Cranford | Progressive Translation Books for Vietnamese A2 Students

Cranford | Progressive Translation Books for Vietnamese A2 Students

Discover the advantages of this innovative translation method, designed to cater to your learning needs. You can select your preferred difficulty level, ensuring a well-balanced challenge that isn't too overwhelming. This technique sharpens your comprehension skills by encouraging you to derive meaning from context, minimizing the need for direct translations. While some words are purposefully obscured to promote contextual guessing, looking up unclear terms is always an option. With this method, language learning becomes both accessible and enjoyable, blending challenge with support. Explore translated classics and experience the excitement of learning through literature.

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY
Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;
alltheholdersofhouses
trên
above
acertainrentarewomen.
Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;
heiseitherfairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,orcloselyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouringcommercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesonarailroad.
Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.
Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?
Thesurgeonhashis
vòng
round
ofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;
buteverymancannotbeasurgeon.
Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullof
chọn
choice
flowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;
forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;
forrushingoutatthegeesethatoccasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;
fordecidingallquestionsofliteratureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;
forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsintheparish;
forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;
forkindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequitesufficient.
“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”
AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.
Indeed,aseachhasherownindividuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyasverbalretaliation;
but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoaconsiderabledegree.
TheCranfordladieshaveonlyanoccasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsand
giận dữ
angry
jerksofthehead;
justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.
Theirdressisveryindependentoffashion;
astheyobserve,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
ăn mặc
dress
hereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”
Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwe
ăn mặc
dress
here,wherenobodyknowsus?”
Thematerialsoftheir
quần áo
clothes
are,ingeneral,goodandplain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;
butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatin
mặc
wear
inEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.
Icantestifytoamagnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhichagentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopatterto
nhà thờ
church
onrainydays.
HaveyouanyredsilkumbrellasinLondon?
WehadatraditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;
andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”
ItmighthavebeentheveryredsilkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatheroveratroopoflittleones;
thepoorlittlelady—thesurvivorofall—couldscarcely
mang
carry
it.
Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;
andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwaldMount.
“Ourfriendshavesenttoinquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);
“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihaveno
nghi ngờ
doubt
,theywillcall;
sobeatlibertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”
Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.
“Itisthe
ba
third
day;
Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;
andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”
“ButamItolookatmywatch?
HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”
“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnot
cho phép
allow
yourselftoforgetitinconversation.”
Aseverybodyhadthis
quy tắc
rule
intheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.
Wekeptourselvesto
ngắn
short
sentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.
I
tưởng tượng
imagine
thatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;
buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheir
thông minh
smart
underasmilingface.
We
không
none
ofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereallaristocratic.
TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheirpoverty.
WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthesofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfromunderneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabouthouseholdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,second
bàn
table
,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whose
ngắn
short
ruddyarmscouldneverhavebeen
mạnh
strong
enoughtocarrythetrayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.
Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthis
chung
general
butunacknowledgedpoverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreatimprovement.
Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkept
sớm
early
hours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,undertheguidanceofalantern-bearer,about
chín
nine
o’clockatnight;
andthewholetownwasabedand
ngủ
asleep
byhalf-pastten.
Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.
Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;
andshewassister-in-lawtothelateEarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”
“Eleganteconomy!”
HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!
There,economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;
asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusverypeacefulandsatisfied.
Inevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertain
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
BrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeingpreviouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!
inaloudmilitary
giọng nói
voice
!
alleginghispovertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.
TheladiesofCranfordwerealready
khá
rather
moaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.
Hewasahalf-pay
thuyền trưởng
captain
,andhadobtainedsome
tình huống
situation
onaneighbouringrailroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;
andif,inadditiontohismasculinegender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxiousrailroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesenttoCoventry.
Deathwasastrueandascommonaspoverty;
yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.
Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.
Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisitingequalitycouldeverbepreventedbypovertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.
Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.
Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;
andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothevulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofverymoderatemeans.
Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakofpovertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.
Yet,somehow,
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
BrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothecontrary.
IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.
Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofanyproposalto
thăm
visit
theCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;
andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.
True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;
butstill
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeina
giọng nói
voice
toolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofatamemanaboutthehouse.
Hehadbeen
blind
toallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.
Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;
hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingood
niềm tin
faith
;
andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.
And,atlast,his
tuyệt vời
excellent
masculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientstoovercomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.
Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhispopularityashehadbeenofthereverse;
andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.
Itwasonthissubject:
AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.
