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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
make an end — an end of the pain, of the shame, of the intolerable memories. One step,
one plunge — and all would be over.
But suddenly the stillness of the night was broken by a loud cry, and the cattle yonder
raised startled heads. "No!” cried the voice; and Simon's tall swaying figure flung itself,
not forwards into the still water, but backwards on the grassy bank, so that his miserable
eyes gazed upwards into the serene vault of heaven. Thus he lay, he scarcely knew how
long; but the temptation returned no more.
Yet when he rose at length, and began with stiffened limbs to drag himself homewards,
he seemed still to feel the touch of the little icy hands upon his breast, and there were
tears upon his face.
[302]
CHAPTER XXVIII.
He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging water? — Shakespeare
Great was the astonishment of the farm labourers when their master came among them
at the customary hour, paler than his wont, indeed, and sterner looking, but otherwise
appearing just as usual. Now these good fellows had, besides their natural amazement at
Simon's sudden reappearance, weighty reasons — reasons which Simon himself knew
not of— for being in a state of perplexity this beautiful morning. After some hesitation,
Bill, the usual spokesman, took courage to lay the difficulty before the yeoman.
"The arter grass yon at the Hall, Gaffer — we'n cut it, yo' know; and yesterday we was
agate o' turnin' it when the Squire sent word as we was to give ower."
"Well?" said Simon, in a dull, uninterested tone.
"Well, Gaffer," said Bill, with a puzzled laugh, staring hard the while with his keen little
blue eyes, " we thought bad o' lettin’ the good stuff go to waste; so I made bowd to say
as we'd hurry up an' get job done soon's we could."
"Well?" said Simon again.