Chapter LIII

Nell was stirring early in the morning, and having discharged her

household tasks, and put everything in order for the good

schoolmaster (though sorely against his will, for he would have spared

her the pains), took down, from its nail by the fireside, a little bundle

of keys with which the bachelor had formally invested her on the

previous day, and went out alone to visit the old church.

The sky was serene and bright, the air clear, perfumed with the fresh

scent of newly fallen leaves, and grateful to every sense. The

neighbouring stream sparkled, and rolled onward with a tuneful

sound; the dew glistened on the green mounds, like tears shed by

Good Spirits over the dead. Some young children sported among the

tombs, and hid from each other, with laughing faces. They had an

infant with them, and had laid it down asleep upon a child's grave, in

a little bed of leaves. It was a new grave - the resting-place, perhaps,

of some little creature, who, meek and patient in its illness, had often

sat and watched them, and now seemed, to their minds, scarcely

changed.

She drew near and asked one of them whose grave it was. The child

answered that that was not its name; it was a garden - his brother's. It

was greener, he said, than all the other gardens, and the birds loved it

better because he had been used to feed them. When he had done

speaking, he looked at her with a smile, and kneeling down and

nestling for a moment with his cheek against the turf, bounded

merrily away.

She passed the church, gazing upward at its old tower, went through

the wicket gate, and so into the village. The old sexton, leaning on a

crutch, was taking the air at his cottage door, and gave her good

morrow.

You are better?' said the child, stopping to speak with him.

Ay surely,' returned the old man. 'I'm thankful to say, much better.'

YOU will be quite well soon.'

With Heaven's leave, and a little patience. But come in, come in!' The

old man limped on before, and warning her of the downward step,

which he achieved himself with no small difficulty, led the way into his

little cottage.

It is but one room you see. There is another up above, but the stair

has got harder to climb o' late years, and I never use it. I'm thinking of

taking to it again, next summer, though.'

The Old Curiosity Shop