Цитаты из книги Gone with the wind

Like most girls, her imagination carried her as far as the altar and no further

But somehow, unbidden, she had a feeling of respect for Rhett Butler for refusing to marry a girl who was a fool

Then her courage flowed strongly back and the sun came out again and the landscape glowed anew

"Curb them but don't break their spirits", was Mrs. Tarleton's motto

There was no one to tell Scarlett that her own personality, frighteningly vital though it was, was more attractive than any masquerade she might adopt. Had she been told, she would have been pleased but unbelieving. And the civilization of which she was a part would have been unbelieving too, for at no time, before or since, had so low a premium been placed on feminine naturalness

And if bolder measures were necessary, she would take them. To-day was the day!

If she had used the wrong tactics with Ashley in the past-well, that was the past and done with. To-day she would use different ones, the right ones.

Any man who was fool enough to fall for a simper, a faint and an "Oh, how wonderful you are!" wasn't worth having. But they all seemed to like it

It was a simple plan, for, with Gerald's single-mindedness of purpose, her eyes were centered on the goal and she thought only the most direct steps by which to reach it

Her volatile spirits shot up from deepest depression to excited hapiness. Her vanity leaped to the aid of her desire to believe, making belief a certainty.

Ellen had taught her that at the end of each day it was her duty to examine her conscience throughly, to admit her numerous faults and pray to God for forgiveness and strength never to repeat them. But Scarlett was examining her heart

How could Pa talk on and on about Fort Sumter and the Yankees when he knew her heart was breaking?

Scarlett wanted very much to be like her mother. The only difficulty was that by being just and truthful and tender and unselfish, one missed most of the joys in life, and certainly many beaux. And life was too short to miss such pleasant things

It was not that these two loving mentors deplored Scarlett's high spirits, vivacity and charm. These were traits of which Southern women were proud. It was Gerald's headstrong and impetuous nature in her that gave them concern, and they sometimes feared they would not be able to conceal her damaging qualities until she had made a good match

At sixteen, thanks to Mammy and Ellen, she looked sweet, charming and giddy, but she was, in reality, self-willed, vain and obstinate. She had the easily stirred passions of her Irish father and nothing except the thinnest veneer of her mother's unselfish and forbearing nature

Between them, they taught her all that a gentlewoman should know, but she learned only the outward sings of gentility. The inner grace from which these signs should spring, she never learned nor did she see any reason for learning it. Appearances were enough, for the appearances of ladyhood won her popularity and that was all she wanted.

But Scarlett, child of Gerald, found the road to ladyhood hard

Most of all she learned how to conceal from men a sharp intelligence beneath a face as sweet and bland as baby's

He knew what he wanted, and when Gerald wanted something he gained it by taking the most direct route. Moreover, such was his faith in his destiny and four deuces that he never for a moment wondered just how the money would be paid back should a higher hand be laid down across the table

It doesn't matter who you marry, as long as he thinks like you and is a gentleman and a Southerner and prideful. For a woman, love comes after marriage