Chapter 26. Festivities are over
Saturday, May 27, 1876, Charleston, "La Mode Duncan" garden
They were laughing so hard, free of the tension of their reunion, that they barely heard the singer announce, "Ladies and gentlemen, get your handkerchiefs ready, because here's the tune that has made many a heart skip a beat. I say, "When This Cruel War Is Over"!"
Rhett felt a pang in his heart. His laughter froze. So did Scarlett's.
Just then, Duncan returned and stood beside her.
Exclamations were heard from all sides. Oh! how this ballad had given rhythm to the drama of the soldiers' departures, the melancholy of the absence of the fiancé or the husband, the hope of the young girls and fighters to find their beloved soon!
As soon as he approached their table, Duncan heard Scarlett's crystalline laughter, which was spoiled by Butler's fat laugh. He could not help but feel jealous at the display of complicity.
The first notes of "When this cruel war is over" rang out. Presenting his arm to her, he said to Scarlett with an engaging air, "Will you allow me this dance?"
"No!" Rhett's powerful voice rang out, like a cleaver.
Both Duncan and Scarlett were taken aback by the domineering tone. Before she could react, Rhett said, "Scarlett already promised me that one."
With that statement, he approached her, gave her his broadest smile, and authoritatively took her arm to lead her. Scarlett had all the difficulties of the world not to make a slaughter in public, but she did not flinch and let herself be guided towards the dance floor.
Melina, who had witnessed the scene as had her tablemates, pulled Duncan out of his thoughts. "Would you be charitable enough to waltz your little sister around? He gave her a friendly pat, "Let us go!"
Scarlett was on the verge of implosion. How dared he?
He was hugging her tightly. Too strongly. She wanted to get out of his grip by pushing her wrist against his chest. "You are a cad, Rhett Butler! What right do you have to impose your presence on me? You have no right over me! And first of all, stop squeezing me so hard. You are smothering me!"
Her rage was only met with a mocking mimicry from her dance partner. "Calm down, Scarlett. We are being watched. You would not want to ruin your new great friend's reputation already, would you? His - how did he put it? - His "muse" making a spectacle of herself in front of his Charleston admirers. It would not do for the image of the brilliant designer. All you have to do is give me your most charming smile to avoid scandal."
Scarlett looked around. All the eyes of the guests were fixed in their direction. In the blink of an eye, she caught several women leaning in, under the guise of confidence, toward their neighbors, while leering at the couple on stage. That put her even more out of it. But she recognized that he was right. They should not look like they were arguing.
That's why she smoothed her forehead and dug her dimples to smile politely at him. But her eyes were flashing. And in a low voice, she said: "You win, let us pretend to get along civilly. It will be easy for you. That is the facade you wanted to put up in front of the old guard in Atlanta. However, as soon as this charade is over, I will ask you to stop your familiarities. Just because you made me laugh with your 'altruism' touted by your very young protegee, we are not going to pretend to be friends again."
Rhett drank in her words. How he had missed her fiery temper! Even her bouts of cat fury ready to lacerate him... She was beautiful, all emerald nuggets bursting from her irises and reverberating on the shimmering of her bustier. She was the incarnation of the passion.
But her remark was true. They would never again be able to find their former complicity. And it was only his fault. After these few minutes of holding her in his arms, she was going to be back in the other one's arms. The other one who was waltzing with his sister a few meters away from them but who was discreetly watching them.
He could not prevent himself from sliding his hand, which embraced her waist towards the bottom of her back, in a sign of possession.
The instrumental orchestration of this heartbreaking ballad enveloped them.
He tried to capture her gaze to transport her far, far away in time, to the Charity Ball, when she had hummed these words to him while dancing.
The presence on stage of the divorced couple continued to provoke many reactions.
The first to be offended were the Robillard sisters. They had been stunned to see their niece transformed into a parade queen, praised by the highly respected and admired Duncan Vayton. They were beginning to hope that they could take advantage of this honor for their niece to shine with envy among their friends in the sewing circle. But now the scandal was about to get worse: the divorced couple were embracing in full view of each other!
They heard a reflection, which was intended to be discreet: "Why did they get divorced? They seem to be getting along well tonight! Look how he is hugging her."
Duncan tried to put on a brave face as he twirled his sister around, but a trickle of insidious jealousy was nagging at him. I shall never be able to compete with their years of intimacy as a couple. Even if they are divorced, even if Scarlett is free, he will always be between us. This truth gave him a bitter taste. The lights of the party suddenly seemed dimmer.
