but it was not a pleasant laugh

“If it costs me a husband, I’ll tell the truth,” she thought grimly, her blood up as always when he baited her. 　“Rhett, it would be a lie, and why should we go through all that foolishness? I’m fond of you, like I said. You know how it is. You told me once that you didn’t love me but that we had a lot in common. Both rascals, was the way you—” 　“Oh, God!” be whispered rapidly, turning his head away. “To be taken in my own trap!” 　“What did you say?” 　“Nothing,” and he looked at her and laughed, but it was not a pleasant laugh; “Name the day, my dear,” and he laughed again and bent and kissed her hands. She was relieved to see his mood pass and good humor apparently return, so she smiled too. 　He played with her hand for a moment and grinned up at her. 　“Did you ever in your novel reading come across the old situation of the disinterested wife falling in love with her own husband?” 　“You know I don’t read novels,” she said and, trying to equal his jesting mood, went on: “Besides, you once said it was the height of bad form for husbands and wives to love each other.” 　“I once said too God damn many things,” he retorted abruptly and rose to his feet. 　“Don’t swear.” 　“You’ll have to get used to it and learn to swear too. You’ll have to get used to all my bad habits. That’ll be part of the price of being—fond of me and getting your pretty paws on my money.” 　“Well, don’t fly off the handle so, because I didn’t lie and make you feel conceited. You aren’t in love with me, are you? Why should I be in love with you?” 　“No, my dear, I’m not in love with you, no more than you are with me, and if I were, you would be the last person I’d ever tell. God help the man who ever really loves you. You’d break his heart, my darling, cruel, destructive little cat who is so careless and confident she doesn’t even trouble to sheathe her claws.” 　He jerked her to her feet and kissed her again, but this time his lips were different for he seemed not to care if he hurt her—seemed to want to hurt her, to insult her. His lips slid down to her throat and finally he pressed them against the taffeta over her breast, so hard and so long that his breath burnt to her skin. Her hands struggled up, pushing him away in outraged modesty. 　“You mustn’t! How dare you!”