CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besiddelse
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
temmelig
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengageret
engagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonajernbane
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
skræmme
frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethat
lejlighedsvis
occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunødvendige
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
få
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthesognet
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
beundringsværdig
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein
nød
distress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedingly
ligeglade
indifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
stærkt
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbal
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
betydelig
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
lejlighedsvis
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughto
forhindre
preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
lige
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
almindelig
plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
vidne
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilke
silkumbrella,underwhichablid
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonregnfulde
rainydays.Haveyouanyred
silke
silkumbrellasinLondon?Wehada
tradition
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—the
overlevende
survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywere
annonceret
announcedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesentto
spørge
inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsome
vanskeligheder
difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethem
overse
overlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirfattigdom
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
eksempel
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidenforstyrrede
disturbedtheladiesonthesofaen
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunder
underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourværtinde
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhusholderske
housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythebakke
trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassisteret
assistedinprivatebyherelskerinde
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequences
opstod
arisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedfattigdom
poverty,andthisverymuchanerkendte
acknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatforbedring
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe
vejledning
guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
Ærede
HonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedid
praktiserede
practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturligt
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
åbent
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinahvisken
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingtidligere
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring
jernbane
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,inadditiontohismasculine
køn
gender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousjernbane
railroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe
associerede
associatedontermsofvisitinglighed
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbyfattigdom
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgære
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
povertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
trods
spiteofallresolutionstothemodsatte
contrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
citeret
quotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
forslag
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
opdage
discoverthecauseofasmokingskorsten
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsof
trivielle
trivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto
overvinde
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularitet
popularityashehadbeenoftheomvendt
reverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
ædru
sober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
She
stønnede
moanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
mellemtiden
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll
udseende
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
sorg
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
middel
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindark
grå
greyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
grå
greyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
udkanten
outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastisk
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
tilsyneladende
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
udtryk
expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
almindelig
plainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis
udseende
appearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitand
måde
manner;andanyfemaleobservermight
opdage
detectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
sum
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
indtryk
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
anledning
occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
svag
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbas
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinfølge
consequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nikkede
noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedtålmodigt
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupherkjole
gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoften
glædet
rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof
menneskeheden
mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
værtinde
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutby
dagslys
daylight,justasusual;itwasthethirdweekin
November
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
the
pæne
neatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readyto
dart
dartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordwere
højtidelige
solemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
øjeblikket
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawas
delikat
delicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
beskrivelse
description.Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favorit
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimeret
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
værdig
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutof
tune
tune;butwewerenoneofus
musikalske
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddeal
irriteret
annoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedto
drukne
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheÆrede
HonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece
niece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
forsikre
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidentiske
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandvarer
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
foreslået
proposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
litteratur
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
udgav
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
manuskript
manuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
opfordret
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
tydeligvis
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof
resignation
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.