---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's it like then?\" asked Old Bailey…"
description: "\"What's it like then?\" asked Old Bailey. \"Being dead?\" The marquis sighed. And then he twisted his lips up into a smile, and with a glitter of his old s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg"
---

#  What's it like then?" asked Old Bailey. "Being dead?" The…

![“What's it like then?&quot; asked Old Bailey. &quot;Being dead?&quot; The marquis sighed. And then he twisted his lips up into a smile, and with a glitter of his old self, he replied, &quot;Live long enough, Old Bailey, and you can find out for yourself.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg)

> “What's it like then?" asked Old Bailey. "Being dead?" The marquis sighed. And then he twisted his lips up into a smile, and with a glitter of his old self, he replied, "Live long enough, Old Bailey, and you can find out for yourself.”

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life’s mysteries unfold only after we experience them; death is a gateway to understanding.

**In simple terms:** Understanding comes after living.

Key Takeaway

Embrace life fully to discover its truths.

Themes

mortality curiosity wisdom

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- grieving
- career decisions
- spiritual quests
- creative projects

Key Concepts

existentialism life after death personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “live long enough” mean to you?
- How do you confront the unknown?

A Different Perspective

Life’s meaning may remain elusive despite experience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Glitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glitter/) [Lips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lips/) [Old self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-self/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/)

## Related quotes

> [The Marquis sighed. "I thought it was just a legend," he said. "Like the alligators in the sewers of New York City." Old Bailey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-marquis-sighed-i-thought-it-was-just-a-legend-he-said-like-the/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“We were expecting to see you at the market." "Yes. Well. Some people thought I was dead. I was forced to keep a low…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-were-expecting-to-see-you-at-the-market-yes-well-some-people/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Why . . . why did some people think you were dead?” The marquis looked at Richard with eyes that had seen too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/why-why-did-some-people-think-you-were-dead-the-marquis-looked-at/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Altogether, the Old Bailey, at that date, was a choice illustration of the precept, that "Whatever is right;" an aphorism that would be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/altogether-the-old-bailey-at-that-date-was-a-choice-illustration-of/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I went to the Old Bailey, and I met a judge, and I was petrified, but they were like, 'Oh, you're an actor, well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-peake/i-went-to-the-old-bailey-and-i-met-a-judge-and-i-was-petrified-but/)

[Maxine Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-peake/)

> [“Is that another sort of joke?" asked the old man. "You've no excuse for being bored anywhere. When I was your age I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/is-that-another-sort-of-joke-asked-the-old-man-you-ve-no-excuse-for/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“Kenny, in his late fifties, noticed that senior citizens get free coffee at a local cafe. He asked, “How old do you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-fischer/kenny-in-his-late-fifties-noticed-that-senior-citizens-get-free/)

Ed Fischer

> [“You like Nick a lot, don't you, Nora?" Dorothy asked. "He's an old Greek fool, but I'm used to him." "Charles isn't a Greek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/you-like-nick-a-lot-don-t-you-nora-dorothy-asked-he-s-an-old-greek/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“You asked me how old I am. I was born roughly nine centuries ago. I’ve lived for more than three hundred thousand days. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/you-asked-me-how-old-i-am-i-was-born-roughly-nine-centuries-ago-i-ve/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [“You've never heard of the Truscott Curse?" Asked the old lady, slowly rocking her body from side to side as if she were about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-alexander/you-ve-never-heard-of-the-truscott-curse-asked-the-old-lady-slowly/)

[D.L. Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-alexander/)

> [My father was never proud of me. One day he asked me, How old are you? I said, I'm five. He said, When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-father-was-never-proud-of-me-one-day-he-asked-me-how-old-are-you-i/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [My mom used to say that if someone woke her up in the middle of the night and asked how old she was, she'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/my-mom-used-to-say-that-if-someone-woke-her-up-in-the-middle-of-the/)

[Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/)

> [How old are you? I asked her. "Old enough to know better." she said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-old-are-you-i-asked-her-old-enough-to-know-better-she-said/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Today someone asked me if that old stereotype about hot-headed Italians is true. I answered this way: About 2,000 years ago, there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-r-bufogle/today-someone-asked-me-if-that-old-stereotype-about-hot-headed/)

[Quentin R. Bufogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-r-bufogle/)

> [A boy asked a old man how long you'll love your wife?? the old man dropped a water into the river until you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne/a-boy-asked-a-old-man-how-long-you-ll-love-your-wife-the-old-man/)

[Leanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne/)

## More by Neil Gaiman

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More Enough quotes

> [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/)

[Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/)

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/)

Adam Ant

> [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

> [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/)

Rena Kornreich Gelissen

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/)

[Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/)

> [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/)

[Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/)

> [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/)

[James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/)

[Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/)

Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What's it like then?\" asked Old Bailey. \"Being dead?\" The marquis sighed. And then he twisted his lips up into a smile, and with a glitter of his old self, he replied, \"Live long enough, Old Bailey, and you can find out for yourself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-being-dead-the-marquis-sighed/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Enough"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-being-dead-the-marquis-sighed/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/neil-gaiman-29_enough_what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-bei_1196226.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What's it like then?\" asked Old Bailey. \"Being dead?\" The marquis sighed. And then he twisted his lips up…” — Neil Gaiman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What's it like then?\" asked Old...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-being-dead-the-marquis-sighed/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-it-like-then-asked-old-bailey-being-dead-the-marquis-sighed/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
