cranford(克兰弗德)-第30节
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Lady…day； if turbans were in fashion； could I tell her？ Such a piece of
gaiety was going to happen as had not been seen or known of since
Wombwell's lions came； when one of them ate a little child's arm； and
she was； perhaps； too old to care about dress； but a new cap she must
have； and； having heard that turbans were worn； and some of the county
families likely to come； she would like to look tidy； if I would bring her
a cap from the milliner I employed； and oh； dear！ how careless of her to
forget that she wrote to beg I would come and pay her a visit next
Tuesday； when she hoped to have something to offer me in the way of
amusement； which she would not now more particularly describe； only
sea…green was her favourite colour。 So she ended her letter； but in a P。S。
she added； she thought she might as well tell me what was the peculiar
attraction to Cranford just now； Signor Brunoni was going to exhibit his
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wonderful magic in the Cranford Assembly Rooms on Wednesday and
Friday evening in the following week。
I was very glad to accept the invitation from my dear Miss Matty；
independently of the conjuror； and most particularly anxious to prevent
her from disfiguring her small； gentle； mousey face with a great
Saracen's head turban； and accordingly； I bought her a pretty； neat；
middle…aged cap； which； however； was rather a disappointment to her
when； on my arrival； she followed me into my bedroom； ostensibly to
poke the fire； but in reality； I do believe； to see if the sea…green turban
was not inside the cap…box with which I had travelled。 It was in vain
that I twirled the cap round on my hand to exhibit back and side fronts：
her heart had been set upon a turban； and all she could do was to say；
with resignation in her look and voice …
〃I am sure you did your best； my dear。 It is just like the caps all the
ladies in Cranford are wearing； and they have had theirs for a year； I dare
say。 I should have liked something newer； I confess … something more
like the turbans Miss Betty Barker tells me Queen Adelaide wears； but it
is very pretty； my dear。 And I dare say lavender will wear better than
sea…green。 Well； after all； what is dress； that we should care anything
about it？ You'll tell me if you want anything； my dear。 Here is the
bell。 I suppose turbans have not got down to Drumble yet？〃
So saying； the dear old lady gently bemoaned herself out of the room；
leaving me to dress for the evening； when； as she informed me； she
expected Miss Pole and Mrs Forrester； and she hoped I should not feel
myself too much tired to join the party。 Of course I should not； and I
made some haste to unpack and arrange my dress； but； with all my speed；
I heard the arrivals and the buzz of conversation in the next room before
I was ready。 Just as I opened the door； I caught the words； 〃I was
foolish to expect anything very genteel out of the Drumble shops； poor
girl！ she did her best； I've no doubt。〃 But； for all that； I had rather that
she blamed Drumble and me than disfigured herself with a turban。
Miss Pole was always the person； in the trio of Cranford ladies now
assembled； to have had adventures。 She was in the habit of spending
the morning in rambling from shop to shop； not to purchase anything
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（except an occasional reel of cotton or a piece of tape）； but to see the
new articles and report upon them； and to collect all the stray pieces of
intelligence in the town。 She had a way； too； of demurely popping
hither and thither into all sorts of places to gratify her curiosity on any
point … a way which； if she had not looked so very genteel and prim；
might have been considered impertinent。 And now； by the expressive
way in which she cleared her throat； and waited for all minor subjects
（such as caps and turbans） to be cleared off the course； we knew she had
something very particular to relate； when the due pause came … and I
defy any people possessed of common modesty to keep up a
conversation long； where one among them sits up aloft in silence；
looking down upon all the things they chance to say as trivial and
contemptible compared to what they could disclose； if properly entreated。
Miss Pole began …
〃As I was stepping out of Gordon's shop to…day； I chanced to go into
the 'George' （my Betty has a second…cousin who is chambermaid there；
and I thought Betty would like to hear how she was）； and； not seeing
anyone about； I strolled up the staircase； and found myself in the passage
leading to the Assembly Room （you and I remember the Assembly
Room； I am sure； Miss Matty！ and the minuets de la cour！）； so I went on；
not thinking of what I was about； when； all at once； I perceived that I
was in the middle of the preparations for to…morrow night … the room
being divided with great clothes…maids； over which Crosby's men were
tacking red flannel； very dark and odd it seemed； it quite bewildered me；
and I was going on behind the screens； in my absence of mind； when a
gentleman （quite the gentleman； I can assure you） stepped forwards and
asked if I had any business he could arrange for me。 He spoke such
pretty broken English； I could not help thinking of Thaddeus of Warsaw；
and the Hungarian Brothers； and Santo Sebastiani； and while I was busy
picturing his past life to myself； he had bowed me out of the room。 But
wait a minute！ You have not heard half my story yet！ I was going
downstairs； when who should I meet but Betty's second…cousin。 So； of
course； I stopped to speak to her for Betty's sake； and she told me that I
had really seen the conjuror … the gentleman who spoke broken English
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was Signor Brunoni himself。 Just at this moment he passed us on the
stairs； making such a graceful bow！ in reply to which I dropped a curtsey
… all foreigners have such polite manners； one catches something of it。
But when he had gone downstairs； I bethought me that I had dropped my
glove in the Assembly Room （it was safe in my muff all the time； but I
never found it till afterwards）； so I went back； and； just as I was creeping
up the passage left on one side of the great screen that goes nearly across
the room； who should I see but the very same gentleman that had met me
before； and passed me on the stairs； coming now forwards from the inner
part of the room； to which there is no entrance … you remember； Miss
Matty … and just repeating； in his pretty broken English； the inquiry if I
had any business there … I don't mean that he put it quite so bluntly； but
he seemed very determined that I should not pass the screen … so； of
course； I explained about my glove； which； curiously enough； I found at
that very moment。〃
Miss Pole； then； had seen the conjuror … the real； live conjuror！ and
numerous were the questions we all asked her。 〃Had he a beard？〃
〃Was he young； or old？〃 〃Fair； or dark？〃 〃Did he look〃 … （unable to
shape my question prudently； I put it in another
