CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
primo
firstplace,Cranfordisinpossesso
possessionoftheAmazons;all
i
theholdersofhousesaboveun
acertainrentarewomen.Se
Ifamarriedcouplecometostabilisce
settleinthetown,somehowil
thegentlemandisappears;heiseither
abbastanza
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingthesolo
onlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisreggimento
regiment,hisship,orcloselyimpegnato
engagedinbusinessallthesettimana
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommerciale
commercialtownofDrumble,distantsolo
onlytwentymilesonaferrovia
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldthey
fare
doiftheywerethere?Il
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,e
andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
For
mantenere
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerssenza
withoutaweedtospeckli
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
che
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersattraverso
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeese
che
thatoccasionallyventureintothegardensse
ifthegatesareleftopen;for
decidere
decidingallquestionsofliteraturee
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithinutili
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
ottenere
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparrocchia
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirable
ordine
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
e
andrealtendergoodofficestoogni
eachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordareabbastanza
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthem
osservato
observedtomeonce,“issointhemodo
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
tutti
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,aseach
ha
hasherownindividuality,nottodire
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nulla
nothingissoeasyasverbale
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreigns
tra
amongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.Le
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionale
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordse
andangryjerksofthetesta
head;justenoughtoprevent
il
theeventenoroftheirlivesfromdiventi
becomingtooflat.Theirdressisvery
indipendente
independentoffashion;asthey
osservano
observe,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwevestiamo
dresshereatCranford,wheretutti
everybodyknowsus?”Andifthey
vanno
gofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwevestiamo
dresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheir
vestiti
clothesare,ingeneral,goode
andplain,andmostofthemarequasi
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemoria
memory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttight
e
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseensenza
withoutasmile.Ican
testimoniare
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkombrello
umbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmolti
manybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochiesa
churchonrainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
We
avevamo
hadatraditionoftheprima
firstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;e
andthelittleboysmobbedlo
it,andcalledit“abastone
stickinpetticoats.”Itmight
ho
havebeentheveryredsilkoneIho
havedescribed,heldbyaforte
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererules
e
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;e
andtheywereannouncedtoanygiovani
youngpeoplewhomightbesoggiornare
stayinginthetown,withtutti
allthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswereleggi
readonceayearontheTinwaldMonte
Mount.“Ourfriendshavesentto
chiedere
inquirehowyouareafteryourviaggio
journeyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinuna
agentleman’scarriage);“theywill
daranno
giveyousomerestto-morrow,ma
butthenextday,Iho
havenodoubt,theywillchiameranno
call;sobeatliberty
dopo
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
dopo
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itis
il
thethirdday;Idaresayyourmamma
ha
hastoldyou,mydear,nevertolasciare
letmorethanthreedayselapsetra
betweenreceivingacallandreturningla
it;andalso,thatyouareneverto
restare
staylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Come
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarto
quarterofanhourhaspassed?”“You
devi
mustkeepthinkingaboutthetempo
time,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
tutti
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyricevessero
receivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenon
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverparlava
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoour
tempo
time.Iimaginethatafewof
le
thegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,e
andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsincontrare
meet;buttheywerelike
la
theSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartsotto
underasmilingface.We
nessuno
noneofusspokeofdenaro
money,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercee
andtrade,andthoughsomepotevano
mightbepoor,weweretutti
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde
corpo
corpswhichmadethemoverlooktutte
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhenalcuni
someamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpovertà
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
esempio
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadimora
dwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbò
disturbedtheladiesonthedivano
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayfuori
outfromunderneath,everyonetookquesto
thisnovelproceedingasthepiù
mostnaturalthinginthemondo
world,andtalkedonaboutcasa
householdformsandceremoniesasse
ifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregolare
regularservants’hall,secondtable,withgovernante
housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolfanciulla
maiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongabbastanza
enoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,se
ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivato
privatebyhermistress,whoora
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottosapere
knowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,e
andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,e
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breade
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
o
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromquesta
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,e
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,che
whichwerenotamiss,andche
whichmightbeintroducedintomolti
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgrande
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
mantenevano
keptearlyhours,andclatteredcasa
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofun
alantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnotte
night;andthewholetownwasabed
e
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwas
considerato
considered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)todare
giveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableo
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
e
andsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesondato
gave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelate
Conte
EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpraticava
practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Come
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,economywas
sempre
always“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgare
andostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
che
whichmadeusverypeacefule
andsatisfied.Inevershall
dimenticherò
forgetthedismayfeltwhenacerto
certainCaptainBrowncametovivere
liveatCranford,andopenlyparlò
spokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinasussurrando
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorse
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,ma
butinthepublicstreet!in
una
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghis
povertà
povertyasareasonfornotprendere
takingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
già
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyun
amanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-pay
capitano
captain,andhadobtainedsomesituazione
situationonaneighbouringrailroad,che
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedcontro
againstbythelittletown;e
andif,inadditiontohismaschile
masculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousferrovia
railroad,hewassobrazenastoparlare
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hedeve
mustbesenttoCoventry.Morte
Deathwasastrueandascomune
commonaspoverty;yetpeoplenever
parlava
spokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
una
awordnottobemenzionare
mentionedtoearspolite.We
avevamo
hadtacitlyagreedtoignoreche
thatanywithwhomweassociassimo
associatedontermsofvisitinguguaglianza
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertà
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheydesiderasse
wished.Ifwewalkedto
o
orfromaparty,itwasperché
becausethenightwassofine,o
ortheairsorefreshing,notperché
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifwe
indossavamo
woreprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasperché
becausewepreferredawashingmateriale
material;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgar
fatto
factthatwewere,allofus,persone
peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
sapevamo
knowwhattomakeofauomo
manwhocouldspeakofpovertà
povertyasifitwasnotavergogna
disgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrown
fece
madehimselfrespectedinCranford,e
andwascalledupon,inspiteoftutte
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwas
sorpreso
surprisedtohearhisopinionscitate
quotedasauthorityatavisita
visitwhichIpaidtoCranfordcirca
aboutayearafterheho
hadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeen
tra
amongthebitterestopponentsofqualsiasi
anyproposaltovisittheCapitano
Captainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsprima
before;andnowhewaseven
ammesso
admittedinthetabooedhoursprima
beforetwelve.True,itwasto
scoprire
discoverthecauseofafumava
smokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;ma
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nulla
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoce
voicetoolargefortheroom,e
andjokedquiteinthemodo
wayofatamemanaboutthecasa
house.Hehadbeenblindto
tutti
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withcui
whichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeen
amichevole
friendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;he
aveva
hadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfede
faith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
tutti
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasun
amanwhowasnotashamedtobepovero
poor.And,atlast,his
eccellente
excellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstosuperare
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimun
anextraordinaryplaceasauthoritytra
amongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,as
inconsapevole
unawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofla
thereverse;andIam
sicuro
surehewasstartledonegiorno
daywhenhefoundhisconsigli
advicesohighlyesteemedastomakealcuni
somecounselwhichhehaddato
giveninjesttobepresi
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
questo
thissubject:Anoldlady
aveva
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasafiglia
daughter.Youcouldnotpay
il
theshortquarterofanhourcallsenza
withoutbeingtoldofthemeraviglioso
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofquesto
thisanimal.Thewholetownknew
e
andkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;perciò
thereforegreatwasthesympathye
andregretwhen,inanunguardedmomento
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedso
forte
loudlythatshewassoonhearde
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoor
bestia
beasthadlostmostofhercapelli
hair,andcameoutlookingnuda
naked,cold,andmiserable,inabarepelle
skin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,
anche se
thoughafewcouldnottrattenere
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Signorina
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycrieddi
withsorrowanddismay;anditwas
diceva
saidshethoughtoftryingun
abathofoil.This
rimedio
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofil
thenumberwhoseadviceshechiesto
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedonthe
testa
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getherun
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,se
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Ma
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatura
creatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarker
asciugò
driedhereyes,andthankedtheCapitano
Captainheartily;shesetto
lavoro
work,andby-and-byallthecittà
townturnedouttoseela
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpascolo
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyself
molte
manyatime.Doyouever
visto
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?Capitano
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallcasa
houseontheoutskirtsofthecittà
town,wherehelivedwithhisdue
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthe
prima
firstvisitIpaidtoCranforddopo
afterIhadleftitasaresidenza
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elastic
figura
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhistesta
head,andaspringingstep,whichfaceva
madehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.His
maggiore
eldestdaughterlookedalmostasvecchio
oldashimself,andbetrayedthefatto
factthathisrealwaspiù
morethanhisapparentage.Signorina
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;she
aveva
hadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherviso
face,andlookedasifla
thegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofvista
sight.Evenwhenyoungshe
doveva
musthavebeenplainandhard-featured.Signorina
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerdi
thanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
viso
facewasroundanddimpled.Signorina
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inuna
apassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecausa
causeofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshepensava
thoughtitwastimeforSignorina
MissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,e
andnotalwaystobetryingtocercasse
looklikeachild.”Itwas
vero
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherviso
face;andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,
anche se
thoughsheshouldlivetoacento
hundred.Hereyeswerelarge
blu
bluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;her
naso
nosewasunformedandsnub,e
andherlipswererede
anddewy;sheworeher
capelli
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,che
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
so
knowwhethershewasprettyo
ornot;butIlikedher
viso
face,andsodideverybody,e
andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.She
aveva
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaite
andmanner;andanyfemale
osservatore
observermightdetectaslightdifferenza
differenceintheattireofthedue
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingcirca
abouttwopoundsperannumpiù
moreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Due
Twopoundswasalargesomma
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwas
la
theimpressionmadeuponmebyla
theBrownfamilywhenIprima
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChiesa
Church.TheCaptainIhad
incontrato
metbefore—ontheoccasionofil
