第十一章 痛失亲女
次日清早，思嘉醒来，心情极佳。
思嘉：（唱）……澳，她为他给她的每个微笑振奋，又为他每次愁眉而颤抖……
瑞德：你好，我为我昨晚的行为道歉。
思嘉：不过，瑞德……
瑞德：我喝得太多了，而且几乎被你的扭力迷倒。
思嘉：你不用道歉，你做什么事也不会让我惊奇的。
瑞德：思嘉，我认真地想过了。我相信如果我们承认我们犯了个错误，离婚对我们俩也许会好点。
思嘉：离婚？
瑞德：对，再互相纠缠没有意义，是不是？我已让你很富有，你已有那么多地产。只要把邦尼给我。然后一切由你，我都不反对。
思嘉：非常感谢，可我不想离婚，让家族蒙受耻辱。
瑞德：希礼一自由，你很快会让它蒙受耻辱的。那时你和我离婚的速度就会让我昏头转向，是不是，思嘉？回答我，是不是？ 思嘉：请你现在走开，让我一个人呆一会。
瑞：是，我要走。我就是来告诉你这个的，我要去伦敦度个长假。今天就走。
思嘉：噢。
瑞德：我要带邦尼一起。你能快点收拾好她的小行李吗？
思嘉：你不能把我的孩子带出这个屋子。
瑞德：她也是我的孩子，思嘉。如果你以为我会把她留在一个从不关心自己名声的母亲身边，你就错了。
思嘉：你真会说话，你带这孩子出去，也许就会带她同，同象贝莉那样的人鬼混。
瑞德：如果你是个男的，我就因此拧断你的脖子。如果你闭上嘴我会很感谢的。不要再装作是伟大的母亲了，一只母猫也比你这母亲好得多。一个小时内你把她的行李打点好。不然我警告你，我早就觉得给你一顿鞭子一定使你受益无穷。（一个月后，久别的瑞德从伦敦回来了。）
奶妈：思嘉小姐！巴特勒上尉I思嘉小姐！亲爱的孩子！
邦尼：您好，奶妈！妈妈！
奶妈：思嘉小姐，她回来了，她回来了思嘉小姐。 思嘉：邦尼！邦尼！邦尼！孩子，亲爱的孩子……回家高兴吗？
邦尼：爸爸给了我一只小猫。噢，伦敦是个可怕的地方。我的小马呢？我想去看我的小马。
思嘉：你去看小马吧。
瑞德：巴特勒太太，我想应该还是吧。
思嘉：奶妈说你回来了。
瑞德：只是来放下邦尼。很明显，对孩子来讲，有妈妈，哪怕是个坏妈妈，总比没有强。
思嘉：你是说你马上又要走？
瑞德：你真敏锐，巴特勒太太。马上走。事实上我的行李还在车上呢。噢，你很苍白。胭脂用完了吗？还是这个奇迹说明你想念我？
思嘉：如果我苍白，也是你的错。不是说我想你，而是因 为--
瑞德：说下去，巴特勒太太？
思嘉：因为我怀孕了。
瑞：是吗？那个快乐的父亲是谁？
思嘉：你知道是你的，你不想要，我更不想。没有女人愿意 为你这种畜生生孩子。我希望是谁的都行，就别是你的。瑞德：喂，开心点。也许你会流产呢。
（思嘉要打瑞德，却在地板上滑了一下，摔下楼阶。孩子没有 了。几星期后，思嘉恢复了健康，她坐在阳台上，瑞德来了。） 奶妈：思嘉小姐今天好多了，瑞德先生。
瑞：谢谢你。我来请求你的原谅，希望我们能有个机会重新共同生活。
思嘉：共同生活？我们有过共同生活吗？
瑞德：我想你是对的，但我相信如果我们肯再试一下，我们一定会快乐的。
思嘉：现在还有什么能让我们快乐呢？
瑞德：我们有，我们有邦尼。而且，而且我爱你，思嘉。思嘉：你什么时候发现这一点的？
瑞德：我一直都爱着你，但你一直不给我表达的机会。思嘉：好吧，你想让我做什么？
瑞德：首先，那个作坊不要了，思嘉。我们离开这儿，带着邦尼，我们再度一个蜜月。
恩惠：不要作坊了？为什么？它现在比以前赚钱呢。
瑞德：是，我知道，但我们不需要那钱。卖掉它，或者把它 送给希礼。那样更好，媚兰对我们这么好。
思嘉：媚兰，又是媚兰。你为什么不多为我想想？
瑞德：我正是为你着想。而且我想，也许，也许正是那个作 坊使你离开我，离开邦尼。 思嘉：你知道你在想什么。而且你不要把邦尼也牵扯进来。是你总是把邦尼从我身边带走。
瑞德：但是她爱你。
思：你想尽办法让她爱你，而不爱我。看，她现在给宠成这样--
邦尼：妈妈，爸爸，看我呀！
思嘉：我们在看呢，亲爱的。你真漂亮，真可爱。
邦尼：你也是，我要去跳栏。看着我，爸爸！
瑞德：邦尼，你现在不应该跳这么多。你刚学会骑侧鞍呢。
邦尼：我要跳，我跳得比以前好多了，因为我长大了。我把跳栏也提高了。
思嘉：别让她去，瑞德。
瑞德：不行，邦尼，你别……好吧。如果你摔下来，别哭，也别怨我。
思嘉：瑞德，拦住她！
瑞德：邦尼！邦尼！
思嘉：和爸爸一样。和爸爸一样！
瑞德：邦尼！邦尼！邦尼！
（象她的祖父一样，邦尼从马上摔下来死了。她带走了许多……）
Chapter ll Losing of the Children
(The next morning, Scarlett wakes up, quite delighted.)
SCAELETT: (Sing)...Oh, she went with delight when he
gave her a smile, and trembled with yet his frown...
