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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
forbid you to dance the waltz with that fellow.' ‘Why, then,' said I, ‘just to prove to you.
Master Humphrey, that you have no right to forbid me anything, I will promise to dance
it with him at the very first opportunity.' He walked off, looking like a thunder-cloud.
Sir Walter took me in to supper, and once more eagerly pressed the point, urging me to
dance the first waltz with him at the ball at Devonshire House. This, being mindful of
my cousin and anxious to triumph over him, I accordingly promised to do, and
thereupon Sir Walter, who looked flushed and excited, drew a note-book from his
pocket: ‘We know,' quoth he, ‘that ladies are privileged
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to change their minds, and I would not have you change yours. Let me petition for one
more proof of condescension, Miss Charnock. You will earn my undying gratitude if
you will give me your promise in writing'"
“But you did not?" interrupted Simon, bending forward eagerly.
"Indeed, I did,” returned Rachel ruefully, "and I have never ceased to repent it; for only
think, Mr. Fleetwood! That wretch, Sir Walter, has made me the subject of a wager.
Yes, truly; it is the talk of the clubs, Humphrey says — so far from my triumphing over
him, it is he who crows angrily over my humiliation and defeat. The bet has been
registered on both sides — no less a person than Mr. Brummel has taken it up; for you
must know that he himself once did me the honour of proposing to be my partner in this
dance, and such is his conceit that he cannot bring himself to believe I could grant a
favour to another which was denied to him. The stakes are very high, and it seems to me
that, whichever way the matter ends, I shall find myself equally notorious. And that is
not all"
She paused abruptly, averting her face, but Simon saw the colour rush over cheek and
neck, dying even the little ear with crimson.
“In my endeavours to make matters better I have unfortunately made them worse. You
see I thought to cajole Sir Walter into returning me this dangerous bit of paper. I made
myself most agreeable to him whenever we met; I received him each time that he called
at my aunt's house; and the result is that, though he will not let me off my promise, his
flame, as he calls it, has become most inconveniently ardent."