Cranford Gradually Hardening Vietnamese B2 Books

CHAPTERI.OURSOCIETY

Inthefirstplace,CranfordisinpossessionoftheAmazons;

alltheholdersofhousesaboveacertainrentarewomen.

Ifamarriedcouplecometosettleinthetown,somehowthegentlemandisappears;

heiseither

khá

fairlyfrightenedtodeathbybeingtheonlymanintheCranfordeveningparties,orheisaccountedforbybeingwithhisregiment,hisship,or

chặt chẽ

closelyengagedinbusinessalltheweekinthegreatneighbouring

thương mại

commercialtownofDrumble,distantonlytwentymilesona

đường sắt

railroad.

Inshort,whateverdoesbecomeofthegentlemen,theyarenotatCranford.

Whatcouldtheydoiftheywerethere?

The

bác sĩ phẫu thuật

surgeonhashisroundofthirtymiles,andsleepsatCranford;

buteverymancannotbea

bác sĩ phẫu thuật

surgeon.

Forkeepingthetrimgardensfullofchoiceflowerswithoutaweedtospeckthem;

forfrighteningawaylittleboyswholookwistfullyatthesaidflowersthroughtherailings;

forrushingoutatthegeesethat

thỉnh thoảng

occasionallyventureintothegardensifthegatesareleftopen;

fordecidingallquestionsof

văn

literatureandpoliticswithouttroublingthemselveswithunnecessaryreasonsorarguments;

forobtainingclearandcorrectknowledgeofeverybody’saffairsinthe

giáo xứ

parish;

forkeepingtheirneatmaid-servantsinadmirableorder;

for

lòng

kindness(somewhatdictatorial)tothepoor,andrealtendergoodofficestoeachotherwhenevertheyareindistress,theladiesofCranfordarequite

đủ

sufficient.

“Aman,”asoneofthemobservedtomeonce,“issointhewayinthehouse!”

AlthoughtheladiesofCranfordknowalleachother’sproceedings,theyareexceedinglyindifferenttoeachother’sopinions.

Indeed,aseachhasherown

cá nhân

individuality,nottosayeccentricity,prettystronglydeveloped,nothingissoeasyas

lời

verbalretaliation;

but,somehow,good-willreignsamongthemtoa

đáng kể

considerabledegree.

TheCranfordladieshaveonlyan

thỉnh thoảng

occasionallittlequarrel,spiritedoutinafewpepperywordsandangryjerksofthehead;

justenoughtopreventtheeventenoroftheirlivesfrombecomingtooflat.

Theirdressisvery

độc lập

independentoffashion;

asthey

quan sát

observe,“WhatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshereatCranford,whereeverybodyknowsus?”

Andiftheygofromhome,theirreasonisequallycogent,“Whatdoesitsignifyhowwedresshere,wherenobodyknowsus?”

Thematerialsoftheirclothesare,ingeneral,goodand

đơn giản

plain,andmostofthemarenearlyasscrupulousasMissTyler,ofcleanlymemory;

butIwillanswerforit,thelastgigot,thelasttightandscantypetticoatinwearinEngland,wasseeninCranford—andseenwithoutasmile.

Icantestifytoa

tuyệt vời

magnificentfamilyredsilkumbrella,underwhicha

nhẹ nhàng

gentlelittlespinster,leftaloneofmanybrothersandsisters,usedtopattertochurchon

mưa

rainydays.

Haveyouanyred

lụa

silkumbrellasinLondon?

Wehada

truyền thống

traditionofthefirstthathadeverbeenseeninCranford;

andthelittleboysmobbedit,andcalledit“astickinpetticoats.”

Itmighthavebeentheveryred

lụa

silkoneIhavedescribed,heldbyastrongfatherovera

quân

troopoflittleones;

thepoorlittlelady—the

sống sót

survivorofall—couldscarcelycarryit.

Thentherewererulesandregulationsforvisitingandcalls;

andtheywereannouncedtoanyyoungpeoplewhomightbestayinginthetown,withallthesolemnitywithwhichtheoldManxlawswerereadonceayearontheTinwald

Núi

Mount.

“Ourfriendshavesentto

hỏi

inquirehowyouareafteryourjourneyto-night,mydear”(fifteenmilesinagentleman’scarriage);

“theywillgiveyousomerestto-morrow,butthenextday,Ihavenodoubt,theywillcall;

sobeat

tự do

libertyaftertwelve—fromtwelvetothreeareourcallinghours.”

Then,aftertheyhadcalled—.

“Itisthethirdday;

Idaresayyourmammahastoldyou,mydear,nevertoletmorethanthreedayselapsebetweenreceivingacallandreturningit;

andalso,thatyouarenevertostaylongerthanaquarterofanhour.”

