CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
In
na
thefirstplace,Cranfordisinpossessionofna
theAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ako
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthegrad
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
smrti
deathbybeingtheonlyčovjek
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingsa
withhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthetjedan
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialgradu
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,
god
whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldthey
učiniti
doiftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
i
andsleepsatCranford;but
svaki
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowers
bez
withoutaweedtospeckih
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
koji
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowerskroz
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeese
koje
thatoccasionallyventureintothegardensako
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
svim
allquestionsofliteratureandpoliticsbez
withouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsili
orarguments;forobtainingclear
i
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
i
andrealtendergoodofficestojedni
eachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordaresasvim
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
jedan
oneofthemobservedtomejednom
once,“issointheputu
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
sve
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
svaka
eachhasherownindividuality,nottokažem
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,ništa
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;ali
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
imaju
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinanekoliko
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;samo
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingpreviše
tooflat.Theirdressis
vrlo
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
kako
howwedresshereatCranford,gdje
whereeverybodyknowsus?”And
ako
iftheygofromhome,theirrazlog
reasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifykako
howwedresshere,wherenitko
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
su
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,andvećina
mostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;ali
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,thelasttighti
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbez
withoutasmile.Icantestifyto
je
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
Wehad
je
atraditionofthefirstkoja
thathadeverbeenseeninCranford;i
andthelittleboysmobbedga
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
vrlo
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyje
astrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;the
jadna
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryga
it.Thentherewererules
i
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;i
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthegradu
town,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthestari
oldManxlawswerereadjednom
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquire
kako
howyouareafteryourjourneyvečeras
to-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
će
willgiveyousomerestsutra
to-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavene
nodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
nakon
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
nakon
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
dan
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,my
draga
dear,nevertoletmoreod
thanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingje
acallandreturningit;i
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Kako
HowamItofindoutkad
whenaquarterofansata
hourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinkingabout
na
thetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
svi
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedili
orpaidacall,ofnaravno
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokeno
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,
i
andwerepunctualtoourvrijeme
time.Iimaginethata
nekoliko
fewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,i
andhadsomedifficultyinmakingoba
bothendsmeet;buttheywere
kao
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartispod
underasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,
jer
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercei
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbesiromašni
poor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
sve
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhenneki
someamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Kad
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveje
apartyinherbaby-houseofje
adwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyje
arequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookovaj
thisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalstvar
thingintheworld,andtalkedono
abouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadje
aregularservants’hall,secondtable,s
withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadofthejedne
onelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnikada
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whosada
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewere
jedne
oneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralali
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisvrlo
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,i
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomnoge
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
i
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,pod
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,oko
aboutnineo’clockatnight;i
andthewholetownwasabedi
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”
Je
(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableili
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswere
sve
allthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;i
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Kako
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Tamo
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendinguvijek
always“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
koja
whichmadeusverypeacefuli
andsatisfied.Inevershall
zaboraviti
forgetthedismayfeltwhenje
acertainCaptainBrowncametoživjeti
liveatCranford,andopenlyspokeo
abouthisbeingpoor—notinje
awhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsi
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyas
je
areasonfornottakingje
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
već
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamani
andagentleman.Hewas
je
ahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonje
aneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedprotiv
againstbythelittletown;i
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,i
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemora
mustbesenttoCoventry.Smrt
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;ipak
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinna
thestreets.Itwasa
riječ
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethat
bilo
anywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ako
Ifwewalkedtoorfromje
aparty,itwasbecausethenoć
nightwassofine,orthezrak
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ako
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwaszato što
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;i
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,svi
allofus,peopleofvrlo
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeof
je
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotje
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,
i
andwascalledupon,inspiteofsvim
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
čuo
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitšto
whichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearnakon
afterhehadsettledinthegradu
town.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsof
bilo
anyproposaltovisittheCaptaini
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsprije
before;andnowhewas
čak
evenadmittedinthetabooedhoursprije
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
uzrok
causeofasmokingchimney,prije
beforethefirewaslighted;ali
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,ništa
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargeforna
theroom,andjokedquiteinna
thewayofatamemano
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
sve
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,s
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
iako
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;hehadanswered
male
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;i
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredsve
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasje
amanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.I
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,i
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinarymjesto
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
i
andIamsurehewasstartledonedana
daywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakeneki
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
ovu
