********The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Christmas Carol temp Normal temp 1 1

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********The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Christmas Carol*********
+1 in our series b, Charles -ic.ens
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A CL813T6A3 CA82;

b, Charles -ic.ens






1 ha?e en/ea?oure/ in this Ghostl, little boo.9
to raise the Ghost of an 1/ea9 4hich shall not put m,
rea/ers out of humour 4ith themsel?es9 4ith each other9
4ith the season9 or 4ith me* 6a, it haunt their houses
pleasantl,9 an/ no one 4ish to la, it*

Their faithful Brien/ an/ 3er?ant9
C* -*
-ecember9 1'&!*






3ta?e 1" 6arle,Ns Ghost

6arle, 4as /ea/" to begin 4ith* There is no /oubt
4hate?er about that* The register of his burial 4as
signe/ b, the clerg,man9 the cler.9 the un/erta.er9
an/ the chief mourner* 3crooge signe/ it* An/
3croogeNs name 4as goo/ upon NChange9 for an,thing he
chose to put his han/ to*

2l/ 6arle, 4as as /ea/ as a /oornail*

6in/F 1 /onNt mean to sa, that 1 .no49 of m,
o4n .no4le/ge9 4hat there is particularl, /ea/ about
a /oornail* 1 might ha?e been incline/9 m,self9 to
regar/ a coffinnail as the /ea/est piece of ironmonger,
in the tra/e* 7ut the 4is/om of our ancestors
is in the simile@ an/ m, unhallo4e/ han/s
shall not /isturb it9 or the Countr,Ns /one for* Jou
4ill therefore permit me to repeat9 emphaticall,9 that
6arle, 4as as /ea/ as a /oornail*

3crooge .ne4 he 4as /ea/M 2f course he /i/*
Lo4 coul/ it be other4iseM 3crooge an/ he 4ere
partners for 1 /onNt .no4 ho4 man, ,ears* 3crooge
4as his sole executor9 his sole a/ministrator9 his sole
assign9 his sole resi/uar, legatee9 his sole frien/9 an/
sole mourner* An/ e?en 3crooge 4as not so /rea/full,
cut up b, the sa/ e?ent9 but that he 4as an excellent
man of business on the ?er, /a, of the funeral9
an/ solemnise/ it 4ith an un/oubte/ bargain*
The mention of 6arle,Ns funeral brings me bac. to
the point 1 starte/ from* There is no /oubt that 6arle,
4as /ea/* This must be /istinctl, un/erstoo/9 or
nothing 4on/erful can come of the stor, 1 am going
to relate* 1f 4e 4ere not perfectl, con?ince/ that
LamletNs Bather /ie/ before the pla, began9 there
4oul/ be nothing more remar.able in his ta.ing a
stroll at night9 in an easterl, 4in/9 upon his o4n ramparts9
than there 4oul/ be in an, other mi//leage/
gentleman rashl, turning out after /ar. in a bree0,
spot sa, 3aint PaulNs Church,ar/ for instance
literall, to astonish his sonNs 4ea. min/*

3crooge ne?er painte/ out 2l/ 6arle,Ns name*
There it stoo/9 ,ears after4ar/s9 abo?e the 4arehouse
/oor" 3crooge an/ 6arle,* The firm 4as .no4n as
3crooge an/ 6arle,* 3ometimes people ne4 to the
business calle/ 3crooge 3crooge9 an/ sometimes 6arle,9
but he ans4ere/ to both names* 1t 4as all the
same to him*

2hF 7ut he 4as a tightfiste/ han/ at the grin/
stone9 3croogeF a sHuee0ing9 4renching9 grasping9
scraping9 clutching9 co?etous9 ol/ sinnerF Lar/ an/
sharp as flint9 from 4hich no steel ha/ e?er struc. out
generous fire@ secret9 an/ selfcontaine/9 an/ solitar,
as an o,ster* The col/ 4ithin him fro0e his ol/ features9
nippe/ his pointe/ nose9 shri?elle/ his chee.9
stiffene/ his gait@ ma/e his e,es re/9 his thin lips blue@
an/ spo.e out shre4/l, in his grating ?oice* A frost,
rime 4as on his hea/9 an/ on his e,ebro4s9 an/ his
4ir, chin* Le carrie/ his o4n lo4 temperature al4a,s
about 4ith him@ he ice/ his office in the /og/a,s@ an/
/i/nNt tha4 it one /egree at Christmas*

External heat an/ col/ ha/ little influence on
3crooge* No 4armth coul/ 4arm9 no 4intr, 4eather
chill him* No 4in/ that ble4 4as bitterer than he9
no falling sno4 4as more intent upon its purpose9 no
pelting rain less open to entreat,* Boul 4eather /i/nNt
.no4 4here to ha?e him* The hea?iest rain9 an/
sno49 an/ hail9 an/ sleet9 coul/ boast of the a/?antage
o?er him in onl, one respect* The, often Vcame /o4nN
han/somel,9 an/ 3crooge ne?er /i/*

Nobo/, e?er stoppe/ him in the street to sa,9 4ith
gla/some loo.s9 V6, /ear 3crooge9 ho4 are ,ouM
>hen 4ill ,ou come to see meMN No beggars implore/
him to besto4 a trifle9 no chil/ren as.e/ him
4hat it 4as oNcloc.9 no man or 4oman e?er once in all
his life inHuire/ the 4a, to such an/ such a place9 of
3crooge* E?en the blin/ menNs /ogs appeare/ to
.no4 him@ an/ 4hen the, sa4 him coming on9 4oul/
tug their o4ners into /oor4a,s an/ up courts@ an/
then 4oul/ 4ag their tails as though the, sai/9 VNo
e,e at all is better than an e?il e,e9 /ar. masterFN

7ut 4hat /i/ 3crooge careF 1t 4as the ?er, thing
he li.e/* To e/ge his 4a, along the cro4/e/ paths
of life9 4arning all human s,mpath, to .eep its /istance9
4as 4hat the .no4ing ones call VnutsN to 3crooge*

