Cranford
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865)
A town 'in possession of the Amazons': Cranford is ruled by its spinsters, who keep strict economies of lace, opinions and appearances, and see no evil they cannot laugh at. Told as linked episodes rather than plot, the book moves from genteel comedy - a cow in flannel petticoats, an unlucky green umbrella, Captain Brown's fatal enthusiasm for Pickwick - into unexpected grief when Miss Matty's bank fails and her brother Peter's story surfaces. Gaskell's warmest book, and the one in which her own childhood memories shine through most clearly.
Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.
Table of Contents
- 001 [Picture: “Oh, sir! can you be Peter?”] CRANFORD _by_ _Elizabeth… 2659 words
- 002 Such was the impression made upon me by the Brown family when I first… 2696 words
- 003 “The Honourable Mrs Jamieson has only just quitted me; and, in the… 2588 words
- 004 Miss Pole, Miss Matty, and I, meanwhile attended to Miss Brown: and… 2510 words
- 005 Presently, the time arrived when I was to remove to Miss Matilda’s house. 2560 words
- 006 “Miss Jenkyns wants the black sarsenet two-and-twopence the yard”… 2501 words
- 007 “Eh! dear ma’am, to think of your going out in an evening in such a… 2578 words
- 008 One night, I remember this candle economy particularly annoyed me. 2666 words
- 009 I can’t quite remember the date, but I think it was in 1805 that Miss… 2639 words
- 010 “‘Tell your mother I have flogged Peter, and that he richly deserved… 2587 words
- 011 “And then?” said I, after a pause. 2646 words
- 012 And now Miss Betty Barker was a proud and happy woman! 2557 words
- 013 “Hush, Martha!” said Miss Matty, “that’s not respectful.” “Isn’t it, ma’am? 2721 words
- 014 After tea we thawed down into common-life subjects. 2538 words
- 015 Miss Pole, then, had seen the conjuror—the real, live conjuror! 2534 words
- 016 Miss Pole, who affected great bravery herself, was the principal… 2543 words
- 017 Miss Pole was very much inclined to instal herself as a heroine… 2554 words
- 018 “Could not you—could not you take Miss Matty round by Headingley… 2534 words
- 019 “But, after all, I have not told you the truth. 2771 words
- 020 The only fact I gained from this conversation was that certainly… 2530 words
- 021 CHAPTER XIII. STOPPED PAYMENT THE very Tuesday morning on which Mr… 2527 words
- 022 “I will give you five sovereigns for your note, my good man,” said Miss Matty. 2525 words
- 023 She put her arms akimbo, as much as to say she defied me; and… 2509 words
- 024 Miss Matty had been very busy with taking off her spectacles, wiping… 2715 words
- 025 [Picture: Miss Matty and I sat assenting to accounts] While Miss… 2538 words
- 026 I went over from Drumble once a quarter at least to settle the… 2501 words
- 027 She was so much agitated that we both promised everything she wished. 2551 words
- 028 But when I arrived in Cranford, nothing was as yet ascertained of Mrs… 1207 words