CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
po pierwsze
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Jeśli
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthemiasta
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeing
ze
withhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessallthetydzień
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialmieście
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,
cokolwiek
whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldthey
zrobić
doiftheywerethere?Thesurgeon
ma
hashisroundofthirtymiles,i
andsleepsatCranford;but
każdy
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowers
bez
withoutaweedtospeckje
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
którzy
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersprzez
throughtherailings;forrushing
się
outatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensjeśli
ifthegatesareleftotwarte
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
i
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonslub
orarguments;forobtainingclear
i
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirable
porządku
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
ubogich
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarecałkiem
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
jeden
oneofthemobservedtomekiedyś
once,“issointhedrodze
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
znają
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
każda
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,dość
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissołatwe
easyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladies
mają
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsi
andangryjerksofthehead;wystarczy
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingzbyt
tooflat.Theirdressis
bardzo
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
tutaj
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”A
Andiftheygofromdomu
home,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyjak
howwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
są
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,andwiększość
mostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasPanna
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;ale
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,thelasttighti
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbez
withoutasmile.Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,
pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Macie
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
mieliśmy
hadatraditionofthefirstthatmieliśmy
hadeverbeenseeninCranford;a
andthelittleboysmobbedgo
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeen
ten
theveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongojca
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;thepoor
mała
littlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryto
it.Thentherewererules
i
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;i
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplektórzy
whomightbestayinginthemieście
town,withallthesolemnityz
withwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadraz
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
masz
havesenttoinquirehowyouarepo
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywill
dają
giveyousomerestto-morrow,ale
butthenextday,Imam
havenodoubt,theywillzadzwonią
call;sobeatliberty
po
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
po
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
dzień
day;Idaresayyourmammahas
powiedziała
toldyou,mydear,nevertopozwól
letmorethanthreedayselapsemiędzy
betweenreceivingacallandreturningit;a
andalso,thatyouarenigdy nie
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
patrzeć
lookatmywatch?HowamItofind
się
outwhenaquarterofangodziny
hourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinking
o
aboutthetime,mydear,i
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
wszyscy
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorzapłacili
paidacall,ofcoursenie
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokeno
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmall
rozmowy
talk,andwerepunctualtoourczasu
time.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,
i
andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;ale
buttheywereliketheSpartans,i
andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.Wenoneofus
mówił
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andchociaż
thoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.Ten
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookwszystkie
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthempróbowali
triedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Kiedy
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthemała
littlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,wszyscy
everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthenajbardziej
mostnaturalthingintheświecie
world,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallwierzyli
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,drugi
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonemała
littlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnigdy nie
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshemiała
hadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whoteraz
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottowie
knowwhatcakesweresentgórę
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shemiała
hadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Nie
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromtego
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,i
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,które
whichwerenotamiss,andktóre
whichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
trzymał
keptearlyhours,andclattereddomu
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,około
aboutnineo’clockatnight;a
andthewholetownwasabeda
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
słowo
wordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatablelub
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
i
andsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesondała
gave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
Jak
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Tam
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingzawsze
always“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
który
whichmadeusverypeacefuli
andsatisfied.Inevershallforgetthedismayfelt
gdy
whenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,i
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinpewien
awhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsi
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,ale
butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornot
wziął
takingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
już
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamani
andagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
i
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,która
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedprzeciwko
againstbythelittletown;and
jeśli
if,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastomówił
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemusi
mustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrue
i
andascommonaspoverty;jednak
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwasa
słowo
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
że
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingże
thattheywished.Ifwe
chodziliśmy
walkedtoorfromaparty,itwasdlatego
becausethenightwassofine,lub
ortheairsorefreshing,notdlatego
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
dlatego
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;i
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfakt
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofbardzo
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
wiedzieliśmy
knowwhattomakeofamanktóry
whocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Jednak
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,i
andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
usłyszałem
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordokoło
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthemieście
town.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptain
i
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;a
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursprzed
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,
zanim
beforethefirewaslighted;ale
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nic
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicezbyt
toolargefortheroom,i
andjokedquiteinthesposób
wayofatamemano
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
wszystkie
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
chociaż
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;hehad
odpowiedział
answeredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;i
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredwszystkie
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.I
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,i
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinarymiejsce
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhis
kurs
course,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;i
andIamsurehewasstartledonednia
daywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakeniektóre
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
ten
thissubject:Anoldlady
miała
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasacórkę
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcall
bez
withoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilklub
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
całe
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthesympathy
i
andregretwhen,inanunguardedchwili
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
że
thatshewassoonheardi
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlost
większość
mostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,zimno
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Wszyscy
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Panna
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedz
withsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshe
pomyślała
thoughtoftryingabathofoil.Thisremedy,
może
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomejeden
oneofthenumberwhoseadviceshepoprosiła
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedonthe
głowę
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoati
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtoutrzymać
keepheralive.Butmyadvice
to
is,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”Panna
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,i
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
pracować
work,andby-and-byallthetownturnedsię
outtoseetheAlderneymeeklyby
goingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyouever
widziałeś
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakena
mały
smallhouseontheoutskirtsofthemiasta
town,wherehelivedwithhisdwoma
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
czasie
timeofthefirstvisitIzapłaciłem
paidtoCranfordafterIhadopuściłem
leftitasaresidence.Ale
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhisgłowy
head,andaspringingstep,które
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerniż
thanhewas.Hiseldest
córka
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,i
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwaswięcej
morethanhisapparentage.Panna
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;she
miała
hadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononhertwarzy
face,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthmiała
hadlongfadedoutofsight.Nawet
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplaini
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
dziesięć
tenyearsyoungerthanhersister,i
andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasround
i
anddimpled.MissJenkynsonce
powiedziała
said,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwillpowiedziała
tellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasczas
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,i
andnotalwaystobepróbowała
tryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwas
prawda
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinhertwarzy
face;andtherewillbe,I
myślę
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeher
włosy
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,co
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
wiem
knowwhethershewasprettyornot;ale
butIlikedherface,i
andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.She
miała
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaiti
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatof
Panna
MissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensiveniż
thanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Takie
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIpo raz pierwszy
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhad
spotkałem
metbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,który
whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
trzymał
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisgłowę
headerectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
niż
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,który
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,i
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthe
najbardziej
mostgallantattentiontohisdwie
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
ale
butheshookhandswithnonedopóki
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,i
andhadwaitedpatientlytillona
she,withtremblingnervoushands,hadwziął
takenuphergowntochodzić
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
robiły
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,
i
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
i
and,inourloveforgentility,i
anddistasteofmankind,wehadprawie
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;so
że
thatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,Panna
MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andże
thatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,
z
withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
tydzień
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinokoło
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
The
ogień
firewasmadeup;theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
i
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,każdy
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
czuły
feelgravelyelatedastheysiedziały
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonasthreehadarrived,we
usiedliśmy
satdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
i
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadwidziałem
seensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintherano
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
ale
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Podczas
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captaini
andtheMissBrownscamein;i
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,ten
theCaptainwasafavouritewithallten
theladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
Panna
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedprawie
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
i
andseemednearlyaspopularasherojciec
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
miejsce
placeintheroom;attendedto
każdego
everyone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsi
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
robił
diditallinsołatwy
easyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,że
thathewasatruemanthroughout.He
grał
playedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;a
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hemiał
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,chociaż
thoughtomanyeyesshemighttylko
onlyappeartobeirritable.Panna
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:ale
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,którzy
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
śpiewała
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,który
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Panna
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”atrochę
littleoutoftune;butwewerenoneofusmusical,
chociaż
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,się
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
bardzo
verygoodofMissJenkynstozrobiła
dothis;forIhad
widziałem
seenthat,alittlebefore,shema
hadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshema
hadanuncle,hermother’sbrata
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Panna
MissJenkynstriedtodrowntym
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassiedziała
sittingatacard-tablenearestPanna
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshepowiedziała
sayorthinkifshefoundsię
outshewasinthetym samym
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Ale
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnie
notact,asweallagreedthenastępnego
nextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,i
andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmywujka
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
wziąć
takethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,i
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,że
thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwas
bardzo
verygoodofhertopobiła
beattimetothesong.Kiedy
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsi
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,i
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyou
widziałeś
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”powiedział
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Now
Panna
MissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;i
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,i
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,i
andlookeduponanyconversationo
aboutbooksasachallengetoniej
her.Sosheansweredand
powiedziała
said,“Yes,shehadseenich
them;indeed,shemightsayshehad
przeczytała
readthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
Panna
MissJenkynscouldnotbutmówić
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,
może
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Pozwól
Lethimpersevere,andwhowie
knowswhathemaybecomejeśli
ifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidently
zbyt
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;i
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguezanim
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
zupełnie
quiteadifferentsortofsprawa
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
całkiem
quiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmeto
przeczytać
readyouasceneoutoftego
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“I
miałem
haditonlythismorning,i
andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanmiałem
havereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”
powiedziała
saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.He
przeczytał
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellerdał
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
bo
becauseIwasstayinginthedomu
house.