Youcouldnotpaythe
ngắn
short
quarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthe
tuyệt vời
wonderful
milkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.
ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;
thereforegreatwasthesympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.
Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;
butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,inabare
da
skin
.
Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdrollappearance.
MissBetsyBarker
hoàn toàn
absolutely
criedwithsorrowanddismay;
anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.
Thisremedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumber
whose
advicesheasked;
buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadby
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.
Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”
MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedthe
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
heartily;
shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoherpasture,cladin
sẫm
dark
greyflannel.
Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.
DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brownhadtakenasmallhouseontheoutskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.
Hemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirst
thăm
visit
IpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.
Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elastic
hình
figure
,astiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringing
bước
step
,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.
Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhisapparentage.
MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;
shehadasickly,pained,carewornexpressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.
Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeenplainandhard-featured.
MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.
Herfacewas
tròn
round
anddimpled.
MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainst
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”
Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;
andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoa
trăm
hundred
.
Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,looking
thẳng
straight
atyou;
hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;
sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthisappearance.
Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;
butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.
Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitandmanner;
andanyfemaleobservermightdetectaslight
sự khác biệt
difference
intheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.
Twopoundswasa
lớn
large
suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.
SuchwastheimpressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranford
Nhà thờ
Church
.
TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—ontheoccasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysome
đơn giản
simple
alterationintheflue.
In
nhà thờ
church
,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.
Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeble
giọng nói
voice
,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorousbass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.
Oncomingoutof
nhà thờ
church
,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.
Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;
butheshookhandswith
không
none
untilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlherumbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaitedpatientlytillshe,withtrembling
thần kinh
nervous
hands,hadtakenuphergowntowalkthroughthewetroads.
I
tự hỏi
wonder
whattheCranfordladiesdidwith
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brownattheirparties.
Wehad
thường
often
rejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.
Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;
and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;
sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthat
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
andtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.
Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;
itwasthe
ba
third
weekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.
Candles,and
sạch
clean
packsofcards,werearrangedoneach
bàn
table
.
Thefirewasmadeup;
theneatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;
andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readytodartatthecandlesassoonasthefirst
knock
came.
PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.
Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingtheunluckyfourth.
Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanother
bàn
table
;
andpresentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthe
giữa
middle
ofacard-table.
Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;
theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;
buttheeatableswereoftheslightestdescription.
Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
andtheMissBrownscamein;
andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,the
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
wasafavouritewithalltheladies
mặt
present
.
Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.
MissBrownlookedill,anddepressedalmosttogloom.
MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.
Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;
attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingon
rỗng
empty
cupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;
andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifiedamanner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.
Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgravean
quan tâm
interest
asiftheyhadbeenpounds;
andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadan
mắt
eye
onhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.
MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:
butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeen
khá
rather
inclinedtobecross.
Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.
MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;
butwewere
không
none
ofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.
ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;
forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmissionproposofShetlandwool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.
MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’sniece!
ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeatthe
thông tin
information
,andassureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetlandwoolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetlandgoodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”
Itwastotakethe
vị
taste
ofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;
soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothe
bài hát
song
.
Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquarterto
chín
nine
,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;
butby-and-by
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brownsportedabitofliterature.
“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”
saidhe.
(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)
“Capitalthing!”
NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;
and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryofdivinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.
Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;
indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”
“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”
exclaimed
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brown.
“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”
SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.
“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeansequaltoDrJohnson.
Still,perhaps,theauthorisyoung.
Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”
Thiswasevidentlytoomuchfor
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Browntotakeplacidly;
andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.
“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.
“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.
“AndImakeallowances,
Thuyền trưởng
Captain
Brown.”
“Justallowmetoreadyoua
cảnh
scene
outofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.
“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”
“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.
Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.
Someofuslaughedheartily.
Ididnot
dám
dare
,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.