CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
először
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesabove
egy
acertainrentarewomen.Ha
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonly
ember
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthehéten
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoes
lesz
becomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldtheydo
ha
iftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
és
andsleepsatCranford;but
minden
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardens
tele
fullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckőket
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
akik
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowerskeresztül
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardens
ha
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
minden
allquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsvagy
orarguments;forobtainingclear
és
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
és
andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtome
egyszer
once,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasher
saját
ownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,semmi
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;de
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladieshave
csak
onlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinanéhány
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;csak
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfromlegyen
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
nagyon
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
itt
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?Ӄs
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedressitt
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,
jó
goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMiss
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;de
butIwillanswerforit,az
thelastgigot,thelasttightés
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,waslátták
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.Icantestifyto
egy
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,alatt
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftegyedül
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Van
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
volt
hadatraditionoftheelső
firstthathadeverbeenláttak
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,
és
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
nagyon
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,tartott
heldbyastrongfatherfelett
overatroopoflittleones;the
szegény
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
és
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;és
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeopleakik
whomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtherégi
oldManxlawswerereadegyszer
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
vagy
havesenttoinquirehowyouareután
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywill
adnak
giveyousomerestto-morrow,de
butthenextday,Ihavenem
nodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
után
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
miután
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itis
a
thethirdday;Idare
mondta
sayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,soha
nevertoletmorethanhárom
threedayselapsebetweenreceivingahívás
callandreturningit;andalso,thatyouare
soha
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmy
néznem
watch?HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofan
óra
hourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeep
gondolnod
thinkingaboutthetime,mydear,és
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
mindenki
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedvagy
orpaidacall,oftermészetesen
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,
és
andwerepunctualtoourtime.Iimagine
hogy
thatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwereszegény
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinhogy
makingbothendsmeet;buttheywere
mint
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartalatt
underasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,
mert
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceés
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordians
volt
hadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichhogy
madethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccessamikor
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,
adta
gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,és
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,mindenki
everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturaldolog
thingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsés
andceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostessvolt
hadaregularservants’hall,második
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonekis
littlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnevervolt
havebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshevolt
hadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowült
satinstate,pretendingnottotudta
knowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughshetudta
knew,andweknew,andshetudta
knewthatweknew,andwetudta
knewthatsheknewthatwetudta
knew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorninghogy
makingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewere
egy
oneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralde
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisnagyon
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,és
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirnagy
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
és
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,alatt
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,körülbelül
aboutnineo’clockatnight;és
andthewholetownwasabedés
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
szó
wordinCranford)togivebármi
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,ataz
theeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
és
andsponge-biscuitswereallthata
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;és
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractiseilyen
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Milyen
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Ott
There,economywasalways“elegant,”és
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
ami
whichmadeusverypeacefulés
andsatisfied.Inevershall
elfelejteni
forgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,és
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsés
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,hanem
butinthepublicstreet!in
egy
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyas
egy
areasonfornottakingegy
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
már
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyegy
amanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
és
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,amely
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedellen
againstbythelittletown;és
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,és
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hekell
mustbesenttoCoventry.Halál
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;mégis
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinaz
thestreets.Itwasa
szó
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
amit
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingamit
thattheywished.Ifwewalkedto
vagy
orfromaparty,itwasmert
becausethenightwassofine,vagy
ortheairsorefreshing,notmert
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
mert
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;és
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgartény
factthatwewere,allofus,emberek
peopleofverymoderatemeans.Of
természetesen
course,then,wedidnottudtuk
knowwhattomakeofegy
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotegy
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrown
hogy
madehimselfrespectedinCranford,és
andwascalledupon,inspiteofminden
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityat
egy
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordkörülbelül
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.My
saját
ownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainés
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;és
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhourselőtt
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
oka
causeofasmokingchimney,mielőtt
beforethefirewaslighted;de
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,semmi
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetúl
toolargefortheroom,és
andjokedquiteintheút
wayofatamemanabouttheházban
house.Hehadbeenblindto
összes
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhevolt
hadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
bár
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeenhűvös
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
és
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredösszes
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasegy
amanwhowasnotashamedtobeszegény
poor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,
és
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
és
andIamsurehewasstartledegy
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadadott
giveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
Anoldlady
volt
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.You
lehetett
couldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkvagy
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.Az
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMiss
MissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
nagy
greatwasthesympathyandregretamikor
when,inanunguardedmoment,theszegény
poorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
hogy
thatshewassoonheardés
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
szegény
poorbeasthadlostmostofherhaját
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,és
andmiserable,inabareskin.Mindenki
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewtudták
couldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Miss
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycrieda
withsorrowanddismay;anditwas
mondták
saidshethoughtoftryingegy
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
talán
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneoftheszám
numberwhoseadvicesheasked;de
buttheproposal,ifeveritwashogy
made,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheregy
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ha
ifyouwishtokeepheréletben
alive.Butmyadviceis,killthe
szegény
poorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
és
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,
és
andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklymegy
goingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihave
néztem
watchedhermyselfmanyatime.Doyouever
láttál
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtaken
egy
asmallhouseontheoutskirtsoftheváros
town,wherehelivedwithhiskét
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthe
első
firstvisitIpaidtoCranfordmiután
afterIhadleftitasaresidence.De
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,egy
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhisfejét
head,andaspringingstep,ami
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungermint
thanhewas.Hiseldest
lánya
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,és
andbetrayedthefactthathisvalódi
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.Miss
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,
és
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedki
outofsight.Evenwhen
fiatal
youngshemusthavebeenplainés
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
tíz
tenyearsyoungerthanherhúga
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
arca
facewasroundanddimpled.Miss
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inegy
apassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwillmondta
tellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasideje
timeforMissJessietoelhagyja
leaveoffherdimples,andnotmindig
alwaystobetryingtolookmint
likeachild.”Itwas
igaz
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;és
andtherewillbe,Ihiszem
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldél
livetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
és
andsnub,andherlipswereredés
anddewy;sheworeher
haját
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,ami
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
tudom
knowwhethershewasprettyvagy
ornot;butIlikedher
arca
face,andsodideverybody,és
andIdonotthinkshetudna
couldhelpherdimples.She
volt
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaités
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetect
egy
aslightdifferenceintheattireofthekét
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingkörülbelül
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivemint
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
egy
alargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Ilyen
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrowncsalád
familywhenIfirstsawthemallegyütt
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhad
találkoztam
metbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbynéhány
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,
és
andthenlifteduphisfejét
headerectandsangoutloudés
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
mint
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithegy
apipingfeeblevoice,who,Ihiszem
think,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,és
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohis
két
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
de
butheshookhandswithnoneamíg
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,és
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenfel
uphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
csináltak
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.We
volt
hadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,és
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesupon
az
thesnugnessoftheevenings;és
and,inourloveforgentility,és
anddistasteofmankind,wevagy
hadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeaférfi
manwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
amikor
whenIfoundmyfriendés
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtolesz
haveapartyinmyhonour,és
andthatCaptainandtheMiss
MissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatlesz
wouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,
a
withgreenbaizetops,weresetki
outbydaylight,justasusual;itwas
az
thethirdweekinNovember,soaz
theeveningsclosedinaboutnégy
four.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
A
Thefirewasmadeup;theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedher
utolsó
lastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwith
egy
acandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheelső
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedasthey
ültek
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
hárman
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeinga
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
négy
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytomásik
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhad
láttam
seensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthereggel
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.A
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
de
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Míg
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainés
andtheMissBrownscamein;és
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
Miss
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedszinte
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
és
andseemednearlyaspopularasherapja
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedthe
csinos
prettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsés
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasy
és
anddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereegy
amatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasegy
atruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasifthey
voltak
hadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwas
biztos
sureshewas,thoughtosok
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.Miss
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:de
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,aki
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,
is
too,toanoldcrackedpiano,ami
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Miss
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”egy
alittleoutoftune;de
butwewerenoneofusmusical,bár
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outofidőt
time,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
nagyon
verygoodofMissJenkynstodoezt
this;forIhadseen
hogy
that,alittlebefore,shevolt
hadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMiss
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)hogy
thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,aki
whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Miss
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbyegy
aterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwasült
sittingatacard-tablenearestMiss
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayvagy
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithegy
ashop-keeper’sniece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohad
nem
notact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,és
andassureMissPoleshetudja
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthelegjobb
bestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,
és
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMiss
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
mondom
sayagain,itwasveryjó
goodofhertobeattimetothesong.Amikor
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsés
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,és
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
egy
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
láttál
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”mondta
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Now
Miss
MissJenkynswasdaughterofegy
adeceasedrectorofCranford;és
and,onthestrengthofegy
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,és
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,és
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasegy
achallengetoher.Sosheanswered
és
andsaid,“Yes,shehadlátta
seenthem;indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyou
gondolsz
thinkofthem?”exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
Miss
MissJenkynscouldnotbutbeszélni
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’t
hiszem
thinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
talán
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Hagyd
Lethimpersevere,andwhotudja
knowswhathemaybecomeha
ifhewilltakethenagy
greatDoctorforhismodel?”Ez
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;és
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguemielőtt
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itisquite
egy
adifferentsortofthing,mykedves
dearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyou
egy
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
volna
haditonlythismorning,és
andIdon’tthinkthecég
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
mondta
saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWeller
adott
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
mert
becauseIwasstayingintheházban
house.