CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
tất cả
alltheholdersofhousesabovemột
acertainrentarewomen.Nếu
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthethị trấn
town,somehowthegentlemandisappears;heiseitherfairlyfrightenedto
chết
deathbybeingtheonlyngười đàn ông
manintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingvới
withhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinkinh doanh
businessalltheweekincác
thegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonmột
arailroad.Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeof
những
thegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.Whatcouldthey
làm
doiftheywerethere?Thesurgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,
và
andsleepsatCranford;buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeeping
các
thetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerskhông
withoutaweedtospeckchúng
them;forfrighteningawaylittleboyswho
nhìn
lookwistfullyatthesaidflowersqua
throughtherailings;forrushing
ra
outatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensnếu
ifthegatesareleftmở
open;fordecidingallquestionsofliterature
và
andpoliticswithouttroublingthemselvesvới
withunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;forobtainingclear
và
andcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsincác
theparish;forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothe
nghèo
poor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarekhá
quitesufficient.“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtome
lần
once,“issointhecách
wayinthehouse!”AlthoughtheladiesofCranford
biết
knowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.Indeed,as
mỗi
eachhasherownindividuality,nottonói
sayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,gì
nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;nhưng
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.Các
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionalnhỏ
littlequarrel,spiritedoutinavài
fewpepperywordsandangryjerksofcác
thehead;justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecoming
quá
tooflat.Theirdressis
rất
veryindependentoffashion;astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignify
cách
howwedresshereatCranford,nơi
whereeverybodyknowsus?”And
nếu
iftheygofromhome,theirlý do
reasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifycách
howwedresshere,whereai
nobodyknowsus?”Thematerialsoftheirclothes
là
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,và
andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;nhưng
butIwillanswerfornó
it,thelastgigot,thecuối
lasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenkhông
withoutasmile.Icantestifyto
một
amagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,dưới
underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftmình
aloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchonrainydays.Có
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?Wehad
một
atraditionofthefirstmà
thathadeverbeenseeninCranford;và
andthelittleboysmobbednó
it,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”Itmighthavebeen
những
theveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongcha
fatheroveratroopofnhỏ
littleones;thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcelycarry
nó
it.Thentherewererules
và
andregulationsforvisitingandcalls;và
andtheywereannouncedtobất kỳ
anyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthethị trấn
town,withallthesolemnityvới
withwhichtheoldManxlawsweređọc
readonceayearontheTinwaldMount.“Ourfriends
đã
havesenttoinquirehowyouaresau
afteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinmột
agentleman’scarriage);“theywill
cho
giveyousomerestto-morrow,nhưng
butthenextday,Ihavekhông
nodoubt,theywillcall;sobeatliberty
sau
aftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”Then,
sau
aftertheyhadcalled—.“Itisthethird
ngày
day;Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethan
ba
threedayselapsebetweenreceivingmột
acallandreturningit;và
andalso,thatyouarekhông bao giờ
nevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”“ButamIto
nhìn
lookatmywatch?HowamItofindout
khi
whenaquarterofangiờ
hourhaspassed?”“Youmust
tiếp tục
keepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,và
andnotallowyourselftoquên
forgetitinconversation.”As
mọi người đều
everybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedhoặc
orpaidacall,ofcoursekhông
noabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenvề
about.Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesof
nhỏ
smalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourthời gian
time.IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwere
nghèo
poor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingcả
bothendsmeet;buttheywereliketheSpartans,
và
andconcealedtheirsmartundermột
asmilingface.Wenoneofusspokeof
tiền
money,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommercevà
andtrade,andthoughsomemightbenghèo
poor,wewereallaristocratic.Những
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlooktất cả
alldeficienciesinsuccesswhenmột
someamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.Khi
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,và
andthelittlemaidendisturbedcác
theladiesonthesofabyarequestrằng
thatshemightgetthetea-trayra
outfromunderneath,everyonetooknày
thisnovelproceedingasthenhất
mostnaturalthingintheworld,và
andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsvà
andceremoniesasifwetất cả
allbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,thứ hai
secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadofcác
theonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldkhông bao giờ
neverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrycác
thetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,người
whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottobiết
knowwhatcakesweresentlên
up,thoughsheknew,andweknew,và
andsheknewthatweknew,và
andweknewthatsheknewrằng
thatweknew,shehadbeenbusytất cả
allthemorningmakingtea-breadvà
andsponge-cakes.Therewereone
hoặc
ortwoconsequencesarisingfromnày
thisgeneralbutunacknowledgedpoverty,và
andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,mà
whichwerenotamiss,andmà
whichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirlớn
greatimprovement.Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,
và
andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,dưới
undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,khoảng
aboutnineo’clockatnight;và
andthewholetownwasabedvà
andasleepbyhalf-pastten.Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendous
từ
wordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,incác
thewayofeatableordrinkable,atcác
theeveningentertainments.Waferbread-and-butter
và
andsponge-biscuitswereallthatnhững
theHonourableMrsJamiesongave;và
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”“Eleganteconomy!”
