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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
about the mouth and the sweet gracious eyes. Far more lines than were to be seen in the
face of Simon's invalid mother; and yet surely she was the elder of the two. Simon stood
in the lady's presence, and her eyes travelled slowly over his face and figure with a
certain curious regretful gaze which made the boy feel both shy and sad. When she at
length
[37]
broke silence, however, she gave no indication of her previous thoughts. She spoke
English well, but with a slight foreign accent that the boy thought rather pretty.
"You were very good to my little girl yesterday. I thank you for it with all my heart.
Some boys would not have been so kind to a little stranger."
Simon blushed fiery red and made no answer. "I suppose," she continued, "it is your
mother who has taught you to be so gentle?"
"No, madam,” returned Simon, "it is my father."
As she looked questioningly at him, her surprise being evident, the sound of a firm and
somewhat ponderous tread was heard descending the stairs and crossing the hall, and
Simon hastening to the door opened it. Mr. Fleetwood came in carrying, as was his
custom, his wife in his arms. He set her gently on the ground, and while she made her
apologies and explanations to the visitor, he and Simon wheeled forward the couch and
arranged the cushions.
"I think you ought to lie down, my dear," he said, addressing his wife, who had
remained standing. "I am sure you will excuse her, ma'am," he explained, turning to
Mrs. Charnock. “My wife is not in good health, and she is very subject to a kind of
giddiness when she first comes down of a morning."
The Squire's lady having added her entreaties to his, Mrs. Fleetwood was induced to lie
down, and submitted, with the languid pleasure with which an invalid usually accepts
such attention in the presence of an interested onlooker, to the comfortable adjustment
of her cushions and the covering of her feet with a shawl. Simon, who had assisted in
carrying out these arrangements, now obeyed a signal to withdraw, and father and son
respectfully took their leave of their guest.
Mrs. Fleetwood had closed her eyes for a moment—