CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhouses
atas
aboveacertainrentarewomen.Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranford
malam
eveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hiskapal
ship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashis
putaran
roundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullof
pilihan
choiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
for
memutuskan
decidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;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
marah
angryjerksofthehead;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Their
pakaian
dressisveryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
berpakaian
dresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
berpakaian
dresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheir
pakaian
clothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemori
memory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelast
ketat
tightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasenyum
smile.Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopatterto
gereja
churchonrainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbya
kuat
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);
“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihaveno
ragu
doubt,theywillcall;sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
ketiga
thirdday;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnot
membiarkan
allowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”Aseverybodyhadthis
aturan
ruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvesto
pendek
shortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartundera
tersenyum
smilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,second
meja
table,withhousekeeperandsteward,bukan
insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whosependek
shortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenkuat
strongenoughtocarrythetrayatas
upstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinpribadi
privatebyhermistress,whonowsatinnegara
state,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthis
umum
generalbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkept
awal
earlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutsembilan
nineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedand
tertidur
asleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,atthe
malam
eveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
Inevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertain
Kapten
CaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butintheumum
publicstreet!inaloud
militer
militaryvoice!alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealready
agak
rathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-pay
kapten
captain,andhadobtainedsomesituasi
situationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitly
setuju
agreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifwe
memakai
woreprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,
Kapten
CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityata
kunjungan
visitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisitthe
Kapten
Captainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstill
Kapten
CaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinasuara
voicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeen
buta
blindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaythe
singkat
shortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldoftheluar biasa
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthishewan
animal.ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabare
kulit
skin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutely
menangis
criedwithsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadby
Kapten
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedthe
Kapten
Captainheartily;shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladin
gelap
darkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecows
berpakaian
dressedingreyflannelinLondon?Kapten
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirst
kunjungan
visitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elastic
sosok
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringinglangkah
step,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewas
bulat
roundanddimpled.MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainst
Kapten
CaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoa
seratus
hundred.Hereyeswerelarge
biru
bluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
she
memakai
woreherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslight
perbedaan
differenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasa
besar
largesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranford
Gereja
Church.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysome
sederhana
simplealterationintheflue.In
gereja
church,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesselama
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeble
suara
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutof
gereja
church,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantperhatian
attentiontohistwodaughters.Henoddedand
tersenyum
smiledtohisacquaintances;butheshookhandswith
tidak
noneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblinggugup
nervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwith
Kapten
CaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehad
sering
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthat
Kapten
CaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Itanya
wonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseofthemalam
evening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthe
ketiga
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,and
bersih
cleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachmeja
table.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,
berpakaian
dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstketukan
knockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
segera
immediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasI
melewati
passedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthetengah
middleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,
Kapten
CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,the
Kapten
Captainwasafavouritewithalltheladieshadir
present.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessie
tersenyum
smiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.He
segera
immediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
kosong
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthe
kuat
strongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgravean
minat
interestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadan
mata
eyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeen
agak
ratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewere
tidak
noneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbya
mengerikan
terriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeatthe
informasi
information,andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethe
rasa
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothe
lagu
song.Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsand
anggur
wine,punctuallyataquartertosembilan
nine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-by
Kapten
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kapten
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswasevidentlytoomuchfor
Kapten
CaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshad
menyelesaikan
finishedhersentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”he
mulai
began.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,
Kapten
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmetoreadyoua
adegan
sceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnot
berani
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.