thesmokychimney,whichhehadcurato
curedbysomesimplealterationinil
theflue.Inchurch,he
tenuto
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMattino
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphistesta
headerectandsangoutloude
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthan
le
theclerk—anoldmanwithapipingdebole
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,sentì
feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,e
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncoming
uscendo
outofchurch,thebriskCapitano
Captainpaidthemostgallantattenzione
attentiontohistwodaughters.He
annuito
noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;ma
butheshookhandswithnessuno
noneuntilhehadhelpedSignorina
MissBrowntounfurlherombrello
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,e
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,aveva
hadtakenuphergowntocamminare
walkthroughthewetroads.I
chiedo
wonderwhattheCranfordladiesfacessero
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehad
spesso
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,che
thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,e
andtofindconversationfor,atla
thecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesupon
la
thesnugnessoftheevenings;e
and,inourloveforgentility,e
anddistasteofmankind,weavevamo
hadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeun
amanwastobe“vulgar”;so
che
thatwhenIfoundmyfriende
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtoho
haveapartyinmyhonour,e
andthatCaptainandtheSignorina
MissBrownswereinvited,Ichiesto
wonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecorso
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justas
solito
usual;itwasthethird
settimana
weekinNovember,sotheeveningschiudevano
closedinaboutfour.Candles,
e
andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedonogni
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servant
aveva
hadreceivedherlastdirections;e
andtherewestood,dressedinourmeglio
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesasappena
soonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,
facevano
makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysedevano
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.As
appena
soonasthreehadarrived,weseduti
satdownto“Preference,”Ibeingil
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
quattro
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertavolo
table;andpresentlythetea-trays,
che
whichIhadseensetoutinthemagazzino
store-roomasIpassedinthemattina
morning,wereplacedeachonthecentro
middleofacard-table.The
porcellana
chinawasdelicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglittered
di
withpolishing;buttheeatableswereof
i
theslightestdescription.Whilethetrayswere
ancora
yetonthetables,Captaine
andtheMissBrownscamein;e
andIcouldseethat,somehowo
orother,theCaptainwasun
afavouritewithalltheladiespresenti
present.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoices
abbassate
loweredathisapproach.MissBrownlookedill,
e
anddepressedalmosttogloom.Signorina
MissJessiesmiledasusual,e
andseemednearlyaspopularasherpadre
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumed
il
theman’splaceintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
il
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupse
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
fatto
diditallinsofacile
easyanddignifiedamanner,e
andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforil
thestrongtoattendtoil
theweak,thathewasavero
truemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithas
grave
graveaninterestasiftheyha
hadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhis
attenzione
attentiontostrangers,hehadun
aneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsoffriva
sufferingIwassureshewas,anche se
thoughtomanyeyesshepotrebbe
mightonlyappeartobeirritable.Signorina
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:ma
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,che
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenpiuttosto
ratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toan
vecchio
oldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsgioventù
youth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”
un
alittleoutoftune;ma
butwewerenoneofusmusicale
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattempo
time,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwasverygoodof
Signorina
MissJenkynstodothis;forIhad
visto
seenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbySignorina
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandlana
wool)thatshehadanzio
uncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Signorina
MissJenkynstriedtodrownquesta
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forla
theHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablevicino
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshedetto
sayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinla
thesameroomwithashop-keeper’snipote
niece!ButMissJessieBrown
Che
(whohadnotact,aswetutti
allagreedthenextmorning)eravamo
wouldrepeattheinformation,andassicurava
assureMissPoleshecouldfacilmente
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandlana
woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,che
whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethe
sapore
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,e
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,che
thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
dico
sayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobattere
beattimetothesong.Quando
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitse
andwine,punctuallyataquarto
quartertonine,therewasconversation,confronto
comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;ma
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedun
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
visto
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”detto
saidhe.(Theywerethen
pubblicavano
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
Ora
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofun
adeceasedrectorofCranford;e
and,onthestrengthofanumero
numberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodbiblioteca
libraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,e
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasasfida
challengetoher.Soshe
rispose
answeredandsaid,“Yes,sheaveva
hadseenthem;indeed,she
potrebbe
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Capitano
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
sollecitato
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutparlare
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyany
dire
meansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
forse
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Lethimpersevere,
e
andwhoknowswhathemaydiventare
becomeifhewilltakeil
thegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Questo
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCapitano
CaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;e
andIsawthewordsonthepunta
tipofhistonguebeforeSignorina
MissJenkynshadfinishedherfrase
sentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortof
cosa
thing,mydearmadam,”hecominciò
began.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returned
lei
she.“AndImakeallowances,
Capitano
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmetoreadyou
una
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
avuto
haditonlythismorning,e
andIdon’tthinkthecompagnia
companycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
disse
saidshe,settlingherselfwithun
anairofresignation.He
letto
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”che
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Alcuni
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnot
osato
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthecasa
house.