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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
"You wish to speak to me, madam?"
"Yes, sir," she answered a little tremulously; “I would fain exchange a word or two with
you."
She paused, gazing once more appealingly at Simon with her anxious eyes. Very
beautiful eyes they were: brown and soft, yet full of light — eyes so celebrated in their
time that the art of the famous miniature painter Cosway was enlisted in the portrayal of
one of them. Their gaze was troubled now, and her whole face clouded, but when she
spoke her sympathy seemed all for Simon.
“I am sorry to perceive, sir, that you are in distress. I infer that you are new to this place;
but I have been an interested observer of your meeting with a young lady who is very
well known here. Is she also, may I ask, well known to you?"
Simon drew himself up a little stiffly, for he could scarce brook this fingering of his
wound, however light and sympathetic might be the touch.
[355]
Half unconsciously the lady clasped her hands.
“I entreat you to be frank with me: my only wish is to befriend you. Have you known
Miss Charnock long? Tell me truly. Has her conduct always been such as you, her
friend, approve of?"
"Madam," returned Simon with gathering indignation, "I have known her ever since she
was born. To me she is — she always will be — the first of women."
The lady's lip curled impatiently.
"You would hear a different story here," she cried quickly. “She is surrounded by such
companions as I scarce think her well-wishers would choose for her. She has, moreover,
made herself conspicuous in more ways than one. It is a pity," she continued, the
habitually soft eyes kindling and the colour rushing into the fair face, "it is a pity that
she should so misuse her gifts: her beauty — which is certainly above the common
order — and that precious boon of youth."
"In what way, madam?" inquired Simon sternly.
“Why, to entrap men's hearts: to lead them astray, to win them from their rightful
allegiance. Oh!" she cried passionately, "you to whom I am a stranger can know nothing