Not w'ile Ah got breaf in mah body."
"Oh, yes, I am.
Look in my purse and get that five-dollar gold piece out and go to town.
And--er, Mammy, while you are downtown, you might get me a--a pot of rouge."
"Whut dat?" asked Mammy suspiciously.
Scarlett met her eyes with a coldness she was far from feeling.
There was never any way of knowing just how far Mammy could be bullied.
"Never you mind.
Just ask for it."
"Ah ain' buyin nuthin' dat Ah doan know whut 'tis."
"Well, it's paint, if you're so curious!
Face paint.
Don't stand there and swell up like a toad.
Go on."
"Paint!" ejaculated Mammy.
"Face paint!
Well, you ain' so big dat Ah kain whup you!
Ah ain' never been so scan'lized!
You is los' yo' mine!
Miss Ellen be tuhnin' in her grabe dis minute!
Paintin' yo face lak a--"
"You know very well Grandma Robillard painted her face and--"
"Yas'm, an' wo' only one petticoat an' it wrang out wid water ter mek it stick an' show de shape of her laigs, but dat ain' sayin' you is gwine do sumpin' lak dat!
Times wuz scan'lous w'en Ole Miss wuz young but times changes, dey do an'--"
"Name of God!" cried Scarlett, losing her temper and throwing back the covers. "You can go straight back to Tara!"
"You kain sen' me ter Tara ness Ah wants ter go.
Ah is free," said Mammy heatedly.
"An' Ah is gwine ter stay right hyah.
Git back in dat baid.
Does you want ter ketch pneumony jes' now?
Put down dem stays!
Put dem down, honey.
Now, Miss Scarlett, you ain' gwine nowhars in dis wedder.
Lawd God!
But you sho look lak yo' pa!
Git back in baid--Ah kain go buyin' no paint!
Ah die of shame, eve'ybody knowin 'it wud fer mah chile!
Miss Scarlett, you is so sweet an' pretty lookin' you doan need no paint.
Honey, doan nobody but bad womens use dat stuff."
"Well, they get results, don't they?"
"Jesus, hear her!
Lamb, doan say bad things lak dat!
Put down dem wet stockin's, honey.
Ah kain have you buy dat stuff yo'seff.
Miss Ellen would hant me.
Git back in baid.
Ah'll go.
Maybe Ah fine me a sto' whar dey doan know us."
That night at Mrs. Elsing's, when Fanny had been duly married and old Levi and the other musicians were tuning up for the dance, Scarlett looked about her with gladness.
It was so exciting to be actually at a party again.