The shadows were falling thicker now, the last greenish tinge had left the sky and a slight chill was displacing the balminess of spring. But Scarlett loitered, wondering how to bring up the subject of Ashley without permitting Gerald to suspect her motive. This was difficult, for Scarlett had not a subtle bone in her body; and Gerald was so much like her he never failed to penetrate her weak subterfuges, even as she penetrated his. And he was seldom tactful in doing it.
周围的黑影越来越浓，最后一丝绿意也从天空中消失了，春天的温馨已被微微的寒意所取代。可是思嘉还在踌躇，不知怎样才能把话题转到艾希礼身上而又不让杰拉尔德怀疑她的用意。这是困难的，因为从思嘉身上找不出一根随机应变的筋来；同时杰拉尔德也与她十分相似，没有哪一次不识奇她的诡计，犹如猜透了他的一样。何况他这样做时是很少拐弯抹角的。
“How are they all over at Twelve Oaks?”
“ 8217;十二橡树 8217;村那边的人都怎样了？”
“About as usual. Cade Calvert was there and, after I settled about Dilcey, we all set on the gallery and had several toddies. Cade has just come from Atlanta, and it’s all upset they are there and talking war and—”
“大体和往常一样。凯德·卡尔弗特也在那里。我办完迪尔茜的事以后，大家在走廊上喝了几盅棕榈酒。凯德刚刚从亚特兰大来，他们正兴致勃勃，在那里谈论战争，以及 8212;- 8220;
Scarlett sighed. If Gerald once got on the subject of war and secession, it would be hours before he relinquished it She broke in with another line.
思嘉叹了一口气。只要杰拉尔德一谈起战争和脱离联邦这个话题，他不扯上几个小时是不会停下的。她连忙拿另一个话题来岔开。
“Did they say anything about the barbecue tomorrow?”
“他们有没有谈起？明天的全牛野宴？”
“Now that I think of it they did. Miss—what’s-her-name—the sweet little thing who was here last year, you know, Ashley’s cousin—oh, yes, Miss Melanie Hamilton, that’s the name—she and her brother Charles have already come from Atlanta and—”
“我记得是谈起过的。那位小姐 8212;-她叫什么名字来着？ 8212;-就是去年到这里来过的那个小妮子，你知道，艾希礼的表妹 8212;-啊，对了，媚兰·汉密尔顿小姐，就叫这个名字 8212;-她和她哥哥查尔斯已经从亚特兰大来了，并且 8212;-”
“Oh, so she did come?”
“唔，她果真来了？”
“She did, and a sweet quiet thing she is, with never a word to say for herself, like a woman should be. Come now, daughter, don’t lag. Your mother will be hunting for us.”
“真是个可爱的文静人儿，她来了，总是不声不响，女人家就该这样嘛。走吧，女儿，别磨蹭了，你妈会到处找咱们的。 8221;