〈接續〉

　　西邊的太陽快貼住剛犁過的田地了，河對岸高高的樹林黑黝黝地映出了輪廓。住在煙囪上的燕子在院子裡急速地飛來飛去，雞、鴨、火雞成群結隊，高視闊步，大搖大擺地從野外歸來。

　　斯圖爾特大喊一聲:“吉姆斯！”不一會兒就有一個和他們年紀相仿的高個子黑人青年從房子後面氣喘籲籲地跑了出來，朝拴在一邊的馬跑過去。吉姆斯是他們的男仆，像那幾條狗一樣，他們到哪兒就跟到哪兒，從小就陪伴他們一塊兒玩，哥兒倆十歲那年，指定他做了他們的仆人。一見他過來，塔爾頓家的獵狗便從一片紅色的塵土中站起來，等候主人上路。哥兒倆向斯佳麗鞠躬致意，握手告辭，告訴她說哥兒倆明天一早就在韋爾克斯家等她。隨後兩人快步走過甬道，跳上馬背，後面緊跟著吉姆斯，沿兩邊長滿雪松的大道驅馳而去，一邊向斯佳麗揮帽呼喊，再一次道別。

　　他們在蓋滿塵土的大道上拐過一個彎，看不見塔拉莊園了，於是布倫特便在一叢山茱萸邊勒住馬。斯圖爾特也停下來，黑仆人在他們後面幾步遠的地方也停住了腳。馬兒發現韁繩松了，就伸長脖子啃地上嫩綠的春草，耐性十足的獵狗又在紅色塵土中躺臥下來，貪婪地仰望著在一陣陣暗下來的暮色中飛來飛去的燕子。布倫特那張直率的面孔上露出困惑的神色，還帶有一絲憤慨。

　　The sun was low across the new-plowed fields and the tall woods across the river were looming in silhouette. Chimney swallows were darting swiftly across the yard， and chickens， ducks and turkeys were waddling and strutting and straggling in from the fields.

　　Stuart bellowed:“Jeems！” And after an interval a tall boy of their own age ran breathlessly around the house and out toward the tethered horses. Jeems was their body servant and， like the dogs， them everywhere. He had been their childhood and had been given to the twins for their own on their tenth birthday. At the sight of him， the Tarleton hounds rose up out of the red dust and stood waiting expectantly for their masters. The boys bowed， shook hands and told Scarlett they’d be over at the Wilkeses’ early in the morning，

waiting for her. Then they were off down the walk at a rush， mounted their horses and， followed by Jeems， went down the avenue of cedars at a gallop， waving their hats and yelling back to her.　　When they had rounded the curve of the dusty road that hid them from Tara， Brent drew his horse to a under a clump of dogwood. Stuart halted， too， and the darky boy pulled up a few paces behind them. The horses， feeling reins， stretched down their necks to crop the tender spring grass， and the patient hounds lay down again in the soft red dust and looked up longingly at the chimney swallows circling in the gathering dusk. Brent’s wide ingenuous face was puzzled and mildly indignant.

　　以上摘自美國小說《飄》

　　美國南北戰爭前美國南方的地理環境美景，一塊充滿魅力的土地。＂西邊的太陽剛貼住剛犁過的田地＂，畫面感特強。＂河對岸高高的樹林……＂，身臨其境的感覺。＂住在煙囪上的燕子，……，雞、鴨、火雞……＂，充滿動感的迷人田園美景。

　　出生於美國富有莊園人家的這雙胞胎兄弟，出行夠有陣式，駿馬、獵狗，還有黑人傭人相隨伺候，這日子過的，簡直是神仙般的愜意了。

　　不學無術、腦袋簡單的這雙胞胎兄弟，社會禮儀方面做得還是相當到位的，想蹭飯吃沒成功，仍然非常禮貌地告辭。這也說明，美國南北戰爭爆發前夕的南方，富人間已形成約定熟成的禮儀風格，作為下人的一般黑人傭人，也懂得自己的地位和職責。社會層級基本如此固化。

　　但，即將爆發的美國南北戰爭，打破了美國南方富人及富家子弟天堂般美好生活的一切。

　　〈待續〉