经典英文绘本

飘|Gone with the Wind


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原著作者|玛格丽特·米切尔
  • In the spring of 1861 at Tara plantation in Georgia the American South camellias were in full bloom
  • Seventeen year old Scarlett stood on the porch with her gray green eyes as cunning as a cat
  • Her waist measured only seventeen inches she was the slimmest girl in the county
  • Her father Ocrsley was an upstart who had won the plantation through gambling
  • Her mother Ellen was of French noble descent every movement elegant
  • Scarlett believed she should be the center of every ball every man in the world should fall at her feet
  • Then came the day of the Twelve Oaks barbecue
  • Scarlett dressed carefully she was going to confess her love to Ashley
  • Ashley had golden hair and blue eyes the most gentle and graceful gentleman in the county
  • He accepted Scarlett's embrace in the hallway but when he spoke he said I will marry Melanie
  • Scarlett could not believe her ears
  • She dragged Ashley into the study demanding why he did not love her
  • Ashley said I am attracted by your vitality but I love Melanie
  • Scarlett grabbed a vase in anger and threw it at the wall
  • At that moment a laugh came from behind the sofa
  • Rhett Butler stepped out of the shadows a rogue expelled from West Point
  • He had witnessed the entire confession thinking this girl was fascinating
  • At least she was not hypocritical
  • Before the party ended cannons thundered war between North and South had begun
  • Men were wild with excitement to join the army only Rhett sneered the South will lose
  • Two months later Scarlett married Charles Melanie's brother
  • Newlyweds Charles went to war and died
  • Seventeen year old Scarlett became a widow
  • She moved to Atlanta to live with Melanie
  • At a charity ball for the army Scarlett met Rhett again
  • Rhett bid one hundred and fifty dollars to dance with her
  • According to custom a widow could not dance
  • Scarlett hesitated a second then reached out her hand to Rhett
  • She twirled in the dance floor her skirts flying up
  • In that moment she declared war on the entire old world
  • The flames drew closer Atlanta was surrounded by Union troops
  • Melanie was about to give birth all doctors were taken to care for the wounded
  • Scarlett was terrified she wanted to return to Tara to find her mother
  • But she could not abandon Melanie
  • The girl who once complained that a handkerchief was too heavy mustered courage to deliver Melanie's baby
  • A baby's cry pierced the night sky
  • Scarlett got a broken carriage from Rhett and fled through the burning city
  • Halfway Rhett decided to join the army
  • He left Scarlett alone on the road
  • Scarlett braved the artillery fire to rush back to Tara what awaited her was hell on earth
  • Her mother had just died of typhoid
  • Her father had gone insane from grief
  • Her two sisters were sick in bed
  • Only three old servants remained all the slaves had run away
  • The once wealthy plantation had been looted clean not a grain of food left
  • Scarlett looked at the ruins Irish blood ran through her veins
  • She took off her velvet dress put on coarse homespun
  • At nineteen she became the sole pillar of the family
  • She picked cotton grew vegetables milked cows
  • A Yankee deserter broke into the house to steal
  • Scarlett grabbed a gun shot him dead
  • She calmly looted the body for money
  • That delicate Southern belle was dead
  • What survived was a tough woman who would do anything to survive
  • The war ended the South lost
  • The old social order collapsed the rich became poor
  • Tara faced massive taxes unable to pay the plantation would be auctioned
  • Scarlett went to find Rhett in prison but Rhett was also locked up
  • On the road she met Frank her sister's fiancé
  • Frank had just opened a store he had some money
  • Scarlett without hesitation launched her plan B
  • She lied that her sister had lost interest then used her charm to steal Frank away
  • She traded marriage for money paid the taxes saved Tara
  • After marrying Frank Scarlett started doing business
  • She found the lumber business profitable
  • She hired convict labor to cut costs did business with Yankees
  • She drove her carriage through dangerous slums alone
  • All of Atlanta high society despised her
  • A woman doing business in that era was scandalous
  • But Scarlett knew clearly the old world was dead
  • To survive she must adapt to this new world
  • And Ashley the man she loved had become completely useless after the war
  • Except for reading poetry and reminiscing he could do nothing
  • Scarlett often wondered what had she loved all her life
  • Then tragedy struck
  • Scarlett was attacked while driving through a black neighborhood alone
  • Frank joined a cleanup gang to avenge her and was killed
  • Scarlett became a widow for the third time
  • Then Rhett finally appeared
  • He had made a fortune from the war he proposed to Scarlett
  • He said we are the same kind of people cold greedy and ruthless
  • Only I see your true self and still love you
  • Scarlett accepted his proposal
  • Their marriage was luxurious and sweet
  • Rhett bought Scarlett a big house and the most expensive jewelry
  • Their daughter Bonnie was born
  • Rhett began doing charity to help Bonnie enter high society
  • He started pleasing the old aristocrats he had once despised
  • But in Scarlett's heart Ashley always lived

...more
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经典英文绘本By 多吉绘本屋