Rhett's strong arm in the small of her back forced Scarlett to press herself against him, to show no more public gesture of rejection. The fingers of his right hand were pressed tightly into hers to the base of her phalanges.
Three years! Three years since he had held her in his arms. No! Much more... He could feel her pulse beating at a frantic pace, combined with the raging pulse of his. The melted notes of the violin and piano rose into the night. But the sound was muffled. The people around them seemed to be whispering, so attentive was he to Scarlett's heartbeat, to her breath, to her warmth, to her perfume, and the closeness of her partially bare breasts against his jacket.
He had to contract his muscles to resist the urge to plunge his lips into her shiny hair, some strands of which were stuck to his chest. So many years of deprivation of her, and by a miracle of destiny, she was snuggled against him.
Scarlett had kept quiet. Because she admitted that Rhett's argument was unassailable: there was no way she was going to disagree in public. Because she felt strangely at ease. It had been an exhausting day, full of surprises, pride, and pleasure, until the unexpected confrontation with Rhett.
At that very moment, her anger, hatred, and resentment towards her former husband's past behavior, seemed strangely sore from the strength that emanated from him, Rhett's powerful arm around her waist. His build, which had thickened, was further increasing the feeling of protection. And his scent... She moved a little the head to impregnate herself better, moved by a feral instinct to smell the familiar scents of cigar, whisky, and leather dominated by this fragrance of male musk, heady, bewitching.
She heard his deep, almost whispered voice, "I could not let you dance to our song in the arms of another. Do you remember, Scarlett?"
She did not answer him, overwhelmed by the images, her mourning outfit, her veil, her feet caught in a dancing frenzy, Rhett's scandalous $150 in gold, his conquering mustache...
The ballad, which had only been played in an instrumental version, was finally taken up by the singer of the orchestra.
Moved by an impulse, he intimated:
"Scarlett, sing. I want to hear you sing again." In a strangled tone, he added, "Please, please, Scarlett."
Moved by emotion she did not understand, she followed her impulse. Her light voice coupled with the singer's sugared tone, low enough so that only the two of them could hear:
"Dearest one, do you remember, when we last did meet,
When you told me that you loved me, kneeling at my feet? (*1)
As she said these last words, Scarlett addressed an ironic mimic to Rhett, who replied with his laughing eyes, both remembering another day, the day after Frank's death, when Rhett had knelt before her, emphatically, to propose to marry her.
"Oh! How proud you stood before me, in your suit of gray,
When you vowed from me and country never to go astray." (*1)
She continued with gusto, letting herself be won over by the euphoria of the song:
"Weeping, sad and lonely, sights and tears how vain!
When this cruel war is over, praying that to meet again. „ (*1)
Rhett was spinning her around, his dark pupils fixed on her luscious lips. He had folded the arm that guided them so that it rested against Scarlett's shoulder, his hand intertwined in contact with the birth of her throat.
The desire that he had for her had ignited. His need was so demanding that, despite the many skirts of her outfit, he feared - and craved at the same time - that she was aware of the stirring she was causing in him. The only way to calm it somewhat was this back and forth which allowed him a welcome friction. It did not matter to him that their bodies, too tight for this style of dance, offended the people around them. His hunger for her forced him to stretch his muscles to restrain himself.
Melina did not dare speak to her brother while they shared the dance. He would not have been able to listen to her anyway. He was on the lookout for any interaction between the two former spouses. It was obvious that Butler was embracing her too intimately. As he approached, he heard Scarlett singing and realized they were sharing a common memory. When this cruel song is over.. he imitated it parodically.
Scarlett was feeling light, light... She let herself be guided blindly by Rhett because they both knew the slightest step the other would take, the exact moment when her rider would execute a figure, turn, chain. Her body had woken up, shivering, stimulated by the lascivious movements of her former husband's hand on her back. He is holding me outrageously too close. It would be necessary that I push back him, she scolded herself with reason. But the reason could not prevail on the tingling that was crossing her to concentrate in her lower belly.
The verses and refrains followed one another, repeated several times because neither the orchestra nor the dancers wanted this nostalgic tune to end.
Finally came the last verse:
"But our Country called you, loved one, angels guide your way;
While our "Southern boys" are fighting, we can only pray.
When you strike for God and freedom, let all nations see
How you love our Southern Banner, emblem of the free." (*1)
In front of Scarlett's eyes, the faces of those "Southern boys", her childhood friends, all gone, the Tarleton brothers, Charles,…
Without realizing it, she had slowed her pace, automatically slowing Rhett's. It was as if they were coming back to earth. A haze obscured her vision.
