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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
The years came and went, and in the quiet precincts of the Farm there seemed to be few
changes. Simon's mother grew more and more delicate, and the gentle tolerance with
which her husband had always regarded her foibles had recently given place to a more
active and demonstrative tenderness. He carried her up and down-stairs, and purchased
for her special use a low four-wheeled chaise with very easy springs. Aunt Binney was
scandalised at the introduction of such a vehicle. If her sister-in-law Fleetwood was too
fine to ride a pillion behind her husband, surely she might content herself with a gig.
But she did not venture to grumble in her brother's presence, nor even in Simon's. The
lad was growing like his father in more ways than one, and vied with him in chivalrous
devotion to the pretty, fretful creature who had honoured him by giving him birth. For
the rest the world jogged on much as it had always done. Squire Charnock lost his wife
shortly after Simon was "breeched," and speculation was rife as to whom he would
choose to replace her. It was universally declared, even before the poor lady had been
carried to her long home, that he must of necessity marry again. He was childless, and
had, moreover,
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quarrelled with his brother, the heir presumptive —if it was but to spite him, the
villagers agreed with much wagging of heads and pursing up of lips, he'd be bound to
look out for a new missus, and when one came to think of him so lonely like, and such a
fine man still, and so fond of company, why what else could he do?
But the Squire's second marriage took every one by surprise, after all, for what must he
do but pick up some foreign madam, "a Frenchy or some such mak’o' body," and bring
her home from some outlandish place where he had gone travelling, after his late wife
was laid under the sod. Nobody had ever appreciated the merits of the last-named lady
so much before. They had thought but poorly of her in her lifetime, and had found it
difficult to forgive her remissness in failing to provide Mr. Charnock with an heir; but
now by mutual accord she was canonised. The inhabitants of Charnleigh village felt
their Squire's choice to be a slur upon their native land. What was the use, as the
proprietor of the Charnock Arms inquired, what was the use of the country's having sent
out all them ships and men to make an end of France if their own Squire was to go and