AFTER PRISSY HAD GONE, Scarlett went wearily into the downstairs hall and lit a lamp. Thehouse felt steamingly hot, as though it held in its walls all the heat of the noontide. Some of herdullness was passing now and her stomach was clamoring for food. She remembered she had hadnothing to eat since the night before except a spoonful of hominy, and picking up the lamp shewent into the kitchen. The fire in the oven had died but the room was stifling hot. She found half apone of hard corn bread in the skillet and gnawed hungrily on it while she looked about for otherfood. There was some hominy left in the pot and she ate it with a big cooking spoon, not waiting toput it on a plate. It needed salt badly but she was too hungry to hunt for it. After four spoonfuls ofit, the heat of the room was too much and, taking the lamp in one hand and a fragment of pone inthe other, she went out into the hall.

　　She knew she should go upstairs and sit beside Melanie. If anything went wrong, Melanie wouldbe too weak to call. But the idea of returning to that room where she had spent so many nightmarehours was repulsive to her. Even if Melanie were dying, she couldn’t go back up there. She neverwanted to see that room again. She set the lamp on the candle stand by the window and returned tothe front porch. It was so much cooler here, and even the night was drowned in soft warmth. Shesat down on the steps in the circle of faint light thrown by the lamp and continued gnawing on thecorn bread.

　　When she had finished it, a measure of strength came back to her and with the strength cameagain the pricking of fear. She could hear a humming of noise far down the street, but what itportended she did not know. She could distinguish nothing but a volume of sound that rose andfell. She strained forward trying to hear and soon she found her muscles aching from the tension.

　　More than anything in the world she yearned to hear the sound of hooves and to see Rhett’scareless, self-confident eyes laughing at her fears. Rhett would take them away, somewhere. Shedidn’t know where. She didn’t care.

　　As she sat straining her ears toward town, a faint glow appeared above the trees. It puzzled her.

　　She watched it and saw it grow brighter. The dark sky became pink and then dull red, and suddenly above the trees, she saw a huge tongue of flame leap high to the heavens. She jumped to her feet,her heart beginning again its sickening thudding and bumping.

　　The Yankees had come! She knew they had come and they were burning the town. The flamesseemed to be off to the east of the center of town. They shot higher and higher and widened rapidlyinto a broad expanse of red before her terrified eyes. A whole block must be burning. A faint hotbreeze that had sprung up bore the smell of smoke to her.

　　She fled up the stairs to her own room and hung out the window for a better view. The sky was ahideous lurid color and great swirls of black smoke went twisting up to hand in billowy cloudsabove the flames. The smell of smoke was stronger now. Her mind rushed incoherently here andthere, thinking how soon the flames would spread up Peachtree Street and burn this house, howsoon the Yankees would be rushing in upon her, where she would run, what she would do. All thefiends of hell seemed screaming in her ears and her brain swirled with confusion and panic sooverpowering she clung to the window sill for support.

　　“I must think,” she told herself over and over. “I must think.”

　　But thoughts eluded her, darting in and out of her mind like frightened humming birds. As shestood hanging to the sill, a deafening explosion burst on her ears, louder than any cannon she hadever heard. The sky was rent with gigantic flame. Then other explosions. The earth shook and theglass in the panes above her head shivered and came down around her.

　　The world became an inferno of noise and flame and trembling earth as one explosion followedanother in ear-splitting succession. Torrents of sparks shot to the sky and descended slowly, lazily,through blood-colored clouds of smoke. She thought she heard a feeble call from the next room butshe paid it no heed. She had no time for Melanie now. No time for anything except a fear thatlicked through her veins as swiftly as the flames she saw. She was a child and mad with fright andshe wanted to bury her head in her mother’s lap and shut out this sight. If she were only home!

　　Home with Mother.

　　Through the nerve-shivering sounds, she heard another sound, that of fear-sped feet coming upthe stairs three at a time, heard a voice yelping like a lost hound. Prissy broke into the room and,flying to Scarlett, clutched her arm in a grip that seemed to pinch out pieces of flesh.