Rhett understood her change of heart immediately. Gently, he placed a kiss in her hair and brought his hand intertwined with hers against his mouth. "Nostalgic?" he asked her softly.
Scarlett forced herself to come to terms with reality. No need to dwell on dashing young men, long since reduced to dust. No need to let herself be lulled by the reassuring proximity of her former husband who had been anything but reassuring when he had left her. No need to listen to her body which was betraying her, and which only responded to a natural and primal impulse.
She threw her head back, pushed him so their bodies were no longer in contact, and said, "That is all in the past. I am not going to be like Ashley. We have to move on."
The singer took up the refrain one last time:
"Weeping, sad and lonely, sights and tears how vain!
When this cruel war is over, praying that to meet again. „ (*1)
Then he stopped, one bar before the music faded away, too.
Their song was over. The magic had evaporated.
The end of the famous ballad was greeted frantically by the dancers and the audience.
Rhett attempted to keep her attention, but she disdainfully dismissed his gaze. With a heavy heart, he eventually accepted that his body would be amputated from Scarlett's. Would there be another time, or was it a twist of fate that had brought him close to heaven, only to deprive him of it and make him regret it for the rest of his life?
He brought her back to their table. The unexpected harmony that had been established between them had just vanished.
No sooner had they returned to Cathleen and Eleonor than the conductor of the orchestra announced: "Dear Friends, our beloved hymn, "Carolina"!", comforted by the applause of the assembly. (*2)
Duncan was about to invite his "Thunder of Georgia" when the Mayor of Charleston approached and ceremoniously bowed to Scarlett.
"My respects, Madam. Would you do me the honor of allowing me this dance?"
The charming smile of the young woman delighted the city's leading personality, well-versed in social events but not used to having such a flamboyant dance partner. He offered her his right arm and dragged her along.
As Rhett watched her walk away, he admired her haughty, queen-like bearing. How proud she had a right to be! Officially knighted by the mayor of the city where the Butler family had not seen fit to invite her, where he himself had not wanted to introduce her to the circle of Charlestonians. And all this, Rhett thought sadly, was his fault, her husband's fault.
He needed to find an opportunity to talk to her, to apologize, to ask her forgiveness for so many mistakes and cruelties committed against her. Above all, he needed to tell her that he loved her, that he had never stopped loving her, that he would always love her... He needed her to tell him about the children, and her new business, how she could combine it with the Kennedy store, how she spent her days. He did not know anything about her anymore, and that made their estrangement even more untenable. Knowing that he would not dare to ask her why she was now in the clutches of his too-attractive, too-rich, and too-young neighbor; what were her relations with Ashley, if she was soon to become Mrs. Wilkes, with whom she spent her nights...
Rhett had not realized that he had taken his head between his hands, so much he was feeling overwhelmed by the terror of having irretrievably lost her. It was Rosemary who brought him out of his dejection by calling out to him.
"This is not very proper, but, may I ask my brother to dance with me?"
Rhett smiled sweetly at her. "How could I resist my sister?"
Roselyne was more and more disturbed by this reception which had been announced as a fairy tale, in the company of "her" Rhett, but which was starting to turn into a nightmare. She had not missed anything of the tight embrace between the two former spouses. It's unimaginable and totally indecent that she would throw herself at him, in front of our respectable circle! She really has no manners. I understand why he divorced her. Of course, he could not reject her in public, she reassured herself. Her passionate admirer, seeing that she was free for this dance, invited her back.
Only the two neighbors of the Battery remained. Ella had long since joined the other children in the care of Blanche's twin's governess. Wade had gathered his courage to invite again Miss Jane.
The first verse of "Carolina" resounded, sung in heart by many guests, by patriotic spirit.
«Mid her ruins proudly stands our Carolina,
Fetters are upon her hands, Dear Carolina !
Yet she feels no sense of shame,
For upon the scroll of fame,
She hath writ a deathless name, Brave Carolina ! (*2)
Duncan took advantage of the opportunity to fulfill his role as host by greeting Charlestonians, friends of his parents, South Carolina planters, long-time business relationships, and new business contacts made since returning to America. All of them were looking forward to the slight attention of the heir of the Vayton's empire. Some were satisfied with a simple handshake, others started dreaming that this informal meeting would soon turn into a fruitful business relationship, aware that they were facing one of the richest men in America.
