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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
CHAPTER XXX.
For she had eyes and chose me: no, lago,
I'll see, before I doubt, when I doubt, prove.
Her name that was as fresh
As Dian’s visage is now begrim'd and black. — Shakespeare.
That very morning the yeoman set forth, posting first to London, and reaching Brighton
on the evening of the following day. He was then travelling by coach, and though the
distance from the capital to Brighton was short in comparison with that traversed the
day before, the halts were so frequent and the delays so tedious that it took nearly a
dozen hours to cover the fifty miles between Blossom's Inn, whence the coach started,
and his destination.
Oh, what a weary journey was that, and how Simon fretted and fumed over the
stoppages. The morning was raw and chilly, and the other outside passengers sipped
appreciatively at the elderberry wine which was served to them, steaming, at the
Tangier, Banstead Downs. Then the interminable lunch at Reigate, where some of the
travellers, bitten with an irritating desire for knowledge, insisted on inspecting the
Baron's Cave; succeeded all too soon by a halt of two hours for dinner at Staplefield
Common. Other delays occurred at Hancross and Patcham, and the journey was further
impeded by the necessity of walking up the hills, the coach proceeding at a snail's pace,
and the passengers being called on ever and anon to assist its progress by pushing at the
wheels.
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At last, at last Brighton! And now Simon's feverish impatience gave way to a sense of
profound depression. He had reached the goal indeed, he was near enough to his wife to
protect her in case of need; yet how could he obtain access to her since he was even
ignorant of her address. This, however, he could soon put himself in possession of; and
so having removed the dust and stain of travel, he sallied out, late as it was, and after
some inquiries, was directed to Lady Susan Harding's house.