@@@@@Uncle Henry had been rightThere was a panic,
@@@@@Uncle Henry had been rightThere was a panic, and
rightly soThe world of business was in desperate turmoil, even
collapseThe stock market in New York had been closed for ten days
after the day the reporters were calling "Black Friday," when stock
prices plunged downward because everyone was selling and no one
was
buyingIn major American cities banks were closing because their
customers wanted their money, and their money was gone-invested by
the
banks in "safe" stocks that had become nearly worthlessFactories in
industrial areas were closing at the rate of almost one every day,
leaving thousands of workers without work and without moneyHenry
said it couldn't happen in Atlanta, Scarlett told herself again and
againBut she had to restrain her impulse to go to the bank and bring
home her lock box of goldIf Rhett hadn't bought bank shares, she
would have done itShe thought about the errand she'd planned for
the
afternoon, wished fervently that the idea had never crossed her mind,
decided that it had to be doneEven though the country was in a
panicEven more so, in factMaybe she should have a tiny glass of
brandy to settle her churning stomachThe decanter was right there
on
the sideboardIt would keep her nerves from jumping half out of her
skin, too
No-it could be smelt on her breath, even if she ate parsley or mint
leaves afterwardsShe took a deep breath and got up from the table
"Run out to the carriage house and tell Elias I'm going out," she told
the maid who came in response to the bellThere was no answer to
her
ring at Aunt Pittypat's front doorScarlett was sure she saw one of
the lace curtains twitch at a parlor window
She twisted the bell againThere was the sound of the bell in the
hall beyond the door, and a muffled sound of movementScarlett
rang
againAll was silence when the ringing fadedShe waited for a count
of twen