CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
prvič
firstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;vsi
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.Če
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthemestu
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
smrti
deathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,ali
orheisaccountedforbybeings
withhisregiment,hisship,ali
orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheteden
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialmestu
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydo
če
iftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
in
andsleepsatCranford;but
vsak
everymancannotbeasurgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowers
brez
withoutaweedtospeckjih
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
ki
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersskozi
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeese
ki
thatoccasionallyventureintothegardensče
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
vseh
allquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselvesz
withunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
in
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
revnih
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarepovsem
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
eden
oneofthemobservedtomenekoč
once,“issointhepoti
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
vse
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
vsaka
eachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,precej
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoenostavno
easyasverbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladies
imajo
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinanekaj
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksoftheglavo
head;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecoming
preveč
tooflat.Theirdressis
zelo
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
kako
howwedresshereatCranford,kjer
whereeverybodyknowsus?”And
če
iftheygofromhome,theirrazlog
reasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifykako
howwedresshere,wherenihče ne
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
so
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,in
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;toda
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,thezadnji
lasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbrez
withoutasmile.Icantestifyto
je
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Haveyouany
rdeče
redsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehadatraditionofthe
prvo
firstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;in
andthelittleboysmobbedit,in
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
zelo
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongoče
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;je
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
in
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthe
mestu
town,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthestari
oldManxlawswerereadenkrat
onceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquire
kako
howyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
bodo
willgiveyousomerestjutri
to-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavene
nodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
po
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethird
dan
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,my
draga
dear,nevertoletmorekot
thanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingje
acallandreturningit;in
andalso,thatyouarenikoli
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamItolookatmywatch?
Kako
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”“Youmustkeepthinking
o
aboutthetime,mydear,in
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
vsakdo
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidje
acall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,
in
andwerepunctualtoourčasa
time.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwere
revnih
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;toda
buttheywereliketheSpartans,in
andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,
ker
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercein
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewerevsi
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
vse
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Ko
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,in
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookta
thisnovelproceedingasthenajbolj
mostnaturalthinginthesvetu
world,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsin
andceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,drugo
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnikoli
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,če
ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentnavzgor
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,in
andsheknewthatweknew,in
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadin
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
ali
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralvendar
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthiszelo
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,in
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
in
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,pod
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatzvečer
night;andthewholetownwasabed
in
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)to
dati
giveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableali
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
in
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatje
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;in
andshewassister-in-lawtoje
thelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Kako
Hownaturallyonefallsbackintoje
thephraseologyofCranford!There,economywas
vedno
always“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarin
andostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeism
ki
whichmadeusverypeacefulin
andsatisfied.Inevershallforgetthedismayfelt
ko
whenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,in
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsin
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,ampak
butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghispovertyas
je
areasonfornottakingje
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
že
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamoškega
manandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
in
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,ki
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedproti
againstbythelittletown;in
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,in
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Smrt
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;vendar
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
je
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatany
s
withwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoingničesar
anythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedto
ali
orfromaparty,itwasker
becausethenightwassofine,ali
ortheairsorefreshing,notker
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
ker
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;in
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgardejstvo
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofzelo
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
vedeli
knowwhattomakeofje
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotje
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,
in
andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstoje
thecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisit
ki
whichIpaidtoCranfordpribližno
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthemestu
town.MyownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptain
in
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;in
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhourspred
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
vzrok
causeofasmokingchimney,preden
beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,
nič
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargeforthesobo
room,andjokedquiteinthenačin
wayofatamemano
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
vse
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,s
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
čeprav
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;hehadanswered
majhne
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;in
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredvse
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.In
And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,in
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinarymesto
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
in
andIamsurehewasstartledonedayko
whenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselki
whichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
An
stara
oldladyhadanAlderneycow,ki
whichshelookeduponasahčerko
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilk
ali
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.Je
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
veliko
greatwasthesympathyandregretko
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudly
da
thatshewassoonheardin
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofher
las
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,in
andmiserable,inabareskin.Vsi
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughanekaj
fewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
in
anddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftrying
je
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
morda
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeeden
oneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,
če
ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatin
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtoohraniti
keepheralive.Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
in
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,
in
andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseeje
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyouever
videli
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmall
hišo
houseontheoutskirtsofthemesta
town,wherehelivedwithhisdvema
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
času
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhis
glavo
head,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearveliko
muchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
hči
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,in
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasveč
morethanhisapparentage.MissBrownmust
imeti
havebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,
in
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhaddolgo
longfadedoutofsight.Tudi
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainin
andhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
deset
tenyearsyoungerthanhersister,in
andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
obraz
facewasroundanddimpled.MissJenkyns
nekoč
oncesaid,inapassionproti
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwasčas
timeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,in
andnotalwaystobetryingtolookkot
likeachild.”Itwas
res
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;in
andtherewillbe,Imislim
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
in
andsnub,andherlipswererdeče
redanddewy;sheworeher
lase
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,kar
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
vem
knowwhethershewasprettyornot;ampak
butIlikedherface,in
andsodideverybody,andIdonotmislim
thinkshecouldhelpherdimples.Shehad
nekaj
somethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitin
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthe
dve
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingpribližno
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanGospodična
MissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
Suchwas
je
theimpressionmadeuponmebyje
theBrownfamilywhenIprvič
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,
ki
whichhehadcuredbynekaj
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,
in
andthenlifteduphisglavo
headerectandsangoutloudin
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
kot
thantheclerk—anoldmans
withapipingfeeblevoice,ki
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,in
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,
je
thebriskCaptainpaidthenajbolj
mostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
in
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;toda
butheshookhandswithnonedokler
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,in
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,z
withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdid
s
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,
in
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
in
and,inourloveforgentility,in
anddistasteofmankind,wehadskoraj
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeje
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
ko
whenIfoundmyfriendin
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,in
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwas
je
thethirdweekinNovember,soje
theeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,
in
andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedonvsaki
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
je
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;in
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,vsak
eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonastheprvi
firstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysat
skupaj
togetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonas
trije
threehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.The
naslednji
nextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytodrugo
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,
ki
whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthezjutraj
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Je
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;je
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;toda
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Whilethetrayswere
še
yetonthetables,Captainin
andtheMissBrownscamein;in
andIcouldseethat,somehowali
orother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
in
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
in
andseemednearlyaspopularasheroče
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
mesto
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
je
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsin
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdidit
vse
allinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,in
andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasapravi
truemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
z
withasgraveaninterestasče
iftheyhadbeenpounds;in
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,čeprav
thoughtomanyeyesshemightsamo
onlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
ampak
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,ki
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,
tudi
too,toanoldcrackedpiano,ki
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”
je
alittleoutoftune;toda
butwewerenoneofusmusical,čeprav
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
zelo
verygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;forIhadseenthat,a
malo
littlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrata
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedtodrown
to
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,in
andwhatwouldshesayali
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasintheisti
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Toda
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadni
notact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,in
andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,ki
whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotake
je
thetasteofthisoutofourmouths,in
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
rečem
sayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeatčas
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
s
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,in
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
je
abitofliterature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
So
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
hči
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;in
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,in
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,in
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheanswered
in
andsaid,“Yes,shehadseenjih
them;indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imust
reči
say,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Še
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Naj
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathelahko
maybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”To
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;in
andIsawthewordsonje
thetipofhistonguepreden
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itis
povsem
quiteadifferentsortofstvar
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
zelo
quiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutof
tega
thismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihadit
šele
onlythismorning,andIdon’tmislim
thinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
z
withanairofresignation.He
prebral
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”ki
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
ker
becauseIwasstayinginthehiši
house.