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LESSON 8 Death of little nell
第八课 小内尔之死
She was dead. No sleep so beautiful and calm, so free from trace of pain, so fair to look upon. She seemed 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 winter-berries and green leaves, gathered in a spot she had been used to favour. "When I die, put near me something that has loved the light, and had the sky above it always." These were her words.
她死了。没有一种睡眠能够这等美丽和平静，这等脱离痛苦的迹象，而看起来又是这等的娇美。她看上去就像刚刚出自造物主之手的生灵，正在等待着赋予新的生命；绝不像是一个曾有过生命、曾经经历过死亡之苦的人。她的卧榻上散落地装点着一些冬青和绿叶，全是从她曾经最喜爱的那些地方摘取过来的。“我死后，请在我身旁放一些喜爱光明的东西，让我依然能接受到天空的遮蔽。”这就是她亲口说过的话。
She was dead. Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead. Her little bird—a poor, slight thing, the pressure of a finger would have crushed—was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart of its child-mistress was mute and motionless for ever! Where were the traces of her early cares, her sufferings and fatigues? All gone. Sorrow was dead, indeed, in her; but peace and perfect happiness were born—imaged in her tranquil beauty and profound repose.
她去了。那个可爱的、温和的、宽容的、高贵的内尔去了。她的小鸟依然在笼子里欢蹦乱跳着，那是一个可怜的小东西，脆弱到一根手指的力量就能把它碾碎；而它的主人那强壮的心脏此刻却哑然无声，永远地静止下来！她早期的关爱，她的苦难，她的劳累，还有迹可循吗?所有的一切都全然消逝了了。实际上，在她心里，连悲伤也一同死去了；唯有平和、完美的幸福重生——映照在她那长眠之躯上的宁静之美。
And still her former self lay there, unaltered in this change. Yes, the old fireside 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 boy, there had been the same mild and lovely look. So shall we know the angels in their majesty after death.
她的前世之躯依然躺在那里，在生死转换中一动不动地躺在那里。是的，那个古老的火炉依然笑迎着她那甜美的面庞；这些都像无数痛苦和忧虑中的一个个梦——夏日黄昏站在可怜的校长门前时，寒冷潮湿的夜里待在炉火前时，站在那个即将去世的男孩窗边时，都能看到这个温和可爱的面庞。所以，我们都将在死后见到天使的威严。
The old man held one languid arm in his, and the small tight hand folded to his breast for warmth. It was the hand she had stretched out to him with her last smile—the hand that had led him on through all their wanderings. Ever and anon he pressed it to his lips, then hugged it to his breast again, murmuring that it was warmer now; and as he said it he looked in agony to those who stood around, as if imploring them to help her.
老人家（她的爷爷）握住一只软弱无力的胳膊放在他胸前，那只紧握的小手就叠放在他的胸膛上取暖。她正是用这只小手，在弥留之际微笑着伸向他——这只小手曾经挽着他一起漫步、一起漂泊。他时不时得将这只小手放在自己的唇边亲吻，然后再将其放回到自己的胸前，嘴里还喃喃低语着现在暖和些了；他说这话时，看上去悲痛欲绝，似乎在恳求周围站着的众人来帮帮她。
She was dead, and past all help or need of help. The ancient rooms she had seemed to fill with life even while her own was waning fast the garden she had tended, the eyes she had gladdened the noiseless haunts of many a thoughtful hour, the paths she had trodden as it were but yesterday, could know her no more. "It is not," said the schoolmaster, as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek, and gave his tears free vent—"it is not in this world that Heaven's justice ends. Think what it is, compared with the world to which her young spirit has winged its early flight, and say, if one deliberate wish, expressed in solemn tones above this bed, could call her back to life, which of us would utter it?"
她死了，不再需要帮助，也没有任何这样的需要了。哪怕是在她的生命迅速枯萎之际，她的古老房间也充满着生命，她曾悉心照料的花园、她那散发着喜悦的明亮双眸、她曾陷入长时间沉思时的寂静之地、仿佛昨天她还漫步其上的那些小路等，再也见不到她了。校长一边躬身亲吻着她的脸颊，一边哽咽着说道；“不应该这样啊，上苍的裁决不应该在这个世界结束。假如与她的灵魂尚在游荡的那个世界相比，这个凡尘由算得了什么呢，可以这样说，如果有人能够诚意发愿，用极其庄严的声音在这张床边表达出这个愿望，便能使得她生还，我们当中谁能这样做？”
She had been dead two days. They were all about her at the time, knowing that the end was drawing on. She died soon after daybreak. They had read and talked to her in the earlier portion of the night; but as the hours crept on she sank to sleep. They could tell, by what she faintly uttered in her dreams, that they were of her wanderings with the old man. They were of no painful scenes, but of those who had helped them and used them kindly; for she often said, "God bless you!" with great fervour. Waking, she never wandered in her mind but once, and that was at beautiful music which, she said, was in the air. God knows. It may have been.
她已经死了两天了。那个时刻，人们都环绕着她，都已了解她的生命的大幕即将落下。破晓时分，她便真的去了。前半夜，人们还在念书给她听，还在与她交谈；但是，慢慢的，她就陷入了沉睡之中。借助于她在梦中模糊的 呓语，他们还能分辨出，她说的是自己和老人家一起长途跋涉的事。记忆中并没有痛苦的画面， 只有那些曾经帮助过他们并友善的对待过他们的人；因为她经常热情的说：“上帝保佑你！”醒来时，她的神智一直很清醒，唯有一次，她说自己在美妙的音乐声中飘上了天。只有上帝知道怎么回事，或许是真的。