2nce upon a time of all the goo/ /a,s in the ,ear9
on Christmas E?e ol/ 3crooge sat bus, in his
countinghouse* 1t 4as col/9 blea.9 biting 4eather" fogg,
4ithal" an/ he coul/ hear the people in the court outsi/e9
go 4hee0ing up an/ /o4n9 beating their han/s
upon their breasts9 an/ stamping their feet upon the
pa?ement stones to 4arm them* The cit, cloc.s ha/
onl, just gone three9 but it 4as Huite /ar. alrea/,
it ha/ not been light all /a, an/ can/les 4ere flaring
in the 4in/o4s of the neighbouring offices9 li.e
ru//, smears upon the palpable bro4n air* The fog
came pouring in at e?er, chin. an/ .e,hole9 an/ 4as
so /ense 4ithout9 that although the court 4as of the
narro4est9 the houses opposite 4ere mere phantoms*
To see the /ing, clou/ come /rooping /o4n9 obscuring
e?er,thing9 one might ha?e thought that Nature
li?e/ har/ b,9 an/ 4as bre4ing on a large scale*

The /oor of 3croogeNs countinghouse 4as open
that he might .eep his e,e upon his cler.9 4ho in a
/ismal little cell be,on/9 a sort of tan.9 4as cop,ing
letters* 3crooge ha/ a ?er, small fire9 but the cler.Ns
fire 4as so ?er, much smaller that it loo.e/ li.e one
coal* 7ut he coul/nNt replenish it9 for 3crooge .ept
the coalbox in his o4n room@ an/ so surel, as the
cler. came in 4ith the sho?el9 the master pre/icte/
that it 4oul/ be necessar, for them to part* >herefore
the cler. put on his 4hite comforter9 an/ trie/ to
4arm himself at the can/le@ in 4hich effort9 not being
a man of a strong imagination9 he faile/*

VA merr, Christmas9 uncleF Go/ sa?e ,ouFN crie/
a cheerful ?oice* 1t 4as the ?oice of 3croogeNs
nephe49 4ho came upon him so Huic.l, that this 4as
the first intimation he ha/ of his approach*

V7ahFN sai/ 3crooge9 VLumbugFN

Le ha/ so heate/ himself 4ith rapi/ 4al.ing in the
fog an/ frost9 this nephe4 of 3croogeNs9 that he 4as
all in a glo4@ his face 4as ru//, an/ han/some@ his
e,es spar.le/9 an/ his breath smo.e/ again*
VChristmas a humbug9 uncleFN sai/ 3croogeNs
nephe4* VJou /onNt mean that9 1 am sureMN

V1 /o9N sai/ 3crooge* V6err, ChristmasF >hat
right ha?e ,ou to be merr,M >hat reason ha?e ,ou
to be merr,M JouNre poor enough*N

VCome9 then9N returne/ the nephe4 gail,* V>hat
right ha?e ,ou to be /ismalM >hat reason ha?e ,ou
to be moroseM JouNre rich enough*N

3crooge ha?ing no better ans4er rea/, on the spur
of the moment9 sai/ V7ahFN again@ an/ follo4e/ it up
4ith VLumbug*N

V-onNt be cross9 uncleFN sai/ the nephe4*

V>hat else can 1 be9N returne/ the uncle9 V4hen 1
li?e in such a 4orl/ of fools as thisM 6err, ChristmasF
2ut upon merr, ChristmasF >hatNs Christmas
time to ,ou but a time for pa,ing bills 4ithout
mone,@ a time for fin/ing ,ourself a ,ear ol/er9 but
not an hour richer@ a time for balancing ,our boo.s
an/ ha?ing e?er, item in Nem through a roun/ /o0en
of months presente/ /ea/ against ,ouM 1f 1 coul/
4or. m, 4ill9N sai/ 3crooge in/ignantl,9 Ve?er, i/iot
4ho goes about 4ith G6err, ChristmasG on his lips9
shoul/ be boile/ 4ith his o4n pu//ing9 an/ burie/
4ith a sta.e of holl, through his heart* Le shoul/FN

V5ncleFN plea/e/ the nephe4*

VNephe4FN returne/ the uncle sternl,9 V.eep Christmas
in ,our o4n 4a,9 an/ let me .eep it in mine*N

VQeep itFN repeate/ 3croogeNs nephe4* V7ut ,ou
/onNt .eep it*N

V;et me lea?e it alone9 then9N sai/ 3crooge* V6uch
goo/ ma, it /o ,ouF 6uch goo/ it has e?er /one
,ouFN

VThere are man, things from 4hich 1 might ha?e
/eri?e/ goo/9 b, 4hich 1 ha?e not profite/9 1 /are
sa,9N returne/ the nephe4* VChristmas among the
rest* 7ut 1 am sure 1 ha?e al4a,s thought of Christmas
time9 4hen it has come roun/ apart from the
?eneration /ue to its sacre/ name an/ origin9 if an,thing
belonging to it can be apart from that as a
goo/ time@ a .in/9 forgi?ing9 charitable9 pleasant
time" the onl, time 1 .no4 of9 in the long calen/ar
of the ,ear9 4hen men an/ 4omen seem b, one consent
to open their shutup hearts freel,9 an/ to thin.
of people belo4 them as if the, reall, 4ere
fello4passengers to the gra?e9 an/ not another race
of creatures boun/ on other journe,s* An/ therefore9
uncle9 though it has ne?er put a scrap of gol/ or
sil?er in m, poc.et9 1 belie?e that it has /one me
goo/9 an/ 4ill /o me goo/@ an/ 1 sa,9 Go/ bless itFN

The cler. in the Tan. in?oluntaril, applau/e/*
7ecoming imme/iatel, sensible of the impropriet,9
he po.e/ the fire9 an/ extinguishe/ the last frail spar.
for e?er*

V;et me hear another soun/ from ,ou9N sai/
3crooge9 Van/ ,ouNll .eep ,our Christmas b, losing
,our situationF JouNre Huite a po4erful spea.er9
sir9N he a//e/9 turning to his nephe4* V1 4on/er ,ou
/onNt go into Parliament*N

V-onNt be angr,9 uncle* ComeF -ine 4ith us tomorro4*N

3crooge sai/ that he 4oul/ see him ,es9 in/ee/ he
/i/* Le 4ent the 4hole length of the expression9
an/ sai/ that he 4oul/ see him in that extremit, first*

V7ut 4h,MN crie/ 3croogeNs nephe4* V>h,MN

V>h, /i/ ,ou get marrie/MN sai/ 3crooge*

V7ecause 1 fell in lo?e*N

V7ecause ,ou fell in lo?eFN gro4le/ 3crooge9 as if
that 4ere the onl, one thing in the 4orl/ more ri/iculous
than a merr, Christmas* VGoo/ afternoonFN

VNa,9 uncle9 but ,ou ne?er came to see me before
that happene/* >h, gi?e it as a reason for not
coming no4MN

