CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
første
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;alle
alltheholdersofhousesaboveen
acertainrentarewomen.Hvis
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthebyen
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heis
enten
eitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingden
theonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,eller
orheisaccountedforbybeingmed
withhisregiment,hisship,eller
orcloselyengagedinbusinessallden
theweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialbyen
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonen
arailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
What
kunne
couldtheydoiftheywereder
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
og
andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
For
holde
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowersuten
withoutaweedtospeckdem
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
som
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersgjennom
throughtherailings;forrushing
ut
outatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardenshvis
ifthegatesareleftåpne
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
og
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselvesmed
withunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtaining
klar
clearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;for
holde
keepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorden
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
fattige
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordareganske
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhe
veien
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
kjenner
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
hver
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosi
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,ingenting
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;men
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoen
aconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
har
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedut
outinafewpepperywordsog
andangryjerksofthehodet
head;justenoughtoprevent
den
theeventenoroftheirlivesfrombli
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
veldig
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
her
hereatCranford,whereeverybodykjenner
knowsus?”Andifthey
går
gofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedressher
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”De
Thematerialsoftheirclotheser
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,og
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;men
butIwillanswerforit,thesiste
lastgigot,thelasttightog
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wassett
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutet
asmile.Icantestifyto
en
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,under
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftalene
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,pleide
usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Har
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
hadde
hadatraditionoftheførste
firstthathadeverbeensett
seeninCranford;andthe
små
littleboysmobbedit,andkalte
calledit“astickinpetticoats.”It
kunne
mighthavebeentheveryrøde
redsilkoneIhavedescribed,holdt
heldbyastrongfatherover
overatroopoflittleones;the
stakkars
poorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Then
det
therewererulesandregulationsforvisitingog
andcalls;andtheywereannouncedtoany
unge
youngpeoplewhomightbebo
stayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitymed
withwhichtheoldManxlawswerelest
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
har
havesenttoinquirehowyouareetter
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinen
agentleman’scarriage);“theywill
gi
giveyousomerestto-morrow,men
butthenextday,Ihar
havenodoubt,theywillringe
call;sobeatliberty
etter
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
etter
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
dag
day;Idaresayyourmamma
har
hastoldyou,mydear,aldri
nevertoletmorethantre
threedayselapsebetweenreceivingen
acallandreturningit;og
andalso,thatyouarealdri
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Hvordan
HowamItofindut
outwhenaquarterofantime
hourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeep
tenke
thinkingaboutthetime,mykjære
dear,andnotallowyourselftoglemme
forgetitinconversation.”As
alle
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedeller
orpaidacall,ofselvfølgelig
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseversnakket
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesof
små
smalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtid
time.Iimaginethatafewof
de
thegentlefolksofCranfordwerefattige
poor,andhadsomedifficultyingjøre
makingbothendsmeet;buttheywere
som
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunder
underasmilingface.Wenoneofus
snakket
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceog
andtrade,andthoughsomekan
mightbepoor,wewerealle
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhich
gjorde
madethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccessnår
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Når
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveafest
partyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,og
andthelittlemaidendisturbedden
theladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshekunne
mightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetok
tookthisnovelproceedingasden
themostnaturalthinginden
theworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsog
andceremoniesasifwealltrodde
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,andre
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadofden
theonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmskunne
couldneverhavebeenstrongnok
enoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatt
satinstate,pretendingnottovet
knowwhatcakesweresentopp
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,og
andsheknewthatweknew,og
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallden
themorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Det
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromdenne
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,og
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,som
whichwerenotamiss,andsom
whichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirstore
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
holdt
keptearlyhours,andclatteredhjem
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofen
alantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnatten
night;andthewholetownwasabed
og
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
ord
wordinCranford)togivenoe
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableeller
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
og
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatden
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;og
andshewassister-in-lawtoden
thelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractiseslik
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Hvor
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Der
There,economywasalways“elegant,”og
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;en
asortofsour-grapeismwhichgjorde
madeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.I
aldri
nevershallforgetthedismayfeltda
whenacertainCaptainBrownkom
cametoliveatCranford,og
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatevenn
friend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,men
butinthepublicstreet!in
en
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyasa
grunn
reasonfornottakingaparticularhus
house.TheladiesofCranfordwere
allerede
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyen
amanandagentleman.Hewas
en
ahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainednoen
somesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,som
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedmot
againstbythelittletown;og
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,og
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastosnakke
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemå
mustbesenttoCoventry.Døden
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;likevel
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutdet
that,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
et
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.We
hadde
hadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatnoen
anywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitykunne
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromgjøre
doinganythingthattheywished.Hvis
Ifwewalkedtoorfromen
aparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofin
fine,ortheairsorefreshing,notfordi
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
fordi
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;og
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfaktum
factthatwewere,allofoss
us,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Of
selvfølgelig
course,then,wedidnotvisste
knowwhattomakeofen
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasom
ifitwasnotadisgrace.Likevel
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,og
andwascalledupon,inspiteofalle
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
høre
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatet
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordom
aboutayearafterhehadde
hadsettledinthetown.My
egne
ownfriendshadbeenamongde
thebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisitde
theCaptainandhisdaughters,bare
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
nå
nowhewasevenadmittedinde
thetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.Sant
True,itwastodiscovertheårsaken
causeofasmokingchimney,før
beforethefirewaslighted;men
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,ingenting
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortherommet
room,andjokedquiteinthemåten
wayofatamemanom
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
alle
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withsom
whichhehadbeenreceived.He
hadde
hadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadde
hadbeencool;hehadanswered
små
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;og
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadde
hadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmøtte
methimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.Og
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,og
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadde
hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplass
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimself
gikk
wentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadde
hadbeenofthereverse;og
andIamsurehewasstartleden
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastogjøre
makesomecounselwhichhehadde
hadgiveninjesttobetatt
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
dette
thissubject:Anoldlady
hadde
hadanAlderneycow,whichsheså
lookeduponasadaughter.You
kunne
couldnotpaytheshortquarterofen
anhourcallwithoutbeingfortalt
toldofthewonderfulmilkeller
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
hele
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
stor
greatwasthesympathyandregretnår
when,inanunguardedmoment,den
thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
at
thatshewassoonheardog
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
stakkars
poorbeasthadlostmostofherhåret
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,kald
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Alle
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewkunne
couldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
og
anddismay;anditwas
sagt
saidshethoughtoftryinget
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
kanskje
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeen
oneofthenumberwhoseadviceshespurte
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwas
gjort
made,wasknockedonthehodet
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheren
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,hvis
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Men
Butmyadviceis,killden
thepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
og
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;she
satte
settowork,andby-and-byallthebyen
townturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygår
goingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
har
havewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.Doyouever
sett
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrown
hadde
hadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthebyen
town,wherehelivedwithhisto
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
tidspunktet
timeofthefirstvisitIbetalte
paidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasen
aresidence.Buthehad
en
awiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,en
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishodet
head,andaspringingstep,som
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerenn
thanhewas.Hiseldest
datter
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,og
andbetrayedthefactthathisvirkelige
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.Frøken
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;she
hadde
hadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononheransiktet
face,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadde
hadlongfadedoutofsight.Selv
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainog
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
ti
tenyearsyoungerthanhersøster
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
ansiktet
facewasroundanddimpled.MissJenkynsonce
sa
said,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIvil
willtellyoupresently),“thatshetrodde
thoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoforlate
leaveoffherdimples,andnotalltid
alwaystobetryingtose
looklikeachild.”Itwas
sant
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinheransiktet
face;andtherewillbe,I
tror
think,tillshedies,thoughsheskal
shouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,
ser
lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformed
og
andsnub,andherlipswererøde
redanddewy;sheworeher
håret
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,som
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonotknowwhethershewaspretty
eller
ornot;butIlikedher
ansiktet
face,andsodideverybody,og
andIdonotthinkshekunne
couldhelpherdimples.She
hadde
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitog
andmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