Làm thế nào
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!Đó
There,economywasalways“elegant,”và
andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;một
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusrất
verypeacefulandsatisfied.I
không bao giờ
nevershallforgetthedismayfeltkhi
whenacertainCaptainBrowncametosống
liveatCranford,andopenlyspokevề
abouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsvà
andwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,nhưng
butinthepublicstreet!in
một
aloudmilitaryvoice!alleginghispovertyas
một
areasonfornottakingmột
aparticularhouse.TheladiesofCranfordwere
đã
alreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbymột
amanandagentleman.Hewasahalf-paycaptain,
và
andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouringrailroad,mà
whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedchống lại
againstbythelittletown;và
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,và
andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastonói
talkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hephải
mustbesenttoCoventry.Deathwasastrue
và
andascommonaspoverty;tuy nhiên
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutđó
that,loudoutinthestreets.Itwas
một
awordnottobementionedtoearspolite.Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatany
với
withwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.Nếu
Ifwewalkedtoorfrommột
aparty,itwasbecausetheđêm
nightwassofine,orthekhí
airsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.Nếu
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredmột
awashingmaterial;andsoon,tillweblindedourselvesto
những
thevulgarfactthatwewere,tất cả
allofus,peopleofrất
verymoderatemeans.Ofcourse,then,wedidnot
biết
knowwhattomakeofmột
amanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotmột
adisgrace.Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,
và
andwascalledupon,inspiteoftất cả
allresolutionstothecontrary.Iwassurprisedto
nghe
hearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatmột
avisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordkhoảng
aboutayearafterhehadsettledinthethị trấn
town.Myownfriendshadbeenamong
những
thebitterestopponentsofanyproposaltovisitnhững
theCaptainandhisdaughters,chỉ
onlytwelvemonthsbefore;and
bây giờ
nowhewasevenadmittedinnhững
thetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.Đúng
True,itwastodiscoverthenguyên nhân
causeofasmokingchimney,trước
beforethefirewaslighted;nhưng
butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,gì
nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicequá
toolargefortheroom,và
andjokedquiteinthecách
wayofatamemanvề
aboutthehouse.Hehadbeenblindto
tất cả
allthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,với
withwhichhehadbeenreceived.Hehadbeenfriendly,though
các
theCranfordladieshadbeenmát
cool;hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsin
tốt
goodfaith;andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpowered
tất cả
alltheshrinkingwhichmethimasmột
amanwhowasnotashamedtobenghèo
poor.And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,
và
andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimmột
anextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongcác
theCranfordladies.Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
và
andIamsurehewasstartledonengày
daywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselmà
whichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.Itwason
này
thissubject:AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,
mà
whichshelookeduponasacon gái
daughter.Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterof
một
anhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkhoặc
orwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.Thewhole
thị trấn
townknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;therefore
lớn
greatwasthesympathyandregretkhi
when,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewas
nhanh chóng
soonheardandrescued;butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthad
mất
lostmostofherhair,và
andcameoutlookingnaked,lạnh
cold,andmiserable,inabareskin.Mọi người đều
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughmột
afewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycried
với
withsorrowanddismay;anditwassaidshethoughtoftrying
một
abathofoil.Thisremedy,
có lẽ
perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofnhững
thenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;nhưng
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Gethermột
aflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,nếu
ifyouwishtokeephersống
alive.Butmyadviceis,
giết
killthepoorcreatureatonce.”MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,
và
andthankedtheCaptainheartily;shesetto
làm việc
work,andby-and-byallthethị trấn
townturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.I
đã
havewatchedhermyselfmanyalần
time.DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
CaptainBrownhadtaken
một
asmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthethị trấn
town,wherehelivedwithhishai
twodaughters.HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranford
sau
afterIhadleftitasmột
aresidence.Buthehad
một
awiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,một
astiffmilitarythrow-backofhisđầu
head,andaspringingstep,mà
whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerhơn
thanhewas.Hiseldest
con gái
daughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,và
andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.MissBrownmust
đã
havebeenforty;shehad
một
asickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,và
andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlâu
longfadedoutofsight.Ngay cả
Evenwhenyoungshemustđã
havebeenplainandhard-featured.MissJessieBrownwas
mười
tenyearsyoungerthanherem gái
sister,andtwentyshadesprettier.Herfacewasround
và
anddimpled.MissJenkynsoncesaid,in
một
apassionagainstCaptainBrownNhững
(thecauseofwhichIsẽ
willtellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,và
andnotalwaystobetryingtotrông
looklikeachild.”Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
và
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughshenên
shouldlivetoahundred.Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;
hernosewasunformed
và
andsnub,andherlipsweređỏ
redanddewy;sheworeher
tóc
hair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,mà
whichheightenedthisappearance.Idonot
biết
knowwhethershewasprettyhay
ornot;butIlikedherface,
và
andsodideverybody,andIdonotnghĩ rằng
thinkshecouldhelpherdimples.Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgait
và
andmanner;andanyfemaleobservermightdetect
một
aslightdifferenceintheattireofthehai
twosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingkhoảng
abouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.Hai
TwopoundswasalargesuminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrown
gia đình
familywhenIfirstsawthemtất cả
alltogetherinCranfordChurch.TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,
mà
whichhehadcuredbymột
somesimplealterationintheflue.Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,
và
andthenlifteduphisđầu
headerectandsangoutloudvà
andjoyfully.Hemadetheresponseslouderthan
các
theclerk—anoldmanwithmột
apipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedatcác
theCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhighervà
andhigherinconsequence.Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthe
nhất
mostgallantattentiontohishai
twodaughters.Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
nhưng
butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,và
andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,với
withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenuphergowntođi bộ
walkthroughthewetroads.IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdid
với
withCaptainBrownattheirparties.Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,
rằng
thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedđể
to,andtofindconversationcho
for,atthecard-parties.Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
và
and,inourloveforgentility,và
anddistasteofmankind,wehadgần
almostpersuadedourselvesthattobemột
amanwastobe“vulgar”;so
rằng
thatwhenIfoundmyfriendvà
andhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohavemột
apartyinmyhonour,và
andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderednhiều
muchwhatwouldbethequá trình
courseoftheevening.Card-tables,
với
withgreenbaizetops,werethiết lập
setoutbydaylight,justasusual;itwas
các
thethirdweekinNovember,socác
theeveningsclosedinaboutbốn
four.Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedon
mỗi
eachtable.Thefirewasmadeup;
những
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedhercuối
lastdirections;andtherewestood,dressedinour
nhất
best,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,sẵn sàng
readytodartatthecandlesasngay
soonasthefirstknockcame.PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladies
cảm thấy
feelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirnhất
bestdresses.Assoonas
ba
threehadarrived,wesatxuống
downto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.The
tiếp theo
nextfourcomerswereputxuống
downimmediatelytoanothertable;và
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseenđặt
setoutinthestore-roomasIpassedincác
themorning,wereplacedeachoncác
themiddleofacard-table.Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglittered
với
withpolishing;buttheeatableswereof
những
theslightestdescription.Whilethetrayswereyeton
các
thetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscametrong
in;andIcouldseethat,somehow
hoặc
orother,theCaptainwasmột
afavouritewithalltheladiespresent.Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,
và
anddepressedalmosttogloom.MissJessiesmiledasusual,
và
andseemednearlyaspopularashercha
father.Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’s
vị trí
placeintheroom;attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessened
những
theprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsvà
andbread-and-butterlessladies;andyetdidit
tất cả
allinsoeasyanddignifiedmột
amanner,andsomuchasifitweremột
amatterofcoursefornhững
thestrongtoattendtonhững
theweak,thathewasmột
atruemanthroughout.Heplayedforthreepennypoints
với
withasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;và
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadmột
aneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtonhiều
manyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.MissJessiecouldnot
chơi
playcards:butshetalkedto
những
thesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,
mà
whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”
một
alittleoutoftune;nhưng
butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsđánh bại
beattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.Itwasvery
tốt
goodofMissJenkynstolàm
dothis;forIhadseenthat,a
chút
littlebefore,shehadbeenatốt
gooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanchú
uncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.MissJenkynstriedtodrown
này
thisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fornhững
theHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatmột
acard-tablenearestMissJessie,và
andwhatwouldshesayhoặc
orthinkifshefoundra
outshewasinthecùng
sameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!Nhưng
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadkhông
notact,asweallagreedthenextsáng
morning)wouldrepeattheinformation,và
andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmychú
uncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”Itwastotakethetasteof
này
thisoutofourmouths,và
andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;soI
nói
sayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.Khi
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsvà
andwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,và
andtalkingovertricks;butby-and-byCaptainBrownsported
một
abitofliterature.“Haveyouseen
bất kỳ
anynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”said
anh ta
he.(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
Bây giờ
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofmột
adeceasedrectorofCranford;và
and,onthestrengthofmột
anumberofmanuscriptsermons,và
andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,và
andlookeduponanyconversationvề
aboutbooksasachallengetocô
her.Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseen
họ
them;indeed,shemightsayshehad
đọc
readthem.”“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimedCaptainBrown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbut
nói
speak.“Imustsay,Idon’t
nghĩ rằng
thinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.Still,
có lẽ
perhaps,theauthorisyoung.Lethimpersevere,
và
andwhoknowswhathecó thể
maybecomeifhewilltakethegreatBác sĩ
Doctorforhismodel?”Thiswasevidently
quá
toomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;và
andIsawthewordsonnhững
thetipofhistonguetrước
beforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.“Itisquite
một
adifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndI
làm
makeallowances,CaptainBrown.”“Justallowmeto
đọc
readyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedông
he.“Ihaditonlythis
sáng
morning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycó thể
canhavereadityet.”“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherself
với
withanairofresignation.He
đọc
readtheaccountofthe“swarry”mà
whichSamWellergaveatBath.Một
Someofuslaughedheartily.Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthe
nhà
house.