Rhett Butler's people (20 page)

In its parlor, hand-tinted lithographs of Parisian street scenes hung on flocked red-and-green-striped wallpaper. The ormolu mantel clock was flanked by tall marble Venuses in coy poses. Belle's spittoons were stored in cupboards unless requested. Her "Frenchy" furniture encouraged tough men to sit straight with their hands in their laps. To these men, Belle's Cyprians were as exotic as egrets. At the slightest provocation, the girls would burst into giggles or swift incomprehensible Creole.

Rhett Butler owned a share in the Chapeau Rouge and kept an office upstairs. Would-be troublemakers departed quietly when MacBeth told them, "Sir, I reckon you best be goin' home now. Wouldn't want to fetch Captain Butler."

Minette was a courtesan, and a shrewd one. To provide for her old age,

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Minette bought house lots in New Orleans' Garden District and she tithed to the Good Fathers for the future of her soul. When Madame Belle invited Minette to work at the Chapeau Rouge, Minette nearly turned her down because Madame Belle was decidedly

not

a courtesan.

Although Madame Belle was older than Minette, she was a child as only American women can be children -- infuriating children! A courtesan understands the nature of the transaction; the American is likely to confuse it with love -- a confusion from which, Minette believed, only her sound Creole advice had kept Belle Watling.

Tonight, Minette smiled her courtesan's smile and told Captain Busy how dapper he looked.

"Ah, Minny. Have you changed your hair? It seems much redder than it was. Did I hear Rhett is back in town?"

What questions this man asked! He'd sit in the parlor on a slow rainy afternoon and ask question after question. Minette once heard Eloise describing her first lover -- a neighbor boy -- while Captain Busy chuckled as she recounted the poor boy's fumblings. Captain Busy advised Helene on constipation, suggesting remedies when everyone knew Helene's laudanum was the culprit! Once Captain Busy had asked Minette how she avoided pregnancy!

Captain Busy was extremely curious about Captain Butler: where he was, what he was doing, what he thought about this or that. How was Minette to know what Rhett Butler thought -- and what business was it of Captain Busy's?

When Minette complained about the meddlesome provost, Rhett was amused. "Edgar is still trying to solve the mystery of life, Minette. Let him stew."

Edgar Puryear was a slender fellow, whom men remembered, after he had left the room, as shorter than he was. He had a bony long face, big ears, and a wide, expressive mouth; his fine eyelashes protected eyes as bright as a curious sparrow's.

Something about Captain Busy made ordinary Confederate soldiers want to knock him down, and when the liquor flowed on payday nights, his sergeant, Jack Johnson, accompanied him.

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Tonight, the provost asked Minette for brandy. "Just a tot, dear Minny," putting his fingers two inches apart.

Power fascinated Edgar Allan Puryear. Rhett's father, Langston Butler, was powerful because he was rich and ruthless -- rich

because

he was ruthless. Charlotte Fisher Ravanel was powerful because she was rich, and Andrew Ravanel was powerful because war rewards courage.

Edgar Puryear didn't understand Rhett Butler's power.

When young Rhett first arrived at Cathecarte Puryear's school, Edgar had gone upstairs to assess his father's new pupil. Rhett looked at Edgar, looked

through

him, and disregarded him in a single instant. Wait a minute, young Edgar wanted to protest. I am not merely what you see. I am more than that! But thereafter, Edgar only earned Rhett's half-amused smile. When Edgar flattered Rhett, Rhett mocked his flattery. When Edgar bought an expensive foulard for Rhett, Rhett never wore it. One evening, Edgar spotted it around the neck of Miss Polly's negro doorman. The only time Edgar summoned up courage to explain himself, Rhett interrupted before he'd finished three sentences -- "Not now, Edgar" -- and left the room.

Rhett Butler was never cruel to Edgar -- not as Henry Kershaw and Andrew Ravanel could be cruel -- but Rhett's indifference was worse than cruelty. Was that Rhett's secret? Might Rhett's indifference be his power?

When Rhett Butler was expelled from West Point (and no Charlestonian would have been surprised had young Butler put a bullet in his head), Only Edgar Puryear had greeted him at the dock. "Damn, it's good to see you, Rhett. Been too long! Come along with me. Polly's got a new girl with the most amazing appetites...."

Rhett had smiled the half smile Edgar hated and said, "Not now, Edgar," and walked into town.

Coal scuttle in hand, the Chapeau Rouge's housemaid hesitated in the parlor doorway. "Ah, come in, child."

"Sorry, sir. I didn't know anyone -- "

"No matter. No matter. Do your work. Afraid I'll bite you?"

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"No, sir."

"I'd never bite anyone as pretty as you."

The girl blushed.

"Tell me, child, when is Captain Butler expected?"

"Don't know, sir."

When she knelt to scoop coals into the stove, her dress stretched across her back and every knob on her long spine was visible. When Minette brought the captain's brandy, she snapped, "Lisa! You are not to come into the parlor in the evening!"

The startled housemaid tipped her scuttle and coal skittered underneath Captain Puryear's wing chair. He opened his knees so she could reach between them.

"Clumsy child," Minette hissed. "Leave them. You can pick up after the captain departs."

"Minny, do you think Lisa might care for me?"

"Lisa is a child, Captain," Minette said coolly. "She does not entertain callers."