“ButamItolookatmywatch?

HowamItofindoutwhenaquarterofanhourhaspassed?”

“Youmustkeepthinkingaboutthetime,mydear,andnotallowyourselftoforgetitinconversation.”

Aseverybodyhadthisruleintheirminds,whethertheyreceivedorpaidacall,ofcoursenoabsorbingsubjectwaseverspokenabout.

Wekeptourselvestoshortsentencesofsmalltalk,andwerepunctualtoourtime.

IimaginethatafewofthegentlefolksofCranfordwerepoor,andhadsomedifficultyinmakingbothendsmeet;

buttheywereliketheSpartans,andconcealedtheirsmartunderasmilingface.

Wenoneofusspokeofmoney,becausethatsubjectsavouredofcommerceandtrade,andthoughsomemightbepoor,wewereall

quý tộc

aristocratic.

TheCranfordianshadthatkindlyespritdecorpswhichmadethemoverlookalldeficienciesinsuccesswhensomeamongthemtriedtoconcealtheir

nghèo đói

poverty.

WhenMrsForrester,forinstance,gaveapartyinherbaby-houseofadwelling,andthelittlemaidendisturbedtheladiesonthe

sofa

sofabyarequestthatshemightgetthetea-trayoutfrom

bên dưới

underneath,everyonetookthisnovelproceedingasthemostnaturalthingintheworld,andtalkedonabout

gia

householdformsandceremoniesasifweallbelievedthatourhostesshadaregularservants’hall,secondtable,withhousekeeperandsteward,insteadoftheonelittlecharity-schoolmaiden,whoseshortruddyarmscouldneverhavebeenstrongenoughtocarrythe

khay

trayupstairs,ifshehadnotbeenassistedinprivatebyhermistress,whonowsatinstate,pretendingnottoknowwhatcakesweresentup,thoughsheknew,andweknew,andsheknewthatweknew,andweknewthatsheknewthatweknew,shehadbeenbusyallthemorningmakingtea-breadandsponge-cakes.

Therewereoneortwoconsequencesarisingfromthisgeneralbutunacknowledged

nghèo đói

poverty,andthisverymuchacknowledgedgentility,whichwerenotamiss,andwhichmightbeintroducedintomanycirclesofsocietytotheirgreat

cải thiện

improvement.

Forinstance,theinhabitantsofCranfordkeptearlyhours,andclatteredhomeintheirpattens,underthe

hướng dẫn

guidanceofalantern-bearer,aboutnineo’clockatnight;

andthewholetownwasabedandasleepbyhalf-pastten.

Moreover,itwasconsidered“vulgar”(atremendouswordinCranford)togiveanythingexpensive,inthewayofeatableordrinkable,attheeveningentertainments.

Waferbread-and-butterandsponge-biscuitswereallthattheHonourableMrsJamiesongave;

andshewassister-in-lawtothelate

Bá tước

EarlofGlenmire,althoughshedidpractisesuch“eleganteconomy.”

“Eleganteconomy!”

HownaturallyonefallsbackintothephraseologyofCranford!

There,

kinh tế

economywasalways“elegant,”andmoney-spendingalways“vulgarandostentatious”;

asortofsour-grapeismwhichmadeusvery

yên bình

peacefulandsatisfied.

InevershallforgetthedismayfeltwhenacertainCaptainBrowncametoliveatCranford,andopenlyspokeabouthisbeingpoor—notinawhispertoanintimatefriend,thedoorsandwindowsbeing

previouslyclosed,butinthepublicstreet!

inaloudmilitaryvoice!

alleginghis

nghèo đói

povertyasareasonfornottakingaparticularhouse.

TheladiesofCranfordwerealreadyrathermoaningovertheinvasionoftheirterritoriesbyamanandagentleman.

Hewasahalf-paycaptain,andhadobtainedsomesituationonaneighbouring

đường sắt

railroad,whichhadbeenvehementlypetitionedagainstbythelittletown;

andif,inadditiontohismasculine

giới

gender,andhisconnectionwiththeobnoxious

đường sắt

railroad,hewassobrazenastotalkofbeingpoor—why,then,indeed,hemustbesentto

Coventry

Coventry.

Deathwasastrueandascommonas

nghèo đói

poverty;

yetpeopleneverspokeaboutthat,loudoutinthestreets.

Itwasawordnottobementionedtoearspolite.

Wehadtacitlyagreedtoignorethatanywithwhomweassociatedontermsofvisiting

bình đẳng

equalitycouldeverbepreventedby

nghèo đói

povertyfromdoinganythingthattheywished.

