CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
kaikki
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.Jos
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonly
mies
manintheCranfordeveningparties,tai
orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,tai
orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,
mitä
whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.What
voisivat
couldtheydoiftheyweresiellä
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,and
nukkuu
sleepsatCranford;butevery
mies
mancannotbeasurgeon.For
pitäen
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowersilman
withoutaweedtospeckniitä
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
jotka
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersläpi
throughtherailings;forrushing
ulos
outatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensjos
ifthegatesareleftauki
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasons
tai
orarguments;forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
for
pitävät
keepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirablejärjestyksessä
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtender
hyvää
goodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordareaivan
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
yksi
oneofthemobservedtomekerran
once,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
tietävät
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasher
oma
ownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,melko
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissohelppoa
easyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladies
on
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinamuutaman
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthepään
head;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrom
tulisi
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
hyvin
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
miten
howwedresshereatCranford,jossa
whereeverybodyknowsus?”And
jos
iftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifymiten
howwedresshere,wherekukaan
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,
hyviä
goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;mutta
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightja
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasnähtiin
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.I
voin
cantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underjoka
whichagentlelittlespinster,leftyksin
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
We
oli
hadatraditionoftheensimmäinen
firstthathadeverbeennähty
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,
ja
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmight
olla
havebeentheveryredsilkoneIolla
havedescribed,heldbyastrongisä
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoor
pikku
littlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
ja
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;ja
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhosaattoivat
mightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthevanhoja
oldManxlawswerereadkerran
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshave
ovat lähettäneet
senttoinquirehowyouarejälkeen
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywill
antavat
giveyousomerestto-morrow,mutta
butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillsoittavat
call;sobeatliberty
jälkeen
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
kun
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
päivä
day;Idaresayyourmamma
on
hastoldyou,mydear,koskaan
nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsevälillä
betweenreceivingacallandreturningit;and
myös
also,thatyouarenevertojää
staylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Miten
HowamItofindoutkun
whenaquarterofanhouron
haspassed?”“Youmustkeep
ajatella
thinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftounohtaa
forgetitinconversation.”Aseverybody
oli
hadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedtai
orpaidacall,ofcourseei
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverpuhuttu
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
Iimagine
että
thatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadjotkut
somedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;mutta
buttheywereliketheSpartans,ja
andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.Wenoneofus
puhunut
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andvaikka
thoughsomemightbepoor,wewerekaikki
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorps
joka
whichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesskun
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Kun
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveajuhlat
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthepieni
littlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestettä
thatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andpuhuivat
talkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedettä
thatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,toinen
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheyksi
onelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldkoskaan
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,joka
whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewettä
thatweknew,andweknewettä
thatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewere
yksi
oneortwoconsequencesarisingfromtämän
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andtämän
thisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,jotka
whichwerenotamiss,andjotka
whichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclattered
kotiin
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,noin
aboutnineo’clockatnight;ja
andthewholetownwasabedja
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”
A
(atremendouswordinCranford)toantaa
giveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatabletai
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
ja
andsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesonantoi
gave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
Kuinka
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Siellä
There,economywasalways“elegant,”ja
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
joka
whichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.I
koskaan
nevershallforgetthedismaytunsin
feltwhenacertainCaptainBrowntuli
cametoliveatCranford,ja
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,sitä
thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,vaan
butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasa
syynä
reasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
jo
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamies
manandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
ja
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whicholi
hadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythepieni
littletown;andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenasto
puhui
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,heon
mustbesenttoCoventry.Kuolema
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;silti
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwasa
sana
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
että
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalityvoisi
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromtekemästä
doinganythingthattheywished.Jos
Ifwewalkedtoorfromajuhlien
party,itwasbecausetheyö
nightwassofine,ortheilma
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Jos
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgar
siitä
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofhyvin
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
tienneet
knowwhattomakeofamanjoka
whocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Mutta
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwaskutsuttiin
calledupon,inspiteofkaikki
allresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranford
noin
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,
vain
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
nyt
nowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursennen
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
syy
causeofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;mutta
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,mitään
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoiceliian
toolargefortheroom,andjokedmelko
quiteinthewayofatamemiehen
manaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,
vaikka
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeenviileä
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
ja
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamies
manwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.Ja
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,ja
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,olivat
hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIam
varma
surehewasstartledonedaykun
whenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakejoitakin
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobeotettiin
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
tätä
