cranford(克兰弗德)-第25节
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snorted； and started at his mistress's feet。 He； too； was quite at home。
The card…table was an animated scene to watch； four ladies' heads；
with niddle…noddling caps； all nearly meeting over the middle of the
table in their eagerness to whisper quick enough and loud enough： and
every now and then came Miss Barker's 〃Hush； ladies！ if you please；
hush！ Mrs Jamieson is asleep。〃
It was very difficult to steer clear between Mrs Forrester's deafness
and Mrs Jamieson's sleepiness。 But Miss Barker managed her arduous
task well。 She repeated the whisper to Mrs Forrester； distorting her
face considerably； in order to show； by the motions of her lips； what was
said； and then she smiled kindly all round at us； and murmured to herself；
〃Very gratifying； indeed； I wish my poor sister had been alive to see this
day。〃
Presently the door was thrown wide open； Carlo started to his feet；
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with a loud snapping bark； and Mrs Jamieson awoke： or； perhaps； she
had not been asleep … as she said almost directly； the room had been so
light she had been glad to keep her eyes shut； but had been listening with
great interest to all our amusing and agreeable conversation。 Peggy
came in once more； red with importance。 Another tray！ 〃Oh；
gentility！〃 thought I； 〃can yon endure this last shock？〃 For Miss
Barker had ordered （nay； I doubt not； prepared； although she did say；
〃Why； Peggy； what have you brought us？〃 and looked pleasantly
surprised at the unexpected pleasure） all sorts of good things for supper …
scalloped oysters； potted lobsters； jelly； a dish called 〃little Cupids〃
（which was in great favour with the Cranford ladies； although too
expensive to be given； except on solemn and state occasions …
macaroons sopped in brandy； I should have called it； if I had not known
its more refined and classical name）。 In short； we were evidently to be
feasted with all that was sweetest and best； and we thought it better to
submit graciously； even at the cost of our gentility … which never ate
suppers in general； but which； like most non… supper…eaters； was
particularly hungry on all special occasions。
Miss Barker； in her former sphere； had； I daresay； been made
acquainted with the beverage they call cherry…brandy。 We none of us
had ever seen such a thing； and rather shrank back when she proffered it
us … 〃just a little； leetle glass； ladies； after the oysters and lobsters； you
know。 Shell…fish are sometimes thought not very wholesome。〃 We all
shook our heads like female mandarins； but； at last； Mrs Jamieson
suffered herself to be persuaded； and we followed her lead。 It was not
exactly unpalatable； though so hot and so strong that we thought
ourselves bound to give evidence that we were not accustomed to such
things by coughing terribly … almost as strangely as Miss Barker had
done； before we were admitted by Peggy。
〃It's very strong；〃 said Miss Pole； as she put down her empty glass；
〃I do believe there's spirit in it。〃
〃Only a little drop … just necessary to make it keep；〃 said Miss
Barker。 〃You know we put brandy…pepper over our preserves to make
them keep。 I often feel tipsy myself from eating damson tart。〃
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I question whether damson tart would have opened Mrs Jamieson's
heart as the cherry…brandy did； but she told us of a coming event；
respecting which she had been quite silent till that moment。
〃My sister…in…law； Lady Glenmire； is coming to stay with me。〃
There was a chorus of 〃Indeed！〃 and then a pause。 Each one rapidly
reviewed her wardrobe； as to its fitness to appear in the presence of a
baron's widow； for； of course； a series of small festivals were always
held in Cranford on the arrival of a visitor at any of our friends' houses。
We felt very pleasantly excited on the present occasion。
Not long after this the maids and the lanterns were announced。 Mrs
Jamieson had the sedan…chair； which had squeezed itself into Miss
Barker's narrow lobby with some difficulty； and most literally 〃stopped
the way。〃 It required some skilful manoeuvring on the part of the old
chairmen （shoemakers by day； but when summoned to carry the sedan
dressed up in a strange old livery … long great… coats； with small capes；
coeval with the sedan； and similar to the dress of the class in Hogarth's
pictures） to edge； and back； and try at it again； and finally to succeed in
carrying their burden out of Miss Barker's front door。 Then we heard
their quick pit…a… pat along the quiet little street as we put on our calashes
and pinned up our gowns； Miss Barker hovering about us with offers of
help； which； if she had not remembered her former occupation； and
wished us to forget it； would have been much more pressing。
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CHAPTER VIII … 〃YOUR
LADYSHIP〃
EARLY the next morning … directly after twelve … Miss Pole made her
appearance at Miss Matty's。 Some very trifling piece of business was
alleged as a reason for the call； but there was evidently something
behind。 At last out it came。
〃By the way； you'll think I'm strangely ignorant； but； do you really
know； I am puzzled how we ought to address Lady Glenmire。 Do you
say； 'Your Ladyship；' where you would say 'you' to a common person？
I have been puzzling all morning； and are we to say 'My Lady；' instead
of 'Ma'am？' Now you knew Lady Arley … will you kindly tell me the
most correct way of speaking to the peerage？〃
Poor Miss Matty！ she took off her spectacles and she put them on
again … but how Lady Arley was addressed； she could not remember。
〃It is so long ago；〃 she said。 〃Dear！ dear！ how stupid I am！ I
don't think I ever saw her more than twice。 I know we used to call Sir
Peter； 'Sir Peter' … but he came much oftener to see us than Lady Arley
did。 Deborah would have known in a minute。 'My lady' … 'your
ladyship。' It sounds very strange； and as if it was not natural。 I never
thought of it before； but； now you have named it； I am all in a puzzle。〃
It was very certain Miss Pole would obtain no wise decision from
Miss Matty； who got more bewildered every moment； and more
perplexed as to etiquettes of address。
〃Well； I really think；〃 said Miss Pole； 〃I had better just go and tell
Mrs Forrester about our little difficulty。 One sometimes grows nervous；
and yet one would not have Lady Glenmire think we were quite ignorant
of the etiquettes of high life in Cranford。〃
〃And will you just step in here； dear Miss Pole； as you come back；
please； and tell me what you decide upon？ Whatever you and Mrs
Forrester fix upon； will be quite right； I'm sure。 'Lady Arley；' 'Sir
Peter；'〃 said Miss Matty to herself； trying to recall the old forms of
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