CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthe
prvič
firstplace,Cranfordisinlasti
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Če
Ifamarriedcouplecometonaseli
settleinthetown,somehowthegospod
gentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
smrti
deathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,ali
orheisaccountedforbybeings
withhisregiment,hisship,ali
orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheteden
weekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialmestu
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydo
če
iftheywerethere?The
kirurg
surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,in
andsleepsatCranford;but
vsak
everymancannotbeakirurg
surgeon.Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowers
brez
withoutaweedtospeckjih
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboys
ki
wholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersskozi
throughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeese
ki
thatoccasionallyventureintothegardensče
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
vseh
allquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselvesz
withunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
in
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
for
prijaznost
kindness(somewhatdictatorial)totherevnih
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarepovsem
quitesufficient.“Aman,”as
eden
oneofthemobservedtomenekoč
once,“issointhepoti
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknow
vse
alleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Dejansko
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,precej
prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoenostavno
easyasverbalretaliation;but,
nekako
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
andmostofthemareskoraj
nearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;toda
butIwillanswerforto
it,thelastgigot,thezadnji
lasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenbrez
withoutasmile.Icantestifyto
je
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,pod
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftsama
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertocerkev
churchonrainydays.Haveyouany
rdeče
redsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehada
tradicijo
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;in
andthelittleboysmobbedit,in
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeenthe
zelo
veryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyamočan
strongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;je
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldkomaj
scarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
in
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthe
mestu
town,withallthesolemnitywithwhichthestari
oldManxlawswerereadenkrat
onceayearontheTinwaldGori
Mount.“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquire
kako
howyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“they
bodo
willgiveyousomerestjutri
to-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavene
nodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
po
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
tretji
thirdday;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.We
nihče
noneofusspokeofmoney,ker
becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercein
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewerevsi
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlook
vse
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomemed
amongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Ko
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,in
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthekavču
sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookta
thisnovelproceedingasthenajbolj
mostnaturalthinginthesvetu
world,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsin
andceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaredno
regularservants’hall,secondtable,s
withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnikoli
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythepladenj
trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentnavzgor
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,in
andsheknewthatweknew,in
andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadin
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
ali
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralvendar
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthiszelo
verymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,in
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofdružbe
societytotheirgreatimprovement.For
primer
instance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptzgodnje
earlyhours,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,čeprav
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-pay
kapitan
captain,andhadobtainedsomepoložaj
situationonaneighbouringrailroad,ki
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedproti
againstbythelittletown;in
andif,inadditiontohismoškega
masculinegender,andhisconnectionz
withtheobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,res
indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Smrt
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;vendar
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,glasno
loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
je
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatany
s
withwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingenakosti
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbyrevščine
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Če
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasker
becausethenightwassofine,ali
ortheairsorefreshing,notker
becausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwas
ker
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial
material;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgarno
vulgarfactthatwewere,vsi
allofus,peopleofzelo
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
vedeli
knowwhattomakeofje
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotje
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,Captain
Brown
BrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,in
andwascalledupon,inkljub
spiteofallresolutionstoje
thecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedas
avtoriteto
authorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordpribližno
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthemestu
town.Myownfriendshadbeen
med
amongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisittheCaptainin
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;in
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhourspred
beforetwelve.True,itwastodiscoverthe
vzrok
causeofasmokingchimney,preden
beforethefirewaslighted;butstill
Kapitan
CaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargeforthesobo
room,andjokedquiteinthenačin
wayofatamemano
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
vse
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,s
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeen
prijazen
friendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;hehadanswered
majhne
smallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodveri
faith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
vse
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.In
And,atlast,hisexcellentmoški
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinarymesto
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
priljubljenosti
popularityashehadbeenofthereverse;in
andIamsurehewasstartledonedayko
whenhefoundhisadvicesozelo
highlyesteemedastomakesomecounselki
whichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthis
temo
subject:AnoldladyhadanAlderney
kravo
cow,whichshelookeduponasahčerko
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthe
čudovito
wonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofte
thisanimal.Thewholetownknew
in
andkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;zato
thereforegreatwasthesympathyin
andregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorkrava
cowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedso
glasno
loudlythatshewassoonheardin
andrescued;butmeanwhilethepoor
zver
beasthadlostmostofherlas
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,in
andmiserable,inabarekoži
skin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,
čeprav
thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrow
in
anddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftrying
je
abathofoil.This
zdravilo
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbyneki
someoneofthenumberkaterih
whoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,
če
ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyKapitan
CaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatin
andflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtoohraniti
keepheralive.Butmy
nasvet
adviceis,killthepoorbitje
creatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
in
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesettowork,
in
andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseeje
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpašnik
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyouever
videli
seecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?Kapitan
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhišo
houseontheoutskirtsofthemesta
town,wherehelivedwithhisdvema
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
času
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhis
glavo
head,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearveliko
muchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
hči
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,in
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasveč
morethanhisapparentage.Miss
Brown
Brownmusthavebeenforty;shehadasickly,pained,careworn
izraz
expressiononherface,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,thoughsheshouldlivetoasto
hundred.Hereyeswerelarge
modre
bluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;her
nos
nosewasunformedandsnub,in
andherlipswereredin
anddewy;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.Twopoundswasalarge
vsota
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Suchwas
je
theimpressionmadeuponmebyje
theBrownfamilywhenIprvič
firstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.The
Kapitan
CaptainIhadmetbefore—onthepriložnosti
occasionofthesmokychimney,ki
whichhehadcuredbynekaj
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhis
dvojno
doubleeye-glasstohiseyesmed
duringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisglavo
headerectandsangoutglasno
loudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouder
kot
thantheclerk—anoldmans
withapipingfeeblevoice,ki
who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,in
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutof
cerkve
church,thebriskCaptainpaidje
themostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.Henodded
in
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;toda
butheshookhandswithnonedokler
untilhehadhelpedMissBrown
Browntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,in
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,z
withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.I
sprašujem
wonderwhattheCranfordladiesdids
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehad
pogosto
oftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,in
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
in
and,inourloveforgentility,in
anddistasteofmankind,wehadskoraj
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobeje
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
ko
whenIfoundmyfriendin
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,in
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseofthezvečer
evening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justas
običajno
usual;itwasthethird
teden
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.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,”Ibeingtheunluckyčetrti
fourth.Thenextfourcomerswereputdown
takoj
immediatelytoanothertable;and
trenutno
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutintheskladišču
store-roomasIpassedinthezjutraj
morning,wereplacedeachonthesredini
middleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
je
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;toda
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.Whilethetrayswere
še
yetonthetables,Captainin
andtheMissBrownscamein;in
andIcouldseethat,somehowali
orother,theCaptainwasapriljubljen
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
Miss
Brown
Brownlookedill,anddepressedskoraj
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledas
ponavadi
usual,andseemednearlyaspriljubljena
popularasherfather.He
takoj
immediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’smesto
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
je
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsin
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdidit
vse
allinsoeasyanddostojanstven
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthemočne
strongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasapravi
truemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
z
withasgraveaninterestasče
iftheyhadbeenpounds;in
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,čeprav
thoughtomanyeyesshemightsamo
onlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
ampak
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,ki
who,beforehercoming,hadbeenprecej
ratherinclinedtobecross.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.MissJenkynstriedto
utopiti
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenajbližje
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayali
orthinkifshefoundoutshewasintheisti
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Toda
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadni
notact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformacije
information,andassureMissPoleshecouldzlahka
easilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,ki
whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotake
je
thetasteofthisoutofourmouths,in
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
rečem
sayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeatčas
timetothesong.Whenthetraysre-appeared
s
withbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertodevet
nine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,in
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-by
Kapitan
CaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature
literature.“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
So
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswas
hči
daughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;in
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,in
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,in
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasaizziv
challengetoher.Sosheanswered
in
andsaid,“Yes,shehadseenjih
them;indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Kapitan
CaptainBrown.“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imust
reči
say,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Še
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Naj
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathelahko
maybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”To
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;in
andIsawthewordsonje
thetipofhistonguepreden
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedherstavek
sentence.“Itisquiteadifferentsortof
stvar
thing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iam
zelo
quiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.“AndImakeallowances,
Kapitan
CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmetoreadyoua
prizor
sceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihadit
šele
onlythismorning,andIdon’tmislim
thinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
z
withanairofresignation.He
prebral
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”ki
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
ker
becauseIwasstayinginthehiši
house.