Finally, he arrived at the table of his childhood friends. They were all in great discussion. He noticed how pretty his workshop director looked in her lace dress. He complimented her: "Blanche, you should have paraded yourself! This dress looks great on you!" The latter thanked him politely, "I have heard nothing but compliments about the show. Our seamstresses will be very proud of the work they have done. As for 'Thunder of Georgia', I cannot believe myself how stunning Mrs. O'Hara looks in the dreamy dress you designed. Bravo Mr. Vayton!"
Blanche's remarks warmed his heart. The other friends at the table also complimented Duncan's talent. Petyr was effusive in describing the sensational effect his star model had had on the male population.
This seemed to displease Rebecca, who had been silent since Duncan's arrival. Feeling that he owed her a modicum of attention, Duncan invited her to share a dance to the lively "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" that had just begun. (*4) John and Blanche did the same.
The entire military invited their wives with enthusiasm. They had already enjoyed the famous "Oh Susanna" (*3) in the evening.
The male voices in the audience echoed the "Hurrahs" of this military march celebrating the return of the Union or Confederate soldier to his home.
"When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will cheer and the boys will shout
The ladies they will all turn out, And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home." (*4)
As soon as she was in Duncan's arms, Rebecca said casually, "So, as your assistant told me, all the models are from New York, except one. May I ask why this singularity?"
Duncan did not answer right away. He saw that Scarlett was now the dance partner of a General, who seemed ecstatic. She sucked up the space around her with majesty, followed by the admiring if not lustful, glances of the men and the envious looks of the women. Butler, on the other hand, was dancing with young Roselyne. Perfect! he congratulated himself. The busier he was courting young girls, the less he would monopolize his former wife.
His blue eyes looked into Rebecca's: "Scarlett is a bright young businesswoman in Atlanta. I met her, by chance, when she wanted to open a women's clothing store."
Rebecca found his answer obscure. "How come she is representing one of your dresses tonight? You are a great Haute Couture artist. I do not understand the connection to selling ready-to-wear."
He laughed, "Always so perceptive, Becca! Indeed, there is not one. But I did offer to sell the line of dresses I had prepared for the experimental store in Savannah. As for "Thunder of Georgia" " - he paused, unsure if he could confide in his childhood friend as before, or if she was now just his mistress-"I created it for her." He felt better for having made this admission.
Rebecca swallowed the idea but did not show him. "When did you meet her?"
He answered without hesitation, "February 20. She came to see me in Charleston because she thought I was manufacturing ready-to-wear dresses."
An "Ah!" of surprise, heavy with innuendo, came from Rebecca's mouth. She suddenly understood. It was from that week that he had stopped coming to see her in her house, and spending his nights with her.
She reacted as Duncan intended, nonchalantly: "You have hardly left her side all evening. It seems you are a little more interested in her than a professional partner. Am I wrong?"
Seeing her lover's beautiful azur eyes wander, she tried to reassure him, "Duncan, you know you can confide in me. I am your best friend, along with John. And if we have turned a corner by becoming lovers... it was agreed, both for you and me, that it would not change our relationship. We are both free and unattached. I want to keep this special bond that we have shared since our childhood. Tell me what is on your mind!
Duncan breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Oh, my Becca! I am so glad you understand! I would not want to lose that unbreakable feeling between us. "To life and death!" Isn't that what the three of us used to proclaim when we were eight or ten years old? I so much hope that one day you will meet someone who will make your heart beat from the first second you meet his eyes, and to whom you will want to dedicate your life. Especially not someone like your awful late husband. You deserve it, so much!" He stroked her cheek affectionately.
At that very moment, she caught the look in the Georgian's eyes as she watched them. Very good, she thought wickely.
She continued to play her role as the perfect confidante, "Is that what happened to you when you met her?"
Duncan could not help but look in Scarlett's direction as the General was twirling her ceremoniously.
He regained the adolescent air he used to have with her when he had a secret to tell: "Yes. She is a lively, intelligent, energetic young woman. Do you realize that she has been running sawmills by herself for a long time - yes! Sawmills! - a large hardware store, and side businesses, for which she does her professional accounting while raising her two children?"
Wanting to cut short his enumeration of the enormous qualities he attributed to Scarlett O'Hara, she asked him a simple question: "Alone? Is she a widow?"
Duncan was lost in his explanation: "She has been widowed twice, and Wade and Ella have each lost their fathers. But she is divorced from her third husband."
