Cranford Progressive Translation Books for Spanish B2 Learners

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY

Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin

posesión

possessionoftheAmazons;

alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.

Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;

heiseither

bastante

fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis

regimiento

regiment,hisship,orclosely

involucrado

engagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,

distante

distantonlytwentymilesona

ferrocarril

railroad.

Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.

Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?

The

cirujano

surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;

buteverymancannotbea

cirujano

surgeon.

Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;

for

asustar

frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;

forrushingoutatthegeesethat

ocasionalmente

occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;

fordecidingallquestionsof

literatura

literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;

for

obtener

obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthe

parroquia

parish;

forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin

admirable

admirableorder;

forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein

apuros

distress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.

“Aman,”asoneofthem

observó

observedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”

AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.

Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty

fuertemente

stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyas

verbal

verbalretaliation;

but,somehow,good-will

reina

reignsamongthemtoa

considerable

considerabledegree.

TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan

ocasional

occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;

justenoughto

evitar

preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.

Theirdressisvery

independiente

independentoffashion;

asthey

observan

observe,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”

Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis

igualmente

equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”

Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;

butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.

Ican

testificar

testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilk

paraguas

umbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.

HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?

Wehada

tradición

traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;

andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”

Itmighthavebeentheveryred

seda

silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatherovera

tropa

troopoflittleones;

thepoorlittlelady—the

sobreviviente

survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.

Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;

andtheywere

anunciaban

announcedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald

Monte

Mount.

“Ourfriendshavesentto

preguntar

inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’s

carruaje

carriage);

“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;

sobeat

libertad

libertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”

Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.

“Itisthethirdday;

Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;

andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”

“ButamItolookatmywatch?

HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”

“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”

Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.

Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.

IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;

buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.

Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.

TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde

cuerpo

corpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir

pobreza

poverty.

WhenMrsForrester,for

ejemplo

instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittle

doncella

maidendisturbedtheladiesonthe

sofá

sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrom

debajo

underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabout

casa

householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatour

anfitriona

hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperand

mayordomo

steward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-school

doncella

maiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythe

bandeja

trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.

Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged

pobreza

poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreat

mejora

improvement.

Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe

guía

guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;

andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.

Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(a

tremenda

tremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.

Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe

Honorable

HonourableMrsJamiesongave;

andshewassister-in-lawtothelate

Conde

EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedid

practicaba

practisesuch“eleganteconomy.”

“Eleganteconomy!”

HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!

There,

economía

economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;

asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.

InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and

abiertamente

openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notina

susurro

whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing

previamente

previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!

inaloudmilitaryvoice!

alleginghis

pobreza

povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.

TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrather

gimiendo

moaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.

Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad

obtenido

obtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring

ferrocarril

railroad,whichhadbeenvehemently

peticionado

petitionedagainstbythelittletown;

andif,inadditiontohis

masculino

masculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththe

desagradable

obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.

Deathwasastrueandascommonas

pobreza

poverty;

yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.

Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.

Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomwe

asociáramos

associatedontermsofvisiting

igualdad

equalitycouldeverbepreventedby

pobreza

povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.

Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.

Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;

andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe

vulgar

vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.

Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof

pobreza

povertyasifitwasnota

desgracia

disgrace.

Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.

IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.

Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany

propuesta

proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;

andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.

True,itwasto

descubrir

discoverthecauseofasmoking

chimenea

chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;

butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa

domado

tamemanaboutthehouse.

Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.

Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;

hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;

andwithhis

varonil

manlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.

And,atlast,hisexcellent

masculino

masculinecommonsense,andhis

facilidad

facilityindevisingexpedientsto

superar

overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.

Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis

popularidad

popularityashehadbeenofthereverse;

andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighly

estimado

esteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin

sobrio

sober,seriousearnest.

Itwasonthissubject:

AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.

Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.

Thewholetownknewand

amablemente

kindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;

thereforegreatwasthe

simpatía

sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.

She

gemía

moanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;

but

mientras tanto

meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.

Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll

apariencia

appearance.

MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith

dolor

sorrowanddismay;

anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.

This

remedio

remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;

butthe

propuesta

proposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.

Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”

MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;

shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher

pasto

pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.

Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.

Doyoueverseecowsdressedin

gris

greyflannelinLondon?

CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.

HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa

residencia

residence.

Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,a

rígido

stiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.

Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,and

traicionó

betrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis

aparente

apparentage.

MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;

shehadasickly,pained,careworn

expresión

expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlong

desvanecido

fadedoutofsight.

Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.

MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.

Herfacewasroundanddimpled.

MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”

Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;

andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.

Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;

hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;

sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis

apariencia

appearance.

Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;

butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.

Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;

andanyfemaleobservermight

detectar

detectaslightdifferenceinthe

atuendo

attireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.

Twopoundswasalarge

suma

suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.

Suchwasthe

impresión

impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.

TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmoky

chimenea

chimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.

Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorning

Himno

Hymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.

Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping

débil

feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorous

bajo

bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherin

consecuencia

consequence.

Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.

Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;

butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher

paraguas

umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited

pacientemente

patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupher

vestido

gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.

IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.

Wehadoften

regocijado

rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.

Wehad

felicitado

congratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;

and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof

humanidad

mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;

sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand

anfitriona

hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.

Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutby

día

daylight,justasusual;

itwasthethirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.

Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.

Thefirewasmadeup;

theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;

andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.

PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.

Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingthe

desafortunado

unluckyfourth.

Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;

andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthe

almacén

store-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.

Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;

theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;

buttheeatableswereoftheslightest

descripción

description.

Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;

andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa

favorito

favouritewithalltheladiespresent.

Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.

MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmostto

tristeza

gloom.

MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.

Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;

attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;

andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifieda

manera

manner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.

Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;

andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.

MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:

butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.

Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.

MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;

butwewerenoneofus

musical

musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.

ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;

forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddeal

molestado

annoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguarded

admisión

admission(àproposofShetland

lana

wool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.

MissJenkynstriedto

ahogar

drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—forthe

Honorable

HonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s

sobrina

niece!

ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and

aseguraba

assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetland

lana

woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”

Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns

propuso

proposedmusic;

soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.

Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;

butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof

literatura

literature.

“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”

saidhe.

(Theywerethen

publicaban

publishinginparts.)

“Capitalthing!”

NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;

and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.

Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;

indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”

“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”

exclaimedCaptainBrown.

“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”

instó

urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.

“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans

iguales

equaltoDrJohnson.

Still,perhaps,the

autor

authorisyoung.

Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”

Thiswas

evidentemente

evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;

andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.

“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.

“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.

“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”

“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”

suplicó

pleadedhe.

“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”

“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof

resignación

resignation.

Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.

Someofuslaughedheartily.

Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.

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