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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
"Mr. Fleetwood," she said in a low voice, "I do not deserve that you should pay so much
attention to my whims. I have been ungrateful and unmannerly, but I — I am truly sorry
now. Indeed, I should be more gracious when you try so hard to please me."
"Oh!" cried Simon, with sudden vehemence, “if I could make you realise how earnest is
my desire to please you — how I long to be of real service to you! Could I but convey
to you how intense is my yearning to help you, to work for you! Alas, how vague and
empty sound the words! Yet I would have you believe, Miss Charnock, that they are not
spoken idly, but with most earnest truth. If — if, at any time you should have need of
service, however difficult or dangerous, promise me that you will call upon me."
The girl's breath was fairly taken away. How different was the ring of Simon's speech
from the protests of Gifford and her cousin Humphrey, though couched in nearly the
same words: for the first time in her life she was brought face to face with a true man's
passion. Her instinctive recognition of it frightened her, and, in girlish fashion, she
sought to disguise her real emotion under the semblance of lightness.
"Why, Mr. Fleetwood," she cried in rather tremulous tones, and turning away from him
a little, “how vehement
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you are! You have given me sufficient proof of devotion now, by investing in cattle
without any horns, and railing off their pasture so that I need not see more of them than
I wish. But if, at any future time, I should find myself — let me see — in a giant's den,
or about to be devoured by a dragon, I will certainly promise to call upon you."
The light died out of Simon's eyes, and, after a short pause, he coldly expressed
satisfaction at Miss Charnock's approval of his recent purchase, and intimated that he
would now trespass on her time no longer.
"I will escort you as far as the stile," he added, with a somewhat constrained smile, "lest
any of these dangerous animals should pursue you."
Rachel made no remark, and walked sedately by his side until they reached the stile;
pausing there, however, and leaning against the topmost railing, she raised her eyes
hesitatingly to his face.
"Mr. Fleetwood," she said diffidently, "you must think me very perverse."