VGoo/ afternoon9N sai/ 3crooge*

V1 4ant nothing from ,ou@ 1 as. nothing of ,ou@
4h, cannot 4e be frien/sMN

VGoo/ afternoon9N sai/ 3crooge*

V1 am sorr,9 4ith all m, heart9 to fin/ ,ou so
resolute* >e ha?e ne?er ha/ an, Huarrel9 to 4hich 1
ha?e been a part,* 7ut 1 ha?e ma/e the trial in
homage to Christmas9 an/ 1Nll .eep m, Christmas
humour to the last* 3o A 6err, Christmas9 uncleFN

VGoo/ afternoon9N sai/ 3crooge*

VAn/ A Lapp, Ne4 JearFN

VGoo/ afternoon9N sai/ 3crooge*

Lis nephe4 left the room 4ithout an angr, 4or/9
not4ithstan/ing* Le stoppe/ at the outer /oor to
besto4 the greetings of the season on the cler.9 4ho
col/ as he 4as9 4as 4armer than 3crooge@ for he returne/
them cor/iall,*

VThereNs another fello49N muttere/ 3crooge@ 4ho
o?erhear/ him" Vm, cler.9 4ith fifteen shillings a
4ee.9 an/ a 4ife an/ famil,9 tal.ing about a merr,
Christmas* 1Nll retire to 7e/lam*N

This lunatic9 in letting 3croogeNs nephe4 out9 ha/
let t4o other people in* The, 4ere portl, gentlemen9
pleasant to behol/9 an/ no4 stoo/9 4ith their hats off9
in 3croogeNs office* The, ha/ boo.s an/ papers in
their han/s9 an/ bo4e/ to him*

V3crooge an/ 6arle,Ns9 1 belie?e9N sai/ one of the
gentlemen9 referring to his list* VLa?e 1 the pleasure
of a//ressing 6r* 3crooge9 or 6r* 6arle,MN

V6r* 6arle, has been /ea/ these se?en ,ears9N
3crooge replie/* VLe /ie/ se?en ,ears ago9 this ?er,
night*N

V>e ha?e no /oubt his liberalit, is 4ell represente/
b, his sur?i?ing partner9N sai/ the gentleman9 presenting
his cre/entials*

1t certainl, 4as@ for the, ha/ been t4o .in/re/
spirits* At the ominous 4or/ Vliberalit,9N 3crooge
fro4ne/9 an/ shoo. his hea/9 an/ han/e/ the cre/entials
bac.*

VAt this festi?e season of the ,ear9 6r* 3crooge9N
sai/ the gentleman9 ta.ing up a pen9 Vit is more than
usuall, /esirable that 4e shoul/ ma.e some slight
pro?ision for the Poor an/ -estitute9 4ho suffer
greatl, at the present time* 6an, thousan/s are in
4ant of common necessaries@ hun/re/s of thousan/s
are in 4ant of common comforts9 sir*N

VAre there no prisonsMN as.e/ 3crooge*

VPlent, of prisons9N sai/ the gentleman9 la,ing /o4n
the pen again*

VAn/ the 5nion 4or.housesMN /eman/e/ 3crooge*
VAre the, still in operationMN

VThe, are* 3till9N returne/ the gentleman9 V1 4ish
1 coul/ sa, the, 4ere not*N

VThe Trea/mill an/ the Poor ;a4 are in full ?igour9
thenMN sai/ 3crooge*

V7oth ?er, bus,9 sir*N

V2hF 1 4as afrai/9 from 4hat ,ou sai/ at first9
that something ha/ occurre/ to stop them in their
useful course9N sai/ 3crooge* V1Nm ?er, gla/ to
hear it*N

V5n/er the impression that the, scarcel, furnish
Christian cheer of min/ or bo/, to the multitu/e9N
returne/ the gentleman9 Va fe4 of us are en/ea?ouring
to raise a fun/ to bu, the Poor some meat an/ /rin.*
an/ means of 4armth* >e choose this time9 because
it is a time9 of all others9 4hen >ant is .eenl, felt9
an/ Abun/ance rejoices* >hat shall 1 put ,ou /o4n
forMN

VNothingFN 3crooge replie/*

VJou 4ish to be anon,mousMN

V1 4ish to be left alone9N sai/ 3crooge* V3ince ,ou
as. me 4hat 1 4ish9 gentlemen9 that is m, ans4er*
1 /onNt ma.e merr, m,self at Christmas an/ 1 canNt
affor/ to ma.e i/le people merr,* 1 help to support
the establishments 1 ha?e mentione/ the, cost
enough@ an/ those 4ho are ba/l, off must go there*N

V6an, canNt go there@ an/ man, 4oul/ rather /ie*N

V1f the, 4oul/ rather /ie9N sai/ 3crooge9 Vthe, ha/
better /o it9 an/ /ecrease the surplus population*
7esi/es excuse me 1 /onNt .no4 that*N

V7ut ,ou might .no4 it9N obser?e/ the gentleman*

V1tNs not m, business9N 3crooge returne/* V1tNs
enough for a man to un/erstan/ his o4n business9 an/
not to interfere 4ith other peopleNs* 6ine occupies
me constantl,* Goo/ afternoon9 gentlemenFN

3eeing clearl, that it 4oul/ be useless to pursue
their point9 the gentlemen 4ith/re4* 3crooge returne/
his labours 4ith an impro?e/ opinion of himself9
an/ in a more facetious temper than 4as usual
4ith him*

6ean4hile the fog an/ /ar.ness thic.ene/ so9 that
people ran about 4ith flaring lin.s9 proffering their
ser?ices to go before horses in carriages9 an/ con/uct
them on their 4a,* The ancient to4er of a church9
4hose gruff ol/ bell 4as al4a,s peeping slil, /o4n
at 3crooge out of a Gothic 4in/o4 in the 4all9 became
in?isible9 an/ struc. the hours an/ Huarters in the
clou/s9 4ith tremulous ?ibrations after4ar/s as if
its teeth 4ere chattering in its fro0en hea/ up there*
The col/ became intense* 1n the main street at the
corner of the court9 some labourers 4ere repairing
the gaspipes9 an/ ha/ lighte/ a great fire in a bra0ier9
roun/ 4hich a part, of ragge/ men an/ bo,s 4ere
gathere/" 4arming their han/s an/ 4in.ing their
e,es before the bla0e in rapture* The 4aterplug
being left in solitu/e9 its o?erflo4ing sullenl, congeale/9
an/ turne/ to misanthropic ice* The brightness
of the shops 4here holl, sprigs an/ berries
crac.le/ in the lamp heat of the 4in/o4s9 ma/e pale
faces ru//, as the, passe/* PoulterersN an/ grocersN
tra/es became a splen/i/ jo.e@ a glorious pageant9
4ith 4hich it 4as next to impossible to belie?e that
such /ull principles as bargain an/ sale ha/ an,thing
to /o* The ;or/ 6a,or9 in the stronghol/ of the
might, 6ansion Louse9 ga?e or/ers to his fift, coo.s
an/ butlers to .eep Christmas as a ;or/ 6a,orNs
househol/ shoul/@ an/ e?en the little tailor9 4hom he
ha/ fine/ fi?e shillings on the pre?ious 6on/a, for
being /run. an/ bloo/thirst, in the streets9 stirre/ up
tomorro4Ns pu//ing in his garret9 4hile his lean
4ife an/ the bab, sallie/ out to bu, the beef*

