CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertain
किराए
rentarewomen.Ifamarriedcouplecometo
बसने
settleinthetown,somehowtheसज्जन
gentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureand
राजनीति
politicswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclearand
सही
correctknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
हालांकि
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.दरअसल
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreigns
बीच
amongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtoo
समतल
flat.Theirdressisveryindependentof
फैशन
fashion;astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemare
लगभग
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryour
यात्रा
journeyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthana
चौथाई
quarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhena
चौथाई
quarterofanhourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbing
विषय
subjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethat
विषय
subjectsavouredofcommerceandव्यापार
trade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesin
सफलता
successwhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabya
अनुरोध
requestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisउपन्यास
novelproceedingasthemostस्वाभाविक
naturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaनियमित
regularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesof
समाज
societytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanything
महंगा
expensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,
हालांकि
althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefuland
संतुष्ट
satisfied.InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptain
ब्राउन
BrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakinga
विशेष
particularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamananda
सज्जन
gentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhis
संबंध
connectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,वास्तव
indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandas
आम
commonaspoverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedto
नजरअंदाज
ignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashing
सामग्री
material;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,
किसी
somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwas
आश्चर्य
surprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasप्राधिकारी
authorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstillCaptain
ब्राउन
Brownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnot
शर्मिंदा
ashamedtobepoor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculine
सामान्य
commonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanअसाधारण
extraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadviceso
उच्च
highlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthis
विषय
subject:AnoldladyhadanAlderney
गाय
cow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshort
चौथाई
quarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
इसलिए
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandपछतावा
regretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorगाय
cowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoor
जानवर
beasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andदुखी
miserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryinga
स्नान
bathofoil.Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhose
सलाह
advicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmy
सलाह
adviceis,killthepoorप्राणी
creatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Captain
ब्राउन
Brownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuch
युवा
youngerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
Miss
ब्राउन
Brownmusthavebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutof
दृष्टि
sight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessie
ब्राउन
Brownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,ina
जुनून
passionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andany
महिला
femaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsप्रति
perannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Suchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebythe
ब्राउन
BrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangout
जोर
loudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquivered
अधिक
higherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMiss
ब्राउन
Browntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptain
ब्राउन
Brownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,in
पूर्व
formerdays,thattherewasnoसज्जन
gentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindबातचीत
conversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.
Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.
Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashioned
चांदी
silverglitteredwithpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
पसंदीदा
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,
तेज
sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.Miss
ब्राउन
Brownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyas
लोकप्रिय
popularasherfather.Heimmediatelyand
चुपचाप
quietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtothe
कमजोर
weak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithas
गंभीर
graveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcracked
पियानो
piano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!
ButMissJessie
ब्राउन
Brown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,andassureMissPoleshecouldआसानी
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyata
चौथाई
quartertonine,therewasबातचीत
conversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptain
ब्राउन
Brownsportedabitofliterature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygood
लाइब्रेरी
libraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyबातचीत
conversationaboutbooksasaचुनौती
challengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
वास्तव
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptain
ब्राउन
Brown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptain
ब्राउन
Browntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthe
नोक
tipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedherवाक्य
sentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquite
जागरूक
awareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveat
बाथ
Bath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.