〈接續〉

　　“我知道，比她再傻的老女人我這輩子還沒見過。”

　　“是這樣，昨天我們在亞特蘭大等火車回家的時候，她正好坐馬車經過車站，停下來和我們說了話，她告訴我們明天晚上韋爾克斯家舞會上要宣布一個訂婚消息。”

　　“哦，這我知道，”斯佳麗失望地說，“就是她那個傻侄兒查理·漢密爾頓和霍尼·韋爾克斯。有些年頭了，誰都知道他倆遲早要結婚，盡管他好像對這事有點兒冷淡。”

　　“你覺得他傻嗎?”布倫特問道，“去年聖誕節你可讓他在你周圍忙了個夠。”

　　“我又沒法兒不讓他忙，”斯佳麗聳了聳，顯得毫不在意，“我覺得他是個討厭的膽小鬼。”

　　“不過，要宣布的訂婚消息可不是他的，”斯圖爾特得意地說，“而是阿希禮和查理的姐姐玫蘭妮小姐的！”

　　斯佳麗的臉色沒變，但是她的嘴唇白了——仿佛冷不丁當頭挨了一棒，一時還沒明白是怎麽回事。她的面孔凝固了似的，眼睛直勾勾盯著斯圖爾特，斯圖爾特從不多想，還以為她不過是感到驚奇，覺得挺有意思罷了。

　　“佩蒂小姐告我們說，本來打算明年再宣布來著，因為玫荔身體不好;可是人們紛紛傳說要打仗，雙方家裡都覺得不如趕快結了婚也就放心了。所以明天晚上要在晚飯中間宣布。好了，斯佳麗，我們把秘密告訴你了，你得答應跟我們一塊兒吃晚飯。”

　　“I do， and a sillier old lady I never met in all my life.”

　　“Well， when we were in yesterday， waiting for the home train， her carriage went by the depot and she and talked to us， and she told us there was going to be an engagement announced tomorrow night at the Wilkes ball.”

　　“Oh. I know about that，” said Scarlett in disappointment.“That silly nephew of hers， Charlie Hamilton， and Honey Wilkes. Everybody's known for years that they'd get married some time， even if he did seem kind of lukewarm about it.”

　　“Do you think he's silly?” Brent.“Last Christmas you sure let him buzz round you plenty.”

　　“I couldn't help him buzzing，” Scarlett shrugged negligently.“I think he's an awful sissy.”

　　“Besides， it isn't his engagement that's going to be announced，

” said Stuart triumphantly.“It's Ashley's to Charlie's sister， Miss ！”　　Scarlett's face did not change but her lips went white—like a person who has received a stunning blow without warning and who， in the first moments of shock， does not realize what has happened. So still was her face as she stared at Stuart that he， never analytic， took it for granted that she was merely surprised and very interested.

　　“Miss Pitty told us they hadn't intended announcing it till next year， because Miss Melly hasn't been very well; but with all the war talk going around， everybody in both families thought it would be better to get married real soon. So it's to be announced tomorrow night at the supper Now， Scarlett， we've told you the secret， so you've got to promise to eat supper with us.”

　　以上摘自美國小說《飄》

　　上面的摘錄文字講了一個非常具體的事，關於Ashley和的訂婚。Scarlet一直暗戀著Ashley，Ashley要跟其他女人訂婚，這消息對Scarlett的衝擊可想而知。

　　這人世間，男女訂婚是一個個個體生命的大事，在許多社會形態下都如此，無論東方還是西方。

　　16歲的Scarlett暗戀也是富有農場主家的公子Ashley。Scarlett在公共社交場合很出風頭，以盡可能多的小夥子圍著她轉獻殷情為樂趣，但那都是逢場作戲，Scarlett心中的真正指向是Ashley.

　　Scarlett的這種心態，與習俗無關，應與人類的一半人種女人的特性有關。

　　〈待續〉