CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesabovea
bizonyos
certainrentarewomen.Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranford
esti
eveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;
forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsand
dühös
angryjerksofthehead;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelast
szűk
tightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutamosoly
smile.Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbya
erős
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);
“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihaveno
kétséges
doubt,theywillcall;sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
harmadik
thirdday;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvesto
rövid
shortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartundera
mosolygó
smilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,second
asztal
table,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,akinek
whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenerős
strongenoughtocarrythetrayemeleten
upstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinmagán
privatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthis
általános
generalbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkept
korai
earlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutkilenc
nineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedand
aludt
asleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,atthe
esti
eveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
Inevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhena
bizonyos
certainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthenyilvános
publicstreet!inaloud
katonai
militaryvoice!alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealready
eléggé
rathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-pay
kapitány
captain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobe
megemlíteni
mentionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,
helyett
insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,
Kapitány
CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstill
Kapitány
CaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinahang
voicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeen
vak
blindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,his
kiváló
excellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaythe
rövid
shortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthecsodálatos
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisállat
animal.ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarker
teljesen
absolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumber
akinek
whoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadby
Kapitány
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedthe
Kapitány
Captainheartily;shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Kapitány
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiff
katonai
militarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringinglépés
step,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewas
kerek
roundanddimpled.MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainst
Kapitány
CaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoa
száz
hundred.Hereyeswerelarge
kék
bluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;her
orra
nosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknow
hogy
whethershewasprettyornot;butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
Twopoundswasa
nagy
largesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
The
Kapitány
CaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomeegyszerű
simplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhis
kettős
doubleeye-glasstohiseyesalatt
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeble
hang
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebrisk
Kapitány
Captainpaidthemostgallantfigyelmet
attentiontohistwodaughters.Henoddedand
mosolygott
smiledtohisacquaintances;butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtrembling
ideges
nervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehad
gyakran
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseofthe
este
evening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthe
harmadik
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,and
tiszta
cleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirst
kopogás
knockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
azonnal
immediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,
Kapitány
CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,the
Kapitány
Captainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessie
mosolygott
smiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.He
azonnal
immediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
üres
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.
Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeen
inkább
ratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewere
sem
noneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbya
szörnyű
terriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethe
ízét
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsand
bor
wine,punctuallyataquartertokilenc
nine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-by
Kapitány
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kapitány
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”he
kezdte
began.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,
Kapitány
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnot
mertem
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.