Boggier ,et9 an/ col/erF Piercing9 searching9 biting
col/* 1f the goo/ 3aint -unstan ha/ but nippe/
the E?il 3piritNs nose 4ith a touch of such 4eather
as that9 instea/ of using his familiar 4eapons9 then
in/ee/ he 4oul/ ha?e roare/ to lust, purpose* The
o4ner of one scant ,oung nose9 gna4e/ an/ mumble/
b, the hungr, col/ as bones are gna4e/ b, /ogs9
stoope/ /o4n at 3croogeNs .e,hole to regale him 4ith
a Christmas carol" but at the first soun/ of

VGo/ bless ,ou9 merr, gentlemanF
6a, nothing ,ou /isma,FN

3crooge sei0e/ the ruler 4ith such energ, of action9
that the singer fle/ in terror9 lea?ing the .e,hole to
the fog an/ e?en more congenial frost*

At length the hour of shutting up the counting
house arri?e/* >ith an ill4ill 3crooge /ismounte/
from his stool9 an/ tacitl, a/mitte/ the fact to the
expectant cler. in the Tan.9 4ho instantl, snuffe/
his can/le out9 an/ put on his hat*

VJouNll 4ant all /a, tomorro49 1 supposeMN sai/
3crooge*

V1f Huite con?enient9 sir*N

V1tNs not con?enient9N sai/ 3crooge9 Van/ itNs not
fair* 1f 1 4as to stop halfacro4n for it9 ,ouN/ thin.
,ourself illuse/9 1Nll be boun/MN

The cler. smile/ faintl,*

VAn/ ,et9N sai/ 3crooge9 V,ou /onNt thin. me illuse/9
4hen 1 pa, a /a,Ns 4ages for no 4or.*N

The cler. obser?e/ that it 4as onl, once a ,ear*

VA poor excuse for pic.ing a manNs poc.et e?er,
t4ent,fifth of -ecemberFN sai/ 3crooge9 buttoning
his greatcoat to the chin* V7ut 1 suppose ,ou must
ha?e the 4hole /a,* 7e here all the earlier next
morning*N

The cler. promise/ that he 4oul/@ an/ 3crooge
4al.e/ out 4ith a gro4l* The office 4as close/ in a
t4in.ling9 an/ the cler.9 4ith the long en/s of his
4hite comforter /angling belo4 his 4aist <for he
boaste/ no greatcoat=9 4ent /o4n a sli/e on Cornhill9
at the en/ of a lane of bo,s9 t4ent, times9 in
honour of its being Christmas E?e9 an/ then ran home
to Cam/en To4n as har/ as he coul/ pelt9 to pla,
at blin/manNsbuff*

3crooge too. his melanchol, /inner in his usual
melanchol, ta?ern@ an/ ha?ing rea/ all the ne4spapers9 an/
beguile/ the rest of the e?ening 4ith his
ban.erNsboo.9 4ent home to be/* Le li?e/ in
chambers 4hich ha/ once belonge/ to his /ecease/
partner* The, 4ere a gloom, suite of rooms9 in a
lo4ering pile of buil/ing up a ,ar/9 4here it ha/ so
little business to be9 that one coul/ scarcel, help
fanc,ing it must ha?e run there 4hen it 4as a ,oung
house9 pla,ing at hi/ean/see. 4ith other houses9
an/ forgotten the 4a, out again* 1t 4as ol/ enough
no49 an/ /rear, enough9 for nobo/, li?e/ in it but
3crooge9 the other rooms being all let out as offices*
The ,ar/ 4as so /ar. that e?en 3crooge9 4ho .ne4
its e?er, stone9 4as fain to grope 4ith his han/s*
The fog an/ frost so hung about the blac. ol/ gate4a,
of the house9 that it seeme/ as if the Genius of
the >eather sat in mournful me/itation on the
threshol/*

No49 it is a fact9 that there 4as nothing at all
particular about the .noc.er on the /oor9 except that it
4as ?er, large* 1t is also a fact9 that 3crooge ha/
seen it9 night an/ morning9 /uring his 4hole resi/ence
in that place@ also that 3crooge ha/ as little of 4hat
is calle/ fanc, about him as an, man in the cit, of
;on/on9 e?en inclu/ing 4hich is a bol/ 4or/ the
corporation9 al/ermen9 an/ li?er,* ;et it also be
borne in min/ that 3crooge ha/ not besto4e/ one
thought on 6arle,9 since his last mention of his
se?en ,earsN /ea/ partner that afternoon* An/ then
let an, man explain to me9 if he can9 ho4 it happene/
that 3crooge9 ha?ing his .e, in the loc. of the /oor9
sa4 in the .noc.er9 4ithout its un/ergoing an, interme/iate
process of change not a .noc.er9 but 6arle,Ns face*

6arle,Ns face* 1t 4as not in impenetrable sha/o4
as the other objects in the ,ar/ 4ere9 but ha/ a
/ismal light about it9 li.e a ba/ lobster in a /ar.
cellar* 1t 4as not angr, or ferocious9 but loo.e/
at 3crooge as 6arle, use/ to loo." 4ith ghostl,
spectacles turne/ up on its ghostl, forehea/* The
hair 4as curiousl, stirre/9 as if b, breath or hot air@
an/9 though the e,es 4ere 4i/e open9 the, 4ere perfectl,
motionless* That9 an/ its li?i/ colour9 ma/e
it horrible@ but its horror seeme/ to be in spite of the
face an/ be,on/ its control9 rather than a part or
its o4n expression*

