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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
"We are neither fish, flesh, nor fowl," she murmured. “The people with whom I should
by right associate have past me off; while as for your friends—" "My friends are not
good enough for you, are they,
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my dear?" put in the yeoman finishing the sentence. “Never mind: I think we do very
well as we are. We shall have a splendid view here. Good-day, Mr. Billington," as the
bailiff rode up, full of excitement.
"Good-day to you, Mr. Fleetwood. I've come to ask a favour o' ye. Will ye let yon fine
lad o' yours present the address? Ye see, 'tis this way: My little wench there will hand
up a nosegay, while the school childer's singin' their welcome, an' hoo's a bit timid like,
an' hoo dunnot like the notion o' goin' up by hersel'. Hoo isn't one o' the school childer,
ye know, an' I don't reckon to let ony o' them go up along of her. I reckon to read the
address mysel' a bit later on, but I jest bethought me as your lad 'ud be the very chap to
go up with it. Eh! 't ‘ull be a pratty seet — the lad an' the lass goin' up, one a side o'
t'other, an' him such a gradely little chap."
"To be sure, to be sure," cried the father, much flattered. "Simon'll be proud to go, won't
you, Simon? You must hold up your head, you know, and look the lady in the face."
"Yigh, he'll larn to do that quick enough, I'll engage, afore aught's long," laughed the
bailiff. "I am very thankful to ye, Mr. Fleetwood. Coom wi’ me, my lad, an’ I'll show
you where to stand."
Simon jumped down from his pony and handed the reins to his father, who was
subjected to a somewhat severe reprimand from Mrs. Fleetwood for having made so
little of the boy.
"I don't see why my son should be chosen as a match for the bailiff’s child — he might
be any common lad."
"My dear, he has been chosen because he is my son," returned her husband, with the
quiet firmness which he so rarely adopted, and which invariably caused Mrs,
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Fleetwood to subside. "I am proud and glad to show this mark of respect to the Squire."