CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
In
las
thefirstplace,Cranfordisinpossessionoflas
theAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesabove
un
acertainrentarewomen.Si
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleintheciudad
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
muerte
deathbybeingtheonlyhombre
manintheCranfordeveningparties,o
orheisaccountedforbybeingcon
withhisregiment,hisship,o
orcloselyengagedinbusinesstoda
alltheweekinthegran
greatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantsólo
onlytwentymilesonarailroad.Inshort,
lo
whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.What
podrían
couldtheydoiftheywereallí
there?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
y
andsleepsatCranford;butevery
hombre
mancannotbeasurgeon.For
mantener
keepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerssin
withoutaweedtospeckthem;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswho
miran
lookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardens
si
ifthegatesareleftopen;fordeciding
todas
allquestionsofliteratureandpoliticssin
withouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryrazones
reasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
y
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;for
mantener
keepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorden
order;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,
y
andrealtendergoodofficestocada
eachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarebastante
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtome
una vez
once,“issointhecamino
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
conocen
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
cada
eachhasherownindividuality,nottodecir
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nada
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;pero
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoun
aconsiderabledegree.TheCranfordladies
tienen
haveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsy
andangryjerksofthecabeza
head;justenoughtoprevent
el
theeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingdemasiado
tooflat.Theirdressis
muy
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedress
aquí
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyconocen
knowsus?”Andifthey
van
gofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifycómo
howwedresshere,wherenadie
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
son
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,y
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasSrta
MissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;pero
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttighty
andscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasvisto
seeninCranford—andseenwithoutuna
asmile.Icantestifytoamagnificent
familia
familyredsilkumbrella,undercual
whichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmuchos
manybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Tienes
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehad
una
atraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenvisto
seeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,
y
andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”It
podría
mighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhaber
havedescribed,heldbyastrongpadre
fatheroveratroopoflittleones;la
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererules
y
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;y
andtheywereannouncedtocualquier
anyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayingintheciudad
town,withallthesolemnitycon
withwhichtheoldManxlawswereleían
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
han
havesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyesta noche
to-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinun
agentleman’scarriage);“theywill
darán
giveyousomerestto-morrow,pero
butthenextday,Itengo
havenodoubt,theywillllamarán
call;sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelveto
tres
threeareourcallinghours.”Then,afterthey
habían
hadcalled—.“Itisthethird
día
day;Idaresayyourmamma
ha
hastoldyou,mydear,nunca
nevertoletmorethantres
threedayselapsebetweenreceivinguna
acallandreturningit;y
andalso,thatyouarenunca
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
mirar
lookatmywatch?HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhour
ha
haspassed?”“Youmustkeep
pensando
thinkingaboutthetime,mydear,y
andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”As
todo el mundo
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedo
orpaidacall,ofsupuesto
coursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverhabló
spokenabout.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmall
charla
talk,andwerepunctualtoourtiempo
time.Iimaginethatafewof
los
thegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,y
andhadsomedifficultyinhacer
makingbothendsmeet;buttheywere
como
liketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartbajo
underasmilingface.Wenoneofus
habló
spokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercey
andtrade,andthoughsomepodían
mightbepoor,weweretodos
allaristocratic.TheCranfordianshad
ese
thatkindlyespritdecorpswhichhacía
madethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesscuando
whensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Cuando
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,dio
gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,y
andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookeste
thisnovelproceedingasthemás
mostnaturalthinginthemundo
world,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsy
andceremoniesasifweallcreyéramos
believedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,segunda
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldnunca
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,si
ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whoahora
nowsatinstate,pretendingnottosabía
knowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughshesabía
knew,andweknew,andshesabía
knewthatweknew,andwesabía
knewthatsheknewthatwesabía
knew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-bready
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
o
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromesta
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,y
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,y
andwhichmightbeintroducedintomuchos
manycirclesofsocietytotheirgran
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranford
mantenían
keptearlyhours,andclatteredcasa
homeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofun
alantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnoche
night;andthewholetownwasabed
y
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
palabra
wordinCranford)togivealgo
anythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableo
ordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
y
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatla
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;y
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Hownaturallyone
caer
fallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Allí
There,economywasalways“elegant,”y
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;una
