CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
cukup
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisresimen
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonakereta api
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthe
trim
trimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsof
sastra
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithperlu
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
mendapatkan
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparoki
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
mengagumkan
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthem
mengamati
observedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyare
sangat
exceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseachhasherown
individualitas
individuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettykuat
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbal
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
cukup
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
sesekali
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughto
mencegah
preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressisvery
independen
independentoffashion;astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
sama
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
biasa
plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
bersaksi
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsutra
silkumbrella,underwhichalembut
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonhujan
rainydays.Haveyouanyred
sutra
silkumbrellasinLondon?Wehada
tradisi
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
sutra
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroverapasukan
troopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—the
selamat
survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald
Gunung
Mount.“Ourfriendshavesentto
bertanya
inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’skereta
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,andwere
tepat waktu
punctualtoourtime.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsome
kesulitan
difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethem
mengabaikan
overlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirkemiskinan
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
misalnya
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlegadis
maidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofa
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrombawah
underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonaboutrumah tangga
householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourtuan rumah
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandpelayan
steward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolgadis
maiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythenampan
trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhernyonya
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequences
muncul
arisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedkemiskinan
poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatperbaikan
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe
bimbingan
guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(a
luar biasa
tremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
Terhormat
HonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelate
Earl
EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
How
alami
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,
ekonomi
economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery
damai
peacefulandsatisfied.InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
terbuka
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinabisikan
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingsebelumnya
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningoverthe
invasi
invasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad
mendapatkan
obtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringkereta api
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,in
selain
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiouskereta api
railroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
kemiskinan
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoears
sopan
polite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting
kesetaraan
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbykemiskinan
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgar
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderat
moderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
kemiskinan
povertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
meskipun
spiteofallresolutionstothesebaliknya
contrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
proposal
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
menemukan
discoverthecauseofasmokingcerobong asap
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
jinak
tamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsof
sepele
trivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmall
sarkastik
sarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityin
merancang
devisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadmendapatkan
gainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,as
menyadari
unawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthesebaliknya
reverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
sadar
sober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthe
simpati
sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedso
keras
loudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
sementara
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnot
menahan
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
kesedihan
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
obat
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;butthe
usulan
proposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher
padang rumput
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
abu
greyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
pinggiran
outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
tinggal
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastis
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
ekspresi
expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
biasa
plainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis
penampilan
appearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitand
cara
manner;andanyfemaleobservermight
mendeteksi
detectaslightdifferenceinthepakaian
attireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
jumlah
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
kesan
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
kesempatan
occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphishead
tegak
erectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
lemah
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemost
gagah
gallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited
sabar
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmost
meyakinkan
persuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
tuan rumah
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutby
siang
daylight,justasusual;itwasthethirdweekin
November
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
the
rapi
neatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingthe
beruntung
unluckyfourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
sekarang
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawas
halus
delicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
deskripsi
description.Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
tertekan
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
bermartabat
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasa
penjaga toko
shopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedto
menenggelamkan
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheTerhormat
HonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tableterdekat
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’skeponakan
niece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
meyakinkan
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidentik
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandbarang
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
mengusulkan
proposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
sastra
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
menerbitkan
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
naskah
manuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofkeilahian
divinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
mendesak
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethim
bertahan
persevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswas
jelas
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof
pengunduran diri
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.