"Divorced? It is not common in our world. We both have free morals, but the status of a divorced woman is not easy to bear with our people. Are you aware of this?" She had the brief hope of holding there a possible fault in the love projects of her lover.
Obviously, the argument did not work, because Duncan impulsively replied, "I do not care, and I am glad of it, to be honest. I breathed a big sigh of relief when I found out. It means she is free, Becca! But..." He stopped in his tracks.
"But?" Rebecca caught this small, perhaps weighty word on the fly.
Duncan could not help but cast an incendiary eye toward his rival. Rebecca followed his gaze. "But her former husband is my neighbor, Rhett Butler."
Suddenly, Rebecca laughed, a fresh laugh, a laugh of relief. Duncan did not find it funny at all. Several pairs of dancers turned around, including Scarlett and the General, and Roselyne and Rhett. Rhett gave his former lover a wry smile.
Duncan was upset. "Can you tell me why you are laughing? It is not funny. The man is not at all amusing, to tell you the truth. Do you know him?"
Rebecca decided to partially tell the truth. "Yes, he is a friend. We have sailed in the same circle of acquaintances, these last years. He is an excellent dancer. In fact, when we ran into each other at the buffet, he asked me to put him on my dance card - ironically, of course, because the three of us know that this game is no longer my age. He is charming. A colorful character, isn't he?"
Her childhood friend snorted, displeased that she did not take his side. "Colorful? That is an understatement. He was despicable with Scarlett."
Rebecca, who had curiously observed Rhett's behavior on the dance floor, particularly tight to the star model of the evening, was beginning in retrospect to decipher the scene that all the guests had witnessed.
She could hardly hide her teasing tone: "Ignoble? I did not get the impression from watching them dance that she was so displeased with his behavior."
Duncan frowned, "He forced her to dance with her. He thought I did not understand his trick. Of course, she could not refuse. She is too elegant."
The music was ending. With her extensive experience with men, Rebecca knew she could not fight Duncan's attraction to the girl tonight. She would have to find a solution later. In the meantime, the most urgent thing was to keep their special friendship. To prove she was not jealous, she asked him perfunctorily, "So what are you waiting for to dance with her? I am going to keep your great friend Rhett Butler busy in the meantime."
He thought the suggestion was excellent. It was high time to embrace Scarlett O'Hara.
As the General made a show of escorting Scarlett back to her table, Duncan excused himself and bowed to her, so elegantly that a Prince Charming would have envied his manners. She gladly accepted, happy to finally be seen with the most attractive man in Charleston.
Roselyne's enamored suitor made another attempt to be her dance partner again.
Rhett took the opportunity to leave them, and familiarly grabbed Rebecca's arm, who greeted him by whispering in his ear, "You at last, Rhett Butler!"
Rhett gave her his charming smile, but his heart was not in it. He could not bear to see Scarlett in the arms of that man. She looked like she was having so much fun! It was a triplet Galot Quadrille, and he had to admit with regret that Vayton had mastered the technique as well as he had.
Rebecca followed his gaze and caught his nervousness. She chose to play it straight with him. Maybe he could help her later. "You look very melancholic, Rhett. Could it be that you are watching your former wife grow up with our handsome Duncan?"
Rhett was only surprised for a second. "He is the one who told you that, while you were dancing, right?"
She laughed out loud. "Yes, I should not admit it to you, because it does not flatter my vanity, on the contrary. But you know I have a sense of humor. That is what brought us together, besides... you know what I mean," she added naughtily. I confess I find it irresistible that my two lovers are eyeing the same woman tonight, and unfortunately, it is not me!"
Rhett looked at her, amazed. "You and Vayton?"
"We are childhood friends. Very close friends indeed. Until my dear Duncan met your former wife."
Rhett frowned. "Do you know when they met?" He finally had a chance to understand how his neighbor had become a danger to him.
She was amused to see him tense, so different from the confident Rhett who had seduced her. Bits of memories came back to her, seen through a different prism now that she had met the former Mrs. Butler: of course, she knew he had adored his daughter, but he had never talked about it with her. They had met shortly after his divorce. When she had tried to ask him about his former wife, he had snapped and answered: "She is a cruel, heartless woman. Let us not spoil the fun by talking about her." Rebecca had been fully satisfied with his answer. Except that one night during lovemaking, when he had drunk even more than usual, he shouted a name several times at the peak of his pleasure. She remembered it now: "Scarlett!"
