to bawl suddenly, loudly.
«Stop bawling! Miss Melanie will hear you. Now go change your apron, quick».
Melanie asked no questions. She lay upon her back, her face tranquil and sweet. She said,
«It isn’t very bad, really», and Scarlett knew she was lying.
Scarlett looked sharply at the pain-twisted face. She should be here with Melanie at this time. She who had nothing in common with her, who hated her!
«Don’t talk, dear. I know how worried you are. I’m so sorry I’m so much trouble», said Melanie.
Scarlett could not sit still. She walked to the window and looked down the street and came back and sat down again. Then she rose and looked out of the window on the other side of the room.
An hour went by and then another. Melanie’s pains were harder now. Where was Prissy? Why didn’t she come? Why didn’t the doctor come? She went to the window and looked again. At last she saw Prissy. Prissy was coming down the street at a quick trot. Her mouth opened to yell. Scarlett hastily put her finger to her lips.
«I’ll get some cooler water», she said. Then she hastily left the room, closing the door carefully behind her.
Prissy was sitting on the bottom step in the hall.
«They are fighting at Jonesboro, Miss Scarlett! Oh, God, Miss Scarlett! What will happen to Ma? Oh, God, Miss Scarlett! What will happen to us? Oh, God!»
«For God’s sake, hush!» cried Scarlett. «Where’s Dr. Meade? When’s he coming?»
«I did not see him, Miss Scarlett».
«What!»
«No ma’am, he isn’ at the hospital. Miss Merriwether and Miss Elsing aren’t there. A man told me that the doctor was at the depot, but Miss Scarlett, I’m scared to go there».
«What about the other doctors?»
«Miss Scarlett, they did not read the note. They say they have to be with the wounded. They tell me to get some woman to help».
«You say Dr. Meade’s at the depot?»
«Yes, ma’am».
«Now, listen sharp to me. I’m going to get Dr. Meade and I want you to sit by Miss Melanie and do anything she says. Do you hear?»
«Yes, ma’am».
«Wipe your eyes and get a fresh pitcher of water and go on up. Tell her I’ve gone for Dr. Meade».
Scarlett hurried out of the house and into the heat of the sun. The roar of noise grew louder. From the Leyden house down to Five Points, the street seethed with activity. Negroes were running up and down the street, panic in their faces; and on porches, white children sat crying untended. The street was crowded with army wagons and ambulances filled with wounded. In front of the Bonnell house, old Amos stood and he greeted Scarlett.
«Haven’t you gone yet, Miss Scarlett? We are going now. Old Miss is packing her bag».
«Going? Where?»
«God knows, Miss. Somewhere. The Yankees are coming!»
The Yankees were coming! She saw an officer and waved at him.
«Oh, stop! Please, stop!»
«Madam?»
«Tell me, is it true? Are the Yankees coming?»
«I’m afraid so».
«Do you know so?»
«Yes, I know so».
«Are you sure?»
«I’m sure».
«My God! Oh, sir, please, just a minute. What shall we do?»
«Madam, I can’t say. The army is leaving Atlanta soon».
«Going off and leaving us to the Yankees?»
«I’m afraid so».
The Yankees were coming. The army was leaving. The Yankees were coming. What should she do? Where should she run? No, she couldn’t run. There was Melanie back there in the bed expecting that baby. Oh, why did women have babies? She must find Dr. Meade and make him come home with her.
She pushed her way swiftly through the crowds, past the hysterical mob, toward the depot. As she walked, feverish hands plucked at her skirt and voices croaked: «Lady… water! Please, lady, water! For Christ’s sake, water!»
She stepped over dead men, over men who lay with hands clutched to bellies.
«Water! Water!»
She looked at the group of men and cried as loudly as she could:
«Dr. Meade! Is Dr. Meade there?»
From the group one man came toward her. It was the doctor. He was coatless and his sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders. His shirt and trousers were as red as a butcher’s. But his voice was calm and decisive.
«Thank God, you are here. I can use every pair of hands. Hurry, child! Come here».
She picked up her skirts and went to him.
«Oh, Doctor!» she cried. «You must come. Melanie is having her baby».
He looked at her calmly. She shook the doctor’s arm.
«It’s Melanie. The baby. Doctor, you must come. She… the… Please, Doctor!»
«A baby? Great God!» thundered the doctor. «Are you crazy? I can’t leave these men. They are dying, hundreds of them. I can’t leave them for a damned baby. Get some woman to help you».
«No, you must come, Doctor! She’ll die if you don’t come!»
He shook off her hand roughly.
«Die? Yes, they’ll all die… all these men. No bandages, no salves, no quinine, no chloroform. Oh, God! Just a little morphia for the worst ones. Just a little chloroform. God damn the Yankees! God damn the Yankees!»
Scarlett began to cry. The doctor isn’t coming with her. Melanie will die. The doctor isn’t coming.
«Doctor! Please!»
Dr. Meade bit his lip.
«Child, I’ll try. I can’t promise you. But I’ll try. The Yankees are coming and the troops are moving out of town. I don’t know what they’ll do with the wounded. There aren’t any trains. The Macon line has been captured. But I’ll try. Don’t bother me. It’snot difficult: just tie up the cord”.
The man at her feet looked up at Scarlett compassionately. She turned away, for the doctor had forgotten her.
She went back. Home! She wanted to be at home, Yankees or no Yankees. Home, even if Ellen was sick.
When she came in sight of the house, she saw Wade. When he saw her, he began to cry.
