CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
za prvé
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;všichni
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.Ifamarried
pár
couplecometosettleintheměsta
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heis
buď
eitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingthejen
onlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,nebo
orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,nebo
orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthetýden
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialměstě
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoes
stane
becomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldthey
udělat
doiftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
a
andsleepsatCranford;but
každý
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowers
bez
withoutaweedtospeckje
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
kteří
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowerspřes
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardens
pokud
ifthegatesareleftotevřené
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
a
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsnebo
orarguments;forobtainingclear
a
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
a
andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarezcela
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtome
jednou
once,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
všechny
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
každá
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,docela
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissosnadné
easyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladies
mají
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsa
andangryjerksofthehead;jen
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingpříliš
tooflat.Theirdressis
velmi
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
tady
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”A
Andiftheygofromhome,theirdůvod
reasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyjak
howwedresshere,wherenikdo
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
jsou
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,a
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;ale
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,theposlední
lasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbez
withoutasmile.Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,
pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Haveyouany
červené
redsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehadatraditionofthe
první
firstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;a
andthelittleboysmobbedto
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
velmi
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongotcem
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;the
chudák
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
a
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;a
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplekteří
whomightbestayingintheměstě
town,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthestaré
oldManxlawswerereadjednou
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquire
jak
howyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerest
zítra
to-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
po
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
poté
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
den
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,my
drahá
dear,nevertoletmorenež
thanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingavolání
callandreturningit;and
také
also,thatyouarenevertostaylongernež
thanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmy
hodinky
watch?HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthe
čas
time,mydear,andnotallowyourselftozapomenout
forgetitinconversation.”As
každý
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivednebo
orpaidacall,ofsamozřejmě
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokeno
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,
a
andwerepunctualtoourčasu
time.Iimaginethata
několik
fewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerechudých
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingoba
bothendsmeet;buttheywere
jako
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartpod
underasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,
protože
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercea
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbechudí
poor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
všechny
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Když
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveavečírek
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,a
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetooktento
thisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalvěc
thingintheworld,andtalkedono
abouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,druhý
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadofthejedné
onelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnikdy
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentnahoru
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,a
andsheknewthatweknew,a
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breada
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
nebo
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralale
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisvelmi
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,a
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomnoha
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
a
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,pod
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,asi
aboutnineo’clockatnight;a
andthewholetownwasabeda
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
slovo
wordinCranford)togiveněco
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatablenebo
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
a
andsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;a
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Jak
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Tam
There,economywasalways“elegant,”a
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
který
whichmadeusverypeacefula
andsatisfied.Inevershall
nezapomenu
forgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametožít
liveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsa
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,ale
butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticular
dům
house.TheladiesofCranfordwere
už
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamana
andagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
a
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,která
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedproti
againstbythelittletown;a
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,a
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemusí
mustbesenttoCoventry.Smrt
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;yet
lidé
peopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinna
thestreets.Itwasa
slovo
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
že
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoingcokoliv
anythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedto
nebo
orfromaparty,itwasprotože
becausethenightwassofine,nebo
ortheairsorefreshing,notprotože
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
a
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarskutečnost
factthatwewere,allofus,lidé
peopleofverymoderatemeans.Of
samozřejmě
course,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamankterý
whocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Přesto
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,a
andwascalledupon,inspiteofvšem
allresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranford
asi
aboutayearafterhehadsettledintheměstě
town.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsof
jakéhokoli
anyproposaltovisittheCaptaina
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthspředtím
before;andnowhewas
dokonce
evenadmittedinthetabooedhourspřed
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,
než
beforethefirewaslighted;ale
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nic
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicepříliš
toolargefortheroom,a
andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemuže
manaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
všem
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
i když
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeenpohodě
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsin
dobré
goodfaith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
všechny
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.A
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,a
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinarymísto
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
a
andIamsurehewasstartledjednoho
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakeněkteré
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
toto
thissubject:AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasa
dceru
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcall
aniž by
withoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilknebo
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
celé
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthesympathy
a
andregretwhen,inanunguardedokamžiku
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
že
thatshewassoonhearda
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,
a
andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,a
andmiserable,inabareskin.Všichni
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
a
anddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Tento
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;ale
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoata
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtoudržet
keepheralive.Butmyadvice
je
is,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
a
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
pracovat
work,andby-and-byalltheměsto
townturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtakena
malý
smallhouseontheoutskirtsoftheměsta
town,wherehelivedwithhisdvěma
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
době
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordpoté
afterIhadleftitasaresidence.Ale
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishlavy
head,andaspringingstep,který
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungernež
thanhewas.Hiseldest
dcera
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,a
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasvíce
morethanhisapparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,
a
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Even
když
whenyoungshemusthavebeenplaina
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
deset
tenyearsyoungerthanhersestra
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
tvář
facewasroundanddimpled.MissJenkyns
jednou
oncesaid,inapassionproti
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasčas
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,a
andnotalwaystobetryingtovypadat
looklikeachild.”Itwas
pravda
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;a
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,i když
thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
a
andsnub,andherlipswerečervené
redanddewy;sheworeher
vlasy
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,což
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonotknowwhethershewas
hezká
prettyornot;butIlikedher
tvář
face,andsodideverybody,a
andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.Shehad
něco
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaita
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthe
dvě
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingo
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivenež
thanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Suchwas
na
theimpressionmadeuponmebyna
theBrownfamilywhenIpoprvé
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,
který
whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringthe
Ranní
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderecta
andsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
než
thantheclerk—anoldmans
withapipingfeeblevoice,který
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,a
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohis
dvěma
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
ale
butheshookhandswithnonedokud
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,a
andhadwaitedpatientlytillona
she,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdid
s
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,that
tam
therewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,a
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
a
and,inourloveforgentility,a
anddistasteofmankind,wehadtéměř
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;so
že
thatwhenIfoundmyfrienda
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveavečírek
partyinmyhonour,andže
thatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethird
týden
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinasi
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
The
oheň
firewasmadeup;theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedher
poslední
lastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,
každý
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheprvní
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonas
tři
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.Thenext
čtyři
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;a
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheráno
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
ale
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Zatímco
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captaina
andtheMissBrownscamein;a
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
a
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
a
andseemednearlyaspopularasherotec
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
místo
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycups
a
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasy
a
anddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,že
thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
s
withasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;a
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwasjistý
sureshewas,thoughtomnoho
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnot
hrát
playcards:butshetalkedtothesitters-out,
kteří
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toan
staré
oldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
ale
butwewerenoneofusmusical,i když
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outofčas
time,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
velmi
verygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;forIhadseenthat,alittle
předtím
before,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedtodrown
toto
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,a
andwhatwouldshesaynebo
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesamerooms
withashop-keeper’sniece!ButMissJessieBrown
Který
(whohadnotact,aswevšichni
allagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,a
andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,který
whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteof
tohoto
thisoutofourmouths,a
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,že
thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soIsay
znovu
again,itwasverygoodofhertobeatčas
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
s
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,a
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
said
on
he.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
dcerou
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;a
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,a
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,a
andlookeduponanyconversationo
aboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheanswered
a
andsaid,“Yes,shehadseenje
them;indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imust
říci
say,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Přesto
Still,perhaps,theauthorismladý
young.Lethimpersevere,and
kdo
whoknowswhathemaystát
becomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidently
příliš
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;a
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguenež
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
docela
quiteadifferentsortofvěci
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
docela
quiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutof
tohoto
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonlythismorning,
a
andIdon’tthinkthespolečnost
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
s
withanairofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
protože
becauseIwasstayinginthedomě
house.