Claribel : $b or, Rest at last, Lucy Ellen Guernsey

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Read Claribel : $b or, Rest at last in English, with German beside it

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey · 1826–1899

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"Claribel" by Lucy Ellen Guernsey is a novel written in the late 19th century. It centers on Claribel Woodworth, a physically disabled and embittered heiress sent to a girls’ boarding school, where kindness, Christian teaching, and everyday acts of service challenge her suspicion and self-absorption. Early friendships—especially with the warm but scatterbrained Fanny Morey—and tensions with a vain cousin, Priscilla, test whether Claribel can grow in grace and usefulness. The opening of this novel introduces a new arrival at the Hausen school: Claribel, in deep mourning and walking with a crutch, whom the kindly girls plan to welcome. Suspicious and wounded, she misreads their motives, even mistaking their jokes about a three-legged school cat (Bab) as mockery of herself, until Mr. Hausen calmly corrects her and counsels her to read the Gospels daily and look for small ways to help others. Flashbacks reveal the roots of her bitterness—childhood injury, indulgent but unhelpful care, taunts from cousins, and a guardian’s decision to send her away after her father’s death. As Claribel begins to soften, she befriends Fanny by helping with studies and knitting, and her drawing talent flourishes; a false rumor from Rebecca Stiney about “ghostwritten” compositions is defused. Tensions rise when cousin Priscilla arrives flaunting fashion, flouting rules, and luring Fanny into carelessness, leading to a quarrel that Claribel tries to mend. In parallel, Claribel quietly takes responsibility for little Madge when a teacher falls ill and turns to prayer for strength, while Fanny’s slipping work and love of “yellow-covered” novels draw gentle but firm rebuke, setting the stage for further trials of character and friendship.

Summary generated automatically by Project Gutenberg.

Read time
127 min
Words
27,902
Chapters
31
Paragraphs
774
Price
Free
  • Christian life -- Juvenile fiction
  • Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
  • People with disabilities -- Juvenile fiction
  • Schools -- Juvenile fiction
  • Sunday school literature
  • Teenage girls -- Juvenile fiction
Claribel : $b or, Rest at last_BAB._

"I wonder if I could take drawing and painting lessons?"

»Ich frage mich, ob ich Zeichen- und Malunterricht nehmen könnte?«,

she said to herself.

sagte sie zu sich selbst.

"I am sure I could learn to draw.

»Ich bin sicher, ich könnte Zeichnen lernen.

I don't care so very much about music,—only singing,—but I should like to be a great artist and have my pictures admired all over the world.

Musik ist mir nicht so wichtig – nur Singen – aber ich würde gerne eine große Künstlerin werden und meine Bilder auf der ganzen Welt bewundern sehen.

People would respect me then.

Die Leute würden mich dann respektieren.

I don't think I should dislike living here so much, only for the girls.

Ich denke, ich würde das Leben hier nicht so sehr hassen, nur wegen der Mädchen.

I know they will laugh at me.

Ich weiß, dass sie mich auslachen werden.

But then, if I get on with my studies—and I can, I know—I will make them think I am somebody."

Aber wenn ich mit meinen Studien vorankomme – und das kann ich, das weiß ich – werde ich sie denken lassen, ich sei jemand.«

I once heard it remarked of a very vain man that he dreamed in the first person singular.

Ich habe einmal bemerkt, dass ein sehr eitle Mann im Singular träumte.

Claribel certainly thought in the first person singular.

Claribel dachte sicherlich im Singular.

She had got into the "contracting chamber" of Mrs. Charles's pretty allegory, and of course it contracted round her more and more.

Sie war in die »Verkleinerungskammer« von Mrs. Charles’ hübscher Allegorie geraten, und natürlich zog sie sich immer mehr um sie zusammen.

She considered everything and saw everything only as it affected herself.

Sie betrachtete alles und sah alles nur so, wie es sie selbst betraf.

She was in prison—a very small, dark, and narrow prison, indeed—and it remained to be seen whether she was ever to get out of it.

Sie befand sich in einem Gefängnis – einem sehr kleinen, dunklen und engen Gefängnis, gewiss – und es blieb abzuwarten, ob sie jemals daraus entkommen würde.

Claribel unpacked her clothes and other possessions, feeling a certain pleasure in their freshness and prettiness, for Mr. Steel had thought it best that she should have an entirely new outfit of everything.

Claribel packte ihre Kleider und anderen Besitztümer aus und empfand ein gewisses Vergnügen an ihrer Frische und Schönheit, denn Herr Steel hatte es für das Beste gehalten, dass sie ein völlig neues Outfit für alles bekam.

She even felt a slight twinge of mortification as she took out her pretty writing-desk and dressing-case, and wished she had been a little more gracious to her guardian.

Sie fühlte sogar einen leichten Stich der Scham, als sie ihren schönen Schreibtisch und ihre Kosmetiktasche herausnahm, und wünschte, sie wäre ihrem Vormund ein wenig gnädiger begegnet.

Mrs. Richardson herself came up for Claribel at dinner-time, and gave her a seat next herself.

Mrs. Richardson selbst kam zum Abendessen, um Claribel abzuholen, und wies ihr einen Platz neben sich zu.

Percy and Tilly sat near her and welcomed her with smiles, for they were not disposed to bear any malice against the poor lame, sickly stranger.

Percy und Tilly saßen in ihrer Nähe und empfingen sie mit Lächeln, denn sie waren nicht geneigt, irgendeinen Groll gegen die arme, lahme, kränkliche Fremde zu hegen.

After dinner, she went to the library, and Miss Foster, the librarian, found her the volume she wanted.

Nach dem Abendessen ging sie in die Bibliothek, und Miss Foster, die Bibliothekarin, fand den Band, den sie suchte.

About the author

Lucy Ellen Guernsey1826–1899

The Lucy Ellen Guernsey page, and where to start →

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Book details

Original language
English
Translation
German, machine translation
Source text
Project Gutenberg #78044
Licence
Public domain worldwide

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