As 3crooge loo.e/ fixe/l, at this phenomenon9 it
4as a .noc.er again*

To sa, that he 4as not startle/9 or that his bloo/
4as not conscious of a terrible sensation to 4hich it
ha/ been a stranger from infanc,9 4oul/ be untrue*
7ut he put his han/ upon the .e, he ha/ relinHuishe/9
turne/ it stur/il,9 4al.e/ in9 an/ lighte/ his can/le*

Le /i/ pause9 4ith a momentNs irresolution9 before
he shut the /oor@ an/ he /i/ loo. cautiousl, behin/
it first9 as if he halfexpecte/ to be terrifie/ 4ith the
sight of 6arle,Ns pigtail stic.ing out into the hall*
7ut there 4as nothing on the bac. of the /oor9 except
the scre4s an/ nuts that hel/ the .noc.er on9 so he
sai/ VPooh9 poohFN an/ close/ it 4ith a bang*

The soun/ resoun/e/ through the house li.e thun/er*
E?er, room abo?e9 an/ e?er, cas. in the 4inemerchantNs
cellars belo49 appeare/ to ha?e a separate peal
of echoes of its o4n* 3crooge 4as not a man to
be frightene/ b, echoes* Le fastene/ the /oor9 an/
4al.e/ across the hall9 an/ up the stairs@ slo4l, too"
trimming his can/le as he 4ent*

Jou ma, tal. ?aguel, about /ri?ing a coachan/six
up a goo/ ol/ flight of stairs9 or through a ba/
,oung Act of Parliament@ but 1 mean to sa, ,ou
might ha?e got a hearse up that staircase9 an/ ta.en
it broa/4ise9 4ith the splinterbar to4ar/s the 4all
an/ the /oor to4ar/s the balustra/es" an/ /one it
eas,* There 4as plent, of 4i/th for that9 an/ room
to spare@ 4hich is perhaps the reason 4h, 3crooge
thought he sa4 a locomoti?e hearse going on before
him in the gloom* Lalf a /o0en gaslamps out of
the street 4oul/nNt ha?e lighte/ the entr, too 4ell9
so ,ou ma, suppose that it 4as prett, /ar. 4ith
3croogeNs /ip*

5p 3crooge 4ent9 not caring a button for that*
-ar.ness is cheap9 an/ 3crooge li.e/ it* 7ut before
he shut his hea?, /oor9 he 4al.e/ through his rooms
to see that all 4as right* Le ha/ just enough recollection
of the face to /esire to /o that*

3ittingroom9 be/room9 lumberroom* All as the,
shoul/ be* Nobo/, un/er the table9 nobo/, un/er
the sofa@ a small fire in the grate@ spoon an/ basin
rea/,@ an/ the little saucepan of gruel <3crooge ha/
a col/ in his hea/= upon the hob* Nobo/, un/er the
be/@ nobo/, in the closet@ nobo/, in his /ressinggo4n9
4hich 4as hanging up in a suspicious attitu/e
against the 4all* ;umberroom as usual* 2l/ fireguar/s9
ol/ shoes9 t4o fishbas.ets9 4ashingstan/ on three
legs9 an/ a po.er*

Puite satisfie/9 he close/ his /oor9 an/ loc.e/
himself in@ /oubleloc.e/ himself in9 4hich 4as not his
custom* Thus secure/ against surprise9 he too. off
his cra?at@ put on his /ressinggo4n an/ slippers9 an/
his nightcap@ an/ sat /o4n before the fire to ta.e
his gruel*

1t 4as a ?er, lo4 fire in/ee/@ nothing on such a
bitter night* Le 4as oblige/ to sit close to it9 an/
broo/ o?er it9 before he coul/ extract the least
sensation of 4armth from such a han/ful of fuel*
The fireplace 4as an ol/ one9 built b, some -utch
merchant long ago9 an/ pa?e/ all roun/ 4ith Huaint
-utch tiles9 /esigne/ to illustrate the 3criptures*
There 4ere Cains an/ Abels9 PharaohsN /aughters@
Pueens of 3heba9 Angelic messengers /escen/ing
through the air on clou/s li.e featherbe/s9 Abrahams9
7elsha00ars9 Apostles putting off to sea in butterboats9
hun/re/s of figures to attract his thoughts
an/ ,et that face of 6arle,9 se?en ,ears /ea/9 came
li.e the ancient ProphetNs ro/9 an/ s4allo4e/ up the
4hole* 1f each smooth tile ha/ been a blan. at first9
4ith po4er to shape some picture on its surface from
the /isjointe/ fragments of his thoughts9 there 4oul/
ha?e been a cop, of ol/ 6arle,Ns hea/ on e?er, one*

VLumbugFN sai/ 3crooge@ an/ 4al.e/ across the
room*

After se?eral turns9 he sat /o4n again* As he
thre4 his hea/ bac. in the chair9 his glance happene/
to rest upon a bell9 a /isuse/ bell9 that hung in the
room9 an/ communicate/ for some purpose no4 forgotten
4ith a chamber in the highest stor, of the
buil/ing* 1t 4as 4ith great astonishment9 an/ 4ith
a strange9 inexplicable /rea/9 that as he loo.e/9 he
sa4 this bell begin to s4ing* 1t s4ung so softl, in
the outset that it scarcel, ma/e a soun/@ but soon it
rang out lou/l,9 an/ so /i/ e?er, bell in the house*

This might ha?e laste/ half a minute9 or a minute9
but it seeme/ an hour* The bells cease/ as the, ha/
begun9 together* The, 4ere succee/e/ b, a clan.ing
noise9 /eep /o4n belo4@ as if some person 4ere
/ragging a hea?, chain o?er the cas.s in the 4ine
merchantNs cellar* 3crooge then remembere/ to ha?e
hear/ that ghosts in haunte/ houses 4ere /escribe/
as /ragging chains*

The cellar/oor fle4 open 4ith a booming soun/9
an/ then he hear/ the noise much lou/er9 on the floors
belo4@ then coming up the stairs@ then coming straight
to4ar/s his /oor*

V1tNs humbug stillFN sai/ 3crooge* V1 4onNt belie?e it*N

Lis colour change/ though9 4hen9 4ithout a pause9
it came on through the hea?, /oor9 an/ passe/ into
the room before his e,es* 5pon its coming in9 the
/,ing flame leape/ up9 as though it crie/ V1 .no4
him@ 6arle,Ns GhostFN an/ fell again*