She answered Rhett's question, "From what he just told me, February 20, precisely. A business relationship. But for whom, he confessed to me, he created especially 'Thunder of Georgia'..."
The dance ended. John called for his sister's attention, and Rhett left, thoughtful.
Scarlett had asked Duncan for a moment's respite. Her feet were starting to hurt, and she was not used to such wild revelry anymore.
When "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (*5) was announced, Duncan stood beside Cathleen and kissed her on the forehead: "I remember that it was your and Father's favorite song. Would you like to celebrate it with your son?" Again, Cathleen congratulated herself on being so fortunate to have her big boy so thoughtful. She looked at Eleonor to apologize for her short absence, but Rhett, out of mimicry, and genuine affection, decided to invite his mother.
Scarlett was not left alone at the table because Ella had just returned, excited about the games Gina had organized. Her words clashed as she was eager to tell her mother in detail about all the activities she had participated in. Scarlett checked her daughter's beautiful dress for damage or dirt and listened absently. Then she saw Wade return. He had stars in his eyes and rosy cheeks. She congratulated him on the dancing skills he had shown on the stage, though inwardly she found his borrowed steps and awkward behavior toward young Jane touching.
Scarlett let her gaze wander to the dancers. It was the first time she had the opportunity to witness an exchange of affection between Rhett and his mother. It was an unexpected and soothing sight. Certainly more pleasing than her former husband's displays with the young scatterbrain, not to mention those with the man-eater who had also been loud with Duncan. And to think he managed to convince me to sing for him! How could I be so stupid? Here he is, shamelessly flaunting two of his mistresses. He does not mind humiliating me! Scarlett was disgusted by his behavior. "It is a good thing Duncan is such a gentleman. So tender, and probably in love! The last thought delighted her.
The music ended, and Scarlett saw Duncan talking to the singer. A few minutes after all the guests at the Vaytons' head table had returned, she heard, "Here is a brand new song, 'Grandfather's Clock. (*6) It was just published a month ago, and Mr. Duncan Vayton himself discovered the score in New York. I am sure that this tune will be a great success. It will especially delight children! Ladies and gentlemen, "My Grandfather's clock"!"
Duncan happily said to Ella, "Would you dance with me, 'Princess of Atlanta'? And you, Wade, it would be a good idea to invite your mother. That way it will be the four of us. I am going to show you a special choreography I made up for you. What do you think?" Turning to Scarlett: "Please say yes! We will cheer up." Despite his age, he was looking like a young man begging for permission to do something silly.
Of course, Ella was enthusiastic and Wade was happy to share a few minutes with his mother. Scarlett gladly agreed to play along.
The four of them left, leaving Rhett with a void in his heart. That man had just snatched his family from him, right in front of him. He drank the entire glass of whiskey that the waiter had just brought him, and watched them.
Duncan was explaining dance steps to them.
"During the verses, we will move to the rhythm of a lively polka. When you hear, 'But it stops'd short,' stand still with your leg raised." Looking at Scarlett, he laughed and said, "I did not design 'Thunder of Georgia' for such situations. That' i why you will be excused from these acrobatics."
Scarlett laughed back at him, ironically thanking him for the privilege.
Duncan continued, excited that they were going to have fun. "During the chorus, one musician will imitate the ticking of the clock while the other instruments stop. We will take the opportunity to simultaneously clap our hands and stomp our feet."
The host of the festivities waved to the band. Immediately, the joyous music, led by the banjo, began to play.
At the very moment the stanza announced that the clock had stopped: "But it stopp'd short," the special "choreography" was unleashed and there was much laughter.
But it stopp'd short - never to go again - When the old man died.
Ninety years without slumbering, (tick, tick, tick, tick),
His life seconds numbering, (tick, tick, tick, tick),
It stopp'd short - never to go again - When the old man died." (*6)
The other dancers decided to join in this joyous interlude, imitating Duncan Vayton and what looked like a family celebration. They joined in with the clapping of hands and feet. The overall look was a bit out of sync and far from the canon of classical dance, but there was an undeniable joie de vivre.
From his chair, Rhett was watching them with a heavy heart. Ella was laughing at every turn, and Wade, usually so reserved, could not resist but imitate her, though less loudly. As for Scarlett, her fresh laughter, with each succession of snaps and stalls, was radiating as much as it reasoned in his veins. She is happy. It has been so long since I have heard her laugh so openly! I have not given her much of a chance. And he... he has only known her for three months, and already he is giving her a few minutes of happiness.
