CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
posse
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
bastante
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregimento
regiment,hisship,orcloselyenvolvido
engagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distante
distantonlytwentymilesonaferrovia
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
The
cirurgião
surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbea
cirurgião
surgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
assustar
frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethat
ocasionalmente
occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;fordecidingallquestionsof
literatura
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
obter
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparóquia
parish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
admirável
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein
apuros
distress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthem
observou
observedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
fortemente
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbal
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-will
reina
reignsamongthemtoaconsiderável
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
ocasional
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughto
evitar
preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressisvery
independente
independentoffashion;asthey
observam
observe,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
igualmente
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
simples
plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
testemunhar
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredseda
silkumbrella,underwhichagentil
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonchuva
rainydays.Haveyouanyred
seda
silkumbrellasinLondon?Wehada
tradição
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
seda
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratropa
troopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—the
sobrevivente
survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald
Monte
Mount.“Ourfriendshavesentto
perguntar
inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;
sobeat
liberdade
libertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsome
dificuldade
difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde
corpo
corpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpobreza
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
exemplo
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidenperturbou
disturbedtheladiesonthesofá
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonaboutcasa
householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatouranfitriã
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withempregada
housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythebandeja
trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyheramante
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged
pobreza
poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatmelhoria
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe
orientação
guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(a
tremenda
tremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
Honorável
HonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelate
Conde
EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpraticasse
practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturalmente
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,
economia
economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
abertamente
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinasussurro
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviamente
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
pobreza
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningoverthe
invasão
invasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring
ferrovia
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypeticionado
petitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,in
além
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththedesagradável
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
pobreza
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe
associássemos
associatedontermsofvisitingigualdade
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbypobreza
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgar
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
pobreza
povertyasifitwasnotadesgraça
disgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
apesar
spiteofallresolutionstothecontrário
contrary.IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
proposta
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
descobrir
discoverthecauseofasmokingchaminé
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
domado
tamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhis
viril
manlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.And,atlast,hisexcellent
masculino
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilidade
facilityindevisingexpedientstosuperar
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularidade
popularityashehadbeenofthereverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighly
estimado
esteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
Thewholetownknewand
gentilmente
kindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthe
simpatia
sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.She
gemia
moanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
entretanto
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnot
conter
restraintheirsmilesatherdrollaparência
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
tristeza
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
remédio
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;butthe
proposta
proposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher
pasto
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
residência
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,a
rígido
stiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,and
traiu
betrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisaparente
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
expressão
expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
simples
plainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis
aparência
appearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermight
detectar
detectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Twopoundswasalarge
soma
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
impressão
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe
ocasião
occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorning
Hino
Hymn,andthenlifteduphisheadereta
erectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
fraca
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbaixo
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
guarda-chuva
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpacientemente
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphervestido
gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoften
regozijaram
rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof
humanidade
mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
anfitriã
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthethirdweekin
Novembro
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingthe
infeliz
unluckyfourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
presentemente
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthearmazém
store-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightest
descrição
description.Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favorito
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimido
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifieda
maneira
manner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutof
sintonia
tune;butwewerenoneofus
musical
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguarded
admissão
admission(àproposofShetlandlã
wool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedto
afogar
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonorável
HonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’ssobrinha
niece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
assegurava
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandlã
woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandprodutos
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
propôs
proposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof
literatura
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
publicando
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherself
literária
literary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,the
autor
authorisyoung.Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
evidentemente
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”
implorou
pleadedhe.“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof
resignação
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.