asortofsour-grapeismwhichhizo
madeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.I
nunca
nevershallforgetthedismaysentí
feltwhenacertainCaptainBrownvino
cametoliveatCranford,y
andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimateamigo
friend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,sino
butinthepublicstreet!in
una
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyas
una
areasonfornottakinguna
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesby
un
amanandagentleman.Hewas
un
ahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonun
aneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedcontra
againstbythelittletown;y
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,y
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastohablar
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hedebe
mustbesenttoCoventry.Muerte
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;yet
gente
peopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
una
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.We
habíamos
hadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatcualquier
anywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitypodría
couldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromhacer
doinganythingthattheywished.Si
Ifwewalkedtoorfromuna
aparty,itwasbecausethenoche
nightwassofine,ortheaire
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Si
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasporque
becausewepreferredawashingmaterial;y
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestoel
thevulgarfactthatwewere,todos
allofus,peopleofmuy
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,we
hacer
didnotknowwhattohacer
makeofamanwhopodía
couldspeakofpovertyassi
ifitwasnotadisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrown
hizo
madehimselfrespectedinCranford,y
andwascalledupon,inspiteoftodas
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
escuchar
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutaaño
yearafterhehadsettledinla
thetown.Myownfriends
habían
hadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofcualquier
anyproposaltovisittheCaptainy
andhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsantes
before;andnowhewas
incluso
evenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.Cierto
True,itwastodiscoverthecausa
causeofasmokingchimney,beforethefuego
firewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrown
camino
walkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicedemasiado
toolargefortheroom,y
andjokedquiteinthecamino
wayofatamemansobre
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
todos
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,con
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,
aunque
thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;he
había
hadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsinbuena
goodfaith;andwithhismanlyfrankness
había
hadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasun
amanwhowasnotashamedtobepobre
poor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,
y
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,habían
hadgainedhimanextraordinarylugar
placeasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
y
andIamsurehewasstartledun
onedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastohacer
makesomecounselwhichhehabía
hadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
este
thissubject:Anoldlady
tenía
hadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasahija
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcall
sin
withoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilko
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.The
todo
wholetownknewandkindlyregardedSrta
MissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
gran
greatwasthesympathyandregretcuando
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepobre
poorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewas
pronto
soonheardandrescued;butmeanwhile
la
thepoorbeasthadlostmostofhercabello
hair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,y
andmiserable,inabareskin.Todos
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughaalgunos
fewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.Srta
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowy
anddismay;anditwas
dijo
saidshethoughtoftryingun
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
tal vez
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneoflos
thenumberwhoseadviceshepidió
asked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedonthe
cabeza
headbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getherun
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,si
ifyouwishtokeepheralive.Pero
Butmyadviceis,killla
thepoorcreatureatonce.”Srta
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,y
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
trabajar
work,andby-and-byalltheciudad
townturnedouttoseela
theAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
he
havewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.Visto
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrown
había
hadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsoftheciudad
town,wherehelivedwithhisdos
twodaughters.Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthe
momento
timeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhaddejado
leftitasaresidence.Pero
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhiscabeza
head,andaspringingstep,whichhacía
madehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldest
hija
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,y
andbetrayedthefactthathisreal
realwasmorethanhisapparentage.Srta
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;shehad
una
asickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherrostro
face,andlookedasifla
thegaietyofyouthhadtiempo
longfadedoutofsight.Incluso
Evenwhenyoungshemusthaber
havebeenplainandhard-featured.Srta
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanherhermana
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Her
rostro
facewasroundanddimpled.Srta
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassioncontra
againstCaptainBrown(thecauseofcual
whichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforSrta
MissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,y
andnotalwaystobetratando
tryingtolooklikeachild.”Itwas
cierto
truetherewassomethingchildlikeinherrostro
face;andtherewillbe,I
creo
think,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldviva
livetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,
mirando
lookingstraightatyou;hernosewasunformed
y
andsnub,andherlipswereredy
anddewy;sheworeher
cabello
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedesta
thisappearance.Idonot
sé
knowwhethershewasprettyo
ornot;butIlikedher
cara
face,andsodideverybody,y
andIdonotthinkshepudiera
couldhelpherdimples.She
tenía
hadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaity
andmanner;andanyfemaleobserver
podría
mightdetectaslightdifferenceintheattireofthedos
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingaboutdos
twopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanSrta
MissBrown’s.Twopoundswas
una
alargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.Tal
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilia
