CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
hallussa
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhouses
yläpuolella
aboveacertainrentarewomen.Jos
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,jotenkin
somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairly
pelottaa
frightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymies
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
outatthegeesethatsilloin tällöin
occasionallyventureintothegardensjos
ifthegatesareleftauki
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasons
tai
orarguments;forobtainingclearand
oikea
correctknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;for
pitävät
keepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirablejärjestyksessä
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtender
hyvää
goodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordareaivan
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
yksi
oneofthemobservedtomekerran
once,“issointhewayinthehouse!”Vaikka
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordtietävät
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasher
oma
ownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,melko
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissohelppoa
easyasverbalretaliation;but,
jotenkin
somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
on
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinamuutaman
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthepään
head;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrom
tulisi
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
hyvin
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
miten
howwedresshereatCranford,jossa
whereeverybodyknowsus?”And
jos
iftheygofromhome,theirreasonisyhtä
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifymiten
howwedresshere,wherekukaan
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,
hyviä
goodandplain,andmostofthemaremelkein
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymuisti
memory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelast
tiukka
tightandscantypetticoatinkäytetty
wearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andnähtiin
seenwithoutasmile.I
voin
cantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underjoka
whichagentlelittlespinster,leftyksin
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
We
oli
hadatraditionoftheensimmäinen
firstthathadeverbeennähty
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,
ja
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmight
olla
havebeentheveryredsilkki
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyavahva
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoor
pikku
littlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldtuskin
scarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
ja
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;ja
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhosaattoivat
mightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthevanhoja
oldManxlawswerereadkerran
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshave
ovat lähettäneet
senttoinquirehowyouarejälkeen
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywill
antavat
giveyousomerestto-morrow,mutta
butthenextday,Ihavenoepäile
doubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
jälkeen
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
kun
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthe
kolmas
thirdday;Idaresayyourmamma
on
hastoldyou,mydear,koskaan
nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsevälillä
betweenreceivingacallandreturningit;and
myös
also,thatyouarenevertojää
staylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Miten
HowamItofindoutkun
whenaquarterofanhouron
haspassed?”“Youmustkeep
ajatella
thinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotsallia
allowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”Aseverybody
oli
hadthisruleintheirminds,olipa
whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcourseei
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverpuhuttu
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
I
kuvittelen
imaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadjotkut
somedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;mutta
buttheywereliketheSpartans,ja
andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.We
kukaan
noneofusspokeofmoney,sillä
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andvaikka
thoughsomemightbepoor,wewerekaikki
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorps
joka
whichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesskun
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Kun
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveajuhlat
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthepieni
littlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyapyytämällä
requestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andpuhuivat
talkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedettä
thatourhostesshadatavallinen
regularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheyksi
onelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldkoskaan
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtokantamaan
carrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,joka
whonowsatinstate,teeskenteli
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
whichmadeusverypeacefulandtyytyväinen
satisfied.Inevershallforget
sitä
thedismayfeltwhenacertainKapteeni
CaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,ja
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinakuiskaten
whispertoanintimatefriend,sitä
thedoorsandwindowsbeingaiemmin
previouslyclosed,butinthepublickadulla
street!inaloudmilitary
äänellä
voice!alleginghispovertyasa
syynä
reasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
jo
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamies
manandagentleman.Hewasahalf-pay
kapteeni
captain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whicholi
hadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythepieni
littletown;andif,in
lisäksi
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastopuhui
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,todellakin
indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Kuolema
Deathwasastrueandascommonasköyhyys
poverty;yetpeopleneverspoke
siitä
aboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwasa
sana
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedto
jättämään
ignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalityvoisi
couldeverbepreventedbyköyhyys
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Jos
Ifwewalkedtoorfromajuhlien
party,itwasbecausetheyö
nightwassofine,ortheilma
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Jos
Ifweworeprints,insteadofkesän
summersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgar
siitä
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofhyvin
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
tienneet
knowwhattomakeofamanjoka
whocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotahäpeä
disgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwas
kutsuttiin
calledupon,inspiteofkaikki
allresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranford
noin
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,
vain
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
nyt
nowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursennen
beforetwelve.True,itwasto
löytää
discoverthecauseofasmokingsavupiippu
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;mutta
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,mitään
nothingdaunted,spokeinaäänellä
voicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedmelko
quiteinthewayofatamemiehen
manaboutthehouse.Hehadbeen
sokea
blindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeen
ystävällinen
friendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeenviileä
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingood
uskossa
faith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasa
mies
manwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.Ja
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,ja
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,olivat
hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthoritykeskuudessa
amongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthe
päinvastoin
reverse;andIamsurehewasstartledoneday
kun
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,thepoorlehmä
cowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
että
thatshewassoonheardja
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoor
peto
