cranford(克兰弗德)-第27节
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perhaps you would just kindly bring your work across and drink tea with
us that night。 It is my usual regular time for looking over the last
week's bills； and notes； and letters； and making candle… lighters of them；
but that does not seem quite reason enough for saying I have a previous
engagement at home； though I meant to make it do。 Now； if you would
come； my conscience would be quite at ease； and luckily the note is not
written yet。〃
I saw Miss Pole's countenance change while Miss Matty was speaking。
〃Don't you mean to go then？〃 asked she。
〃Oh； no！〃 said； Miss Matty quietly。 〃You don't either； I suppose？〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied Miss Pole。 〃Yes； I think I do；〃 said she；
rather briskly； and on seeing Miss Matty look surprised； she added； 〃You
see； one would not like Mrs Jamieson to think that anything she could do；
or say； was of consequence enough to give offence； it would be a kind of
letting down of ourselves； that I； for one； should not like。 It would be
too flattering to Mrs Jamieson if we allowed her to suppose that what
she had said affected us a week； nay ten days afterwards。〃
〃Well！ I suppose it is wrong to be hurt and annoyed so long about
anything； and； perhaps； after all； she did not mean to vex us。 But I
must say； I could not have brought myself to say the things Mrs
Jamieson did about our not calling。 I really don't think I shall go。〃
〃Oh； come！ Miss Matty； you must go； you know our friend Mrs
Jamieson is much more phlegmatic than most people； and does not enter
into the little delicacies of feeling which you possess in so remarkable a
degree。〃
〃I thought you possessed them； too； that day Mrs Jamieson called to
tell us not to go；〃 said Miss Matty innocently。
But Miss Pole； in addition to her delicacies of feeling； possessed a
very smart cap； which she was anxious to show to an admiring world；
and so she seemed to forget all her angry words uttered not a fortnight
before； and to be ready to act on what she called the great Christian
principle of 〃Forgive and forget〃； and she lectured dear Miss Matty so
long on this head that she absolutely ended by assuring her it was her
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duty； as a deceased rector's daughter； to buy a new cap and go to the
party at Mrs Jamieson's。 So 〃we were most happy to accept；〃 instead
of 〃regretting that we were obliged to decline。〃
The expenditure on dress in Cranford was principally in that one
article referred to。 If the heads were buried in smart new caps； the
ladies were like ostriches； and cared not what became of their bodies。
Old gowns； white and venerable collars； any number of brooches； up and
down and everywhere （some with dogs' eyes painted in them； some that
were like small picture…frames with mausoleums and weeping…willows
neatly executed in hair inside； some； again； with miniatures of ladies and
gentlemen sweetly smiling out of a nest of stiff muslin）； old brooches for
a permanent ornament； and new caps to suit the fashion of the day … the
ladies of Cranford always dressed with chaste elegance and propriety； as
Miss Barker once prettily expressed it。
And with three new caps； and a greater array of brooches than had
ever been seen together at one time since Cranford was a town； did Mrs
Forrester； and Miss Matty； and Miss Pole appear on that memorable
Tuesday evening。 I counted seven brooches myself on Miss Pole's
dress。 Two were fixed negligently in her cap （one was a butterfly made
of Scotch pebbles； which a vivid imagination might believe to be the real
insect）； one fastened her net neckerchief； one her collar； one ornamented
the front of her gown； midway between her throat and waist； and another
adorned the point of her stomacher。 Where the seventh was I have
forgotten； but it was somewhere about her； I am sure。
But I am getting on too fast； in describing the dresses of the
company。 I should first relate the gathering on the way to Mrs
Jamieson's。 That lady lived in a large house just outside the town。 A
road which had known what it was to be a street ran right before the
house； which opened out upon it without any intervening garden or court。
Whatever the sun was about； he never shone on the front of that house。
To be sure； the living…rooms were at the back； looking on to a pleasant
garden； the front windows only belonged to kitchens and housekeepers'
rooms； and pantries； and in one of them Mr Mulliner was reported to sit。
Indeed； looking askance； we often saw the back of a head covered with
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hair powder； which also extended itself over his coat…collar down to his
very waist； and this imposing back was always engaged in reading the
ST JAMES'S CHRONICLE； opened wide； which； in some degree；
accounted for the length of time the said newspaper was in reaching us …
equal subscribers with Mrs Jamieson； though； in right of her
honourableness； she always had the reading of it first。 This very
Tuesday； the delay in forwarding the last number had been particularly
aggravating； just when both Miss Pole and Miss Matty； the former more
especially； had been wanting to see it； in order to coach up the Court
news ready for the evening's interview with aristocracy。 Miss Pole told
us she had absolutely taken time by the forelock； and been dressed by
five o'clock； in order to be ready if the ST JAMES'S CHRONICLE
should come in at the last moment … the very ST JAMES'S
CHRONICLE which the powdered head was tranquilly and composedly
reading as we passed the accustomed window this evening。
〃The impudence of the man！〃 said Miss Pole； in a low indignant
whisper。 〃I should like to ask him whether his mistress pays her
quarter…share for his exclusive use。〃
We looked at her in admiration of the courage of her thought； for Mr
Mulliner was an object of great awe to all of us。 He seemed never to
have forgotten his condescension in coming to live at Cranford。 Miss
Jenkyns； at times； had stood forth as the undaunted champion of her sex；
and spoken to him on terms of equality； but even Miss Jenkyns could get
no higher。 In his pleasantest and most gracious moods he looked like a
sulky cockatoo。 He did not speak except in gruff monosyllables。 He
would wait in the hall when we begged him not to wait； and then look
deeply offended because we had kept him there； while； with trembling；
hasty hands we prepared ourselves for appearing in company。
Miss Pole ventured on a small joke as we went upstairs； intended；
though addressed to us； to afford Mr Mulliner some slight amusement。
We all smiled； in order to seem as if we felt at our ease； and timidly
looked for Mr Mulliner's sympathy。 Not a muscle of that wooden face
had relaxed； and we were grave in an instant。
Mrs Jamieson's drawing…room was cheerful； the evening sun came
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streaming into it； and the large square window was clustered round with