thissubject:AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponas
je
adaughter.Youcouldnot
platiti
paytheshortquarterofansata
hourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkili
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
cijeli
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthesympathy
i
andregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thejadna
poorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
da
thatshewassoonheardi
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
jadna
poorbeasthadlostmostofherkose
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,i
andmiserable,inabareskin.Svi
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
i
anddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftrying
je
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
možda
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomejedan
oneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;ali
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getherje
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ako
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Ali
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
i
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
raditi
work,andby-and-byallthegrad
townturnedouttoseena
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyself
mnogo
manyatime.DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtaken
je
asmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthegrada
town,wherehelivedwithhisdvije
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
vrijeme
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordnakon
afterIhadleftitasje
aresidence.Buthehad
je
awiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,je
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,i
andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmnogo
muchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
kći
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,i
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmoreod
thanhisapparentage.MissBrownmust
imati
havebeenforty;shehad
je
asickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,i
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Čak
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplaini
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
deset
tenyearsyoungerthanhersister,i
andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
lice
facewasroundanddimpled.MissJenkyns
jednom
oncesaid,inapassionprotiv
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasvrijeme
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,a
andnotalwaystobetryingtolookkao
likeachild.”Itwas
istina
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;i
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,iako
thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeher
kosu
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,što
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
znam
knowwhethershewasprettyili
ornot;butIlikedher
lice
face,andsodideverybody,i
andIdonotthinkshecouldpomoći
helpherdimples.Shehad
nešto
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaiti
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetect
je
aslightdifferenceintheattireofthedvije
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingoko
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanGđice
MissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Takav
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownobitelj
familywhenIfirstsawthemallzajedno
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,
koji
whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringthe
Jutarnje
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisglavu
headerectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
od
thantheclerk—anoldmans
withapipingfeeblevoice,koji
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,i
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohis
dvije
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
ali
butheshookhandswithnonedok
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,i
andhadwaitedpatientlytillona
she,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntohoda
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdid
s
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,
i
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesupon
na
thesnugnessoftheevenings;i
and,inourloveforgentility,i
anddistasteofmankind,wehadgotovo
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeje
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
kad
whenIfoundmyfriendi
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtosu
haveapartyinmyhonour,i
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmnogo
muchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,
sa
withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
tjedan
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinoko
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
The
vatra
firewasmadeup;theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
i
andtherewestood,dressedinournajbolje
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheprvi
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysat
zajedno
togetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
trojica
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingna
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
četiri
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytodrugi
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthe
ujutro
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
ali
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Dok
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captaini
andtheMissBrownscamein;i
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,na
theCaptainwasafavouritewithsvih
alltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
i
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
i
andseemednearlyaspopularasherotac
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
mjesto
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycups
i
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdidit
sve
allinsoeasyanddignifiedje
amanner,andsomuchasifitwereje
amatterofcourseforna
thestrongtoattendtona
theweak,thathewasje
atruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
s
withasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;a
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightsamo
onlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnot
igrati
playcards:butshetalkedtothesitters-out,
koji
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,
također
too,toanoldcrackedpiano,koji
whichIthinkhadbeenje
aspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”
je
alittleoutoftune;ali
butwewerenoneofusmusical,iako
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
vrlo
verygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;forIhadseenthat,
je
alittlebefore,shehadbeenje
agooddealannoyedbyGđice
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanujaka
uncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasje
ashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedtodrown
ovo
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatje
acard-tablenearestMissJessie,i
andwhatwouldshesayili
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesamesobi
roomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Ali
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,aswesvi
allagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,i
andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyujaka
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofbilo
anyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,
i
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
kažem
sayagain,itwasverydobro
goodofhertobeatvrijeme
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
s
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyatje
aquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,i
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
je
abitofliterature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
said
on
he.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
kći
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;i
and,onthestrengthofje
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,i
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,i
andlookeduponanyconversationo
aboutbooksasachallengetonju
her.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseen
ih
them;indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnot
ali
butspeak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Ipak
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Lethimpersevere,
i
andwhoknowswhathemaypostati
becomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidently
previše
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;i
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistongueprije
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
sasvim
quiteadifferentsortofthing,mydraga
dearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
sasvim
quiteawareofthat,”returnedona
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyou
je
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihadit
tek
onlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthetvrtka
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
s
withanairofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”
koji
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Neki
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,
jer
becauseIwasstayinginthekući
house.