CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
جميع
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.إذا
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
الموت
deathbybeingtheonlyالرجل
manintheCranfordeveningparties,أو
orheisaccountedforbybeingمع
withhisregiment,hisship,أو
orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialمدينة
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,
مهما
whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldtheydo
إذا
iftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
لكن
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithout
على
aweedtospeckthem;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowers
خلال
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeese
التي
thatoccasionallyventureintothegardensإذا
ifthegatesareleftمفتوحة
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureandpolitics
دون
withouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsأو
orarguments;forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
الفقراء
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
جميع
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
كل
eachhasherownindividuality,nottoأقول
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,شيء
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladieshave
سوى
onlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;فقط
justenoughtopreventtheحتى
eventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingجدا
tooflat.Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
كيفية
howwedresshereatCranford,حيث
whereeverybodyknowsus?”Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignify
كيفية
howwedresshere,whereأحد
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,
جيدة
goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasالآنسة
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerfor
ذلك
it,thelastgigot,theآخر
lasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenدون
withoutasmile.Icantestifytoamagnificent
عائلية
familyredsilkumbrella,underالتي
whichagentlelittlespinster,leftوحدها
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,تستخدم
usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.لديك
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehadatraditionofthe
أول
firstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;و
andthelittleboysmobbedit,و
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmight
يكون
havebeentheveryredsilkoneIيكون
havedescribed,heldbyastrongوالد
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Then
هناك
therewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthe
البلدة
town,withallthesolemnitywithالتي
whichtheoldManxlawswereتقرأ
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquire
كيف
howyouareafteryourjourneyالليلة
to-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
سوف
willgiveyousomerestto-morrow,لكن
butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theyسوف
willcall;sobeatliberty
بعد
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
بعد
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
اليوم
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,my
عزيزي
dear,nevertoletmoreمن
thanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingعلى
acallandreturningit;andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
كيف
HowamItofindoutعندما
whenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”“You
يجب
mustkeepthinkingabouttheالوقت
time,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
الجميع
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedأو
orpaidacall,ofcourseأي
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenعن
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
Iimagine
أن
thatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwereفقراء
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsتلبية
meet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmart
تحت
underasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewere
جميعا
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
كل
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,
الجميع
everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonعن
abouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweجميعا
allbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,مع
withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldلم
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whoالآن
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottoتعرف
knowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyجميعا
allthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.هناك
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromهذا
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andهذا
thisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintoالعديد
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,
تحت
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,حوالي
aboutnineo’clockatnight;and
في
thewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”
على
(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveأي شيء
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableأو
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswere
كل
allthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
كم
Hownaturallyonefallsbackintoفي
thephraseologyofCranford!There,economywas
دائما
always“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;a
نوع
sortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusجدا
verypeacefulandsatisfied.Inevershallforgetthedismayfelt
عندما
whenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeعن
abouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicالشارع
street!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticular
منزل
house.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbya
رجل
manandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtained
بعض
somesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittleالبلدة
town;andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,he
يجب
mustbesenttoCoventry.الموت
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;yet
الناس
peopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwasa
كلمة
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethat
أي
anywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoingأي شيء
anythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedto
أو
orfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,أو
ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.إذا
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;andso
على
on,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarالحقيقة
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofa
رجل
manwhocouldspeakofpovertyasلو
ifitwasnotadisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteof
جميع
allresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranford
حوالي
aboutayearafterhehadsettledintheالبلدة
town.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,
فقط
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewas
حتى
evenadmittedinthetabooedhoursقبل
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,
قبل
beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokein
على
avoicetoolargefortheالغرفة
room,andjokedquiteintheطريقة
wayofatamemanحول
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
كل
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withالتي
whichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadanswered
صغيرة
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
كل
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasعلى
amanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhim
على
anextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIam
متأكد
surehewasstartledoneيوم
daywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastoجعل
makesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
هذا
thissubject:AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnot
تدفع
paytheshortquarterofanساعة
hourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkأو
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.في
Thewholetownknewandkindlyregardedالآنسة
MissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregret
عندما
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewas
سرعان ما
soonheardandrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthad
فقدت
lostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,باردة
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.الجميع
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughعلى
afewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.الآنسة
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
هذا
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeأحد
oneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;لكن
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheالرأس
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,إذا
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.لكن
Butmyadviceis,killtheالمسكين
poorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-by
كل
allthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
هل
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,
حيث
wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.He
لا بد
musthavebeenupwardsofsixtyattheوقت
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordبعد
afterIhadleftitasaresidence.لكن
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
ابنته
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedفي
thefactthathisrealwasmoreمن
thanhisapparentage.MissBrown
يجب
musthavebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhad
طويلة
longfadedoutofsight.حتى
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.الآنسة
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerمن
thanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
الآنسة
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionضد
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofالذي
whichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasالوقت
timeforMissJessietoتترك
leaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtoتبدو
looklikeachild.”Itwastrue
هناك
therewassomethingchildlikeinherface;and
هناك
therewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldتعيش
livetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
و
andsnub,andherlipswereحمراء
redanddewy;sheworeher
شعرها
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,مما
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
أعرف
knowwhethershewasprettyornot;butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonot
أعتقد
thinkshecouldhelpherdimples.Shehad
شيء
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatof
الآنسة
MissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannumأكثر
moreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
هذا
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownعائلة
familywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,
التي
whichhehadcuredbyبعض
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringthe
الصباح
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisرأسه
headerectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anold
رجل
manwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
لكنه
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedالآنسة
MissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkعبر
throughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdid
مع
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,that
هناك
therewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
و
and,inourloveforgentility,و
anddistasteofmankind,wehadتقريبا
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeaالرجل
manwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
عندما
whenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,الآنسة
MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveعلى
apartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheالآنسة
MissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheالمساء
evening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedin
حوالي
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedon
كل
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedher
آخر
lastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinour
أفضل
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheالأولى
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenext
الأربعة
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
التي
whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheالصباح
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
لكن
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.بينما
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;andIcould
أرى
seethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithجميع
alltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
الآنسة
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedتقريبا
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
مكان
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdidit
كل
allinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
مع
withasgraveaninterestasلو
iftheyhadbeenpounds;andyet,in
كل
allhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtoالعديد
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.الآنسة
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:لكنها
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,الذين
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toan
قديم
oldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.الآنسة
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;لكن
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughالآنسة
MissJenkynsbeattime,outofالوقت
time,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwasverygoodof
الآنسة
MissJenkynstodothis;forIhadseen
ذلك
that,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyالآنسة
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)ذلك
thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sشقيق
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.الآنسة
MissJenkynstriedtodrownهذا
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatعلى
acard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayأو
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasintheنفس
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!لكن
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextالصباح
morning)wouldrepeattheinformation,andassureالآنسة
MissPoleshecouldeasilyالحصول
gethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyعمي
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyواحد
oneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,that
الآنسة
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
أقول
sayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeatالوقت
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
مع
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyatعلى
aquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;لكن
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.“Haveyouseen
أي
anynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
الآن
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;and,onthestrengthofa
عدد
numberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettyجيدة
goodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponأي
anyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoلها
her.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemight
تقول
sayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
الآنسة
MissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.“I
يجب
mustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathe
قد
maybecomeifhewillأخذ
takethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”هذا
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistongue
قبل
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itisquiteadifferent
نوع
sortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutof
هذا
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonly
هذا
thismorning,andIdon’tأعتقد
thinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
مع
withanairofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”
التي
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthe
المنزل
house.