Ifwewalkedtoorfromaparty,itwasbecausethenightwassofine,ortheairsorefreshing,notbecausesedan-chairswereexpensive.

Ifweworeprints,insteadofsummersilks,itwasbecausewepreferredawashingmaterial;

andsoon,tillweblindedourselvestothe

thô tục

vulgarfactthatwewere,allofus,peopleofvery

vừa

moderatemeans.

Ofcourse,then,wedidnotknowwhattomakeofamanwhocouldspeakof

nghèo đói

povertyasifitwasnotadisgrace.

Yet,somehow,CaptainBrownmadehimselfrespectedinCranford,andwascalledupon,inspiteofallresolutionstothe

ngược lại

contrary.

IwassurprisedtohearhisopinionsquotedasauthorityatavisitwhichIpaidtoCranfordaboutayearafterhehadsettledinthetown.

Myownfriendshadbeenamongthebitterestopponentsofany

đề

proposaltovisittheCaptainandhisdaughters,onlytwelvemonthsbefore;

andnowhewasevenadmittedinthetabooedhoursbeforetwelve.

True,itwastodiscoverthecauseofasmokingchimney,beforethefirewaslighted;

butstillCaptainBrownwalkedupstairs,nothingdaunted,spokeinavoicetoolargefortheroom,andjokedquiteinthewayofa

thuần hóa

tamemanaboutthehouse.

Hehadbeenblindtoallthesmallslights,andomissionsoftrivialceremonies,withwhichhehadbeenreceived.

Hehadbeenfriendly,thoughtheCranfordladieshadbeencool;

hehadansweredsmallsarcasticcomplimentsingoodfaith;

andwithhismanlyfranknesshadoverpoweredalltheshrinkingwhichmethimasamanwhowasnotashamedtobepoor.

And,atlast,hisexcellentmasculinecommonsense,andhisfacilityindevisingexpedientsto

vượt qua

overcomedomesticdilemmas,hadgainedhimanextraordinaryplaceasauthorityamongtheCranfordladies.

Hehimselfwentoninhiscourse,asunawareofhis

phổ biến

popularityashehadbeenofthereverse;

andIamsurehewasstartledonedaywhenhefoundhisadvicesohighlyesteemedastomakesomecounselwhichhehadgiveninjesttobetakeninsober,seriousearnest.

Itwasonthissubject:

AnoldladyhadanAlderneycow,whichshelookeduponasadaughter.

Youcouldnotpaytheshortquarterofanhourcallwithoutbeingtoldofthewonderfulmilkorwonderfulintelligenceofthisanimal.

ThewholetownknewandkindlyregardedMissBetsyBarker’sAlderney;

thereforegreatwasthe

cảm

sympathyandregretwhen,inanunguardedmoment,thepoorcowtumbledintoalime-pit.

Shemoanedsoloudlythatshewassoonheardandrescued;

butmeanwhilethepoorbeasthadlostmostofherhair,andcameoutlookingnaked,cold,andmiserable,ina

trần

bareskin.

Everybodypitiedtheanimal,thoughafewcouldnotrestraintheirsmilesatherdroll

xuất hiện

appearance.

MissBetsyBarkerabsolutelycriedwithsorrowanddismay;

anditwassaidshethoughtoftryingabathofoil.

This

khắc phục

remedy,perhaps,wasrecommendedbysomeoneofthenumberwhoseadvicesheasked;

buttheproposal,ifeveritwasmade,wasknockedontheheadbyCaptainBrown’sdecided“Getheraflannelwaistcoatandflanneldrawers,ma’am,ifyouwishtokeepheralive.

Butmyadviceis,killthepoorcreatureatonce.”

MissBetsyBarkerdriedhereyes,andthankedtheCaptainheartily;

shesettowork,andby-and-byallthetownturnedouttoseetheAlderneymeeklygoingtoher

đồng cỏ

pasture,cladindarkgreyflannel.

Ihavewatchedhermyselfmanyatime.

DoyoueverseecowsdressedingreyflannelinLondon?

CaptainBrownhadtakenasmallhouseonthe

ngoại ô

outskirtsofthetown,wherehelivedwithhistwodaughters.

HemusthavebeenupwardsofsixtyatthetimeofthefirstvisitIpaidtoCranfordafterIhadleftitasaresidence.

Buthehadawiry,well-trained,elasticfigure,a

cứng

stiffmilitarythrow-backofhishead,andaspringingstep,whichmadehimappearmuchyoungerthanhewas.

