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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
came home a little earlier than usual, and stood a moment looking round the oak
parlour, as though this strange new bliss of his changed even its familiar aspect.
By-and-bye, however, he began to identify, with a little thrill of pleasure, sundry of the
homely articles of furniture which might be associated with her presence. She had once
mirrored her pretty face in the great table — he laid his hand caressingly on it now;
yonder was the chair on which she had sat on the day he had first beheld her in all her
maidenly beauty —his father's chair —a throne for blessed memories! A throne too, for
no less blessed and tender hopes. At some not far distant day, perhaps, it might be that
coming home at such an hour as this, he would find her installed in it, busy with some
dainty piece of work; and going up softly he would bend over it, and she, leaning back,
would tilt up her exquisite face — he saw it all. Then, when they had talked together for
a little while, he would wheel it for her to the head of the table, where she would
preside, mistress of his house, queen of his heart. O, Rachel, Rachel!
He was standing, still lost in happy contemplation, when a light tap on the window-pane
made him start and look round. Lo! his Beloved stood without, even as he had stood on
that memorable evening which had been but now in his thoughts, gazing in upon him, as
once he had gazed at her. The ruddy afternoon sun which was firing those narrow panes
shed a glory round her watchful figure, lending even a transient glow to the curling
rings of her dark
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hair; her small face, bent eagerly forward, was lit up, too, with a smile half mischievous
and half tender, and her eyes were bright, but yet had a softness in them which he had
never seen before. Uttering a cry he hastened to the window; but at his approach she
made a little airy sign towards the house-door, and thereupon vanished. A moment later
he met her on the threshold.
“I scarce liked to knock," she explained. "Your servants might have been scandalised at
your receiving a visit from a lady. But in truth, Mr. Fleetwood, since you would not
come to ask how I did to-day, I thought I would pay you a little attention."
"Ah," said Simon with a long breath, "I did not dare to go to the Hall, but if you knew
how I have been longing!"