The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
"What I say," replied Simon, rising too and gazing at him unflinchingly. "I demand the
same advantages agreed upon in my cousin's case — all the advantages — yet not quite
all,” he added, dropping his voice, “for I
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would have no undue favour shown to me, I would not have the slighest pressure put
upon your daughter”
"How dare you, sir!” cried Mr. Charnock fiercely.
"How dare you, Farmer Fleetwood, bring my daughter's name into this business? How
dare you so much as lift your eyes to her?"
"Sir, I dare what my cousin has dared before me— without presumption, I may say it —
less worthy than I. I take this opportunity because it is the only way that is opened to
me. Hereditary prejudices cut me off from her: I seize any and every chance which can
bring me to her level."
"You cur," growled the Squire, "the base advantage you would take of my straits does
not make you the more a gentleman. Do you think I would sell my daughter to a
common farmer?”
"What is this?" cried a voice from the door, and at that moment Madam Charnock
entered, her dark eyes blazing, her face pale. "What is this, Mr. Charnock? What do I
hear you say? Simon what have you come for?"
“Madam," said Simon, "my love for your daughter has been no secret to you, you know
how I have striven against it, and with what ill-success. Of late I resolved to strive no
more — for I think that such a love must come from God; but, situated as I am, how can
it be other than hopeless if I do not take decided steps to remove the barriers between
us? I want to meet her on equal terms, to be allowed to approach her, to take my chance
of advancing in her favour — such a chance as would be given to any other man, but
which has hitherto been denied to me because I am a yeoman. Now, madam, my father
was a yeoman too, but my mother was a happy wife. I want, as I say, the same
opportunities that would be given to any other man,
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