Section 213 The Death of Little Nell
She was dead. No sleep (S. 27, N. 7) so beautiful and calm, so free from trace1 of pain, so fair to look upon. She seemed2 a creature fresh from the hand of God, and waiting for the breath of life; not one who had lived and suffered death. Her couch was dressed with here and there some winterberries and green leaves, gathered in a spot she had been used to favour. “When I die, put near me something3 that has loved the light, and had the sky above it always.” These were her words.
She was dead. Dear (S. 10, N. 2), gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead. Her little bird—a poor, slight thing4, the pressure of the finger would have crushed—was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart of its child-mistress5 was mute and motionless for ever! Where were the traces of her early cares, her sufferings and fatigues? All gone6. Sorrow was dead, indeed in her7; but peace and perfect happiness were born—imaged in her tranquil beauty and (S. 10, N. 9) profound repose.
And still her former self lay there, unaltered in this change8. Yes, the old fireside9 had smiled upon that same sweet face; it had passed like a dream through haunts of misery and care—at the door of the poor schoolmaster on the summer evening, before the furnace-fire upon the cold wet night, at the still bedside of the dying boy10, there had been the same mild and loving look. So shall we know the angels in their majesty after death.—Charles Dickens, “The Old Curiosity Shop.”
Notes
1 = from the traces.
2 = seemed to be a creature (Kreatur, f.). Fresh — God, erst soeben aus der Hand Gottes hervorgegangen, which use attributively before ‘creature’; breath, Odem, m.
3 dann gebet mir etwas mit.
4 ein armseliges kleines Ding.
5 kindliche Herrin, Nom.
6 Alles war verschwunden.
7 war in ihr erstorben; were born, waren dafür wieder in ihr erstanden; imaged in, wie es... bezeugte; her tranquil beauty = her tranquil beautiful face (Antlitz, n.).
8 Liter. = And still (dennoch) lay her former self in this change (Verwandlung) unaltered there.
9 der häusliche Herd; ‘to smile upon’, here auf etwas hernie´derlächeln.
10 = brother.