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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
injustice, I related to her all the story from the beginning, not concealing my share in it.
I tried to make her see how little you thought to wrong her in striving thus to earn the
right to woo her. I told her how you had offered to work for her as Jacob did of old for
his beloved; and she cried out with a scornful smile that indeed you were well fitted to
play the part of Jacob, since no man understood better how to act a lie."
"Tell me no more," cried Simon, throwing out his hand suddenly.
"Nay, indeed; I should not speak to you of what must be so painful. It is painful to me,
too, believe me. I did not understand — I could not guess — oh, how will it all end?
Simon, Simon, she must come back to you. She is your wife, and it is wrong for her to
have forsaken you. Besides, her position is so anomalous — so dangerous! She is
leaving her aunt’s house now, you must
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know; my sister-in-law naturally resents Rachel's usage of her son. Of a truth, she flouts
him, though I cannot agree with Mrs. Charnock when she says that Rachel led on
Humphrey, and now plays him false. It were better to own the marriage, but yet I almost
fear to cross Rachel in this mood. And then her father -his health is broken, and I dread
a further shock for him. And the scandal of it all! Oh, Simon, had you but reasoned with
her, held back — but I will not reproach you, we must just think what is to be done
now."
"Nothing can be done,” said he. "Do not try to persuade her, madam; if she comes back
to me she must come of her own accord. She is leaving her aunt's house, you say.
Whither, then, is she going?"
"She intends to sojourn at Tunbridge for awhile with a friend of hers — Lady Susan
Harding. Later on they proceed to Brighton. I know nothing of this Lady Susan, save
that she was a friend of the late Duchess of Devonshire, and the Prince of Wales, I
believe, frequents her house. The company, indeed, which she receives belongs
exclusively to his set. I dislike the project, Simon; but Rachel is headstrong — I fear her
taking some desperate step, committing some irretrievable folly if I endeavour to coerce
her. Would that I could watch over her myself — but, alas, my husband needs me."