When MacBeth came in, clutching a strange boy's arm, Lisa took the chance to flee.

MacBeth told Minette, "Boy says he's Miss Belle's sprout."

Brown hair combed to the side; the boy's narrow face was older than his years. Minette compared him with the daguerreotype enshrined on Madame's dressing table. "But

mon petit,

you are with the Good Fathers! You are in New Orleans!"

Taz spread his hands as if he had no idea how he found himself in Atlanta. He smiled a charming smile.

"Says he's Miz Belle's," MacBeth repeated.

Edgar Puryear's attention fixed on Taz. "Boy, who are you? How are you called?"

"I am Tazewell Watling, sir."

"Watling, by God! And you were born?"

"In New Orleans, sir."

"Not where!

When?

Why should I care

where

you were born? Let me calculate. Twelve -- no, it'd be thirteen years ago!"

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"I have thirteen years, yes, sir."

"Captain,

cher.

There will be time for questions later, no? The boy has come to see his dear Mama."

Captain Puryear stood and studied Taz like a buyer inspecting a colt. "Yes, there is a resemblance, a definite resemblance -- those ears, that nose!" He toasted the boy. "Tazewell Watling! By God, you're Rhett Butler's bastard!" He drained his brandy and set the glass on the mantel.

"You are mistaken, sir. Captain Butler is my guardian."

"Why, of course he is. No doubt about that. He's whatever the old tomcat says he is."

The mantel clock ticked; the fire hissed in the parlor stove.

Taz had traveled far and he was tired. "I will inform Captain Butler of your interest in my parentage, sir."

Captain Puryear's eyes went flat. "We'll discuss this another time, boy. Minny, you can bring me another brandy? The French brandy this time, eh,

chere?"

Minette hustled Taz down the hall into what had been a family dining room but was now Belle Watling's boudoir, the sanctuary of an uneducated woman with money. Dark silk moiré drapes covered the windows and muffled the street noises. Her lamp globes were painted with plump, garish flowers. Belle's coverlet was rose brocade and numerous large and small fringed pillows were arranged at the head of her bed. Warm, perfumed air enveloped Taz. This overwhelming femininity made him uneasy.

His mother peered over her reading glasses. "Taz," she said, stunned, "But I was just writin' you!"

"Madam,

le bonfilsl"

Minette nudged the boy toward his mother.

Taz tried to forestall Belle's protest. "Please, Maman, I am so happy to be here. Can I stay with you?"

"But Taz ..."

"I crawled through the Federal lines, right past their sentries. One of 'em near stepped on me! If he had, I don't know what I'd have done! I hadn't brought any food and hadn't had anything to eat and, Maman, I was

hungry.

Anyway, then I met up with some drovers taking cattle to Montgomery and

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they gave me corn cakes to eat. When I got to the railroad, the provosts wouldn't let me on the train. The soldiers snuck me on."

Her son flew into Belle's arms. "Lord knows, I've missed you, darling boy."

Minette opened the liquor chest, muttering, " 'Minny'! 'Minny' he calls me! If Minette is good enough for the baptismal record, it is good enough for Captain Busy!"

Belle gently brushed her son's hair off his forehead. "Minette, not now, please."

"Eloise won't come downstairs when that man's in the house."

"Yes, Minette. Later, please."

"Captain, here is your

French

brandy!" Minette spat in the tumbler before she filled it and left.

Mother and son embraced and talked and embraced again. A little later, Lisa brought a tray with soup and bread. Taz ate at his mother's dressing table, among her pomades and potions. "Lisa is pretty, isn't she, Ma-man?" he said between bites.

"The poor child's husband's killed in the War. They had only one day together. Only one day! When she come to our doorstep, I took her in."

Belle laid comforters on the floor beside her bed, and after the boy fell asleep, Tazewell Watling's mother watched him for some time before she kissed him on the forehead and extinguished the lamp.

The next morning, when Taz returned from the necessary, smoke was rising from the kitchen chimney. Lisa jumped back from the stove she'd been feeding. "You scared me. Ain't used to no early risers."

"I don't need much sleep," Taz said. "In New Orleans, we don't sleep hardly at all."

She cocked an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Day or night. Something's always doing in New Orleans." He rubbed his nose. "Atlanta's so smoky. How do you stand it?"

"Ain't bad once you're used to it."

"Maman says you are a widow."

"My Billy's kilt."

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"I've never been married," Taz said.

"Course you ain't been married. You're just a baby."

Taz drew himself up. "In New Orleans, we say,

'L'heure coq cante, li bonpour marie!'

" He translated politely, " 'When the cock crows, he's ready to marry!'"

"You talk funny," she said. "Talk some more."

In French, Taz told Lisa she had pretty eyes. Lisa colored, for the French language cannot disguise sentiment. Taz added, "I suppose you heard I'm a bastard."

"I don't know I ever met a bastard."

"Well, now you've met one, what do you think?"

"I think I was cookin' oatmeal and might be you'd want some."

Later, Taz met the Cyprians: Eloise, who had the longest black hair he'd ever seen, and Helene, whose eyes were sleepy from laudanum.

MacBeth's knuckles were broken and flattened from fighting. MacBeth had been reared in Atlanta. "I'm a city nigger," MacBeth said. "I don't wear no kerchief. There's a hat on