　　“The Yankees—” cried Scarlett.

　　“No’m, its our gempmums!” yelled Prissy between breaths, digging her nails deeper intoScarlett’s arm. “Dey’s buhnin’ de foun’ry an’ de ahmy supply depots an’ de wa’houses an’, fo’

　　Gawd, Miss Scarlett, dey done set off dem sebenty freight cahs of cannon balls an’ gunpowder an’,Jesus, we’s all gwine ter buhn up!”

　　She began yelping again shrilly and pinched Scarlett so hard she cried out in pain and fury andshook off her hand.

　　The Yankees hadn’t come yet! There was still time to get away! She rallied her frightened forcestogether.

　　“If I don’t get a hold on myself,” she thought, “I’ll be squalling like a scalded cat!” and the sightof Prissy’s abject terror helped steady her. She took her by the shoulders and shook her.

　　“Shut up that racket and talk sense. The Yankees haven’t come, you fool! Did you see CaptainButler? What did he say? Is he coming?”

　　Prissy ceased her yelling but her teeth chattered.

　　“Yas’m, Ah finely foun’ him. In a bahroom, lak you told me. He—”

　　“Never mind where you found him. Is he coming? Did you tell him to bring his horse?”

　　“Lawd, Miss Scarlett, he say our gempmums done tuck his hawse an’ cah’ige fer a amberlance.”

　　“Dear God in Heaven!”

　　“But he comin’—”

　　“What did he say?”

　　Prissy had recovered her breath and a small measure of control but her eyes still rolled.

　　“Well’m, lak you tole me, Ah foun’ him in a bahroom. Ah stood outside an’ yell fer him an’ hecome out. An’ ter-reckly he see me an’ Ah starts tell him, de sojers tech off a sto’ house downDecatur Street an’ it flame up an’ he say Come on an’ he grab me an’ we runs ter Fibe Points an’ hesay den: What now? Talk fas’. An’ Ah say you say, Cap’n Butler, come quick an’ bring yo’ hawsean’ cah’ige. Miss Melly done had a chile an’ you is bustin’ ter get outer town. An’ he say: Whereall she studyin’ ‘bout goin’? An’ Ah say: Ah doan know, suh, but you is boun’ ter go fo’ de Yankeesgits hyah an’ wants him ter go wid you. An’ he laugh an’ say dey done tuck his hawse.”

　　Scarlett’s heart went leaden as the last hope left her. Fool that she was, why hadn’t she thoughtthat the retreating army would naturally take every vehicle and animal left in the city? For amoment she was too stunned to hear what Prissy was saying but she pulled herself together to hearthe rest of the story.

　　“An’ den he say, Tell Miss Scarlett ter res’ easy. Ah’ll steal her a hawse outer de ahmy crall effendey’s ary one lef. An’ he say, Ah done stole hawses befo’ dis night. Tell her Ah git her a hawseeffen Ah gits shot fer it. Den ‘he laugh agin an’ say, Cut an’ run home. An’ befo’ Ah gits startedKer-bloom! Off goes a noise an’ Ah lak ter drap in mah tracks an’ he tell me twarnt nuthin’ but deammernition our gempmums blowin’ up so’s de Yankees don’t git it an’—”

　　“He is coming? He’s going to bring a horse?”

　　“So he say.”

　　She drew a long breath of relief. If there was any way of getting a horse, Rhett Butler would getone. A smart man, Rhett. She would forgive him anything if he got them out of this mess. Escape!

　　And with Rhett she would have no fear. Rhett would protect them. Thank God for Rhett! Withsafety in view she turned practical.

　　“Wake Wade up and dress him and pack some clothes for an of us. Put them in the small trunk.

　　And don’t tell Miss Mellie we’re going. Not yet. But wrap the baby in a couple of thick towels andbe sure and pack his clothes.”