RHETT: Hello. I, I'd like to extend my apology for my
conduct of last night.
SCARLETT: Oh, but Rhett...
RHETT: I was very drunk and quite swept off my feet by
your charms.
SCARLETT: You needn't bother to apologize, nothing you
ever do surprises me.
RHETT: Scarlett, I've been thinking things over and I
really believe it'd be better for both of us, if we admitted
we made a mistake and got a divorce.
SCARLETT: A divorce?
RHETT: Yes. There's no point in our holding onto each
other, is there? I've provided for you amply. You've plenty
of grounds. Just give me Bonnie and you can say what
you please and I won't contest it.
SCARLETT: Thank you very much, but I wouldn't dream
of disgracing the family with a divorce.
RHETT: You'd disgrace it quick enough ifAshley were
free. It makes my head spin to think of how quickly you'd
divorce me. Wouldn't you, Scarlett? Well answer me.
Wouldn't you?
SCARLETT: Will you please go now and leave me alone.
RHETT: Yes, I'm going, that's what I came to tell you. I
am going on a very extended trip to London, and I'm
leaving today.
SCARLETT: Oh...
RHETT: And I'm taking Bonnie with me. So you'll please
get her little duds packed right away.
SCARLETT: You'll never take my child out of this house.
RHETT: She's my child, too, Scarlett. And you're making
a mistake if you think I'm leaving her here with a mother
who hasn't the decency to consider her own reputation.
SCARLETT: You're a fine one to talk. You think I let that
child get out of this house when you'll probably have her
around with people like, like that Belle?
RHETT: If you were a man, I'd break your neck for that.
As it is. I'll thank you to shut your stupid mouth. And as
for you giving yourself pious airs about your motherhood,
why a cat's a better mother than you are. You have her
things packed packed ready for me in an hour, or I warn
you, I've always thought a good lashing with a buggy whip
would benefit you immensely.
(One month later, Rhett Bulter is back from London after
a long departure.)
