CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
először
firstplace,Cranfordisinbirtokában
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesabove
egy
acertainrentarewomen.Ha
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,valahogy
somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonly
ember
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthehéten
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoes
lesz
becomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldtheydo
ha
iftheywerethere?The
sebész
surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,és
andsleepsatCranford;but
minden
everymancannotbeasebész
surgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardens
tele
fullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckőket
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
akik
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowerskeresztül
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethat
időnként
occasionallyventureintothegardensha
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
minden
allquestionsofliteratureandpolitika
politicswithouttroublingthemselveswithfelesleges
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
és
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
csodálatos
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
és
andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtome
egyszer
once,“issointhewayinthehouse!”Bár
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasher
saját
ownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettyerősen
stronglydeveloped,nothingissokönnyű
easyasverbalretaliation;but,
valahogy
somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoajelentős
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshave
csak
onlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinanéhány
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;csak
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfromlegyen
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
nagyon
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
itt
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?Ӄs
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisugyanolyan
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedressitt
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,
jó
goodandplain,andmostofthemaremajdnem
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;de
butIwillanswerforit,az
thelastgigot,thelastszűk
tightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,waslátták
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutamosoly
smile.Icantestifyto
egy
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,alatt
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftegyedül
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonesős
rainydays.Haveyouany
piros
redsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
volt
hadatraditionoftheelső
firstthathadeverbeenláttak
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,
és
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
nagyon
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,tartott
heldbyastrongfatherfelett
overatroopoflittleones;the
szegény
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldalig
scarcelycarryit.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
nevertostaylongerthananegyed
quarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmy
néznem
watch?HowamItofindoutwhena
negyed
quarterofanhourhaspassed?”“You
kell
mustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,és
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
mindenki
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedvagy
orpaidacall,oftermészetesen
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvesto
rövid
shortsentencesofsmalltalk,és
andwerepunctualtoourtime.Iimagine
hogy
thatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwereszegény
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinhogy
makingbothendsmeet;buttheywere
mint
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartalatt
underasmilingface.We
sem
noneofusspokeofmoney,mert
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceés
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.TheCranfordians
volt
hadthatkindlyespritdecorps
corpswhichmadethemoverlookminden
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirszegénység
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,
adta
gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,és
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyakérés
requestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,mindenki
everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturaldolog
thingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsés
andceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostessvolt
hadaregularservants’hall,második
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward
steward,insteadoftheonekis
littlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnevervolt
havebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayemeleten
upstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinmagán
privatebyhermistress,whonowült
satinstate,pretendingnottotudta
knowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughshetudta
knew,andweknew,andshetudta
knewthatweknew,andwetudta
knewthatsheknewthatwetudta
knew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorninghogy
makingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewere
egy
oneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisáltalános
generalbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisnagyon
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,és
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesoftársadalom
societytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkept
korai
earlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,alatt
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,körülbelül
aboutnineo’clockatnight;és
andthewholetownwasabedés
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(a
óriási
tremendouswordinCranford)toadjanak
giveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,ataz
theeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
és
andsponge-biscuitswereallthata
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;és
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateGróf
EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractiseilyen
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Milyen
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Ott
There,economywasalways“elegant,”és
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
ami
whichmadeusverypeacefulés
andsatisfied.Inevershall
elfelejteni
forgetthedismayfeltwhenabizonyos
certainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,és
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsés
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,hanem
butinthepublicstreet!in
egy
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyas
egy
areasonfornottakingegy
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
már
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyegy
amanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-pay
kapitány
captain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringvasút
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedellen
againstbythelittletown;és
andif,inadditiontohisférfias
masculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththekellemetlen
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,valóban
indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Halál
Deathwasastrueandasgyakori
commonaspoverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,
hangosan
loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
egy
awordnottobemegemlíteni
mentionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
amit
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbyszegénység
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ha
Ifwewalkedtoorfromegy
aparty,itwasbecausetheéjszaka
nightwassofine,orthelevegő
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ha
Ifweworeprints,insteadofnyári
summersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;és
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgáris
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,emberek
peopleofverymoderatemeans.Of
természetesen
course,then,wedidnottudtuk
knowwhattomakeofegy
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotegy
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrown
hogy
madehimselfrespectedinCranford,és
andwascalledupon,inannak ellenére
spiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityat
egy
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordkörülbelül
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.My
saját
ownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainés
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;és
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhourselőtt
beforetwelve.True,itwasto
felfedezni
discoverthecauseofasmokingkémény
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;de
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,semmi
nothingdaunted,spokeinahang
voicetoolargefortheroom,és
andjokedquiteintheút
wayofatamemanabouttheházban
house.Hehadbeenblindto
összes
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftriviális
trivialceremonies,withwhichhevolt
hadbeenreceived.Hehadbeen
barátságos
friendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeenhűvös
cool;hehadansweredsmall
szarkasztikus
sarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;és
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredösszes
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasegy
amanwhowasnotashamedtobeszegény
poor.And,atlast,his
kiváló
excellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomeháztartási
domesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanrendkívüli
extraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
és
andIamsurehewasstartledegy
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadadott
giveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriouskomolyan
earnest.Itwasonthissubject:
Anoldlady
volt
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.You
lehetett
couldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthecsodálatos
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisállat
animal.Thewholetownknew
és
andkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;ezért
thereforegreatwasthesympathyés
andregretwhen,inanunguardedpillanatban
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedso
hangosan
loudlythatshewassoonheardés
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
szegény
poorbeasthadlostmostofherhaját
hair,andcameoutlookingmeztelen
naked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Mindenki
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewtudták
couldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollmegjelenése
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycried
a
withsorrowanddismay;anditwas
mondták
saidshethoughtoftryingegy
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
talán
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneoftheszám
numberwhoseadvicesheasked;de
buttheproposal,ifeveritwashogy
made,wasknockedontheheadbyKapitány
CaptainBrown’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?Kapitány
CaptainBrownhadtakenakis
smallhouseontheoutskirtsoftheváros
town,wherehelivedwithhiskét
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthe
első
firstvisitIpaidtoCranfordmiután
afterIhadleftitasaresidence.De
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,rugalmas
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhisfejét
head,andaspringingstep,ami
whichmadehimappearmuchfiatalabb
youngerthanhewas.His
legidősebb
eldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,és
andbetrayedthefactthathisvalódi
realwasmorethanhislátszólagos
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,
és
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedki
outofsight.Evenwhen
fiatal
youngshemusthavebeenegyszerű
plainandhard-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.Hereyeswere
nagy
largebluewonderingeyes,lookingegyenesen
straightatyou;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;andanyfemale
megfigyelő
observermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthekét
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingkörülbelül
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivemint
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
egy
alargesuminCaptainBrown’séves
annualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
benyomást
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrowncsalád
familywhenIfirstsawthemallegyütt
togetherinCranfordChurch.The
Kapitány
CaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokykémény
chimney,whichhehadcuredbynéhány
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhis
kettős
doubleeye-glasstohiseyesalatt
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisfejét
headerectandsangouthangosan
loudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
mint
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithegy
apipingfeeblevoice,who,Ihiszem
think,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbasszus
bass,andquiveredhigherandmagasabb
higherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebrisk
Kapitány
Captainpaidthemostgallantfigyelmet
attentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
és
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;de
butheshookhandswithnoneamíg
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,és
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingideges
nervoushands,hadtakenupherköntös
gowntowalkthroughthenedves
wetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
csináltak
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.We
volt
hadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnoúriember
gentlemantobeattendedto,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
wouldbethecourseoftheeste
evening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,wereset
ki
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.PartiesinCranfordwere
ünnepélyes
solemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheyültek
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
hárman
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeinga
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
négy
fourcomerswereputdownazonnal
immediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhad
láttam
seensetoutintheraktárban
store-roomasIpassedinthereggel
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.A
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;theold-fashioned
ezüst
silverglitteredwithpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Míg
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Kapitány
CaptainandtheMissBrownsjött
camein;andIcould
láttam
seethat,somehoworother,theKapitány
Captainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,
éles
sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.Miss
MissBrownlookedill,andlehangolt
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessie
mosolygott
smiledasusual,andseemedmajdnem
nearlyaspopularasherapja
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedthe
csinos
prettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonüres
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;és
andyetdiditallinsoeasyés
anddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereegy
amatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasegy
atruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithas
súlyos
graveaninterestasiftheyvoltak
hadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwas
biztos
sureshewas,thoughtosok
manyeyesshemightonlyúgy tűnik
appeartobeirritable.MissJessie
tudott
couldnotplaycards:butshetalkedto
a
thesitters-out,who,beforeherjött
coming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobekereszt
cross.Shesang,too,toan
régi
oldcrackedpiano,whichIszerintem
thinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Miss
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”egy
alittleoutoftune;de
butwewerenoneofuszenei
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeatidőt
time,outoftime,bywayofúgy tűnt
appearingtobeso.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
couldeasilygethertheazonos
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthelegjobb
bestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethe
ízét
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,és
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMiss
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
mondom
sayagain,itwasveryjó
goodofhertobeattimetothesong.Amikor
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsés
andwine,punctuallyatanegyed
quartertonine,therewasbeszélgetés
conversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;de
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedegy
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
láttál
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”mondta
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Now
Miss
MissJenkynswasdaughterofegy
adeceasedrectorofCranford;és
and,onthestrengthofegy
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,és
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfirodalmi
literary,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.“Iamquite
tisztában
awareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,
Kapitány
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmetoreadyou
egy
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
volna
haditonlythismorning,és
andIdon’tthinkthecég
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
mondta
saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWeller
adott
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnot
mertem
dare,becauseIwasstayingintheházban
house.