The same face" the ?er, same* 6arle, in his pigtail9
usual 4aistcoat9 tights an/ boots@ the tassels on
the latter bristling9 li.e his pigtail9 an/ his coats.irts9
an/ the hair upon his hea/* The chain he /re4 4as
claspe/ about his mi//le* 1t 4as long9 an/ 4oun/
about him li.e a tail@ an/ it 4as ma/e <for 3crooge
obser?e/ it closel,= of cashboxes9 .e,s9 pa/loc.s9
le/gers9 /ee/s9 an/ hea?, purses 4rought in steel*
Lis bo/, 4as transparent@ so that 3crooge9 obser?ing him9
an/ loo.ing through his 4aistcoat9 coul/ see
the t4o buttons on his coat behin/*

3crooge ha/ often hear/ it sai/ that 6arle, ha/ no
bo4els9 but he ha/ ne?er belie?e/ it until no4*

No9 nor /i/ he belie?e it e?en no4* Though he
loo.e/ the phantom through an/ through9 an/ sa4
it stan/ing before him@ though he felt the chilling
influence of its /eathcol/ e,es@ an/ mar.e/ the ?er,
texture of the fol/e/ .erchief boun/ about its hea/
an/ chin9 4hich 4rapper he ha/ not obser?e/ before@
he 4as still incre/ulous9 an/ fought against his senses*

VLo4 no4FN sai/ 3crooge9 caustic an/ col/ as e?er*
V>hat /o ,ou 4ant 4ith meMN

V6uchFN 6arle,Ns ?oice9 no /oubt about it*

V>ho are ,ouMN

VAs. me 4ho 1 4as*N

V>ho 4ere ,ou thenMN sai/ 3crooge9 raising his
?oice* VJouNre particular9 for a sha/e*N Le 4as going
to sa, Vto a sha/e9N but substitute/ this9 as more
appropriate*

V1n life 1 4as ,our partner9 Oacob 6arle,*N

VCan ,ou can ,ou sit /o4nMN as.e/ 3crooge9 loo.ing
/oubtfull, at him*

V1 can*N

V-o it9 then*N

3crooge as.e/ the Huestion9 because he /i/nNt .no4
4hether a ghost so transparent might fin/ himself in
a con/ition to ta.e a chair@ an/ felt that in the e?ent
of its being impossible9 it might in?ol?e the necessit,
of an embarrassing explanation* 7ut the ghost sat
/o4n on the opposite si/e of the fireplace9 as if he
4ere Huite use/ to it*

VJou /onNt belie?e in me9N obser?e/ the Ghost*

V1 /onNt*N sai/ 3crooge*

V>hat e?i/ence 4oul/ ,ou ha?e of m, realit, be,on/ that of
,our sensesMN

V1 /onNt .no49N sai/ 3crooge*

V>h, /o ,ou /oubt ,our sensesMN

V7ecause9N sai/ 3crooge9 Va little thing affects them*
A slight /isor/er of the stomach ma.es them cheats* Jou ma,
be an un/igeste/ bit of beef9 a blot of mustar/9 a crumb of
cheese9 a fragment of an un/er/one potato* ThereNs more of
gra?, than of gra?e about ,ou9 4hate?er ,ou areFN

3crooge 4as not much in the habit of crac.ing
jo.es9 nor /i/ he feel9 in his heart9 b, an, means
4aggish then* The truth is9 that he trie/ to be
smart9 as a means of /istracting his o4n attention9
an/ .eeping /o4n his terror@ for the spectreNs ?oice
/isturbe/ the ?er, marro4 in his bones*

To sit9 staring at those fixe/ gla0e/ e,es9 in silence
for a moment9 4oul/ pla,9 3crooge felt9 the ?er,
/euce 4ith him* There 4as something ?er, a4ful9
too9 in the spectreNs being pro?i/e/ 4ith an infernal
atmosphere of its o4n* 3crooge coul/ not feel it
himself9 but this 4as clearl, the case@ for though the
Ghost sat perfectl, motionless9 its hair9 an/ s.irts9
an/ tassels9 4ere still agitate/ as b, the hot ?apour
from an o?en*

VJou see this toothpic.MN sai/ 3crooge9 returning
Huic.l, to the charge9 for the reason just assigne/@
an/ 4ishing9 though it 4ere onl, for a secon/9 to
/i?ert the ?isionNs ston, ga0e from himself*

V1 /o9N replie/ the Ghost*

VJou are not loo.ing at it9N sai/ 3crooge*

V7ut 1 see it9N sai/ the Ghost9 Vnot4ithstan/ing*N

V>ellFN returne/ 3crooge9 V1 ha?e but to s4allo4
this9 an/ be for the rest of m, /a,s persecute/ b, a
legion of goblins9 all of m, o4n creation* Lumbug9
1 tell ,ouF humbugFN

At this the spirit raise/ a frightful cr,9 an/ shoo.
its chain 4ith such a /ismal an/ appalling noise9 that
3crooge hel/ on tight to his chair9 to sa?e himself
from falling in a s4oon* 7ut ho4 much greater 4as
his horror9 4hen the phantom ta.ing off the ban/age
roun/ its hea/9 as if it 4ere too 4arm to 4ear in/oors9
its lo4er ja4 /roppe/ /o4n upon its breastF

3crooge fell upon his .nees9 an/ claspe/ his han/s
before his face*

V6erc,FN he sai/* V-rea/ful apparition9 4h, /o
,ou trouble meMN

V6an of the 4orl/l, min/FN replie/ the Ghost9 V/o
,ou belie?e in me or notMN

V1 /o9N sai/ 3crooge* V1 must* 7ut 4h, /o spirits
4al. the earth9 an/ 4h, /o the, come to meMN

V1t is reHuire/ of e?er, man9N the Ghost returne/9
Vthat the spirit 4ithin him shoul/ 4al. abroa/ among
his fello4men9 an/ tra?el far an/ 4i/e@ an/ if that
spirit goes not forth in life9 it is con/emne/ to /o so
after /eath* 1t is /oome/ to 4an/er through the
4orl/ oh9 4oe is meF an/ 4itness 4hat it cannot
share9 but might ha?e share/ on earth9 an/ turne/ to
happinessFN

Again the spectre raise/ a cr,9 an/ shoo. its chain
an/ 4rung its sha/o4, han/s*

VJou are fettere/9N sai/ 3crooge9 trembling* VTell
me 4h,MN

V1 4ear the chain 1 forge/ in life9N replie/ the Ghost*
V1 ma/e it lin. b, lin.9 an/ ,ar/ b, ,ar/@ 1 gir/e/
it on of m, o4n free 4ill9 an/ of m, o4n free 4ill 1
4ore it* 1s its pattern strange to ,ouMN

