Gone With The Wind: Chapter 26

Summary:

Scarlett is two weeks at home when a massive and infected foot blister renders her unable to work.  She has come to the realization that her father is never going to return to his normal self and the responsibility of taking care of the family has fallen to her shoulders.  Just when she is lost in her own thoughts she hears hooves on the road to Tara and looks up to see a lone Yankee soldier making his way into the house.  She arms herself with Charles' pistol and heads downstairs.  It's the sight of her mother's sewing box in foreign hands that drives her to action, but it's his threat to her safety that causes her to pull the trigger.

Roused from her sickbed by the shot, Melanie makes her way to the stairs with Charles' saber.  Scarlett and Melanie have a mutual moment of understanding and admiration before Melanie soothes the invalids with a quick lie.  They agree to clean up the body and not let anyone know of the murder.  Rifling through his pockets and knapsack, they find gold pieces and green union dollar bills.  But it's really the gain of his horse that is an answer to everyone's silent prayer.

Mobile once more, Scarlett sets out to investigate the neighborhood.  She finds the Fontaines at their home, Mimosa, and discovers they still have plenty of provisions to share.  Grandma Fontaine suggests that Scarlett pick what remains of the cotton in Tara's fields and, though Scarlett balks at the idea, Grandma Fontaine shames her into doing what must be done to survive.  Before she starts for home, Grandma Fontaine takes Scarlett aside and asks about Ellen.  Scarlett reveals the whole history and confesses that she's faced the worst that can happen.  Grandma shares with Scarlett that she, too, had faced the worst in her past and that it had caused her to fear nothing in her life.

Scarlett, Dilcey, and Prissy are the only ones to successfully work at picking the cotton.  Even Melanie attempts to work through her sickness while the others in the household make excuses to stay inside.  With the cotton picked, money in her pocket, and fresh provisions from the neighbors Scarlett feels that the worst is over and she can start climbing out of the despair surrounding Tara.

Katiebug's Response:

The mutual respect between Scarlett and Melanie continues to grow.  I'm really liking how Melanie is being displayed as a stronger character than in previous chapters.  First it really highlights how desperate things are for the women at home during the war.  Second, it makes her more well rounded and makes me believe this book is really about a strong friendship rather than a romance with Rhett.

The scene with the Fontaines reminded me that while this area is mostly settled it is nothing like it is today.  Only one generation back from Scarlett the farmland was wilderness and these people are holding on to what they've been able to carve out of it.  It puts the Civil War in a different perspective for me and I can understand why these people believed in "the cause."