　　Prissy still dang to her skirts and hardly anything showed in her eyes except the whites. Scarlettgave her a shove and loosened her grip.

　　“Hurry,” she cried, and Prissy went off like a rabbit.

　　Scarlett knew she should go in and quiet Melanie’s fear, knew Melanie must be frightened out ofher senses by the thunderous noises that continued unabated and the glare that lighted the sky. Itlooked and sounded like the end of the world.

　　But she could not bring herself to go back into that room just yet. She ran down the stairs withsome idea of packing up Miss Pittypat’s china and the little silver she had left when she refugeedto Macon. But when she reached the dining room, her hands were shaking so badly she droppedthree plates and shattered them. She ran out onto the porch to listen and back again to the diningroom and dropped the silver clattering to the floor. Everything she touched she dropped. In herhurry she slipped on the rag rug and fell to the floor with a jolt but leaped up so quickly she wasnot even aware of the pain. Upstairs she could hear Prissy galloping about like a wild animal andthe sound maddened her, for she was galloping just as aimlessly.

　　For the dozenth time, she ran out onto the porch but this time she did not go back to her futilepacking. She sat down. It was just impossible to pack anything. Impossible to do anything but sitwith hammering heart and wait for Rhett. It seemed hours before he came. At last, far up the road,she heard the protesting screech of unoiled axles and the slow uncertain plodding of hooves. Whydidn’t he hurry? Why didn’t he make the horse trot?

　　The sounds came nearer and she leaped to her feet and called Rhett’s name. Then, she saw himdimly as he climbed down from the seat of a small wagon, heard the clicking of the gate as hecame toward her. He came into view and the light of the lamp showed him plainly. His dress wasas debonair as if he were going to a ball, well-tailored white linen coat and trousers, embroideredgray watered-silk waistcoat and a hint of ruffle on his shirt bosom. His wide Panama hat was setdashingly on one side of his head and in the belt of his trousers were thrust two ivory-handled,long-barreled dueling pistols. The pockets of his coat sagged heavily with ammunition.

　　He came up the walk with the springy stride of a savage and his fine head was carried like apagan prince. The dangers of the night which had driven Scarlett into panic had affected him likean intoxicant. There was a carefully restrained ferocity in his dark face, a ruthlessness which wouldhave frightened her had she the wits to see it.

　　His black eyes danced as though amused by the whole affair, as though the earth-splittingsounds and the horrid glare were merely things to frighten children. She swayed toward him as hecame up the steps, her face white, her green eyes burning.

　　“Good evening,” he said, in his drawling voice, as he removed his hat with a sweeping gesture.

　　“Fine weather we’re having. I hear you’re going to take a trip.”

　　“If you make any jokes, I shall never speak to you again,” she said with quivering voice.

　　“Don’t tell me you are frightened!” He pretended to be surprised and smiled in a way that madeher long to push him backwards down the steep steps.

　　“Yes, I am! I’m frightened to death and if you had the sense God gave a goat, you’d befrightened too. But we haven’t got time to talk. We must get out of here.”

　　“At your service, Madam. But just where were you figuring on going? I made the trip out here for curiosity, just to see where you were intending to go. You can’t go north or east or south orwest The Yankees are all around. There’s just one road out of town which the Yankees haven’t gotyet and the army is retreating by that road. And that road won’t be open long. General Steve Lee’scavalry is fighting a rear-guard action at Rough and Ready to hold it open long enough for thearmy to get away. If you follow the army down the McDonough road, they’ll take the horse awayfrom you and, while it’s not much of a horse, I did go to a lot of trouble stealing it. Just where areyou going?”

　　She stood shaking, listening to his words, hardly hearing them. But at his question she suddenlyknew where she was going, knew that all this miserable day she had known where she was going.

　　The only place.

　　“I’m going home,” she said.

　　“Home? You mean to Tara?”

　　“Yes, yes! To Tara! Oh, Rhett, we must hurry!”