3crooge tremble/ more an/ more*

V2r 4oul/ ,ou .no49N pursue/ the Ghost9 Vthe
4eight an/ length of the strong coil ,ou bear ,ourselfM
1t 4as full as hea?, an/ as long as this9 se?en
Christmas E?es ago* Jou ha?e laboure/ on it9 since*
1t is a pon/erous chainFN

3crooge glance/ about him on the floor9 in the
expectation of fin/ing himself surroun/e/ b, some fift,
or sixt, fathoms of iron cable" but he coul/ see
nothing*

VOacob9N he sai/9 imploringl,* V2l/ Oacob 6arle,9
tell me more* 3pea. comfort to me9 OacobFN

V1 ha?e none to gi?e9N the Ghost replie/* V1t comes
from other regions9 Ebene0er 3crooge9 an/ is con?e,e/
b, other ministers9 to other .in/s of men* Nor
can 1 tell ,ou 4hat 1 4oul/* A ?er, little more9 is
all permitte/ to me* 1 cannot rest9 1 cannot sta,9 1
cannot linger an,4here* 6, spirit ne?er 4al.e/
be,on/ our countinghouse mar. meF in life m,
spirit ne?er ro?e/ be,on/ the narro4 limits of our
mone,changing hole@ an/ 4ear, journe,s lie before
meFN

1t 4as a habit 4ith 3crooge9 4hene?er he became
thoughtful9 to put his han/s in his breeches poc.ets*
Pon/ering on 4hat the Ghost ha/ sai/9 he /i/ so no49
but 4ithout lifting up his e,es9 or getting off his
.nees*

VJou must ha?e been ?er, slo4 about it9 Oacob9N
3crooge obser?e/9 in a businessli.e manner9 though
4ith humilit, an/ /eference*

V3lo4FN the Ghost repeate/*

V3e?en ,ears /ea/9N muse/ 3crooge* VAn/ tra?elling
all the timeFN

VThe 4hole time9N sai/ the Ghost* VNo rest9 no
peace* 1ncessant torture of remorse*N

VJou tra?el fastMN sai/ 3crooge*

V2n the 4ings of the 4in/9N replie/ the Ghost*

VJou might ha?e got o?er a great Huantit, of
groun/ in se?en ,ears9N sai/ 3crooge*

The Ghost9 on hearing this9 set up another cr,9 an/
clan.e/ its chain so hi/eousl, in the /ea/ silence of
the night9 that the >ar/ 4oul/ ha?e been justifie/ in
in/icting it for a nuisance*

V2hF capti?e9 boun/9 an/ /oubleirone/9N crie/ the
phantom9 Vnot to .no49 that ages of incessant labour9
b, immortal creatures9 for this earth must pass into
eternit, before the goo/ of 4hich it is susceptible is
all /e?elope/* Not to .no4 that an, Christian spirit
4or.ing .in/l, in its little sphere9 4hate?er it ma,
be9 4ill fin/ its mortal life too short for its ?ast
means of usefulness* Not to .no4 that no space of
regret can ma.e amen/s for one lifeNs opportunit,
misuse/F Jet such 4as 1F 2hF such 4as 1FN

V7ut ,ou 4ere al4a,s a goo/ man of business9
Oacob9N faltere/ 3crooge9 4ho no4 began to appl, this
to himself*

V7usinessFN crie/ the Ghost9 4ringing its han/s
again* V6an.in/ 4as m, business* The common
4elfare 4as m, business@ charit,9 merc,9 forbearance9
an/ bene?olence9 4ere9 all9 m, business* The /ealings
of m, tra/e 4ere but a /rop of 4ater in the
comprehensi?e ocean of m, businessFN

1t hel/ up its chain at armNs length9 as if that 4ere
the cause of all its una?ailing grief9 an/ flung it
hea?il, upon the groun/ again*

VAt this time of the rolling ,ear9N the spectre sai/
V1 suffer most* >h, /i/ 1 4al. through cro4/s of
fello4beings 4ith m, e,es turne/ /o4n9 an/ ne?er
raise them to that blesse/ 3tar 4hich le/ the >ise
6en to a poor abo/eF >ere there no poor homes to
4hich its light 4oul/ ha?e con/ucte/ meFN

3crooge 4as ?er, much /isma,e/ to hear the
spectre going on at this rate9 an/ began to Hua.e
excee/ingl,*

VLear meFN crie/ the Ghost* V6, time is nearl,
gone*N

V1 4ill9N sai/ 3crooge* V7ut /onNt be har/ upon
meF -onNt be flo4er,9 OacobF Pra,FN
VLo4 it is that 1 appear before ,ou in a shape that
,ou can see9 1 ma, not tell* 1 ha?e sat in?isible
besi/e ,ou man, an/ man, a /a,*N

1t 4as not an agreeable i/ea* 3crooge shi?ere/9
an/ 4ipe/ the perspiration from his bro4*

VThat is no light part of m, penance9N pursue/
the Ghost* V1 am here tonight to 4arn ,ou9 that ,ou
ha?e ,et a chance an/ hope of escaping m, fate* A
chance an/ hope of m, procuring9 Ebene0er*N

VJou 4ere al4a,s a goo/ frien/ to me9N sai/
3crooge* VThan. NeeFN

VJou 4ill be haunte/9N resume/ the Ghost9 Vb,
Three 3pirits*N

3croogeNs countenance fell almost as lo4 as the
GhostNs ha/ /one*

V1s that the chance an/ hope ,ou mentione/9
OacobMN he /eman/e/9 in a faltering ?oice*

V1t is*N

V1 1 thin. 1N/ rather not9N sai/ 3crooge*

V>ithout their ?isits9N sai/ the Ghost9 V,ou cannot
hope to shun the path 1 trea/* Expect the first tomorro49
4hen the bell tolls 2ne*N

VCoul/nNt 1 ta.e Vem all at once9 an/ ha?e it o?er9
OacobMN hinte/ 3crooge*

VExpect the secon/ on the next night at the same
hour* The thir/ upon the next night 4hen the last
stro.e of T4el?e has cease/ to ?ibrate* ;oo. to see
me no more@ an/ loo. that9 for ,our o4n sa.e9 ,ou
remember 4hat has passe/ bet4een usFN

>hen it ha/ sai/ these 4or/s9 the spectre too. its
4rapper from the table9 an/ boun/ it roun/ its hea/9
as before* 3crooge .ne4 this9 b, the smart soun/ its
teeth ma/e9 4hen the ja4s 4ere brought together
b, the ban/age* Le ?enture/ to raise his e,es again9
an/ foun/ his supernatural ?isitor confronting him
in an erect attitu/e9 4ith its chain 4oun/ o?er an/
about its arm*

