×

Select Store

Dowload from Google Play Dowload from the App Store

Scan with Camera

Dowload via QR Code
Cranford | Gradually Hardening Swedish B2 Books

Cranford | Gradually Hardening Swedish B2 Books

Experience the benefits of this forward-thinking translation strategy that tailors language learning to your specific needs. You have control over the difficulty, which ensures that the content is neither too easy nor overly challenging. This method enhances your ability to understand new words through context, reducing reliance on direct translations. While the translations are subtly obscured to foster learning, you can still look up unclear terms. This balanced approach makes language acquisition smoother and more enjoyable. Delve into these translated literary works and discover the satisfaction of mastering a language through reading.

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besittning
possessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
ganska
fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis
regemente
regiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouring
kommersiella
commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesona
järnväg
railroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
skrämma
frighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethat
ibland
occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswith
onödiga
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,nothingissoeasyas
verbal
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
testifytoamagnificentfamilyred
siden
silkumbrella,underwhicha
mild
gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchon
regniga
rainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
Wehada
tradition
traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatherovera
trupp
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
corpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir
fattigdom
poverty.
WhenMrsForrester,for
exempel
instance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaiden
störde
disturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatour
värdinna
hostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,with
hushållerska
housekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeen
hjälp
assistedinprivatebyher
älskarinna
mistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged
fattigdom
poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreat
förbättring
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—notina
viskning
whispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing
tidigare
previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad
fått
obtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring
järnväg
railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,in
förutom
additiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththe
motbjudande
obnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting
jämlikhet
equalitycouldeverbepreventedby
fattigdom
povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgära
vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
povertyasifitwasnota
skam
disgrace.
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
trots
spiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.
Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
citerade
quotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
förslag
proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
upptäcka
discoverthecauseofasmoking
skorsten
chimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellent
manliga
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto
övervinna
overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularitet
popularityashehadbeenofthe
omvänt
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
detectaslightdifferenceinthe
klädsel
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’ssonorous
bas
bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherin
följd
consequence.
Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nickade
noddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited
tålmodigt
patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupher
klänning
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-table
närmast
nearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s
brorsdotter
niece!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
försäkra
assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygetherthe
identiska
identicalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetland
varor
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,consideredherself
litterär
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.