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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
bring a French madam into the midst of them? In the chorus of disapproval which
greeted the announcement of the match one voice was missing: Mr. Fleetwood stoutly
maintained that the Squire was right to marry the woman he fancied. He maintained it
so loudly and perseveringly, and with such emphatic raps on the table, that by-and-bye
the matter was no longer discussed in his presence. Behind his back people nodded and
winked at each other, and whispered that he'd be like to stand up for the Squire's choice
seeing that he had not made a very wise one himself.
The Charnleigh folk forgot their dissatisfaction, however,
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when they heard that there were to be "such doin's as never was" in honour of the newcomer.
The Squire wished her to receive a hearty English welcome, it was understood,
and when rumours of tenants’ dinners, and a dance in the barn, and other festivities of
an equally hospitable description flew about, all were magnanimously prepared to do
honour to the bride.
"After all, poor soul," old Betty Barnes remarked when she received the bedgown and
petticoat presented in honour of the occasion to each widow in the village, "after all,
poor soul,” ‘t warn't none o' her fault that she was born a Frenchy, no more nor 't would
ha' been if she'd ha’ been born wi'out no legs nor that."
The sentiment was felt to be just, and was repeated many times as the day appointed for
the home-coming of bride and bridegroom drew near.
Mrs. Fleetwood expressed a wish to see the arrival, and her husband drove her in the
chaise to the lodge gates of Chamleigh Hall, where they took up their position in close
proximity to the triumphal arch. Simon rode alongside of the chaise on his pony. Mr.
Fleetwood could not properly mix with Mr. Charnock's tenants, the farm being a
freehold and he himself in every way independent of the Squire, while his social status
did not admit of the well-appointed chaise following the more antiquated vehicles of the
neighbouring gentry which passed rapidly under the archway, and took up their position
in front of the Hall. Mrs. Fleetwood was disposed to complain a little of this enforced
isolation, to which, however, as she added with a sigh, she was but too well
accustomed.