CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
In
det
thefirstplace,Cranfordisinpossessionofdet
theAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesabove
en
acertainrentarewomen.Hvis
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthebyen
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heis
enten
eitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingden
theonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,eller
orheisaccountedforbybeingmed
withhisregiment,hisship,eller
orcloselyengagedinbusinessallden
theweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonen
arailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
What
kunne
couldtheydoiftheywereder
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
og
andsleepsatCranford;but
alle
everymancannotbeasurgeon.For
holde
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowersuden
withoutaweedtospeckdem
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
der
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersgennem
throughtherailings;forrushing
ud
outatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardenshvis
ifthegatesareleftåbne
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
og
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonseller
orarguments;forobtainingclear
og
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;for
holde
keepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorden
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
fattige
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarehelt
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhe
vejen
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
kender
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
hver
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosige
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,intet
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;men
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoen
aconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
har
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedud
outinafewpepperywordsog
andangryjerksofthehead;bare
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombliver
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
meget
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
her
hereatCranford,whereeverybodykender
knowsus?”Andiftheygofrom
hjemmet
home,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedressher
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”De
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,god
goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMiss
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;men
butIwillanswerforit,thesidste
lastgigot,thelasttightog
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasset
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutet
asmile.Icantestifyto
en
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,under
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,efterladt
leftaloneofmanybrothersog
andsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Har
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
havde
hadatraditionoftheførste
firstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;og
andthelittleboysmobbedit,og
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”It
kunne
mighthavebeentheveryrøde
redsilkoneIhavedescribed,holdt
heldbyastrongfatherover
overatroopoflittleones;the
stakkels
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Then
der
therewererulesandregulationsforvisitingog
andcalls;andtheywereannouncedtoany
unge
youngpeoplewhomightbestayinginthebyen
town,withallthesolemnitymed
withwhichtheoldManxlawswerelæst
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
har
havesenttoinquirehowyouareefter
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinen
agentleman’scarriage);“theywill
give
giveyousomerestto-morrow,men
butthenextday,Ihar
havenodoubt,theywillringe
call;sobeatliberty
efter
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
efter
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
dag
day;Idaresayyourmamma
har
hastoldyou,mydear,aldrig
nevertoletmorethantre
threedayselapsebetweenreceivinget
acallandreturningit;og
andalso,thatyouarealdrig
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmy
se
watch?HowamIto
finde
findoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”“You
må
mustkeepthinkingaboutthetiden
time,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoglemme
forgetitinconversation.”As
alle
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedeller
orpaidacall,ofselvfølgelig
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwasevertalt
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesof
små
smalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtid
time.Iimaginethata
få
fewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerefattige
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbegge
bothendsmeet;buttheywere
som
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunder
underasmilingface.Wenoneofus
talte
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceog
andtrade,andthoughsomekunne
mightbepoor,wewerealle
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
alle
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhennogle
someamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Da
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveafest
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,og
andthelittlemaidendisturbedden
theladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshekunne
mightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetog
tookthisnovelproceedingasden
themostnaturalthinginden
theworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsog
andceremoniesasifwealltroede
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,andet
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadofden
theonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmskunne
couldneverhavebeenstrongnok
enoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonu
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottovidste
knowwhatcakesweresentop
up,thoughsheknew,andwevidste
knew,andsheknewthatwevidste
knew,andweknewthatshevidste
knewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallden
themorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewere
en
oneortwoconsequencesarisingfromdenne
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,og
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,og
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirstore
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
holdt
keptearlyhours,andclatteredhjem
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofen
alantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnatten
night;andthewholetownwasabed
og
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
ord
wordinCranford)togivenoget
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableeller
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
og
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatden
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;og
andshewassister-in-lawtoden
thelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesådan
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Hvor
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Der
There,economywasalways“elegant,”og
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;en
asortofsour-grapeismwhichgjorde
madeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.I
aldrig
nevershallforgetthedismayfølte
feltwhenacertainCaptainBrownkom
cametoliveatCranford,og
