CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besittning
possessionoftheAmazons;alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
ganska
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregemente
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringkommersiella
commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonajärnväg
railroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
skrämma
frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;forrushingoutatthegeesethat
ibland
occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithonödiga
unnecessaryreasonsorarguments;for
få
obtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
beundransvärd
admirableorder;forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein
nöd
distress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
starkt
stronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbal
verbalretaliation;but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
betydande
considerabledegree.TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
tillfällig
occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;justenoughto
förhindra
preventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.Theirdressisvery
oberoende
independentoffashion;astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
lika
equallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
vanlig
plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
vittna
testifytoamagnificentfamilyredsiden
silkumbrella,underwhichamild
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonregniga
rainydays.HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
Wehada
tradition
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratrupp
troopoflittleones;thepoorlittlelady—the
överlevande
survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesentto
fråga
inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthethirdday;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsome
svårigheter
difficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde
corps
corpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirfattigdom
poverty.WhenMrsForrester,for
exempel
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidenstörde
disturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourvärdinna
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhushållerska
housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenhjälp
assistedinprivatebyherälskarinna
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged
fattigdom
poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatförbättring
improvement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthatthe
Ärade
HonourableMrsJamiesongave;andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturligt
naturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!There,
ekonomin
economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery
fridfulla
peacefulandsatisfied.InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
öppet
openlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinaviskning
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingtidigare
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad
fått
obtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringjärnväg
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;andif,in
förutom
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththemotbjudande
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty;yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting
jämlikhet
equalitycouldeverbepreventedbyfattigdom
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgära
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
povertyasifitwasnotaskam
disgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
trots
spiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
citerade
quotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
förslag
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
upptäcka
discoverthecauseofasmokingskorsten
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tamemanaboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellent
manliga
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoövervinna
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularitet
popularityashehadbeenoftheomvänt
reverse;andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
nykter
sober,seriousearnest.Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
Thewholetownknewand
vänligt
kindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;thereforegreatwasthe
sympati
sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.She
stönade
moanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;but
under tiden
meanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll
utseende
appearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
sorg
sorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
This
botemedel
remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher
betesmark
pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
Doyoueverseecowsdressedin
grå
greyflannelinLondon?CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
utkanten
outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
bostad
residence.Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastisk
elasticfigure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
uppenbara
apparentage.MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
uttryck
expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
vanlig
plainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewasroundanddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis
utseende
appearance.Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitand
sätt
manner;andanyfemaleobservermight
upptäcka
detectaslightdifferenceintheklädsel
attireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’s
årliga
annualdisbursements.Suchwasthe
intryck
impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphishead
upprätt
erectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
svag
feeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbas
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinföljd
consequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nickade
noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedtålmodigt
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupherklänning
gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoften
glatt
rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.Wehad
gratulerat
congratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteof
mänskligheten
mankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendand
värdinna
hostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutby
dagsljus
daylight,justasusual;itwasthethirdweekin
November
November,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readyto
dart
dartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordwere
högtidliga
solemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
närvarande
presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favorit
favouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimerad
depressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
värdigt
dignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewerenoneofus
musikalisk
musical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedto
dränka
drownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenärmast
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sbrorsdotter
niece!ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
försäkra
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidentiska
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandvaror
goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
föreslog
proposedmusic;soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
publicerade
publishinginparts.)“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
manuskript
manuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselflitterär
literary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
uppmanade
urgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans
lika
equaltoDrJohnson.Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
uppenbarligen
evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairof
resignation
resignation.Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.