CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
po pierwsze
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhouses
powyżej
aboveacertainrentarewomen.Jeśli
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthemiasta
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseither
dość
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingze
withhisregiment,hisship,orściśle
closelyengagedinbusinessallthetydzień
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialmieście
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonalinii kolejowej
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldthey
zrobić
doiftheywerethere?The
chirurg
surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,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’saffairsintheparafii
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
podziwu
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
ubogich
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareinniebezpieczeństwie
distress,theladiesofCranfordarecałkiem
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
jeden
oneofthemobservedtomekiedyś
once,“issointhedrodze
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
znają
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareniezwykle
exceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Rzeczywiście
Indeed,aseachhasherownindywidualność
individuality,nottosayeccentricity,dość
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissołatwe
easyasverbalretaliation;but,
jakoś
somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
mają
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsi
andangryjerksofthehead;wystarczy
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingzbyt
tooflat.Theirdressis
bardzo
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
ubieramy
dresshereatCranford,wherewszyscy
everybodyknowsus?”Andiftheygofrom
domu
home,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyjak
howwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
są
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,andwiększość
mostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasPanna
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;ale
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,thelasttighti
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbez
withoutasmile.Ican
świadczyć
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Macie
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?We
mieliśmy
hadatraditionofthefirstthatmieliśmy
hadeverbeenseeninCranford;a
andthelittleboysmobbedgo
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeen
ten
theveryredsilkoneIhaveopisałem
described,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—.“Itisthe
trzeci
thirdday;Idaresayyourmammahas
powiedziała
toldyou,mydear,nevertopozwól
letmorethanthreedayselapsemiędzy
betweenreceivingacallandreturningit;a
andalso,thatyouarenigdy nie
nevertostaylongerthanaćwierć
quarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
patrzeć
lookatmywatch?HowamItofind
się
outwhenaquarterofangodziny
hourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinking
o
aboutthetime,mydear,i
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
wszyscy
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,czy
whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofoczywiście
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokeno
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmall
rozmowy
talk,andwerepunctualtoourczasu
time.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,
i
andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;ale
buttheywereliketheSpartans,i
andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.We
nikt
noneofusspokeofmoney,ponieważ
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andchociaż
thoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.Ten
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdekorpusu
corpswhichmadethemoverlookwszystkie
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthempróbowali
triedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Kiedy
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthemała
littlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthekanapie
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,wszyscy
everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthenajbardziej
mostnaturalthingintheświecie
world,andtalkedonaboutgospodarstwa domowego
householdformsandceremoniesasifweallwierzyli
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,drugi
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,zamiast
insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnigdy nie
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtonieść
carrythetrayupstairs,ifshemiała
hadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyherpani
mistress,whonowsatinstanie
state,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentgórę
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shemiała
hadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Nie
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromtego
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,i
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,które
whichwerenotamiss,andktóre
whichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofspołeczeństwa
societytotheirgreatimprovement.For
przykład
instance,theinhabitantsofCranfordtrzymał
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,
chociaż
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!inaloudmilitary
głosem
voice!alleginghispovertyasareasonfornot
wziął
takingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
już
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinwazji
invasionoftheirterritoriesbyamani
andagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
i
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringlinii kolejowej
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedprzeciwko
againstbythelittletown;and
jeśli
if,inadditiontohismasculinepłci
gender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastomówił
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,rzeczywiście
indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrue
i
andascommonaspoverty;jednak
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,głośno
loudoutinthestreets.Itwasa
słowo
wordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedto
zignorować
ignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingrówności
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingże
thattheywished.Ifwe
chodziliśmy
walkedtoorfromaparty,itwasdlatego
becausethenightwassofine,lub
ortheairsorefreshing,notdlatego
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifwe
nosiliśmy
woreprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasdlatego
becausewepreferredawashingmateriał
material;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
wulgarny
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofbardzo
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
wiedzieliśmy
knowwhattomakeofamanktóry
whocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.Jednak
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,i
andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
usłyszałem
hearhisopinionsquotedasautorytet
authorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordokoło
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthemieście
town.Myownfriendshadbeen
wśród
amongthebitterestopponentsofanypropozycji
proposaltovisittheCaptaini
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;a
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursprzed
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,
zanim
beforethefirewaslighted;ale
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nic
nothingdaunted,spokeinagłosem
voicetoolargefortheroom,i
andjokedquiteinthesposób
wayofatamemano
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeen
ślepy
blindtoallthesmallslights,i
andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeen
przyjazny
friendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;hehad
odpowiedział
answeredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodwierze
faith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
wszystkie
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.I
And,atlast,hisexcellentmęski
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanniezwykłe
extraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhis
kurs
course,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;i
andIamsurehewasstartledonednia
daywhenhefoundhisadvicesowysoko
highlyesteemedastomakeniektóre
somecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriouspoważnie
earnest.Itwasonthis
temat
subject:AnoldladyhadanAlderney
krowę
cow,whichshelookeduponasacórkę
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcall
bez
withoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilklub
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
całe
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;dlatego
thereforegreatwasthesympathyi
andregretwhen,inanunguardedchwili
moment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.She
jęczała
moanedsoloudlythatshewaswkrótce
soonheardandrescued;but
międzyczasie
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostwiększość
mostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnago
naked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskórze
skin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,
chociaż
thoughafewcouldnotpowstrzymać
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Panna
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedz
withsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshe
pomyślała
thoughtoftryingabathofoil.This
lekarstwo
remedy,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,cladindarkszare
greyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyouever
widziałeś
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?Kapitan
CaptainBrownhadtakenamały
smallhouseontheoutskirtsofthemiasta
town,wherehelivedwithhisdwoma
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
czasie
timeofthefirstvisitIzapłaciłem
paidtoCranfordafterIhadopuściłem
leftitasaresidence.Ale
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,sprężyste
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhisgłowy
head,andaspringingstep,które
whichmadehimappearmuchmłodszy
youngerthanhewas.Hiseldest
córka
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,i
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwaswięcej
morethanhisapparentage.Panna
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;she
miała
hadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononhertwarzy
face,andlookedasifthegaietyofmłodości
youthhadlongfadedoutofsight.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,thoughsheshouldlivetoastu
hundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,looking
prosto
straightatyou;hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeher
włosy
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,co
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
wiem
knowwhethershewasprettyornot;ale
butIlikedherface,i
andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.She
miała
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaiti
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermight
wykryć
detectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofPanna
MissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensiveniż
thanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
suma
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Takie
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIpo raz pierwszy
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.The
Kapitan
CaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheokazji
occasionofthesmokychimney,który
whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
trzymał
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyespodczas
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenpodniósł
lifteduphisheaderectandśpiewał
sangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
niż
thantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,który
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,i
andquiveredhigherandhigherinkonsekwencji
consequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebrisk
Kapitan
Captainpaidthemostgallantuwagę
attentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
i
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;ale
butheshookhandswithnonedopóki
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherparasol
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,i
andhadwaitedpatientlytillona
she,withtremblingnervoushands,hadwziął
takenuphergowntochodzić
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
robiły
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehad
często
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,i
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
i
and,inourloveforgentility,i
anddistasteofmankind,wehadprawie
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;so
że
thatwhenIfoundmyfriendandgospodyni
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andże
thatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,
z
withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbyświatło dzienne
daylight,justasusual;itwasthe
trzeci
thirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinokoło
aboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneach
stole
table.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
i
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,każdy
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
czuły
feelgravelyelatedastheysiedziały
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonasthreehadarrived,we
usiedliśmy
satdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
natychmiast
immediatelytoanothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
które
whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedintherano
morning,wereplacedeachontheśrodku
middleofacard-table.The
porcelana
chinawasdelicateegg-shell;theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
ale
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Podczas
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Kapitan
CaptainandtheMissBrownsprzyszli
camein;andIcould
widziałem
seethat,somehoworother,ten
theCaptainwasafavouritewithallten
theladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,
ostre
sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.Panna
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedprawie
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledas
zwykle
usual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherojciec
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
miejsce
placeintheroom;attendedto
każdego
everyone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonpuste
emptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;and
jednak
yetdiditallinsołatwy
easyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,że
thathewasatruemanthroughout.He
grał
playedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;a
andyet,inallhisuwagi
attentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,chociaż
thoughtomanyeyesshemighttylko
onlyappeartobeirritable.Panna
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:ale
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,którzy
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenraczej
ratherinclinedtobecross.She
śpiewała
sang,too,toanoldcrackedfortepian
piano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsmłodości
youth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”a
trochę
littleoutoftune;butwewere
żaden
noneofusmusical,thoughPanna
MissJenkynsbeattime,outofczas
time,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
bardzo
verygoodofMissJenkynstozrobiła
dothis;forIhad
widziałem
seenthat,alittlebefore,shema
hadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwełny
wool)thatshehadanwujka
uncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Panna
MissJenkynstriedtodrowntym
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassiedziała
sittingatacard-tablenearestPanna
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshepowiedziała
sayorthinkifshefoundsię
outshewasinthetym samym
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Ale
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnie
notact,aswealluzgodniliśmy
agreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,i
andassureMissPoleshecouldłatwo
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandwełnę
woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,który
whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandtowarów
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
wziąć
takethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,i
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,że
thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwas
bardzo
verygoodofhertopobiła
beattimetothesong.Kiedy
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsi
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,i
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-by
Kapitan
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliteratury
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
powiedział
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Now
Panna
MissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;i
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,i
andaprettygoodlibraryofboskości
divinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationo
aboutbooksasachallengetoniej
her.Sosheansweredand
powiedziała
said,“Yes,shehadseenich
them;indeed,shemightsayshehad
przeczytała
readthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kapitan
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
Panna
MissJenkynscouldnotbutmówić
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,
może
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Pozwól
Lethimpersevere,andwhowie
knowswhathemaybecomejeśli
ifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”Thiswas
najwyraźniej
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;i
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhisjęzyka
tonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedherzdanie
sentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortof
sprawa
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,settlingherselfwithanairofrezygnacji
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWeller
dał
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
bo
becauseIwasstayinginthedomu
house.