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimateven
friend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslylukket
closed,butinthepublicgade
street!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyas
et
areasonfornottakinget
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
allerede
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyen
amanandagentleman.Hewas
en
ahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainednogle
somesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,som
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedmod
againstbythelittletown;og
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,og
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotale
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemå
mustbesenttoCoventry.Døden
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;men
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutindet
thestreets.Itwasa
ord
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.We
havde
hadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatenhver
anywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitykunne
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromgøre
doinganythingthattheywished.Hvis
Ifwewalkedtoorfromen
aparty,itwasbecausethenatten
nightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notfordi
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
fordi
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;og
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestodet
thevulgarfactthatwewere,alle
allofus,peopleofmeget
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,we
gøre
didnotknowwhattogøre
makeofamanwhokunne
couldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnoten
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrown
gjorde
madehimselfrespectedinCranford,og
andwascalledupon,inspiteofalle
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
høre
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatet
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordomkring
aboutayearafterhehavde
hadsettledinthetown.My
egne
ownfriendshadbeenamongde
thebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisitde
theCaptainandhisdaughters,kun
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
nu
nowhewasevenadmittedinde
thetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.Sandt
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofen
asmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;men
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,intet
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,og
andjokedquiteinthemåde
wayofatamemanom
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
alle
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,med
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.He
havde
hadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshavde
hadbeencool;hehadanswered
små
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;og
andwithhismanlyfranknesshavde
hadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmødte
methimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.Og
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,og
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,havde
hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplads
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashe
havde
hadbeenofthereverse;og
andIamsurehewasstartleden
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastogjorde
makesomecounselwhichhehavde
hadgiveninjesttobetaget
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
dette
thissubject:Anoldlady
havde
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadatter
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterof
en
anhourcallwithoutbeingfortalt
toldofthewonderfulmilkeller
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
hele
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMiss
MissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
stor
greatwasthesympathyandregretda
when,inanunguardedmoment,den
thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
at
thatshewassoonheardog
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
stakkels
poorbeasthadlostmostofherhår
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,kold
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Alle
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafå
fewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Miss
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowog
anddismay;anditwassaidshe
tænkte
thoughtoftryingabathofoil.Dette
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbynogle
someoneofthenumberwhoseadviceshespurgte
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwas
gjort
made,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheren
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,hvis
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Men
Butmyadviceis,killthestakkels
poorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
og
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
arbejde
work,andby-and-byallthebyen
townturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygår
goingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
har
havewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.Doyouever
set
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrown
havde
hadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthebyen
town,wherehelivedwithhisto
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthe
første
firstvisitIpaidtoCranfordefter
afterIhadleftitasen
aresidence.Buthehad
en
awiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,en
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishoved
head,andaspringingstep,som
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerend
thanhewas.Hiseldest
datter
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,og
andbetrayedthefactthathisvirkelige
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.MissBrown
må
musthavebeenforty;she
havde
hadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,og
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhavde
hadlongfadedoutofsight.Selv
Evenwhenyoungshemusthave
havebeenplainandhard-featured.Miss
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerend
thanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
ansigt
facewasroundanddimpled.Miss
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionmod
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIvil
willtellyoupresently),“thatshemente
thoughtitwastimeforMiss
MissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,og
andnotalwaystobeforsøge
tryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwas
sandt
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinheransigt
face;andtherewillbe,I
tror
think,tillshedies,thoughsheskulle
shouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,
kiggede
lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformed
og
andsnub,andherlipswererøde
redanddewy;sheworeher
hår
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,hvilket
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
ved
knowwhethershewasprettyeller
ornot;butIlikedher
ansigt
face,andsodideverybody,og
andIdonotthinkshekunne
couldhelpherdimples.She
havde
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitog
andmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
kunne
mightdetectaslightdifferenceinde
theattireofthetwosisters—thatofMiss
MissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensiveend
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
en
alargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Sådan
Suchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebydet
theBrownfamilywhenIførste
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.Den
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onden
theoccasionofthesmokychimney,som
whichhehadcuredbynogle
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
holdt
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,og
andthenlifteduphisheaderectog
andsangoutloudandjoyfully.He
gjorde
madetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—angammel
oldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,som
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,og
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.On
kom
comingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidden
themostgallantattentiontohisto
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
men
butheshookhandswithnoneindtil
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,havde
hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,og
andhadwaitedpatientlytillhun
she,withtremblingnervoushands,havde
hadtakenuphergowntogå
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
gjorde
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.We
havde
hadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasingen
nogentlemantobeattendedto,og
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.We
havde
hadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessofde
theevenings;and,inour
kærlighed
loveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehavde
hadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeen
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
da
whenIfoundmyfriendog
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveen
apartyinmyhonour,og
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmeget
muchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,
med
withgreenbaizetops,weresetud
outbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
uge
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinomkring
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedon
hvert
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
den
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedhersidste
lastdirections;andtherewe
stod
stood,dressedinourbest,hver
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,klar
readytodartatthecandlesassnart
soonasthefirstknockkom
came.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
føle
feelgravelyelatedastheysad
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.As
snart
soonasthreehadarrived,wesatned
downto“Preference,”Ibeingden
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
fire
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoet andet
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichI
havde
hadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheom morgenen
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofen
acard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
det
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;men
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Mens
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainog
andtheMissBrownscamein;og
andIcouldseethat,somehoweller
orother,theCaptainwasen
afavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
Miss
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressednæsten
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
og
andseemednearlyaspopularasherfar
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
de
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsog
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
gjorde
diditallinsolet
easyanddignifiedamanner,og
andsomuchasifitwereen
amatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasen
atruemanthroughout.He
spillede
playedforthreepennypointswithasgraveen
aninterestasiftheyhavde
hadbeenpounds;andyet,in
al
allhisattentiontostrangers,hehavde
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassikker
sureshewas,thoughtomange
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessie
kunne
couldnotplaycards:butshe
talte
talkedtothesitters-out,who,før
beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
sang
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,som
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Miss
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alidt
littleoutoftune;butwewerenoneofusmusical,
selv
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,ud
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
meget
verygoodofMissJenkynstogøre
dothis;forIhadseenthat,a
lidt
littlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMiss
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehavde
hadanuncle,hermother’sbror
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Miss
MissJenkynstriedtodrowndenne
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forden
theHonourableMrsJamiesonwassad
sittingatacard-tablenearestMiss
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshesige
sayorthinkifshefandt
foundoutshewasinden
thesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Men
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadikke
notact,asweallagreedthenæste
nextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,og
andassureMissPoleshekunne
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyonkel
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofnogen
anyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
tage
takethetasteofthisud
outofourmouths,andthelyden
soundofthisoutofourears,thatMiss
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
siger
sayagain,itwasverygodt
goodofhertobeattid
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
med
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyaten
aquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,og
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyou
set
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”sagde
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Now
Miss
MissJenkynswasdaughterofen
adeceasedrectorofCranford;og
and,onthestrengthofen
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,og
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,og
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasen
achallengetoher.Soshe
svarede
answeredandsaid,“Yes,shehavde
hadseenthem;indeed,she
kunne
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyou
synes
thinkofthem?”exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
Miss
MissJenkynscouldnotbuttale
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’t
tror
thinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
måske
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Lad
Lethimpersevere,andwhoved
knowswhathemaybecomehvis
ifhewilltakethestore
greatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidentlytoo
meget
muchforCaptainBrowntotage
takeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistongue
før
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
helt
quiteadifferentsortofting
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
helt
quiteawareofthat,”returnedhun
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmeto
læse
readyouasceneoutofdenne
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonlythismorning,
og
andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhar
havereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”said
hun
she,settlingherselfwithanluft
airofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”
som
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Nogle
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,becauseIwas
boede
stayinginthehouse.