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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
[284]
head and glanced at Simon with proud confidence. He had been hitherto quite passive,
but now came a step nearer to her, his face composed, his glance steady.
“I can better explain the business," said Humphrey, once more endeavouring to regain
his composure, "if I first relate to you a little matter in which Edward Gifford was
concerned. My uncle happened to be in very great straits for money at the time when
Edward Gifford was paying court to you, and knowing that he was a rich man proposed
to borrow from him a large sum — fifteen thousand pounds, I think. To this Gifford
agreed on condition that your father promised to favour his suit,"
“A nice compact, truly!" cried Rachel, with flaming cheeks. "So it was Gifford who
made it? I am sorry, Simon, that you should be disgraced by such a cousin, but indeed I
have no right to condemn him since my own father could stoop to such baseness."
"Wait a bit!" said Humphrey; "the plot thickens as it progresses. Your noble
disinterested lover, Mr. Simon Fleetwood, gets wind of the affair; in some inexplicable
way he drives Gifford from the field"
“Ah, my brave Simon," cried Rachel, with sparkling eyes, “that was like you! Though
my own flesh and blood was faithless to me, you protected me." And as she spoke she
stretched out her slender gloved hand, the hand whereon the wedding-ring lay snugly
concealed, and passed it through his arm.
“Oh yes, he protected you," sneered Charnock; "you shall hear how he protected you.
Good Farmer Fleetwood is a sound man of business, and it seemed to him that the
bargain which he forced his cousin to drop might profitably be taken up by himself.
Now be quiet, Rachel" —as she was about to break out impetuously— “let me finish
my story, and then say what you like.
[285]
This would-be speculator comes to my uncle. 'You are in need,’ says he; ‘you don't
know where to turn for fifteen thousand pounds.' ' I am at my wits' end,’ says my uncle.
‘I’ll lend the money to you, says your valiant, noble, high-minded lover, on the same
terms as those agreed to by my cousin Gifford.'"