Cranford Gradually Hardening Italian B2 Books

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY

Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin

possesso

possessionoftheAmazons;

alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.

Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;

heiseither

abbastanza

fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis

reggimento

regiment,hisship,orclosely

impegnato

engagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouring

commerciale

commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesona

ferrovia

railroad.

Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.

Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?

The

chirurgo

surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;

buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.

Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;

for

spaventato

frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;

forrushingoutatthegeesethat

occasionalmente

occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;

fordecidingallquestionsof

letteratura

literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswith

inutili

unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;

for

ottenere

obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthe

parrocchia

parish;

forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;

for

gentilezza

kindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.

“Aman,”asoneofthem

osservato

observedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”

AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.

Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty

fortemente

stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyas

verbale

verbalretaliation;

but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.

TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan

occasionale

occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;

justenoughto

impedire

preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.

Theirdressisvery

indipendente

independentoffashion;

asthey

osservano

observe,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”

Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”

Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;

butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.

Ican

testimoniare

testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilk

ombrello

umbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.

HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?

Wehada

tradizione

traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;

andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”

ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhave

descritto

described,heldbyastrongfatherovera

truppa

troopoflittleones;

thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.

Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;

andtheywere

annunciate

announcedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald

Monte

Mount.

“Ourfriendshavesentto

chiedere

inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’s

carrozza

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,andwerepunctualtoourtime.

IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsome

difficoltà

difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;

buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.

Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.

TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde

corpo

corpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir

povertà

poverty.

WhenMrsForrester,for

esempio

instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofa

dimora

dwelling,andthelittlemaiden

disturbò

disturbedtheladiesonthe

divano

sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrom

sotto

underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabout

casa

householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,with

governante

housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-school

fanciulla

maiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythe

vassoio

trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.

Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged

povertà

poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreat

miglioramento

improvement.

Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;

andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.

Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.

Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;

andshewassister-in-lawtothelate

Conte

EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedid

praticava

practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”

“Eleganteconomy!”

HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!

There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;

asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.

InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and

apertamente

openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notina

sussurrando

whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing

precedentemente

previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!

inaloudmilitaryvoice!

alleginghis

povertà

povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.

TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrather

lamentavano

moaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.

Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad

ottenuto

obtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring

ferrovia

railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;

andif,inadditiontohis

maschile

masculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxious

ferrovia

railroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.

Deathwasastrueandascommonas

povertà

poverty;

yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.

Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.

Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe

associassimo

associatedontermsofvisiting

uguaglianza

equalitycouldeverbepreventedby

povertà

povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.

Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairso

rinfrescante

refreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.

Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;

andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.

Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof

povertà

povertyasifitwasnota

vergogna

disgrace.

Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.

Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions

citate

quotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.

Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany

proposta

proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;

andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.

True,itwasto

scoprire

discoverthecauseofasmoking

camino

chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;

butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa

addomesticato

tamemanaboutthehouse.

Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.

Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;

hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;

andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.

And,atlast,hisexcellent

maschile

masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto

superare

overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.

Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,as

inconsapevole

unawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;

andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.

Itwasonthissubject:

AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.

Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.

Thewholetownknewandkindly

considerava

regardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;

thereforegreatwasthe

simpatia

sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.

Shemoanedso

forte

loudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;

but

nel frattempo

meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.

Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnot

trattenere

restraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.

MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith

dolore

sorrowanddismay;

anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.

This

rimedio

remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;

butthe

proposta

proposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.

Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”

MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;

shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher

pascolo

pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.

Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.

DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?

CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe

periferia

outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.

HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa

residenza

residence.

Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,a

rigido

stiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.

His

maggiore

eldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,and

tradito

betrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis

apparente

apparentage.

MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;

shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.

Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen

semplice

plainandhard-featured.

MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.

Herfacewasroundanddimpled.

MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”

Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;

andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.

Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;

hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;

sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.

Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;

butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.

Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;

andanyfemale

osservatore

observermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.

Twopoundswasalarge

somma

suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.

SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.

TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe

occasione

occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.

Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.

Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping

debole

feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.

Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.

annuito

noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;

butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher

ombrello

umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited

pazientemente

patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.

IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.

Wehadoften

rallegrati

rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.

Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;

and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmost

convinto

persuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;

sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand

padrona

hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.

Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;

itwasthethirdweekin

Novembre

November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.

Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.

Thefirewasmadeup;

theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;

andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.

PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.

Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingthe

sfortunato

unluckyfourth.

Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;

and

attualmente

presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthe

magazzino

store-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.

Thechinawas

delicato

delicateegg-shell;

theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;

buttheeatableswereoftheslightest

descrizione

description.

Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;

andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa

favorito

favouritewithalltheladiespresent.

Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.

MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.

MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.

Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;

attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;

andyetdiditallinsoeasyand

dignitoso

dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.

Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;

andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.

MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:

butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.

Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.

MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;

butwewerenoneofus

musicale

musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.

ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;

forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetland

lana

wool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.

MissJenkynstriedto

annegare

drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-table

vicino

nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s

nipote

niece!

ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and

assicurava

assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetland

lana

woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”

Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns

proposto

proposedmusic;

soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.

Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,

confronto

comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;

butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof

letteratura

literature.

“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”

saidhe.

(Theywerethen

pubblicavano

publishinginparts.)

“Capitalthing!”

NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofa

defunto

deceasedrectorofCranford;

and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.

Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;

indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”

“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”

exclaimedCaptainBrown.

“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”

sollecitato

urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.

“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.

Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.

Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”

Thiswas

evidentemente

evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;

andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.

“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.

“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.

“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”

“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.

“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”

“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof

rassegnazione

resignation.

Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.

Someofuslaughedheartily.

Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.

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