　　He looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

　　“Tara? God Almighty, Scarlett! Don’t you know they fought all day at Jonesboro? Fought for tenmiles up and down the road from Rough and Ready even into the streets of Jonesboro? TheYankees may be all over Tara by now, all over the County. Nobody knows where they are butthey’re in that neighborhood. You can’t go home! You can’t go right through the Yankee army!”

　　“I will go home!” she cried. “I will! I will!”

　　“You little fool,” and his voice was swift and rough. “You can’t go that way. Even if you didn’trun into the Yankees, the woods are full of stragglers and deserters from both armies. And lots ofour troops are still retreating from Jonesboro. They’d take the horse away from you as quickly asthe Yankees would. Your only chance is to follow the troops down the McDonough road and praythat they won’t see you in the dark. “You can’t go to Tara. Even if you got there, you’d probablyfind it burned down. I won’t let you go home. It’s insanity.”

　　“I will go home!” she cried and her voice broke and rose to a scream. “I will go home! You can’tstop me! I will go home! I want my mother! I’ll kill you if you try to stop me! I will go home!”

　　Tears of fright and hysteria streamed down her face as she finally gave way under the longstrain. She beat on his chest with her fists and screamed again: “I will! I will! If I have to walkevery step of the way!”

　　Suddenly she was in his arms, her wet cheek against the starched ruffle of his shirt, her beatinghands stilled against him. His hands caressed her tumbled hair gently, soothingly, and his voicewas gentle too. So gentle, so quiet, so devoid of mockery, it did not seem Rhett Butler’s voice at allbut the voice of some kind strong stranger who smelled of brandy and tobacco and horses,comforting smells because they reminded her of Gerald.

　　“There, there, darling,” he said softly. “Don’t cry. You shall go home, my brave little girl. Youshall go home. Don’t cry.”

　　She felt something brush her hair and wondered vaguely through her tumult if it were his lips.

　　He was so tender, so infinitely soothing, she longed to stay in his arms forever. With such strong arms about her, surely nothing could harm her.

　　He fumbled in his pocket and produced a handkerchief and wiped her eyes.

　　“Now, blow your nose like a good child,” he ordered, a glint of a smile in his eyes, “and tell mewhat to do. We must work fast.”

　　She blew her nose obediently, still trembling, but she could not think what to tell him to do.

　　Seeing how her lip quivered and her eyes looked up at him helplessly, he took command.

　　“Mrs. Wilkes has had her child? It will be dangerous to move her—dangerous to drive hertwenty-five miles in that rickety wagon. We’d better leave her with Mrs. Meade.”

　　“The Meades aren’t home. I can’t leave her.”

　　“Very well. Into the wagon she goes. Where is that simple-minded little wench?”

　　“Upstairs packing the trunk.”

　　“Trunk? You can’t take any trunk in that wagon. It’s almost too small to hold all of you and thewheels are ready to come off with no encouragement. Call her and tell her to get the smallestfeather bed in the house and put it in the wagon.”

　　Still Scarlett could not move. He took her arm in a strong grasp and some of the vitality whichanimated him seemed to flow into her body. If only she could be as cool and casual as he was! Hepropelled her into the hall but she still stood helplessly looking at him. His lip went downmockingly: “Can this be the heroic young woman who assured me she feared neither God norman?”

　　He suddenly burst into laughter and dropped her arm. Stung, she glared at him, hating him.

　　“I’m not afraid,” she said.

　　“Yes, you are. In another moment you’ll be in a swoon and I have no smelling salts about me.”

　　She stamped her foot impotently because she could not think of anything else to do—andwithout a word picked up the lamp and started up the stairs. He was close behind her and she couldhear him laughing softly to himself. That sound stiffened her spine. She went into Wade’s nurseryand found him sitting clutched in Prissy’s arms, half dressed, hiccoughing quietly. Prissy waswhimpering. The feather tick on Wade’s bed was small and she ordered Prissy to drag it down thestairs and into the wagon. Prissy put down the child and obeyed. Wade followed her down thestairs, his hiccoughs stilled by his interest in the proceedings.

