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Cranford | Gradually Hardening Norwegian A2 Translation Books

Cranford | Gradually Hardening Norwegian A2 Translation Books

This progressive translation technique brings multiple benefits to language learners. It lets you choose the difficulty level that matches your abilities, making sure the material is challenging but not too difficult. By focusing on understanding words in context, this method boosts your comprehension skills. While direct translations are slightly hidden to promote guessing from context, you can always check unfamiliar words. This approach makes learning a new language both engaging and accessible, offering the right mix of difficulty and encouragement. Embark on a journey through translated classics and enjoy the process of learning through reading.

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhouses
over
aboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,his
skip
ship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashis
runde
roundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
for
avgjøre
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,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
kler
dresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
kler
dresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheir
klær
clothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanly
minne
memory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithouta
smil
smile.
Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopatterto
kirken
churchonrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“a
pinne
stickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbya
sterk
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcely
bære
carryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsfor
besøk
visitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);
“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihaveno
tvil
doubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
tredje
thirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnot
tillate
allowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthis
regelen
ruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvesto
korte
shortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
I
forestiller
imaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheir
smart
smartunderasmilingface.
We
ingen
noneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,second
bord
table,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whose
korte
shortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeen
sterk
strongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedin
privat
privatebyhermistress,whonowsatin
stat
state,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeen
opptatt
busyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.
Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,about
ni
nineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
Inevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertain
Kaptein
CaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloud
militær
militaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealready
ganske
rathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-pay
kaptein
captain,andhadobtainedsome
situasjon
situationonaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsof
besøk
visitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifwe
bar
woreprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,
Kaptein
CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.
Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityata
besøk
visitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposalto
besøke
visittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstill
Kaptein
CaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeina
stemme
voicetoolargefortheroom,and
spøkte
jokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeen
blind
blindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingood
tro
faith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommon
fornuft
sense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaythe
korte
shortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthe
vidunderlig
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthis
dyret
animal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabare
hud
skin.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarker
absolutt
absolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumber
hvis
whoseadvicesheasked;
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,was
banket
knockedontheheadby
Kaptein
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladin
mørk
darkgreyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecows
kledd
dressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Kaptein
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elastic
figur
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringing
skritt
step,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.
Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparent
alder
age.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewas
rundt
roundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainst
Kaptein
CaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoa
hundre
hundred.
Hereyeswerelarge
blå
bluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
her
nese
nosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
she
bar
woreherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknow
om
whethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslight
forskjell
differenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
Twopoundswasa
stor
largesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysome
enkel
simplealterationintheflue.
In
kirken
church,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyes
under
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeble
stemme
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.
Oncomingoutof
kirken
church,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallant
oppmerksomhet
attentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedand
smilte
smiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswith
ingen
noneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.
I
lurer
wonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwith
Kaptein
CaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehad
ofte
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthat
Kaptein
CaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,I
lurte
wonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseofthe
kvelden
evening.
Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthe
tredje
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.
Candles,and
rene
cleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneach
bord
table.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,
kledd
dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirst
banket
knockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
umiddelbart
immediatelytoanothertable;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthe
midten
middleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladies
stede
present.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessie
smilte
smiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
He
umiddelbart
immediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
tomme
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.
Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgravean
interesse
interestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhis
oppmerksomhet
attentiontostrangers,hehadan
øye
eyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeen
ganske
ratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewere
ingen
noneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbya
forferdelig
terriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethe
smaken
tasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothe
sangen
song.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsand
vin
wine,punctuallyataquarterto
ni
nine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-by
Kaptein
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kaptein
CaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswasevidentlytoomuchfor
Kaptein
CaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”he
begynte
began.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,
Kaptein
CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyoua
scene
sceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofus
lo
laughedheartily.
Ididnot
våget
dare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.