well,