The pain in his chest was increasing. Watching his neighbor lift his leg so nimbly, he felt that he was overwhelmed by his youth. He must be only a few years older than Scarlett. And I am old now. This realization froze him. They seem to be a new family. How can I win her heart back? She does not need me anymore.
His vision became blurred. A feeling of immense waste overwhelmed him. He had to leave. This spectacle had become intolerable.
Just as he was about to get up, the four dancers returned, not hiding their laughter. Sitting down beside him, Ella said, "Did you see us dance, Uncle Rhett? Oh, how fun it was." Unable to speak, he smiled at her as he stroked her cheek.
The band's leader announced: "And now since Mr. Duncan Vayton has signed off on this celebration of our Dear Old South, what better way to do so than to listen to: 'The Bonnie Blue Flag' "
The first words were sung with fervor:
"We are a band of brothers and native to the soil,
Fighting for our Liberty, With treasure, blood, and toil.
And when our rights were threatened, the cry rose near and far ;
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!
Hurrah! Hurrah!
For Southern rights, hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star." (*7)
For Rhett, it was too much emotion. Memories that he had tried to suppress so as not to suffer anymore were flashing back in his face: the birth of Bonnie, Rhett holding his daughter for the first time, Scarlett exhausted from childbirth deciding to name their child Eugenia Victoria, and Melanie suggesting that they name her Bonnie Blue, like "our Confederate Flag," she had added.
He had to get up. He could not stand that hymn sung at the top of his lungs. But he felt Ella holding him back. She laid her head tenderly on his arm and whispered, "Uncle Rhett, do not be sad. I miss her so much too. But she is in Heaven now, and Aunt Melly is protecting her."
Rhett had to repress a sob that threatened. He hugged her tightly.
Scarlett had turned pale. Gone was the cheerfulness of just a few minutes ago. Bonnie! Her precious! As soon as the singer announced that song, she looked at Rhett. With a twinge of sadness, she realized that he was thinking about the day Bonnie was born and that he was devastated. So was she. She instinctively wanted to get closer to him to commune in this shared memory. Her eyes grew cloudy as she realized that her older daughter, too, despite her bouts of cheerfulness, was still suffering from the loss of her sister. With what affection and understanding did she console her Uncle Rhett?
Wade, too, was moved to see his mother, Ella, and Rhett Butler in this state of sadness. Because he was not demonstrative like Ella, because he was becoming a man, he had to behave. He grasped his mother's hand, without a word.
The other people around the table had gone mute. Roselyne was shocked that Rhett, her mighty Rhett, was clutching his former stepdaughter. Duncan knew at once that something unexpected and sad was happening. A pain shared by all four of them. Cathleen and Melina were taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere, from the wild merriment of a few minutes ago to the silence that had fallen over the former Butler family.
Discreetly, she leaned toward Eleanor who, without her friend having to ask her directly, said in a low voice, but loud enough for Duncan to hear, "My grand-daughter, the beautiful child they lost, was named Bonnie Blue, precisely in honor of our Flag."
Scarlett was unmoved by the whispers. She wanted to hold the hand of the father of her child, to try to relieve some of his pain. But she did not dare. Not because such a public display of affection would have caused a stir, but because she convinced herself that he did not want her around, even to share his pain.
Rhett pulled himself together, and kissed Ella's forehead, "You are a wonderful little girl. I am so proud of you!"
Ella was reassured to see her Uncle Rhett back to normal and she regained some of her lightness.
Rhett cleared his throat, and in a formal tone said to Cathleen, "Mrs. Vayton, I want to thank you, your lovely daughter, and your son for your invitation. You have succeeded in creating a moment of harmony for our Charleston Community. I am confused that I must leave you now. Fatigue..." His voice trailed off. Then, turning to the other women, "Mother, Rosemary, Roselyne, enjoy this late evening."
It was time to say goodbye to Scarlett. He did not want to look at her, as he was afraid she would see his weakness. He bowed, with his hand over his heart, and said simply "Goodbye, Scarlett".
She pinched her lower lip to resist the urge to ask him to stay. With an insecure tone, she replied, "Goodbye, Rhett!" An impulse made her add "See you soon..."
