〈接續〉

　　“聽我說，斯佳麗。明天的事，”布倫特說，“我們一直在外頭，對燒烤會和舞會的事不大清楚，不過明天晚上我們沒有理由不跳個痛快。你誰都沒答應，對不?”

　　“哦，答應了！我哪兒知道你們倆都回家來了?我可不想就為了等你倆，結果在舞會上坐了冷板凳。”

　　“你坐冷板凳！”兩個小夥子一陣狂笑。

　　“聽我說，寶貝，你一定跟我跳第一個華爾茲，跟斯圖爾特跳最後一個，完了跟我們一塊兒吃晚飯。吃完了就像上次舞會一樣，坐在樓梯平台，再聽聽金茜阿姨算命。”

　　“我才不喜歡聽金茜阿姨算命呢。你知道她說我會嫁給一個什麽樣的男人，長著一頭黑亮黑亮的頭髮，留著長長一道胡子，可我偏偏不喜歡黑頭髮男人。”

　　“紅頭髮的你也不喜歡，對不，寶貝?”布倫特咧開嘴笑著說，“好啦，答應我們明天的華爾茲都跟我們跳，晚上一塊兒吃飯。”

　　“要是你答應，我們可以告訴你一個秘密。”斯圖爾特說。

　　“是不是我們昨天在亞特蘭大聽到的那事，斯圖爾特?要是的話，你可要知道，我們答應了要保密的。”

　　“什麽?”斯佳麗一聽見這個詞便大聲問，好奇得像個孩子。

　　“哦，是佩蒂小姐告訴我們的。”

　　“什麽小姐?”

　　“你知道，是阿希禮·韋爾克斯那個親戚，住在亞特蘭大，佩蒂帕特·漢密爾頓小姐——就是查爾斯·漢密爾頓和玫蘭妮·漢密爾頓的姑媽。”

　　At these last sounds， the twins realized it was time they were starting home. But they were loath to face their mother and they lingered on the porch of Tara， momentarily expecting Scarlett to give them an to supper.

　　“Look， Scarlett. About tomorrow，” said Brent.“Just because we've been away and didn't know about the barbecue and the ball， that's no reason why we shouldn't get plenty of dances tomorrow night. You haven't promised them all， have you?”

　　“Well， I have！ How did I know you all would be home? I couldn't risk being a wallflower just waiting on you two.”

　　“You a wallflower！” The boys laughed

　　“Look， honey. You've got to give me the first waltz and Stu the last one and you've got to eat supper with us. We'll sit on the stair landing like we did at the last ball and get Mammy Jincy to come tell our fortunes again.”

　　“I don't like Mammy Jincy's fortunes. You know she said I was going to marry a gentleman with jet- hair and a long mustache，

and I don't like -haired gentlemen.”　　“You like 'em red-headed， don't you， honey?” grinned Brent.“Now， come on， promise us all the waltzes and the supper.”

　　“If you'll promise， we'll tell you a secret，” said Stuart.

　　“What?” cried Scarlett， alert as a

　　child at the word.

　　“Is it what we heard yesterday in ， Stu? If it is， you know we promised not to tell.”

　　“Well， Miss Pitty told us.”

　　“Miss Who?”

　　“You know， Ashley Wilkes' cousin who lives in ， Miss Pittypat Hamilton—Charles and Hamilton's aunt.”

　　以上摘自美國小說《飄》

　　以上描述的是美國南北戰爭爆發前夕的美國南方有錢莊園主家的公子、小姐們的日常，這日子過得，太愜意了。玩耍、舞會、談情說愛……

　　莊園主們因某事某節大宴賓客之際，更是這些年輕姑娘、小夥開懷大玩樂的天堂時刻。

　　這裡的交際，隻受金錢約束，富人家的孩子，並無性別方面的社交禁忌，男孩子們、女孩子們可以隨意互相追求玩耍。

　　16歲的富家子女SCARLETT心中是有明確心儀人選的。少女懷春，是有特定指向的。

　　無法預測未來會發生什麽，SCARLETT根本也無遐、無意願、更無心展望未來，她關注的只在於現在這一刻的快樂。