CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
In
der
thefirstplace,Cranfordisinpossessionofder
theAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Wenn
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinder
thetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heis
entweder
eitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymann
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthewoche
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeof
den
thegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.What
könnten
couldtheydoiftheyweredort
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
und
andsleepsatCranford;but
jeder
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeeping
die
thetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowersohne
withoutaweedtospeckthem;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowers
durch
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardens
wenn
ifthegatesareleftoffen
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
und
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
und
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinder
theparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirable
ordnung
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
und
andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordareganz
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
einer
oneofthemobservedtomeeinmal
once,“issointhewayinder
thehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
kennen
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
jede
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosagen
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nichts
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;aber
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoein
aconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
haben
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinapaar
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;nur
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressis
sehr
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
hier
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”Und
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshier
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”Die
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,gut
goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;aber
butIwillanswerforit,der
thelastgigot,thelasttightund
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasgesehen
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutein
asmile.Icantestifyto
eine
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,unter
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftallein
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Haben
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehad
eine
atraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeengesehen
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbed
es
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”It
könnte
mighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIsein
havedescribed,heldbyastrongvater
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;die
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryes
it.Thentherewererules
und
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;und
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthestadt
town,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadeinmal
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
haben
havesenttoinquirehowyouarenach
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
werden
willgiveyousomerestmorgen
to-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywerden
willcall;sobeatliberty
nach
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itis
der
thethirdday;Idare
sagen
sayyourmammahastoldyou,myliebe
dear,nevertoletmoreals
thanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallund
andreturningit;andalso,
dass
thatyouarenevertobleiben
staylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
schauen
lookatmywatch?HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeep
denken
thinkingaboutthetime,myliebe
dear,andnotallowyourselftovergessen
forgetitinconversation.”Aseverybodyhad
diese
thisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidein
acall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenüber
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,
und
andwerepunctualtoourzeit
time.Iimaginethatafewof
der
thegentlefolksofCranfordwerearm
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbeide
bothendsmeet;buttheywerelike
die
theSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunter
underasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeof
geld
money,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceund
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbearm
poor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
alle
alldeficienciesinsuccesswheneinige
someamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gavea
party
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,und
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestdass
thatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalsache
thingintheworld,andtalkedonüber
abouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallglaubten
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperund
andsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmskönne
couldneverhavebeenstronggenug
enoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whojetzt
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottowissen
knowwhatcakesweresentnach oben
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,und
andsheknewthatweknew,und
andweknewthatsheknewdass
thatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadund
andsponge-cakes.Therewereoneor
zwei
twoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralaber
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,der
whichwerenotamiss,andder
whichmightbeintroducedintoviele
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
und
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,unter
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,etwa
aboutnineo’clockatnight;und
andthewholetownwasabedund
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
wort
wordinCranford)togiveetwas
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,atden
theeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
und
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatdie
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;und
andshewassister-in-lawtodie
thelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesolche
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Hownaturallyonefalls
wieder
backintothephraseologyofCranford!Dort
There,economywasalways“elegant,”und
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;eine
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeussehr
verypeacefulandsatisfied.I
nie
nevershallforgetthedismayfühlte
feltwhenacertainCaptainBrownkam
cametoliveatCranford,und
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefreund
friend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslygeschlossen
closed,butinthepublicstraße
street!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyas
ein
areasonfornottakingein
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
bereits
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamann
manandagentleman.Hewas
ein
ahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedeinige
somesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittlestadt
town;andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,
und
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastosprechen
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemuss
mustbesenttoCoventry.Tod
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;doch
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
ein
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
dass
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitykönnte
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromtun
doinganythingthattheywished.Wenn
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty
party,itwasbecausethenacht
nightwassofine,ordie
theairsorefreshing,notweil
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
weil
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;und
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestodie
thevulgarfactthatwewere,alle
allofus,peopleofsehr
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofa
mann
manwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Doch
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,und
andwascalledupon,inspiteofaller
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
hören
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatein
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordetwa
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthestadt
town.Myownfriendshadbeenamong
den
thebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisitden
theCaptainandhisdaughters,nur
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
jetzt
nowhewasevenadmittedinden
thetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
ursache
causeofasmokingchimney,bevor
beforethefirewaslighted;aber
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nichts
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheraum
room,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanüber
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
alle
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
obwohl
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
und
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalle
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamann
manwhowasnotashamedtobearm
poor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,
und
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplatz
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimself
ging
wentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofdas
thereverse;andIam
sicher
surehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakeeinige
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobegenommen
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
dieses
thissubject:AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasa
tochter
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcall
ohne
withoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofdieses
thisanimal.Thewholetownknew
und
andkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthesympathy
und
andregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewas
bald
soonheardandrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthad
verloren
lostmostofherhair,und
andcameoutlookingnaked,kalt
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,
obwohl
thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
und
anddismay;anditwassaidshe
gedacht
thoughtoftryingabathofoil.Dieses
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeeiner
oneofthenumberwhoseadviceshefragte
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedonthe
kopf
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Gethereine
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,wenn
ifyouwishtokeepheram leben
alive.Butmyadviceis,
töten
killthepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
und
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
arbeit
work,andby-and-byallthestadt
townturnedouttoseedie
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihave
beobachtet
watchedhermyselfmanyatime.Doyouever
gesehen
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhad
genommen
takenasmallhouseonder
theoutskirtsofthetown,wo
wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.He
muss
musthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadverlassen
leftitasaresidence.Aber
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,eine
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,und
andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearviel
muchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
tochter
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,und
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmehr
morethanhisapparentage.MissBrown
muss
musthavebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononher
gesicht
face,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlange
longfadedoutofsight.Selbst
Evenwhenyoungshemustsein
havebeenplainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
zehn
tenyearsyoungerthanherschwester
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
gesicht
facewasroundanddimpled.MissJenkyns
einmal
oncesaid,inapassiongegen
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwillsagen
tellyoupresently),“thatshedachte
thoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,und
andnotalwaystobeversuchen
tryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwas
wahr
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinhergesicht
face;andtherewillbe,I
glaube
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
und
andsnub,andherlipswererot
redanddewy;sheworeher
haare
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheighteneddieses
thisappearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
aber
butIlikedherface,und
andsodideverybody,andItaten
donotthinkshecouldhelfen
helpherdimples.Shehad
etwas
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitund
andmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
könnte
mightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthezwei
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingetwa
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensiveals
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
eine
alargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrown
familie
familywhenIfirstsawthemallzusammen
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,he
hielt
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringder
theMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphiskopf
headerectandsangoutloudund
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
als
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithein
apipingfeeblevoice,who,Iglaube
think,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,und
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncoming
aus
outofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
und
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;aber
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,und
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntogehen
walkthroughthewetroads.Iwonderwhat
die
theCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,
dass
thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,und
andtofindconversationfor,atden
thecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesupon
den
thesnugnessoftheevenings;und
and,inourloveforgentility,und
anddistasteofmankind,wehadfast
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeein
amanwastobe“vulgar”;so
dass
thatwhenIfoundmyfriendund
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtosein
haveapartyinmyhonour,und
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedsehr
muchwhatwouldbetheverlauf
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwas
die
thethirdweekinNovember,sodie
theeveningsclosedinaboutvier
four.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Das
Thefirewasmadeup;das
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;und
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,jeder
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,bereit
readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheerste
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,making
die
theladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysatzusammen
togetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
drei
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingder
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
vier
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;und
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadgesehen
seensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorgen
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Das
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;das
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;aber
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Während
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainund
andtheMissBrownscamein;und
andIcouldseethat,somehoworandere
other,theCaptainwasafavouritewithaller
alltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
und
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
und
andseemednearlyaspopularashervater
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumed
den
theman’splaceintheraum
room;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourby
warteten
waitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;und
andyetdiditallinsoeasyund
anddignifiedamanner,andsosehr
muchasifitwereasache
matterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemann
manthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
und
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadein
aneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassicher
sureshewas,thoughtoviele
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessie
konnte
couldnotplaycards:butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,
bevor
beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,
auch
too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIglaube
thinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”
ein
alittleoutoftune;aber
butwewerenoneofusmusical,obwohl
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,aus
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
sehr
verygoodofMissJenkynstotun
dothis;forIhad
gesehen
seenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)dass
thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbruder
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkyns
versuchte
triedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,und
andwhatwouldshesayordenken
thinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesamezimmer
roomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Aber
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorgen
morning)wouldrepeattheinformation,und
andassureMissPoleshekönnte
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyonkel
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
nehmen
takethetasteofthisaus
outofourmouths,andden
thesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusik
music;soIsayagain,itwas
sehr
verygoodofhertoschlagen
beattimetothesong.Als
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsund
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,und
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
ein
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
gesehen
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
tochter
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;und
and,onthestrengthofeine
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,und
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,und
andlookeduponanyconversationüber
aboutbooksasachallengetosich
her.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehad
gesehen
seenthem;indeed,shemight
sagen
sayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkyns
konnte
couldnotbutspeak.“I
muss
mustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
vielleicht
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Lassen
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathekann
maybecomeifhewilltakeden
thegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidentlytoo
viel
muchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;und
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebevor
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
ganz
quiteadifferentsortofsache
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyou
eine
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonlythis
morgen
morning,andIdon’tthinkdie
thecompanycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithan
luft
airofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Einige
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,
weil
becauseIwasstayinginthehaus
house.