kan
mightdetectaslightdifferenceinde
theattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingaboutto
twopoundsperannummoreexpensiveenn
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
en
alargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwastheimpression
gjort
madeuponmebytheBrownfamilie
familywhenIfirstsawthemalle
alltogetherinCranfordChurch.Den
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onden
theoccasionofthesmokychimney,som
whichhehadcuredbynoen
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
holdt
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,og
andthenlifteduphishodet
headerectandsangoutloudog
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
enn
thantheclerk—anoldmanmed
withapipingfeeblevoice,som
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,og
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.On
komme
comingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainbetalt
paidthemostgallantattentiontohisto
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
men
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadde
hadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadde
hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,og
andhadwaitedpatientlytillhun
she,withtremblingnervoushands,hadde
hadtakenuphergowntogå
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
gjorde
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.We
hadde
hadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasingen
nogentlemantobeattendedå
to,andtofindconversationfor
for,atthecard-parties.We
hadde
hadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessofden
theevenings;and,inour
kjærlighet
loveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadde
hadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeen
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
da
whenIfoundmyfriendog
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtoha
haveapartyinmyhonour,og
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmye
muchwhatwouldbetheløpet
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,
med
withgreenbaizetops,weresatt
setoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
uken
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfire
four.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedon
hvert
eachtable.Thefirewas
laget
madeup;theneatmaid-servant
hadde
hadreceivedherlastdirections;og
andtherewestood,dressedinourbeste
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,klar
readytodartatthecandlesassnart
soonasthefirstknockkom
came.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedasthey
satt
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.As
snart
soonasthreehadarrived,wesatned
downto“Preference,”Ibeingden
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
fire
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;og
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadde
hadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintheom morgenen
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofen
acard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglittered
med
withpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Mens
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainog
andtheMissBrownscamein;og
andIcouldseethat,somehoweller
orother,theCaptainwasen
afavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrown
så
lookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
og
andseemednearlyaspopularasherfar
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
den
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsog
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
gjorde
diditallinsoenkel
easyanddignifiedamanner,og
andsomuchasifitwereen
amatterofcourseforde
thestrongtoattendtode
theweak,thathewasen
atruemanthroughout.He
spilte
playedforthreepennypointswithasgraveen
aninterestasiftheyhadde
hadbeenpounds;andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,he
hadde
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassikker
sureshewas,thoughtomange
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.Frøken
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:men
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,som
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
sang
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,som
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Frøken
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleute
outoftune;butwewerenoneofusmusical,
om
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,ut
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
veldig
verygoodofMissJenkynstogjøre
dothis;forIhadseenthat,alittle
før
before,shehadbeenagod
gooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadde
hadanuncle,hermother’sbror
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkyns
prøvde
triedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forden
theHonourableMrsJamiesonwassatt
sittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,og
andwhatwouldshesayeller
orthinkifshefoundut
outshewasinthesamme
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Men
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadingen
notact,asweallagreedden
thenextmorning)wouldrepeatden
theinformation,andassureMissPoleshekunne
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyonkel
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
ta
takethetasteofthisut
outofourmouths,andthelyden
soundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusikk
music;soIsayagain,itwas
veldig
verygoodofhertoslå
beattimetothesong.Da
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsog
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,det
therewasconversation,comparingofcards,og
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyou
sett
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”sa
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Nå
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofen
adeceasedrectorofCranford;og
and,onthestrengthofen
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,og
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,og
andlookeduponanyconversationom
aboutbooksasachallengetohenne
her.Sosheansweredand
sa
said,“Yes,shehadseendem
them;indeed,shemightsayshe
hadde
hadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkyns
kunne
couldnotbutspeak.“I
må
mustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebynoen
anymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Likevel
Still,perhaps,theauthorisung
young.Lethimpersevere,and
hvem
whoknowswhathemaybli
becomeifhewilltakeden
thegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Dette
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntota
takeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistongue
før
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
helt
quiteadifferentsortofting
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
ganske
quiteawareofthat,”returnedhun
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmeto
lese
readyouasceneoutofdenne
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihadit
bare
onlythismorning,andIdon’ttror
thinkthecompanycanhavelest
readityet.”“Asyouplease,”
sa
saidshe,settlingherselfwithen
anairofresignation.He
leste
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”som
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Noen
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,
fordi
becauseIwasstayinginthehuset
house.