Cranford | Gradually Hardening Swedish B2 Books

Cranford | Gradually Hardening Swedish B2 Books

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CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,Cranfordisin
besittning
possession
oftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseither
ganska
fairly
frightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhis
regemente
regiment
,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouring
kommersiella
commercial
townofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesona
järnväg
railroad
.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
for
skrämma
frightening
awaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethat
ibland
occasionally
ventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsof
litteratur
literature
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswith
onödiga
unnecessary
reasonsorarguments;
for
obtaining
clearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsin
beundransvärd
admirable
order;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyarein
nöd
distress
,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,pretty
starkt
strongly
developed,nothingissoeasyas
verbal
verbal
retaliation;
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa
betydande
considerable
degree.
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan
tillfällig
occasional
littlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;
justenoughto
förhindra
prevent
theeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisvery
oberoende
independent
offashion;
astheyobserve,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonis
lika
equally
cogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand
vanlig
plain
,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Ican
vittna
testify
toamagnificentfamilyred
siden
silk
umbrella,underwhicha
mild
gentle
littlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchon
regniga
rainy
days.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
Wehada
tradition
tradition
ofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
Itmighthavebeentheveryred
silke
silk
oneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatherovera
trupp
troop
oflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—the
överlevande
survivor
ofall—couldscarcelycarryit.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesentto
fråga
inquire
howyouareafteryourjourneyto-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
difficulty
inmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.
Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritde
corps
corps
whichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir
fattigdom
poverty
.
WhenMrsForrester,for
exempel
instance
,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaiden
störde
disturbed
theladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatour
värdinna
hostess
hadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,with
hushållerska
housekeeper
andsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeen
hjälp
assisted
inprivatebyher
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
Honourable
MrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
How
naturligt
naturally
onefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,
ekonomin
economy
wasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery
fridfulla
peaceful
andsatisfied.
InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,and
öppet
openly
spokeabouthisbeingpoor—notina
viskning
whisper
toanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing
tidigare
previously
closed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloudmilitaryvoice!
alleginghis
fattigdom
poverty
asareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhad
fått
obtained
somesituationonaneighbouring
järnväg
railroad
,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,in
förutom
addition
tohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththe
motbjudande
obnoxious
railroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonas
fattigdom
poverty
;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting
jämlikhet
equality
couldeverbepreventedby
fattigdom
poverty
fromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe
vulgära
vulgar
factthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof
fattigdom
poverty
asifitwasnota
skam
disgrace
.
Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,in
trots
spite
ofallresolutionstothecontrary.
Iwassurprisedtohearhisopinions
citerade
quoted
asauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany
förslag
proposal
tovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwasto
upptäcka
discover
thecauseofasmoking
skorsten
chimney
,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa
tam
tame
manaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,hisexcellent
manliga
masculine
commonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto
övervinna
overcome
domesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis
popularitet
popularity
ashehadbeenofthe
omvänt
reverse
;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakenin
nykter
sober
,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
Thewholetownknewand
vänligt
kindly
regardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthe
sympati
sympathy
andregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
She
stönade
moaned
soloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
but
under tiden
meanwhile
thepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll
utseende
appearance
.
MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwith
sorg
sorrow
anddismay;
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
grey
flannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe
utkanten
outskirts
ofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasa
bostad
residence
.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,
elastisk
elastic
figure,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.
Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis
uppenbara
apparent
age.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,careworn
uttryck
expression
onherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen
vanlig
plain
andhard-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
detect
aslightdifferenceinthe
klädsel
attire
ofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’s
årliga
annual
disbursements.
Suchwasthe
intryck
impression
madeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.
Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphishead
upprätt
erect
andsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapiping
svag
feeble
voice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorous
bas
bass
,andquiveredhigherandhigherin
följd
consequence
.
Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
He
nickade
nodded
andsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher
paraply
umbrella
,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited
tålmodigt
patiently
tillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupher
klänning
gown
towalkthroughthewetroads.
IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.
Wehadoften
glatt
rejoiced
,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehad
gratulerat
congratulated
ourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
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
dart
atthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.
PartiesinCranfordwere
högtidliga
solemn
festivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;
and
närvarande
presently
thetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasa
favorit
favourite
withalltheladiespresent.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,and
deprimerad
depressed
almosttogloom.
MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyand
värdigt
dignified
amanner,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’sunguardedadmissionproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedto
dränka
drown
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-table
närmast
nearest
MissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s
brorsdotter
niece
!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and
försäkra
assure
MissPoleshecouldeasilygetherthe
identiska
identical
Shetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetland
varor
goods
ofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkyns
föreslog
proposed
music;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethen
publicerade
publishing
inparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberof
manuskript
manuscript
sermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherself
litterär
literary
,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
So
uppmanade
urged
MissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans
lika
equal
toDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswas
uppenbarligen
evidently
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;
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.