Chapter 50

Scarlett was at the rally. Wade and Ella sat beside her wearing their best clothes. Scarlett herself was dressed in her best and most fashionable gown complete with embellishments of ruffles, bows and bustling. She looked at the small paper in her hands and tried to make out the names of various speakers. She looked up and studied the large stage once again. It was wildly festooned with ribbons and flowers with an orchestra on one side tuning their instruments and a large group of ladies evidently helping General Beauregard to organize his rally. As Scarlett waited impatiently to catch sight of the General himself, her eyes fell on the tall gentleman quietly and lightly wading through the shifting crowds. For a moment Scarlett started with shock and a kind of unpleasant fear as her eyes fell on Rhett.

Scarlett didn't why she should feel a wave of apprehension as she saw Rhett. After all, she had sent that urgent telegram commending Rhett for sending his notes to her and slyly hinting that she meant to be in General Beauregard's rally in two days time. When she had sent that telegram, she meant to give the information as a kind of boast that she would use his notes to do something practical in her life. She never meant for him to trace her here! But a part of her liked the idea of Rhett seeing her like this. Why not? What had she to be ashamed of? She was looking lovelier than she had ever looked and both the children were with her and Wade looked so handsome and smart nowadays. What had she to be afraid of?

But the feeling of apprehension remained. When Rhett waved to Wade and Ella and finally arrived at her row of chairs in the assembly, Scarlett supressed a huge surge of anger and returned a distracted smile. As soon as she saw him, she knew that even if he spoke decently to her, as one human being to another, she would never truly feel completely happy or content. Not unless they could reach the camaraderie of old. If only she could live those times again. If only she were a young girl of seventeen and Rhett was courting her, she would be so charming and kind to him - she would have never let him go! But now even as she looked at him from time to time, a queer nervousness seemed to steal into her gaze. At the back of her mind, his hurting words, his callous behaviour, his deliberate sabotaging of their love seemed to poison her usual gaiety and dampen her spirits.

But Scarlett rallied herself when she saw the General mount the steps to the stage. Despite herself she felt a surge of thrill because she actually understood most of what the old gentleman was saying. She had always designated politics to the masculine gender and now she felt equal to them in this arena as well. And it was all thanks to Rhett. She looked at him from time to time, hoping fervently that the brightness of her gaze and the eager twitching of her hands will convey some expression of her ardent love to him. She felt intense and she hoped he would feel it too. But Rhett sat still with a stoic expression. Whenever Wade interrupted Rhett's reverie with a question, Rhett launched into a long conversation which always seemed to end with a joke that put them both in good spirits.

The General with his Creole appearance and charming manners spoke enthusiastically about unification and desegragation of schools and transport. There was an intelligent twinkle in his eyes that concealed a steely determination to bring people together to lay a solid foundation to the new industrial age of the South. When the General stepped down, somebody else began to elaborate on the General's achievements , namely cable cars that were being introduced in several parts of the Louisiana state. Several people spoke and then finally,.the General walked through the crowd on a line of carpet, bowing to the ladies and shaking the hands of gentleman as by. Scarlett, after looking pointedly at Rhett, quickly made her way through the crowds and bowed low to the General as he walked by. The General immediately stopped her hand in his, he began to speak. Scarlett, recognizign something of her own charm in the General's manners replied in the same tone,dropping huge compliments and uttering very pleasing remarks regarding the political rally.

"Why dont you join us in the cable car launch this evening, my dear?" asked the General, pleased by Scarlett to a good extent. "Wait with my little niece.. Rachel- there she is. She is your age and she will give you good company, unless you prefer riding with somebody else."

"Oh no!" cried Scarlett, quickly. "I would love to take a ride with your niece- it would be such a novel experience! " She shot a triumphant look at Rhett who was standing a few yards away.

"Oh, isn't it lovely of the dear General to treat me as his own family?!" she cried, her eyes shining at Wade and stealing a few glances in Rhett's direction too. "Now this is what comes of acquiring new ideas, Wade" she lectured, hoping listeming in too. "Its not enough just to know things, but to make the best of the present situation. Now, if i just stood quietly in a corner, the General would spoken to me. But I seized the opportunity and now we all can ride the new cable car! Think of what a will be. You can tell all your friends-"

Wade grinned at this and looked at Rhett. Rhett only gave a vacant, distracted smile.

Scarlett finally lost patience and when Wade walked a few paces forward, she went up to Rhett and began with a frown

"Why did you come here, Rhett?! And why do you stay so quiet? It isn't like you. It isnt as if i haven't . Ive put your knowledge use, havent I?! You ppreciate me! If I had even a tenth of your knowledge, Id put it to good use!"

"I didnt know riding in streetcars was equivalent to putting my ideas to good use" replied Rhett, cuttingly.

Scarlett looked dumbfounded and hurt. "I suppose you think it was an utter waste of time that you sent those notes to me!"

"Not entirely. You did shut down your hall to political meetings"

"You are a perverse wretch, Rhett Butler!" cried Scarlett, furiously. "What's the use of being so clever, if you cant put it to use. What is the use of thinking up great ideas if you cant bring people together! And here I was thinking.. Oh! Never mind what I was thinking! You think you are so clever and above everybody else..but I still stand by what I said before.. You've stayed up in your world too long that ite become unrelatable. Look at the General! He speaks of the industrial era of the Southern States and the unity between blacks and whites because black people care about the land just as much as their white masters. And he's found practical ways to put his ideas to work.. The schools and the transport.. That's a practical man for you! The kind of practicality I admire. We cannot all sit around and make connections like you!"

Somehow Scarlett's tone of voice grew louder and more intense. She was getting angry and she did not know why. She was feeling hostile too. Somehow every part of her seemed to dislike Rhett a great deal.

Rhett quietly took off his hatand after giving a small nod, he turned as if to leave her.

Scarlett called after him,her voice breaking "Rhett, I thought you would come with me. "

"I dont find cable cars as fascinating as you, my pet. Perhaps I shouldn't have come here. "

"Are you ashamed of me?!" asked sudden anger.

"Goodbye Scarlett" said Rhett, with grave finality. He turned and walked away into the excited throng.