beasthadlostmostofherhair,andtuli
cameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Kaikki
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnothillitä
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutely
itki
criedwithsorrowanddismay;anditwas
sanottiin
saidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.Tämä
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeyksi
oneofthenumberwhoseadviceshepyysi
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadby
Kapteeni
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatja
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouhaluat
wishtokeepheralive.Mutta
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorolento
creatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
ja
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,
ja
andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttonäki
seetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
olen
havewatchedhermyselfmanyakertaa
time.DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Kapteeni
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhiskahden
twodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Mutta
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,joustava
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhispäänsä
head,andaspringingstep,joka
whichmadehimappearmuchnuorempi
youngerthanhewas.His
vanhin
eldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,ja
andbetrayedthefactthathistodellinen
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.MissBrownmust
olla
havebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,and
näytti
lookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadkauan
longfadedoutofsight.Jopa
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeentavallinen
plainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
kymmenen
tenyearsyoungerthanhersister,ja
andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasround
ja
anddimpled.MissJenkynsonce
sanoi
said,inapassionagainstKapteeni
CaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasaika
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotaina
alwaystobetryingtonäyttää
looklikeachild.”Itwas
totta
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;ja
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshekuolee
dies,thoughsheshouldlivetoasata
hundred.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;andanyfemale
tarkkailija
observermightdetectaslighteron
differenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingnoin
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivekuin
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasa
suuri
largesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwastheimpression
teki
madeuponmebytheBrownperhe
familywhenIfirstsawthemallyhdessä
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
yhteydessä
occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
piti
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesaikana
duringtheMorningHymn,andthennosti
lifteduphisheaderectja
andsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
kuin
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingheikko
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,tunsi
feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,ja
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.On
tuli
comingoutofchurch,thebriskKapteeni
Captainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
ja
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;mutta
butheshookhandswithnonekunnes
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,oli
hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andoli
hadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,oli
hadtakenuphergowntokävelemään
walkthroughthewetroads.I
mietin
wonderwhattheCranfordladiestekivät
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehad
usein
oftenrejoiced,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,Imietin
wonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,with
vihreä
greenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,aivan
justasusual;itwasthe
kolmas
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinnoin
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
the
siisti
neatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;ja
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,kukin
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheensimmäinen
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
tuntemaan
feelgravelyelatedastheyistuivat
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
kolme
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheepäonninen
unluckyfourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
välittömästi
immediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
jotka
whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheaamulla
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.The
kiina
chinawasdelicateegg-shell;theold-fashioned
hopea
silverglitteredwithpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Kun
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Kapteeni
CaptainandtheMissBrownstulivat
camein;andIcouldsee
että
that,somehoworother,theKapteeni
Captainwasafavouritewithalltheladiesläsnä
present.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrown
näytti
lookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessie
hymyili
smiledasusual,andseemedlähes
nearlyaspopularasherisänsä
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceinthe
huoneessa
room;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
tyhjiä
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,
että
thathewasatruemies
manthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithas
vakava
graveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;ja
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,heolin
hadaneyeonhiskärsi
sufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwasvarma
sureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshesaattoi
mightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnot
pelata
playcards:butshetalkedtothesitters-out,
joka
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenmelko
ratherinclinedtobecross.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,andvakuutti
assureMissPoleshecouldhelposti
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandwooltarvitsi
required,“throughmyuncle,whohastheparas
bestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofmitään
anyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethe
maun
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,andtheäänen
soundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsehdotti
proposedmusic;soIsay
vielä kerran
again,itwasverygoodofhertolöi
beattimetothesong.Kun
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandviini
wine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewaskeskustelu
conversation,comparingofcards,andpuhuen
talkingovertricks;butby-and-by
Kapteeni
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.“Haveyou
nähnyt
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”sanoi
saidhe.(Theywerethen
julkaisivat
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
tytär
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,anda
melko
prettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Soshe
vastasi
answeredandsaid,“Yes,sheoli
hadseenthem;indeed,she
saattoi
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kapteeni
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
kehotettu
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutpuhumatta
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Silti
Still,perhaps,theauthorisnuori
young.Lethimpersevere,and
kuka
whoknowswhathemaytulla
becomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Tämä
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforKapteeni
CaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andI
näin
sawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynsoli
hadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
aivan
quiteadifferentsortofasia
thing,mydearmadam,”healkoi
began.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returned
hän
she.“AndImakeallowances,
Kapteeni
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmeto
lukea
readyouasceneoutoftämän
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
on
haditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinktheyhtiö
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
sanoi
saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.He
luki
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellerantoi
gaveatBath.Someofus
nauroivat
laughedheartily.Ididnot
uskaltanut
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.