Hiseldestdaughterlookedalmostasoldashimself,andbetrayedthefactthathisrealwasmorethanhis

rõ ràng

apparentage.

MissBrownmusthavebeenforty;

shehadasickly,pained,careworn

biểu

expressiononherface,andlookedasifthegaietyofyouthhadlongfadedoutofsight.

Evenwhenyoungshemusthavebeen

đơn giản

plainandhard-featured.

MissJessieBrownwastenyearsyoungerthanhersister,andtwentyshadesprettier.

Herfacewasroundanddimpled.

MissJenkynsoncesaid,inapassionagainstCaptainBrown(thecauseofwhichIwilltellyoupresently),“thatshethoughtitwastimeforMissJessietoleaveoffherdimples,andnotalwaystobetryingtolooklikeachild.”

Itwastruetherewassomethingchildlikeinherface;

andtherewillbe,Ithink,tillshedies,thoughsheshouldlivetoahundred.

Hereyeswerelargebluewonderingeyes,lookingstraightatyou;

hernosewasunformedandsnub,andherlipswereredanddewy;

sheworeherhair,too,inlittlerowsofcurls,whichheightenedthis

xuất hiện

appearance.

Idonotknowwhethershewasprettyornot;

butIlikedherface,andsodideverybody,andIdonotthinkshecouldhelpherdimples.

Shehadsomethingofherfather’sjauntinessofgaitand

cách

manner;

andanyfemaleobservermightdetecta

nhỏ

slightdifferenceintheattireofthetwosisters—thatofMissJessiebeingabouttwopoundsperannummoreexpensivethanMissBrown’s.

Twopoundswasalarge

khoản

suminCaptainBrown’sannualdisbursements.

Suchwasthe

ấn tượng

impressionmadeuponmebytheBrownfamilywhenIfirstsawthemalltogetherinCranfordChurch.

TheCaptainIhadmetbefore—onthe

dịp

occasionofthesmokychimney,whichhehadcuredbysomesimplealterationintheflue.

Inchurch,heheldhisdoubleeye-glasstohiseyesduringtheMorningHymn,andthenlifteduphisheaderectandsangoutloudandjoyfully.

Hemadetheresponseslouderthantheclerk—anoldmanwithapipingfeeblevoice,who,Ithink,feltaggrievedattheCaptain’ssonorous

bass

bass,andquiveredhigherandhigherinconsequence.

Oncomingoutofchurch,thebriskCaptainpaidthemostgallantattentiontohistwodaughters.

Henoddedandsmiledtohisacquaintances;

butheshookhandswithnoneuntilhehadhelpedMissBrowntounfurlher

umbrella,hadrelievedherofherprayer-book,andhadwaited

kiên nhẫn

patientlytillshe,withtremblingnervoushands,hadtakenupher

áo choàng

gowntowalkthroughthewetroads.

IwonderwhattheCranfordladiesdidwithCaptainBrownattheirparties.

Wehadoftenrejoiced,informerdays,thattherewasnogentlemantobeattendedto,andtofindconversationfor,atthecard-parties.

Wehadcongratulatedourselvesuponthesnugnessoftheevenings;

and,inourloveforgentility,anddistasteofmankind,wehadalmostpersuadedourselvesthattobeamanwastobe“vulgar”;

sothatwhenIfoundmyfriendandhostess,MissJenkyns,wasgoingtohaveapartyinmyhonour,andthatCaptainandtheMissBrownswereinvited,Iwonderedmuchwhatwouldbethecourseoftheevening.

Card-tables,withgreenbaizetops,weresetoutbydaylight,justasusual;

itwasthethirdweekinNovember,sotheeveningsclosedinaboutfour.

Candles,andcleanpacksofcards,werearrangedoneachtable.

Thefirewasmadeup;

the

gọn

neatmaid-servanthadreceivedherlastdirections;

andtherewestood,dressedinourbest,eachwithacandle-lighterinourhands,readyto

dart

dartatthecandlesassoonasthefirstknockcame.

PartiesinCranfordweresolemnfestivities,makingtheladiesfeelgravelyelatedastheysattogetherintheirbestdresses.

Assoonasthreehadarrived,wesatdownto“Preference,”Ibeingthe

may mắn

unluckyfourth.

Thenextfourcomerswereputdownimmediatelytoanothertable;

and

hiện

presentlythetea-trays,whichIhadseensetoutinthestore-roomasIpassedinthemorning,wereplacedeachonthemiddleofacard-table.

Thechinawasdelicateegg-shell;

theold-fashionedsilverglitteredwithpolishing;

buttheeatableswereoftheslightest

mô tả

description.