thissubject:Anoldlady
oli
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.You
voisi
couldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingkertomatta
toldofthewonderfulmilktai
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
koko
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
suuri
greatwasthesympathyandregretkun
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
että
thatshewassoonheardja
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeast
oli
hadlostmostofherhair,andtuli
cameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Kaikki
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
ja
anddismay;anditwas
sanottiin
saidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.Tämä
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeyksi
oneofthenumberwhoseadviceshepyysi
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoat
ja
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouhaluat
wishtokeepheralive.Mutta
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
ja
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,
ja
andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttonäki
seetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
olen
havewatchedhermyselfmanyakertaa
time.DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrown
oli
hadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhiskahden
twodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Mutta
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhispäänsä
head,andaspringingstep,joka
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerkuin
thanhewas.Hiseldest
tyttärensä
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,ja
andbetrayedthefactthathistodellinen
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.MissBrownmust
olla
havebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,and
näytti
lookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadkauan
longfadedoutofsight.Jopa
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainja
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
kymmenen
tenyearsyoungerthanhersister,ja
andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasround
ja
anddimpled.MissJenkynsonce
sanoi
said,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasaika
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotaina
alwaystobetryingtonäyttää
looklikeachild.”Itwas
totta
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;ja
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshekuolee
dies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,
katsoivat
lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformed
ja
andsnub,andherlipswereredja
anddewy;sheworeherhair,
myös
too,inlittlerowsofcurls,jotka
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
tiedä
knowwhethershewasprettyornot;mutta
butIlikedherface,ja
andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldauttamaan
helpherdimples.Shehad
jotain
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
saattaisi
mightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingnoin
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivekuin
thanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Suchwastheimpression
teki
madeuponmebytheBrownperhe
familywhenIfirstsawthemallyhdessä
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,he
piti
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,ja
andthenlifteduphispäänsä
headerectandsangoutloudja
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
kuin
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,joka
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,ja
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.On
tuli
comingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainkiinnitti
paidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
ja
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;mutta
butheshookhandswithnonekunnes
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,oli
hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andoli
hadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,oli
hadtakenuphergowntokävelemään
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
tekivät
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,
ja
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.We
olimme
hadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehad
melkein
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamies
manwastobe“vulgar”;so
että
thatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveajuhlat
partyinmyhonour,andettä
thatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedpaljon
muchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,were
asetettiin
setoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
viikko
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinnoin
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servant
oli
hadreceivedherlastdirections;ja
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,kukin
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheensimmäinen
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
tuntemaan
feelgravelyelatedastheyistuivat
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
kolme
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.Thenext
neljä
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
jotka
whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheaamulla
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
mutta
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Kun
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainja
andtheMissBrownscamein;ja
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrown
näytti
lookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
ja
andseemednearlyaspopularasherisänsä
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceinthe
huoneessa
room;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycups
ja
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,
että
thathewasatruemies
manthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestas
jos
iftheyhadbeenpounds;ja
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,heolin
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwasvarma
sureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshesaattoi
mightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnot
pelata
playcards:butshetalkedtothesitters-out,
joka
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
lauloi
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,joka
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessie
lauloi
sang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;mutta
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsvoitti
beattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
hyvin
verygoodofMissJenkynstotehdä
dothis;forIhadseen
että
that,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)että
thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sveli
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkyns
yritti
triedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwasistui
sittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,ja
andwhatwouldshesaytai
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesamassa
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Mutta
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadei
notact,asweallagreedthenextaamuna
morning)wouldrepeattheinformation,andassureMissPoleshevoisi
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohastheparas
bestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofmitään
anyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteof
tämän
thisoutofourmouths,andtheäänen
soundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
sanon
sayagain,itwasveryhyvä
goodofhertobeattimetothesong.Kun
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andpuhuen
talkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsporteda
vähän
bitofliterature.“Haveyou
nähnyt
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”sanoi
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
tytär
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,anda
melko
prettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Soshe
vastasi
answeredandsaid,“Yes,sheoli
hadseenthem;indeed,she
saattoi
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkyns
voinut
couldnotbutspeak.“Imust
sanottava
say,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Silti
Still,perhaps,theauthorisnuori
young.Lethimpersevere,and
kuka
whoknowswhathemaytulla
becomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Tämä
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntoottaa
takeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkyns
oli
hadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
aivan
quiteadifferentsortofasia
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returned
hän
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmeto
lukea
readyouasceneoutoftämän
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
on
haditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinktheyhtiö
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
sanoi
saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.He
luki
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellerantoi
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
koska
becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.