oh yes I will

------------- [excerpt / Gone With The Wind] ------------------

     "Gentlemen, if you wish to lead a reel with the lady of your choice, you must bargain for her.  I will be auctioneer and the proceeds will go to the hospital."

     Fans stopped in mid-swish and a ripple of excited murmuring ran through the hall.  The chaperons' corner was in tumult and Mrs. Meade, anxious to support her husband in an action of which she heartily disapproved, was at a disadvantage.  

Mrs. Elsing, Mrs. Merriwether and Mrs. Whiting were red with indignation.  But suddenly the Home Guard gave a cheer and it was taken up by the other uniformed guests.  The young girls clapped their hands and jumped excitedly.

     "Don't you think it's -- it's just -- just a little like a slave auction?" whispered Melanie, staring uncertainly at the embattled doctor who heretofore had been perfect in her eyes.

     Scarlett said nothing but her eyes glittered and her heart contracted with a little pain.  If only she were not a widow.  If only she were Scarlett O'Hara again, out there on the floor in an apple-green dress with dark-green velvet ribbons dangling from her bosom and tuberoses in her black hair -- she'd lead that reel.  Yes, indeed!  There'd be a dozen men battling for her and paying over money to the doctor.  Oh, to have to sit here, a wallflower against her will and see Fanny or Maybelle lead the first reel as the belle of Atlanta!


     ...Now, they would all dance -- except her and the old ladies.  Now everyone would have a good time, except her.  She saw Rhett Butler standing just below the doctor and, before she could change the expression of her face, he saw her and one corner of his mouth went down and one eyebrow went up.  She jerked her chin up and turned away from him and suddenly she heard her own name called -- called in an unmistakable Charleston voice that rang out above the hubbub of other names.

     "Mrs. Charles Hamilton -- one hundred and fifty dollars -- in gold."

     A sudden hush fell on the crowd both at the mention of the sum and at the name.  Scarlett was so startled she could not even move.  She remained sitting with her chin in her hands, her eyes wide with astonishment.  Everybody turned to look at her.  She saw the doctor lean down from the platform and whisper something to Rhett Butler.  Probably telling him she was in mourning and it was impossible for her to appear on the floor.  She saw Rhett's shoulders shrug lazily.

     "Another one of our belles, perhaps?" questioned the doctor.
     "No," said Rhett clearly, his eyes sweeping the crowd carelessly.  "Mrs. Hamilton."
     "I tell you it is impossible," said the doctor testily.  "Mrs. Hamilton will not--"

     Scarlett heard a voice which, at first, she did not recognize as her own.
     "Yes, I will!"

     She leaped to her feet, her heart hammering so wildly she feared she could not stand, hammering with the thrill of being the center of attention again, of being the most highly desired girl present and oh, best of all, at the prospect of dancing again.

     "Oh, I don't care!  I don't care what they say!" she whispered, as a sweet madness swept over her.  She tossed her head and sped out of the booth, tapping her heels like castanets, snapping open her black silk fan to its widest.

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