CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertain
husleje
rentarewomen.Ifamarriedcouplecometo
bosætte sig
settleinthetown,somehowthegentlemanforsvinder
disappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureand
politik
politicswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclearand
korrekt
correctknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Faktisk
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreigns
blandt
amongthemtoaconsiderablegrad
degree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentof
mode
fashion;astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemare
næsten
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryour
rejse
journeyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetween
modtage
receivingacallandreturningit;andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthana
kvarter
quarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhena
kvarter
quarterofanhourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whetherthey
modtog
receivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingemne
subjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethat
emne
subjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesin
succes
successwhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabya
anmodning
requestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturlige
naturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregelmæssig
regularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.
Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwas
betragtet
considered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingdyrt
expensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!
ina
høj
loudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakinga
bestemt
particularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamananda
gentleman
gentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhis
forbindelse
connectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,
højt
loudoutinthestreets.Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedto
ignorere
ignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswere
dyre
expensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewe
foretrak
preferredawashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.
Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedas
autoritet
authorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeen
blandt
amongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeen
modtaget
received.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhiman
ekstraordinær
extraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadviceso
højt
highlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthis
emne
subject:AnoldladyhadanAlderney
ko
cow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshort
kvarter
quarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligens
intelligenceofthisanimal.ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
derfor
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorko
cowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardand
reddet
rescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlooking
nøgen
naked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhose
råd
advicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmy
råd
adviceis,killthepoorskabning
creatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarker
tørrede
driedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuch
yngre
youngerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutof
syne
sight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyears
yngre
youngerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,ina
lidenskab
passionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthen
løftede
lifteduphisheaderectandsangouthøjt
loudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquivered
højere
higherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthe
våde
wetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoftenrejoiced,in
tidligere
formerdays,thattherewasnogentleman
gentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindsamtale
conversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswere
inviteret
invited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.
Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunlucky
fjerde
fourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashioned
sølv
silverglitteredwithpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,
skarpe
sharpvoicesloweredathistilgang
approach.MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemed
næsten
nearlyaspopularasherfather.Heimmediatelyand
stille
quietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtothe
svage
weak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithas
alvorlig
graveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanold
knækket
crackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsungdom
youth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)would
gentage
repeattheinformation,andassureMissPoleshecouldlet
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyata
fjerdedel
quartertonine,therewassamtale
conversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygood
bibliotek
libraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanysamtale
conversationaboutbooksasaudfordring
challengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
faktisk
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthe
spidsen
tipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersætning
sentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.