The singer's voice could be heard announcing, "Now that the night is enveloping us, what better way for couples in love to enjoy the bliss than by listening to another Stephan Foster song, 'Beautiful Dreamer'!" (*8)
Rhett walked briskly away from the party place and Scarlett, whose place in his heart and life he had no right to claim. Arrived at the outside of the barrier, he could not prevent himself from turning over. Under the track lit by the lampions, illuminated by the twinkling stars, the couples danced more tightly, carried away by this romantic and slow ballad, bewitched by the warm voice of the singer:
„Beautiful Dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me! » (*8)
Scarlett's head rested on Vayton's chest.
The obvious became clear to him. Inwardly, he spoke to his wife: The Butlers have brought you nothing but blame. The Vayton family is opening their arms to you. Vayton puts you on a pedestal, and forces all of South Carolina's prude society to bow down to you. Obviously, he seems to have feelings for you. He probably will not hurt you by openly cheating or humiliating you. He is rich, healthy, and young. He can make you happy. What I could not do. Against Ashley, I could have fought. But he holds all the cards. I understand why you would choose him. I want you to finally be happy, Scarlett, even if it is in someone else's bed. Even if the thought drives me crazy, I just cannot imagine now how I could get back your love.
His eyes clouded over. He was broken.
ooooOOoooo
Notes on chapter 26:
(*1) "When This Cruel War Is Over" (title for the South) or "Weeping Sad and Lonely" (for the North) 1863, Words by Charles Carroll Sawyer, music by Henry Tucker - a very famous ballad during the Civil War, among both armies.
For the Confederate version, two editions appeared in the South, one by Geo. Dunn & Compy. of Richmond, and the other by J.C. Schreiner & Son of Macon & Savannah.
Words Charles Carroll Sawyer - music by Henry Tucker - Source: Duke University Libraries, Repository Collections & Archives, When this cruel war is over, ballad, .edu/dc/hasm/conf0441
Comparison with the Northern States version: 1st verse: "Oh! how proud you stood before me In your suit of blue, When you vow'd to me and country" - 4th verse: "But our country called you, darling, Angels cheer your way; While our nation's son s are fighting, We can only pray. Nobly strike for God and liberty, Let all nations see How we love the starry banner, Emblem of the free."
Youtube, Confederate States version, slightly modified from the original score - lyrics adapted to be sung by a man: "When This Cruel War is Over:
youtube, "When This Cruel War Is Over" Male Confederate version of Civil War song, Charles Bradshaw : the voice of this singer is a bit distorted, but it increases even more the emotion that comes out. One can imagine the soldiers isolated, whispering these words behind the battlefield. watch?v=J9ccf4vyTBU&list=LL&index=52
Youtube, Northern States version - "When this cruel war is over", by Curtis & Loretta, watch?v=lZR5FMO-KX4&list=LL&index=22
(*2) "Carolina", 1866 - words and music by Armand Edward Blackmar, music publisher
YouTube, Carolina, Tom Roush watch?v=bbwjARzTqAA&list=LL&index=18
(*3) "Oh Susanna", 1848, words and music by Stephen Foster
Original version with full lyrics, Youtube, Oh Susanna, Original 1848 Lyrics - sung by Tom Roush - watch?v=qSIj17xbAyk&list=LL&index=30
Amputee version of the 2nd paragraph: Youtube, Oh Susanna, sung by James Taylor - watch?v=bdQSGjHOp7Y&list=LL&index=4
(*4) "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", 1863 - lyrics by Patrick Gilmore, under the pseudonym Louis Lambert. The music is based on "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya", an Irish folk song.
Youtube, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, 2nd South Carolina String Band, watch?v=fXJeghuSAMM&list=LL&index=2
(*5) "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," 1866, lyrics by George Washington Johnson, music by James Austin Butterfield
Youtube, Tom Roush - watch?v=RiVFBqfTKK0&list=LL&index=16
(*6) "Grandfather's Clock" 1876 - Words and music by Henry Clay Work, author of "Marching Through Georgia".
YouTube, "Grandfather's Clock, sung by Tom Roush, watch?v=su7IECXoKLg&list=LL&index=35
(*7) "Bonnie Blue Flag", 1861 - lyrics by Harry McCarthy, music based on the song "The Irish Jaunting Car". It refers to the first flag of the Confederation, which bears a star.
Youtube, "Bonnie Blue Flag", from the movie "Gods and Generals", 2nd South Carolina String Band - watch?v=UVeSKwM-1M
(*8) Beautiful Dreamer", 1864, Stephen Foster (04/07/1826 1826 -13/01/1864 - song published posthumously in March 1864.
Youtube, "Beatiful Dreamer, sung by Bing Crosby - watch?v=wtgklHQ52WE