CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirst
lugar
place,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;todos
alltheholdersofhousesaboveum
acertainrentarewomen.Se
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleino
thetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
morte
deathbybeingtheonlyhomem
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingcom
withhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinesstoda
alltheweekinthegrande
greatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantapenas
onlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
What
poderiam
couldtheydoiftheywerelá
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
e
andsleepsatCranford;butevery
homem
mancannotbeasurgeon.For
manter
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerssem
withoutaweedtospecklos
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
que
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersatravés
throughtherailings;forrushingoutat
os
thegeesethatoccasionallyventureintoos
thegardensifthegatesareleftopen;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
e
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselvescom
withunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtaining
claro
clearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirable
ordem
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
e
andrealtendergoodofficestoeachoutros
otherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarebastante
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhe
caminho
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
conheçam
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
cada
eachhasherownindividuality,nottodizer
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nada
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;mas
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoum
aconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
têm
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordse
andangryjerksofthecabeça
head;justenoughtoprevent
o
theeventenoroftheirlivesfromtorne
becomingtooflat.Theirdressis
muito
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
aqui
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”E
Andiftheygofromcasa
home,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifycomo
howwedresshere,whereninguém
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
são
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,e
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasSrta
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;mas
butIwillanswerforisso
it,thelastgigot,thelasttighte
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasvisto
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutum
asmile.Icantestifytoamagnificent
família
familyredsilkumbrella,underqual
whichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmuitos
manybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Têm
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehad
uma
atraditionofthefirstque
thathadeverbeenseeninCranford;e
andthelittleboysmobbedit,e
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”It
podia
mighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIter
havedescribed,heldbyastrongpai
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;a
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarrylo
it.Thentherewererules
e
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;e
andtheywereannouncedtoqualquer
anyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthecidade
town,withallthesolemnitycom
withwhichtheoldManxlawswerelidas
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshave
mandaram
senttoinquirehowyouaredepois
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
vão
willgiveyousomerestamanhã
to-morrow,butthenextday,Itenho
havenodoubt,theywillchamar
call;sobeatliberty
depois
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,aftertheyhad
ligado
called—.“Itisthethird
dia
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,my
querida
dear,nevertoletmorethantrês
threedayselapsebetweenreceivinguma
acallandreturningit;e
andalso,thatyouarenunca
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
olhar
lookatmywatch?HowamItofindout
quando
whenaquarterofanhora
hourhaspassed?”“Youmust
continuar
keepthinkingaboutthetime,myquerida
dear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
todos
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedou
orpaidacall,ofcoursenenhum
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverfalado
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmall
conversas
talk,andwerepunctualtoourtempo
time.Iimaginethatafewof
as
thegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,e
andhadsomedifficultyinfazer
makingbothendsmeet;buttheywere
como
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartsob
underasmilingface.Wenoneofus
falou
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercee
andtrade,andthoughsomepudessem
mightbepoor,weweretodos
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhich
fazia
madethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccessquando
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Quando
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,deu
gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,e
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookeste
thisnovelproceedingasthemais
mostnaturalthinginthemundo
world,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformse
andceremoniesasifweallacreditássemos
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,com
withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnunca
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,se
ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whoagora
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,e
andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,e
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breade
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
ou
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralmas
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,que
whichwerenotamiss,andque
whichmightbeintroducedintomuitos
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgrande
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
mantiveram
keptearlyhours,andclatteredcasa
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofum
alantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnoite
night;andthewholetownwasabed
e
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
palavra
wordinCranford)togivequalquer coisa
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableou
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
e
andsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesondeu
gave;andshewassister-in-lawtothe
falecido
lateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisetal
such“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Quão
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Lá
There,economywasalways“elegant,”e
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;uma
asortofsour-grapeismwhichfez
madeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.I
nunca
nevershallforgetthedismaysenti
feltwhenacertainCaptainBrownveio
cametoliveatCranford,e
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimateamigo
friend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,mas
butinthepublicstreet!in
uma
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyas
uma
areasonfornottakinguma
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
já
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyum
amanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
e
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,que
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedcontra
againstbythelittletown;e
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,e
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastofalar
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hedeve
mustbesenttoCoventry.Morte
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;no entanto
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutisso
that,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
uma
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignore
que
thatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitypoderia
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromfazer
doinganythingthattheywished.Se
Ifwewalkedtoorfromuma
aparty,itwasbecausethenoite
nightwassofine,orthear
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Se
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasporque
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;e
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestoo
thevulgarfactthatwewere,todos
allofus,peopleofmuito
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,we
fazer
didnotknowwhattofazer
makeofamanwhopodia
couldspeakofpovertyasse
ifitwasnotadisgrace.No entanto
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,e
andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
ouvir
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitque
whichIpaidtoCranfordaboutaano
yearafterhehadsettledinthecidade
town.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsof
qualquer
anyproposaltovisittheCaptaine
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsantes
before;andnowhewas
até
evenadmittedinthetabooedhoursantes
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
causa
causeofasmokingchimney,antes
beforethefirewaslighted;mas
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,falou
spokeinavoicetoolargeforthesala
room,andjokedquiteinthemaneira
wayofatamemansobre
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
todos
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,com
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.He
tinha
hadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladiestinha
hadbeencool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsin
boa
goodfaith;andwithhismanlyfrankness
tinha
hadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichencontraram
methimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepobre
poor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,
e
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,tinham
hadgainedhimanextraordinarylugar
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhis
curso
course,asunawareofhispopularityashetinha
hadbeenofthereverse;e
andIamsurehewasstartledum
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastofazer
makesomecounselwhichhetinha
hadgiveninjesttobetomado
takeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
este
thissubject:Anoldlady
tinha
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasafilha
daughter.Youcouldnotpay
o
theshortquarterofanhora
hourcallwithoutbeingtoldofo
thewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.A
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedSrta
MissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
grande
greatwasthesympathyandregretquando
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepobre
poorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
que
thatshewassoonhearde
andrescued;butmeanwhilethe
pobre
poorbeasthadlostmostofhercabelo
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,fria
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Todos
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughaalguns
fewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
e
anddismay;anditwas
diziam
saidshethoughtoftryingum
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
talvez
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeum
oneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheperguntou
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Gether
um
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,se
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Mas
Butmyadviceis,killthepobre
poorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
e
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
trabalhar
work,andby-and-byallthecidade
townturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklyindo
goingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyself
muitas
manyatime.Doyouever
viu
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrown
tinha
hadtakenasmallhouseono
theoutskirtsofthetown,onde
wherehelivedwithhisduas
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
momento
timeofthefirstvisitIpaguei
paidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasuma
aresidence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhis
cabeça
head,andaspringingstep,whichfazia
madehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
filha
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,e
andbetrayedthefactthathisreal
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.Srta
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;shehad
uma
asickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherrosto
face,andlookedasifa
thegaietyofyouthhadtempo
longfadedoutofsight.Mesmo
Evenwhenyoungshemustter
havebeenplainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
dez
tenyearsyoungerthanherirmã
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
rosto
facewasroundanddimpled.Srta
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inuma
apassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecausa
causeofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatsheachava
thoughtitwastimeforSrta
MissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,e
andnotalwaystobetentando
tryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwas
verdade
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherrosto
face;andtherewillbe,I
acho
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldviva
livetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,
olhando
lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformed
e
andsnub,andherlipswererede
anddewy;sheworeher
cabelo
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,que
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
sei
knowwhethershewasprettyou
ornot;butIlikedher
cara
face,andsodideverybody,e
andIdonotthinkshepudesse
couldhelpherdimples.She
tinha
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaite
andmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
poderia
mightdetectaslightdifferenceina
theattireofthetwosisters—thatofSrta
MissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummais
moreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Duas
TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Tal
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamília
familywhenIfirstsawthemtodos
alltogetherinCranfordChurch.O
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ono
theoccasionofthesmokychimney,que
whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationino
theflue.Inchurch,he
segurou
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheManhã
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphiscabeça
headerectandsangoutloude
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—an
velho
oldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Iacho
think,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,e
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthe
mais
mostgallantattentiontohisduas
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
mas
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadajudado
helpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,e
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,com
withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntocaminhar
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
faziam
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,
que
thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,e
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
e
and,inourloveforgentility,e
anddistasteofmankind,wehadquase
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeum
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
quando
whenIfoundmyfriende
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasia
goingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,e
andthatCaptainandtheSrta
MissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuito
muchwhatwouldbethecurso
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,
com
withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
semana
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutquatro
four.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedon
cada
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servant
tinha
hadreceivedherlastdirections;e
andtherewestood,dressedinourmelhor
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,
fazendo
makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysentavam
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
três
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingo
theunluckyfourth.Thenext
quatro
fourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytooutra
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
que
whichIhadseensetoutinas
thestore-roomasIpassedinas
themorning,wereplacedeachonas
themiddleofacard-table.A
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;a
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;mas
buttheeatableswereofos
theslightestdescription.Whilethetrayswere
ainda
yetonthetables,Captaine
andtheMissBrownscamein;e
andIcouldseethat,somehowou
orother,theCaptainwasuma
afavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
e
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
e
andseemednearlyaspopularasherpai
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumed
o
theman’splaceinthesala
room;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
o
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupse
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
fez
diditallinsofácil
easyanddignifiedamanner,e
andsomuchasifitwereaquestão
matterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasaverdadeiro
truemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
com
withasgraveaninterestasse
iftheyhadbeenpounds;e
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hetinha
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwascerteza
sureshewas,thoughtomuitos
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.Srta
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:mas
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,que
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
cantava
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,que
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Srta
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”um
alittleoutoftune;mas
butwewerenoneofusmusical,embora
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,fora
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
muito
verygoodofMissJenkynstofazer
dothis;forIhadseenthat,a
pouco
littlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbySrta
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshetinha
hadanuncle,hermother’sirmão
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Srta
MissJenkynstriedtodrownesta
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestSrta
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshediria
sayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthemesma
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Mas
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnão
notact,asweallagreeda
thenextmorning)wouldrepeata
theinformation,andassureMissPoleshepoderia
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmytio
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofqualquer
anyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwasto
tirar
takethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,e
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatSrta
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
digo
sayagain,itwasverybom
goodofhertobeattempo
timetothesong.When
as
thetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitse
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,e
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
um
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
viu
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”disse
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Agora
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofum
adeceasedrectorofCranford;e
and,onthestrengthofanúmero
numberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettyboa
goodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,e
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoela
her.Sosheansweredand
disse
said,“Yes,shehadseenthem;indeed,she
poderia
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyou
achas
thinkofthem?”exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkyns
pôde
couldnotbutspeak.“I
devo
mustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanydizer
meansequaltoDrJohnson.Ainda
Still,perhaps,theauthorisjovem
young.Lethimpersevere,andwho
sabe
knowswhathemaybecomese
ifhewilltakethegrande
greatDoctorforhismodel?”Isto
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;e
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistongueantes
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
bem
quiteadifferentsortofcoisa
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
bem
quiteawareofthat,”returnedela
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmeto
ler
readyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedele
he.“Ihaditonly
esta
thismorning,andIdon’tacho
thinkthecompanycanhavelido
readityet.”“Asyouplease,”
disse
saidshe,settlingherselfwithum
anairofresignation.He
leu
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”que
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Alguns
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,
porque
becauseIwasstayinginthecasa
house.