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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
The appealing look, the deprecating tone, banished Simon's resentment at once. He
gazed at her kindly, but without replying. Rachel dropped her eyes, and absently stroked
the railing. After a moment, she proceeded:—
"I don't know how it is — I always seem to say and do the wrong thing with you. I was
wrong about— about Bertha; I was wrong again about the ploughing, and now I have
been once more unkind and ill-mannered. Instead of jesting with you I should have
thanked you."
“I need no thanks," said Simon in a low voice. "I ask nothing but that you will bear my
words in mind."
“Well, I will promise to do that," said she reflectively; “but you must make me a
promise in return."
[211]
"And what is that?" he cried eagerly. "Oh, madam, I swear"
"You need not swear, Mr. Fleetwood. ‘Tis a very simple thing. Promise not to think too
lowly of me, for I fear my recent conduct must needs have caused me to fall in your
estimation. Do not deny it — your very manner betrays you."
She looked up suddenly, and found his eyes bent on her with an expression which
quickly made her drop her own again.
“I do not think the same of you," he said gently.
"I knew it — I knew you could not think so highly of me as before."
"I did not say I thought less highly of you, madam; I said I thought differently."
"Explain yourself, I beg."
Here Rachel drew herself up and gazed at him haughtily.
“At one time," said Simon, with a curious tender inflection in his voice, "I took you to
be an angel, Miss Charnock, and now I know you to be a woman."
His tone and manner restored Rachel's self-complacency. "Surely," she cried, with a
conscious little smile, "the meaning is one and the same. You will not be so ungallant as
to deny it."
"No," said Simon, "the meaning is very different."