familywhenIfirstsawthemalljuntos
togetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainI
había
hadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehabía
hadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,he
sostuvo
heldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMañana
MorningHymn,andthenlifteduphiscabeza
headerectandsangoutloudy
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldman
con
withapipingfeeblevoice,who,Icreo
think,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,y
andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.Oncoming
salir
outofchurch,thebriskCaptainprestó
paidthemostgallantattentiontohisdos
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
pero
butheshookhandswithnonehasta que
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,había
hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,y
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,con
withtremblingnervoushands,hadtomado
takenuphergowntocaminar
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladies
hacían
didwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,
y
andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.We
habíamos
hadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;y
and,inourloveforgentility,y
anddistasteofmankind,wehabíamos
hadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeun
amanwastobe“vulgar”;sothat
cuando
whenIfoundmyfriendy
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasiba
goingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,y
andthatCaptainandtheSeñorita
MissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecurso
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,
con
withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwasthethird
semana
weekinNovember,sotheeveningscerraban
closedinaboutfour.Candles,
y
andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoncada
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
la
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;y
andtherewestood,dressedinourmejor
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesaspronto
soonasthefirstknockllegó
came.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,
haciendo
makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysentaban
sattogetherintheirbestdresses.As
pronto
soonasthreehadarrived,wesentamos
satdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.Los
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytootra
anothertable;andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhad
visto
seensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemañana
morning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofuna
acard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglittered
con
withpolishing;buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Mientras
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,Captainy
andtheMissBrownscamein;y
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasuna
afavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
Srta
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedcasi
almosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
y
andseemednearlyaspopularasherpadre
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
lugar
placeintheroom;attendedto
todos
everyone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsy
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyet
hizo
diditallinsofácil
easyanddignifiedamanner,y
andsomuchasifitwereacuestión
matterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtolos
theweak,thathewasaverdadero
truemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
con
withasgraveaninterestassi
iftheyhadbeenpounds;y
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hetenía
hadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwasseguro
sureshewas,thoughtomuchos
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.Srta
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:pero
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,había
hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.She
cantaba
sang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIcreo
thinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.Srta
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”un
alittleoutoftune;pero
butwewerenoneofusmusical,aunque
thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,fuera
outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwas
muy
verygoodofMissJenkynstohacer
dothis;forIhad
visto
seenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbySrta
MissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’shermano
brother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.Srta
MissJenkynstriedtodrownesta
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forla
theHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestSrta
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshediría
sayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinla
thesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Pero
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadno
notact,asweallagreedla
thenextmorning)wouldrepeatla
theinformation,andassureMissPoleshepodía
couldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasla
thebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteof
esto
thisoutofourmouths,y
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatSrta
MissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
digo
sayagain,itwasverybueno
goodofhertobeattiempo
timetothesong.When
las
thetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsy
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,y
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
un
abitofliterature.“Haveyou
visto
seenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”dijo
saidhe.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Ahora
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofun
adeceasedrectorofCranford;y
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,y
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,y
andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoella
her.Sosheansweredand
dijo
said,“Yes,shehadseenthem;indeed,she
podría
mightsayshehadreadthem.”“Andwhatdoyou
piensas
thinkofthem?”exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
Sourged
Srta
MissJenkynscouldnotbuthablar
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’t
creo
thinktheyarebyanydecir
meansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
tal vez
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Dejemos
Lethimpersevere,andwhosabe
knowswhathemaybecomesi
ifhewilltakethegran
greatDoctorforhismodel?”Esto
ThiswasevidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotomara
takeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebefore
Srta
MissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itisquite
una
adifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returned
ella
she.“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyou
una
asceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.“Ihaditonly
esta
thismorning,andIdon’tcreo
thinkthecompanycanhaveleído
readityet.”“Asyouplease,”
dijo
saidshe,settlingherselfwithun
anairofresignation.He
leyó
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellerdio
gaveatBath.Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,
porque
becauseIwasstayinginla
thehouse.