CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
कब्जे
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis
रेजिमेंट
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringवाणिज्यिक
commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
The
सर्जन
surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbea
सर्जन
surgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsof
साहित्य
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithअनावश्यक
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthe
पैरिश
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
for
दयालुता
kindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealकोमल
tendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareinसंकट
distress,theladiesofCranfordarequiteपर्याप्त
sufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedingly
उदासीन
indifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasherown
व्यक्तित्व
individuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettyदृढ़ता
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasमौखिक
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
काफी
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittle
झगड़ा
quarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisvery
स्वतंत्र
independentoffashion;astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
गवाही
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkछतरी
umbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonबरसात
rainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
Wehada
परंपरा
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
रेशम
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald
माउंट
Mount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’s
गाड़ी
carriage);“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
कठिनाई
difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethem
नजरअंदाज
overlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirगरीबी
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrom
नीचे
underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonaboutघर
householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourपरिचारिका
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrytheट्रे
trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyherमालकिन
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged
गरीबी
poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatसुधार
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(a
जबरदस्त
tremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
माननीय
HonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelate
अर्ल
EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidअभ्यास
practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
How
स्वाभाविक
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,
अर्थव्यवस्था
economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery
शांतिपूर्ण
peacefulandsatisfied.InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
खुले तौर पर
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanअंतरंग
intimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingपहले
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
गरीबी
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningoverthe
आक्रमण
invasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,in
अलावा
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeअप्रिय
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
गरीबी
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoears
विनम्र
polite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting
समता
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbyगरीबी
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofvery
मध्यम
moderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
गरीबी
povertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
बावजूद
spiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
प्रस्ताव
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmoking
चिमनी
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsof
तुच्छ
trivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmall
व्यंग्यात्मक
sarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;andwithhis
मर्दाना
manlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.And,atlast,hisexcellent
मर्दाना
masculinecommonsense,andhisसुविधा
facilityindevisingexpedientstoदूर
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,as
अनजान
unawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthe
सहानुभूति
sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedso
जोर
loudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
बीच
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll
उपस्थिति
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
दुख
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
उपाय
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;butthe
प्रस्ताव
proposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher
चरागाह
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
ग्रे
greyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
बाहरी इलाके
outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
निवास
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
लोचदार
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
स्पष्ट
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehada
बीमार
sickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyou
वर्तमान
presently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis
उपस्थिति
appearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessof
चाल
gaitandmanner;andanyfemale
पर्यवेक्षक
observermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheपोशाक
attireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
राशि
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
प्रभाव
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
अवसर
occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorning
भजन
Hymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorous
बास
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,the
तेज
briskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
छतरी
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedधैर्यपूर्वक
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupherगाउन
gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof
मानव जाति
mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
परिचारिका
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethirdweekin
नवंबर
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
the
साफ
neatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readyto
डार्ट
dartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordwere
गंभीर
solemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
वर्तमान
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawas
नाजुक
delicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
वर्णन
description.Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
उदास
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
सम्मानजनक
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobe
चिड़चिड़ा
irritable.MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewerenoneofus
संगीतमय
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetland
ऊन
wool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedto
डूबने
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheमाननीय
HonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tableनिकटतम
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sभतीजी
niece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
आश्वस्त
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheसमान
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandसामान
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
साहित्य
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
पांडुलिपि
manuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfसाहित्यिक
literary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans
बराबर
equaltoDrJohnson.Still,perhaps,the
लेखक
authorisyoung.Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.