Cranford | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

Cranford | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

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CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besiddelse
possession
oftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
temmelig
fairly
frightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis
regiment
regiment
,hisship,orclosely
engageret
engaged
inbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesona
jernbane
railroad
.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
skræmme
frightening
awaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethat
lejlighedsvis
occasionally
ventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literature
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswith
unødvendige
unnecessary
reasonsorarguments;
for
obtaining
clearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthe
sognet
parish
;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
beundringsværdig
admirable
order;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein
nød
distress
,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedingly
ligeglade
indifferent
toeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
stærkt
strongly
developed,nothingissoeasyas
verbal
verbal
retaliation;
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
betydelig
considerable
degree.
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
lejlighedsvis
occasional
littlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughto
forhindre
prevent
theeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
lige
equally
cogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
almindelig
plain
,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
vidne
testify
toamagnificentfamilyred
silke
silk
umbrella,underwhicha
blid
gentle
littlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchon
regnfulde
rainy
days.
Haveyouanyred
silke
silk
umbrellasinLondon?
Wehada
tradition
tradition
ofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silk
oneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—the
overlevende
survivor
ofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywere
annonceret
announced
toanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesentto
spørge
inquire
howyouareafteryourjourneyto-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
difficulty
inmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethem
overse
overlook
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir
fattigdom
poverty
.
WhenMrsForrester,for
eksempel
instance
,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaiden
forstyrrede
disturbed
theladiesonthe
sofaen
sofa
byarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrom
under
underneath
,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatour
værtinde
hostess
hadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,with
husholderske
housekeeper
andsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythe
bakke
tray
upstairs,ifshehadnotbeen
assisteret
assisted
inprivatebyher
elskerinde
mistress
,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.
Therewereoneortwoconsequences
opstod
arising
fromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged
fattigdom
poverty
,andthisverymuch
anerkendte
acknowledged
gentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreat
forbedring
improvement
.
Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe
vejledning
guidance
ofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
Ærede
Honourable
MrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedid
praktiserede
practise
such“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturligt
naturally
onefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
åbent
openly
spokeabouthisbeingpoor—notina
hvisken
whisper
toanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing
tidligere
previously
closed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
poverty
asareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring
jernbane
railroad
,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculine
køn
gender
,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxious
jernbane
railroad
,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty
;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe
associerede
associated
ontermsofvisiting
lighed
equality
couldeverbepreventedby
fattigdom
poverty
fromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgære
vulgar
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
poverty
asifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
trods
spite
ofallresolutionstothe
modsatte
contrary
.
Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
citeret
quoted
asauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
forslag
proposal
tovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
opdage
discover
thecauseofasmoking
skorsten
chimney
,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tame
manaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsof
trivielle
trivial
ceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto
overvinde
overcome
domesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularitet
popularity
ashehadbeenofthe
omvendt
reverse
;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
ædru
sober
,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
She
stønnede
moaned
soloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
but
mellemtiden
meanwhile
thepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll
udseende
appearance
.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
sorg
sorrow
anddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
middel
remedy
,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindark
grå
grey
flannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
grå
grey
flannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
udkanten
outskirts
ofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastisk
elastic
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.
Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
tilsyneladende
apparent
age.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
udtryk
expression
onherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
almindelig
plain
andhard-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
detect
aslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
Twopoundswasalarge
sum
sum
inCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Suchwasthe
indtryk
impression
madeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
anledning
occasion
ofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
svag
feeble
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorous
bas
bass
,andquiveredhigherandhigherin
følge
consequence
.
Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nikkede
nodded
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella
,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited
tålmodigt
patiently
tillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupher
kjole
gown
towalkthroughthewetroads.
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
neat
maid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readyto
dart
dart
atthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordwere
højtidelige
solemn
festivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
øjeblikket
presently
thetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawas
delikat
delicate
egg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
beskrivelse
description
.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favorit
favourite
withalltheladiespresent.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimeret
depressed
almosttogloom.
MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
værdig
dignified
amanner,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
annoyed
byMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmissionproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedto
drukne
drown
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forthe
Ærede
Honourable
MrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s
niece
niece
!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
forsikre
assure
MissPoleshecouldeasilygetherthe
identiske
identical
Shetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetland
varer
goods
ofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
foreslået
proposed
music;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
litteratur
literature
.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
udgav
publishing
inparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
manuskript
manuscript
sermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
opfordret
urged
MissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
tydeligvis
evidently
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
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.