cranford(克兰弗德)-第42节
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of course； we did not like to have it supposed that we had any old
clothes that it was convenient to wear out in the 〃sanctuary of home；〃 as
Miss Jenkyns once prettily called the back parlour； where she was tying
up preserves。 So we threw our gentility with double force into our
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manners； and very genteel we were for two minutes while Miss Pole
recovered breath； and excited our curiosity strongly by lifting up her
hands in amazement； and bringing them down in silence； as if what she
had to say was too big for words； and could only be expressed by
pantomime。
〃What do you think； Miss Matty？ What DO you think？ Lady
Glenmire is to marry … is to be married； I mean … Lady Glenmire … Mr
Hoggins … Mr Hoggins is going to marry Lady Glenmire！〃
〃Marry！〃 said we。 〃Marry！ Madness！〃
〃Marry！〃 said Miss Pole； with the decision that belonged to her
character。 〃I said marry！ as you do； and I also said； 'What a fool my
lady is going to make of herself！' I could have said 'Madness！' but I
controlled myself； for it was in a public shop that I heard of it。 Where
feminine delicacy is gone to； I don't know！ You and I； Miss Matty；
would have been ashamed to have known that our marriage was spoken
of in a grocer's shop； in the hearing of shopmen！〃
〃But；〃 said Miss Matty； sighing as one recovering from a blow；
〃perhaps it is not true。 Perhaps we are doing her injustice。〃
〃No；〃 said Miss Pole。 〃I have taken care to ascertain that。 I went
straight to Mrs Fitz…Adam； to borrow a cookery…book which I knew she
had； and I introduced my congratulations A PROPOS of the difficulty
gentlemen must have in house…keeping； and Mrs Fitz…Adam bridled up；
and said that she believed it was true； though how and where I could
have heard it she did not know。 She said her brother and Lady
Glenmire had come to an understanding at last。 'Understanding！' such a
coarse word！ But my lady will have to come down to many a want of
refinement。 I have reason to believe Mr Hoggins sups on bread…and…
cheese and beer every night。
〃Marry！〃 said Miss Matty once again。 〃Well！ I never thought of
it。 Two people that we know going to be married。 It's coming very
near！〃
〃So near that my heart stopped beating when I heard of it； while you
might have counted twelve；〃 said Miss Pole。
〃One does not know whose turn may come next。 Here； in Cranford；
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poor Lady Glenmire might have thought herself safe；〃 said Miss Matty；
with a gentle pity in her tones。
〃Bah！〃 said Miss Pole； with a toss of her head。 〃Don't you
remember poor dear Captain Brown's song 'Tibbie Fowler；' and the line …
'Set her on the Tintock tap； The wind will blaw a man till her。'〃
〃That was because 'Tibbie Fowler' was rich； I think。〃
〃Well！ there was a kind of attraction about Lady Glenmire that I； for
one； should be ashamed to have。〃
I put in my wonder。 〃But how can she have fancied Mr Hoggins？ I
am not surprised that Mr Hoggins has liked her。〃
〃Oh！ I don't know。 Mr Hoggins is rich； and very pleasant…
looking；〃 said Miss Matty； 〃and very good…tempered and kind… hearted。〃
〃She has married for an establishment； that's it。 I suppose she takes
the surgery with it；〃 said Miss Pole； with a little dry laugh at her own
joke。 But； like many people who think they have made a severe and
sarcastic speech； which yet is clever of its kind； she began to relax in her
grimness from the moment when she made this allusion to the surgery；
and we turned to speculate on the way in which Mrs Jamieson would
receive the news。 The person whom she had left in charge of her house
to keep off followers from her maids to set up a follower of her own！
And that follower a man whom Mrs Jamieson had tabooed as vulgar；
and inadmissible to Cranford society； not merely on account of his name；
but because of his voice； his complexion； his boots； smelling of the
stable； and himself； smelling of drugs。 Had he ever been to see Lady
Glenmire at Mrs Jamieson's？ Chloride of lime would not purify the
house in its owner's estimation if he had。 Or had their interviews been
confined to the occasional meetings in the chamber of the poor sick
conjuror； to whom； with all our sense of the MESALLIANCE； we could
not help allowing that they had both been exceedingly kind？ And now
it turned out that a servant of Mrs Jamieson's had been ill； and Mr
Hoggins had been attending her for some weeks。 So the wolf had got
into the fold； and now he was carrying off the shepherdess。 What would
Mrs Jamieson say？ We looked into the darkness of futurity as a child
gazes after a rocket up in the cloudy sky； full of wondering expectation
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of the rattle； the discharge； and the brilliant shower of sparks and light。
Then we brought ourselves down to earth and the present time by
questioning each other （being all equally ignorant； and all equally
without the slightest data to build any conclusions upon） as to when IT
would take place？ Where？ How much a year Mr Hoggins had？
Whether she would drop her title？ And how Martha and the other
correct servants in Cranford would ever be brought to announce a
married couple as Lady Glenmire and Mr Hoggins？ But would they be
visited？ Would Mrs Jamieson let us？ Or must we choose between the
Honourable Mrs Jamieson and the degraded Lady Glenmire？ We all
liked Lady Glenmire the best。 She was bright； and kind； and sociable；
and agreeable； and Mrs Jamieson was dull； and inert； and pompous； and
tiresome。 But we had acknowledged the sway of the latter so long； that
it seemed like a kind of disloyalty now even to meditate disobedience to
the prohibition we anticipated。
Mrs Forrester surprised us in our darned caps and patched collars；
and we forgot all about them in our eagerness to see how she would bear
the information； which we honourably left to Miss Pole； to impart；
although； if we had been inclined to take unfair advantage； we might
have rushed in ourselves； for she had a most out…of…place fit of coughing
for five minutes after Mrs Forrester entered the room。 I shall never
forget the imploring expression of her eyes； as she looked at us over her
pocket…handkerchief。 They said； as plain as words could speak； 〃Don't
let Nature deprive me of the treasure which is mine； although for a time I
can make no use of it。〃 And we did not。
Mrs Forrester's surprise was equal to ours； and her sense of injury
rather greater； because she had to feel for her Order； and saw more fully
than we could do how such conduct brought stains on the aristocracy。
When she and Miss Pole left us we endeavoured to subside into
calmness； but Miss Matty was really upset by the intelligence she had
heard。 She reckoned it up； and it was more than fifteen years si
