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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
anything but pleasant; he could not be brought to admit the justice of the yeoman's
claim, but durst not, for very shame's sake, dismiss it altogether. He snarled at his wife,
and glared at Rachel, seldom speaking to her unless to gibe at her low-born lover.
“Papa is really very disagreeable," she said to Simon one day. "I wish he would go away
from home for a little — he is quite unbearable now. I am not so fond of my father as I
was,” she added with a laugh.
Simon and she were walking up and down in the sunny garden at Charnleigh Hall,
sheltered from curious eyes by the tall yew hedge that was its owner's special pride. As
she spoke she thrust out her hand towards one of the stately hollyhocks which stood
primly in a row on the other side of the path, and, drawing it towards her, began idly to
pick off the rosette-like blooms. As Simon did not speak, she glanced mischievously at
him over her shoulder, and suddenly tossed one of these blooms right into his face.
“There, Mr. Sage, that is to make you laugh. I felt your disapproving glance right at the
back of my head; but you see there is no use in my pretending —I do not feel
particularly fond of my father at present; and as for you, my poor Simon, I am sure you
have no cause to love him. He knows very well he will have to consent in the end,
therefore why need he keep us on the rack?"
All this while she had been toying absently with the
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flowers, placing one in her bosom, coaxing another, with divers petulant little pats, to
remain in her dark locks just above her ear. Simon could not repress a smile at the
contrast between her words and her actual employment.
“Is it not a very pleasant rack, love?" he said, drawing her gently to him. "For my part, I
can well endure it."
“Upon my word you take the matter coolly," retorted she, twisting herself away from
him. "I thought it was the proper thing for a lover to be distraught until the day, at least,
was fixed. I own I cannot be quite happy until I feel that no one has the power to part
us."
“Who can part us since you are willing to give yourself to me?" said Simon. "We must
be patient for a little while, and then all will go well: when two love each other as we