MAMMIE: Miss Scarlett! Captain Butler! Miss Scarlett!
Honey child!
BONNIE: Come on Mammie! Mammie!
MAMMIE: Miss Scarlett, she's back. She's back, Miss
Scarlett!
SCARLETT: Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie..Bonnie
baby...darling baby...you glad to be home?
BONNIE: Daddy gave me a kitten! Oh, London's a horrible
place. Where's my pony? I want to go out and see my pony.
SCARLETT: You go out and see your pony.
RHETT: Mrs. Butler, I believe.
SCARLETT: Mammie said you'd come back.
RHETT: But only to bring Bonnie. Apparently any mother,
even a bad one is better than a child with none.
SCARLETT: You mean you're going away again?
RHETT: What perception Mrs. Butler. Right away In fact
I left my bags at the station. You're looking pale. Is there
a shortage of rouge? Or can this wonders mean you've
been missing me?
SCARLETT: If I'm pale, it's your fault. Not because I've
been missing you, but because...
RHETT: Pray continue, Mrs. Butler.
SCARLETT: It's because I'm going to have a baby.
RHETT: Indeed? And who's the happy father?
SCARLETT: You know it's yours. I don't want it any more
than you do. No woman would want the child of a cad like
you. I wish it were, I wish it were anybody's child but
yours!
RHETT: Well, cheer up. Maybe you'll have an accident.
(In great anger, Scarlett throws herself to Rhett. But she
loses her balance on the slippery floor and falls all the
way down the stairs. Days later, newly recovered from
the unexpected accident and a resulting miscarriage,
Scarlett sits in a chair on a balcony. Rhett comes.)
MAMMIE: Miss Scarlett's feeling a heap better today, Mr.
Rhett.
RHETT: Thank you. I've come to ask your forgiveness. In
the hope that we can give our life together another chance.
SCARLETT: Our life together? When did we ever have a
life together?
RHETT: I guess you're right. But I'm sure if we could
only try again,we could be happy.
SCARLETT: What is there to make us happy now?
RHETT: Well there's, there's Bonnie and, and I love you,
Scarlett.
SCARLETT: When did you discover that?
RHETT: I've always loved you. But you've never given
me a chance to show it.
SCARLETT: Well, then just what do you want me to do ?
RHETT: To begin with, give up the mill, Scarlett. We'll go
away. We'll take Bonnie with us and we'll have another
honeymoon.
SCARLETT: Give up the mill? Well why should I, it's
making more money than it ever did.
RHETT: Yes, I know, but we don't need it. Sell it. Or better
still, give it to Ashley. Melanie has been such a friend to
both of us.
SCARLETT: Melanie, always Melanie. If you'd only think
a little more about me.
RHETT: I am thinking of you. And I'm thinking that, well,
that maybe it's the mill that's taking you away from me.
And from Bonnie.
SCARLETT: I know what you're thinking. And don't try
and bring Bonnie into this. You're the one who's taking
her away from me.
RHETT: But she loves you.
SCARLETT: You've done everything possible to make her
love you and not me. Why, she's so spoiled now, that...
BONNIE: Mommy, Daddy, watch me!
SCARLETT: We're watching, darling! You're mighty pretty
precious.
BONNIE: : So are you! I'm going to jump. Watch me,
Daddy.
RHETT: I don't think you ought to do much jumping yet,
Bonnie. Rememeber you just learned to ride side-saddle.
BONNIE: I will so jump. I can jump better than ever, cuz
I've grown, and I've moved the bar higher...
SCARLETT: Don't let her do it Rhett...
RHETT: No, Bonnie, you can't... Well if you fall off, don't
cry and blame me!
SCARLETT: Rhett, stop her.
RHETT: Bonnie! Bonnie!
SCARLETT: Just like Paw. Just like Paw!
RHETT: Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!
(Bonnie died. Like her grandfather, she falls over from
the horse to the ground. With her, she takes many
things......) |