Whilethetrayswereyetonthetables,CaptainandtheMissBrownscamein;

andIcouldseethat,somehoworother,theCaptainwasafavouritewithalltheladiespresent.

Ruffledbrowsweresmoothed,sharpvoicesloweredathisapproach.

MissBrownlookedill,and

chán nản

depressedalmosttogloom.

MissJessiesmiledasusual,andseemednearlyaspopularasherfather.

Heimmediatelyandquietlyassumedtheman’splaceintheroom;

attendedtoeveryone’swants,lessenedtheprettymaid-servant’slabourbywaitingonemptycupsandbread-and-butterlessladies;

andyetdiditallinsoeasyanddignifieda

cách

manner,andsomuchasifitwereamatterofcourseforthestrongtoattendtotheweak,thathewasatruemanthroughout.

Heplayedforthreepennypointswithasgraveaninterestasiftheyhadbeenpounds;

andyet,inallhisattentiontostrangers,hehadaneyeonhissufferingdaughter—forsufferingIwassureshewas,thoughtomanyeyesshemightonlyappeartobeirritable.

MissJessiecouldnotplaycards:

butshetalkedtothesitters-out,who,beforehercoming,hadbeenratherinclinedtobecross.

Shesang,too,toanoldcrackedpiano,whichIthinkhadbeenaspinetinitsyouth.

MissJessiesang,“JockofHazeldean”alittleoutoftune;

butwewerenoneofusmusical,thoughMissJenkynsbeattime,outoftime,bywayofappearingtobeso.

ItwasverygoodofMissJenkynstodothis;

forIhadseenthat,alittlebefore,shehadbeenagooddealannoyedbyMissJessieBrown’sunguardedadmission(àproposofShetland

len

wool)thatshehadanuncle,hermother’sbrother,whowasashopkeeperinEdinburgh.

MissJenkynstriedtodrownthisconfessionbyaterriblecough—fortheHonourableMrsJamiesonwassittingatacard-tablenearestMissJessie,andwhatwouldshesayorthinkifshefoundoutshewasinthesameroomwithashop-keeper’s

cháu gái

niece!

ButMissJessieBrown(whohadnotact,asweallagreedthenextmorning)wouldrepeattheinformation,and

đảm bảo

assureMissPoleshecouldeasilygethertheidenticalShetland

lông

woolrequired,“throughmyuncle,whohasthebestassortmentofShetland

hàng

goodsofanyoneinEdinbro’.”

Itwastotakethetasteofthisoutofourmouths,andthesoundofthisoutofourears,thatMissJenkynsproposedmusic;

soIsayagain,itwasverygoodofhertobeattimetothesong.

Whenthetraysre-appearedwithbiscuitsandwine,punctuallyataquartertonine,therewasconversation,comparingofcards,andtalkingovertricks;

butby-and-byCaptainBrownsportedabitof

văn

literature.

“Haveyouseenanynumbersof‘ThePickwickPapers’?”

saidhe.

(Theywerethenpublishinginparts.)

“Capitalthing!”

NowMissJenkynswasdaughterofadeceasedrectorofCranford;

and,onthestrengthofanumberofmanuscriptsermons,andaprettygoodlibraryof

thần

divinity,consideredherselfliterary,andlookeduponanyconversationaboutbooksasachallengetoher.

Sosheansweredandsaid,“Yes,shehadseenthem;

indeed,shemightsayshehadreadthem.”

“Andwhatdoyouthinkofthem?”

exclaimedCaptainBrown.

“Aren’ttheyfamouslygood?”

SourgedMissJenkynscouldnotbutspeak.

“Imustsay,Idon’tthinktheyarebyanymeans

bằng

equaltoDrJohnson.

Still,perhaps,the

tác giả

authorisyoung.

Lethimpersevere,andwhoknowswhathemaybecomeifhewilltakethegreatDoctorforhismodel?”

Thiswas

rõ ràng

evidentlytoomuchforCaptainBrowntotakeplacidly;

andIsawthewordsonthetipofhistonguebeforeMissJenkynshadfinishedhersentence.

“Itisquiteadifferentsortofthing,mydearmadam,”hebegan.

“Iamquiteawareofthat,”returnedshe.

“AndImakeallowances,CaptainBrown.”

“Justallowmetoreadyouasceneoutofthismonth’snumber,”pleadedhe.

“Ihaditonlythismorning,andIdon’tthinkthecompanycanhavereadityet.”

“Asyouplease,”saidshe,settlingherselfwithanairofresignation.

Hereadtheaccountofthe“swarry”whichSamWellergaveatBath.

Someofuslaughedheartily.

Ididnotdare,becauseIwasstayinginthehouse.

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