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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
and since they are not open to me, I have resolved, if possible, to make them. I came
here to-day to propose to relieve the Squire from certain of his pressing difficulties, on
condition of his consenting to receive me as a suitor for his daughter's hand."
"Did you ever hear such impertinence?" cried the Squire. “Such audacity! What does
the fellow take me for?"
The lady crossed the room slowly, her silken draperies trailing as she walked, until she
stood close to Simon.
"I did not think," she said reproachfully, "that you would stoop to this. I am surprised —
disappointed."
"I wonder, madam," said Simon, gazing at her unflinchingly but speaking in a low
voice, "that you should be surprised. I have your promise and I hold you to it."
"Ah!" she cried under her breath, and throwing up her hands in protest, "you should not
take advantage of me thus — you should be too honourable, too manly. I spoke wildly
in my anguish and fear; you should take account of the circumstances."
"I do take account of them," he returned. "When should a woman speak her mind if not
in what she thinks to be her dying hour? When you deemed you had but a few moments
to live, you gave your daughter into my care. The danger is past, but I have not for that
become unworthy of the trust; I have taken it up and will hold to it."
"What's all this? What are you muttering there?" cried the Squire. "Does he think I will
allow the wooing of our child to be a matter of sale or barter?"
"Husband," said Madam Charnock, suffering her hands to drop by her side, "I fear me
he knows that her name has been trafficked with already, and with one far less
deserving. But Simon,” she added, again turning
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reproachfully towards him, “I did not think that you would follow the same course."
"Madam," said Simon firmly, “I come to Rachel's parents in the same mood as that in
which Jacob of old entered into bondage with Laban. I will serve her father for seven
years and more, if he will but agree not to give her to me, for I would have her come to
me of her own free will — but to give me access to her. I will work for her. I do not
doubt but that in time my faithful service and my great love must win her.”