CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besittelse
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
ganske
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengasjert
engagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringkommersielle
commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonajernbane
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthe
trim
trimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;for
skremme
frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionally
våger
ventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunødvendige
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
få
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthesognet
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
beundringsverdig
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andreal
ømme
tendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareinnød
distress,theladiesofCranfordarequitetilstrekkelig
sufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthem
observerte
observedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
sterkt
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbal
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
betydelig
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
sporadisk
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughto
hindre
preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressisvery
uavhengig
independentoffashion;asthey
observerer
observe,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
like
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
vanlig
plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
vitne
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilke
silkumbrella,underwhichamild
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Haveyouanyred
silke
silkumbrellasinLondon?Wehada
tradisjon
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratropp
troopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—the
overlevende
survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywere
kunngjort
announcedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesentto
spørre
inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“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,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthat
vennlige
kindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverse
overlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirfattigdom
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
eksempel
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidenforstyrret
disturbedtheladiesonthesofaen
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunder
underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthusholdning
householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourvertinne
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassisterte
assistedinprivatebyherelskerinne
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequences
oppstår
arisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledgedfattigdom
poverty,andthisverymuchanerkjente
acknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatforbedring
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe
veiledning
guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedid
praktiserte
practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturlig
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,
økonomien
economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery
fredelig
peacefulandsatisfied.InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
åpent
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingtidligere
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrather
stønner
moaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring
jernbane
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,in
tillegg
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththemotbydelige
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe
assosiert
associatedontermsofvisitinglikestilling
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbyfattigdom
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgære
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
povertyasifitwasnotaskam
disgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
tross
spiteofallresolutionstothemotsatte
contrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
sitert
quotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
forslag
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
oppdage
discoverthecauseofasmokingskorstein
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredallthe
krymper
shrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.And,atlast,hisexcellent
maskuline
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovervinne
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,as
uvitende
unawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
edru
sober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
Thewholetownknewandkindly
betraktet
regardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthe
sympati
sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.She
stønnet
moanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
mellomtiden
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnot
holde
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollutseende
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
sorg
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
middel
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher
beite
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
grå
greyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
utkanten
outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
bolig
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastisk
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
tilsynelatende
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
uttrykk
expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
vanlig
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’sjauntinessofgaitand
måte
manner;andanyfemaleobservermight
oppdage
detectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
sum
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmoky
skorsteinen
chimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphishead
oppreist
erectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
svak
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinkonsekvens
consequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nikket
noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedtålmodig
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupherkjole
gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof
menneskeheten
mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
vertinne
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutby
dagslys
daylight,justasusual;itwasthethirdweekin
November
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawas
delikat
delicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
beskrivelse
description.Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favoritt
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimert
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
verdig
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutof
melodi
tune;butwewerenoneofus
musikalske
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddeal
irritert
annoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedinnrømmelse
admission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedto
drukne
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenærmest
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
forsikre
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidentiske
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandvarer
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
foreslått
proposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
litteratur
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
publiserte
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
oppfordret
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans
lik
equaltoDrJohnson.Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
åpenbart
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof
resignasjon
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.