　　“Come,” said Scarlett, turning to Melanie’s door and Rhett followed her, hat in hand.

　　Melanie lay quietly with the sheet up to her chin. Her face was deathly white but her eyes,sunken and black circled, were serene. She showed no surprise at the sight of Rhett in her bedroombut seemed to take it as a matter of course. She tried to smile weakly but the smile died before itreached the corners of her mouth.

　　“We are going home, to Tara,” Scarlett explained rapidly. “The Yankees are coming. Rhett isgoing to take us. It’s the only way, Melly.”

　　Melanie tried to nod her head feebly and gestured toward the baby. Scarlett picked up the small baby and wrapped him hastily in a thick towel. Rhett stepped to the bed.

　　“I’ll try not to hurt you,” he said quietly, tucking the sheet about her. “See if you can put yourarms around my neck.”

　　Melanie tried but they fell back weakly. He bent, slipped an arm under her shoulders andanother across her knees and lifted her gently. She did not cry out but Scarlett saw her bite her lipand go even whiter. Scarlett held the lamp high for Rhett to see and started toward the door whenMelanie made a feeble gesture toward the wall.

　　“What is it?” Rhett asked softly.

　　“Please,” Melanie whispered, trying to point. “Charles.”

　　Rhett looked down at her as if he thought her delirious but Scarlett understood and was irritated.

　　She knew Melanie wanted the daguerreotype of Charles which hung on the wall below his swordand pistol.

　　“Please,” Melanie whispered again, “the sword.”

　　“Oh, all right,” said Scarlett and, after she had lighted Rhett’s careful way down the steps, shewent back and unhooked the sword and pistol belts. It would be awkward, carrying them as well asthe baby and the lamp. That was just like Melanie, not to be at all bothered over nearly dying andhaving the Yankees at her heels but to worry about Charles’ things.

　　As she took down the daguerreotype, she caught a glimpse of Charles’ face. His large browneyes met hers and she stopped for a moment to look at the picture curiously. This man had been herhusband, had lain beside her for a few nights, had given her a child with eyes as soft and brown ashis. And she could hardly remember him.

　　The child in her arms waved small fists and mewed softly and she looked down at him. For thefirst time, she realized that this was Ashley’s baby and suddenly wished with all the strength left inher that he were her baby, hers and Ashley’s.

　　Prissy came bounding up the stairs and Scarlett handed the child to her. They went hastily down,the lamp throwing uncertain shadows on the wall. In the hall, Scarlett saw a bonnet and put it onhurriedly, tying the ribbons under her chin. It was Melanie’s black mourning bonnet and it did notfit Scarlett’s head but she could not recall where she had put her own bonnet.

　　She went out of the house and down the front steps, carrying the lamp and trying to keep thesaber from banging against her legs. Melanie lay full length in the back of the wagon, and, besideher, were Wade and the towel-swathed baby. Prissy climbed in and took the baby in her arms.

　　The wagon was very small and the boards about the sides very low. The wheels leaned inward asif their first revolution would make them come off. She took one look at the horse and her heartsank. He was a small emaciated animal and he stood with his head dispiritedly low, almostbetween his forelegs. His back was raw with sores and harness galls and he breathed as no soundhorse should.

　　“Not much of an animal, is it?” grinned Rhett. “Looks like he’ll die in the shafts. But he’s thebest I could do. Some day I’ll tell you with embellishments just where and how I stole him andhow narrowly I missed getting shot. Nothing but my devotion to you would make me, at this stage of my career, turn horse thief—and thief of such a horse. Let me help you in.”

　　He took the lamp from her and set it on the ground. The front seat was only a narrow plankacross the sides of the wagon. Rhett picked Scarlett up bodily and swung her to it. How wonderfulto be a man and ............