The apparition 4al.e/ bac.4ar/ from him@ an/ at
e?er, step it too.9 the 4in/o4 raise/ itself a little9
so that 4hen the spectre reache/ it9 it 4as 4i/e open*
1t bec.one/ 3crooge to approach9 4hich he /i/*
>hen the, 4ere 4ithin t4o paces of each other9
6arle,Ns Ghost hel/ up its han/9 4arning him to
come no nearer* 3crooge stoppe/*

Not so much in obe/ience9 as in surprise an/ fear"
for on the raising of the han/9 he became sensible
of confuse/ noises in the air@ incoherent soun/s of
lamentation an/ regret@ 4ailings inexpressibl, sorro4ful an/
selfaccusator,* The spectre9 after listening for a moment9
joine/ in the mournful /irge@
an/ floate/ out upon the blea.9 /ar. night*

3crooge follo4e/ to the 4in/o4" /esperate in his
curiosit,* Le loo.e/ out*

The air 4as fille/ 4ith phantoms9 4an/ering hither
an/ thither in restless haste9 an/ moaning as the,
4ent* E?er, one of them 4ore chains li.e 6arle,Ns
Ghost@ some fe4 <the, might be guilt, go?ernments=
4ere lin.e/ together@ none 4ere free* 6an, ha/
been personall, .no4n to 3crooge in their li?es* Le
ha/ been Huite familiar 4ith one ol/ ghost9 in a 4hite
4aistcoat9 4ith a monstrous iron safe attache/ to
its an.le9 4ho crie/ piteousl, at being unable to assist
a 4retche/ 4oman 4ith an infant9 4hom it sa4 belo49
upon a /oorstep* The miser, 4ith them all 4as9
clearl,9 that the, sought to interfere9 for goo/9 in
human matters9 an/ ha/ lost the po4er for e?er*

>hether these creatures fa/e/ into mist9 or mist
enshrou/e/ them9 he coul/ not tell* 7ut the, an/
their spirit ?oices fa/e/ together@ an/ the night became
as it ha/ been 4hen he 4al.e/ home*

3crooge close/ the 4in/o49 an/ examine/ the /oor
b, 4hich the Ghost ha/ entere/* 1t 4as /oubleloc.e/9
as he ha/ loc.e/ it 4ith his o4n han/s9 an/
the bolts 4ere un/isturbe/* Le trie/ to sa, VLumbugFN
but stoppe/ at the first s,llable* An/ being9
from the emotion he ha/ un/ergone9 or the fatigues
of the /a,9 or his glimpse of the 1n?isible >orl/9 or
the /ull con?ersation of the Ghost9 or the lateness of
the hour9 much in nee/ of repose@ 4ent straight to
be/9 4ithout un/ressing9 an/ fell asleep upon the
instant*


3ta?e 2" The Birst of the Three 3pirits

>hen 3crooge a4o.e9 it 4as so /ar.9 that loo.ing out of be/9
he coul/ scarcel, /istinguish the transparent 4in/o4 from
the opaHue 4alls of his chamber* Le 4as en/ea?ouring to
pierce the /ar.ness 4ith his ferret e,es9 4hen the chimes of a
neighbouring church struc. the four Huarters* 3o he listene/
for the hour*

To his great astonishment the hea?, bell 4ent on from
six to se?en9 an/ from se?en to eight9 an/ regularl, up to
t4el?e@ then stoppe/* T4el?e* 1t 4as past t4o 4hen he
4ent to be/* The cloc. 4as 4rong* An icicle must ha?e
got into the 4or.s* T4el?e*

Le touche/ the spring of his repeater9 to correct this most
preposterous cloc.* 1ts rapi/ little pulse beat t4el?e"
an/ stoppe/*

V>h,9 it isnNt possible9N sai/ 3crooge9 Vthat 1 can ha?e
slept through a 4hole /a, an/ far into another night* 1t
isnNt possible that an,thing has happene/ to the sun9 an/
this is t4el?e at noon*N

The i/ea being an alarming one9 he scramble/ out of be/9
an/ grope/ his 4a, to the 4in/o4* Le 4as oblige/ to rub
the frost off 4ith the slee?e of his /ressinggo4n before he
coul/ see an,thing@ an/ coul/ see ?er, little then* All he
coul/ ma.e out 4as9 that it 4as still ?er, fogg, an/ extremel,
col/9 an/ that there 4as no noise of people running to an/ fro9
an/ ma.ing a great stir9 as there unHuestionabl, 4oul/ ha?e been
if night ha/ beaten off bright /a,9 an/ ta.en possession of the
4orl/* This 4as a great relief9 because GThree /a,s after sight
of this Birst of Exchange pa, to 6r* Ebene0er 3crooge on his
or/er9G an/ so forth9 4oul/ ha?e become a mere 5nite/ 3tates
securit, if there 4ere no /a,s to count b,*

3crooge 4ent to be/ again9 an/ thought9 an/ thought9 an/ thought
it o?er an/ o?er9 an/ coul/ ma.e nothing of it* The more he
thought9 the more perplexe/ he 4as@ an/9 the more he en/ea?oure/
not to thin.9 the more he thought*

6arle,Ns Ghost bothere/ him excee/ingl,* E?er, time he resol?e/
4ithin himself9 after mature inHuir, that it 4as all a /ream9 his
min/ fle4 bac. again9 li.e a strong spring release/9 to its first
position9 an/presente/ the same problem to be 4or.e/ all through9
G>as it a /ream or notMG

3crooge la, in this state until the chime ha/ gone threeHuarters
more9 4hen he remembere/9 on a su//en9 that the Ghost ha/4arne/
him of a ?isitation 4hen the bell tolle/ one* Le resol?e/ to lie
a4a.e until the hour
4as passe/@ an/9 consi/ering that he coul/ no more go to sleep
than go to hea?en9 this 4as9 perhaps9 the 4isest resolution in
his po4er*

The Huarter 4as so long9 that he 4as more than once con?ince/ he
must ha?e sun. into a /o0e unconsciousl,9 an/ misse/ the cloc.*
At length it bro.e upon his listening ear*

G-ing9 /ongFG

GA Huarter past9G sai/ 3crooge9 counting*

G-ing9 /ongFG

GLalf past9G sai/ 3crooge*

G-ing9 /ongFG

GA Huarter to it9G sai/ 3crooge*
G-ing9 /ongFG

GThe hour itself9G sai/ 3crooge triumphantl,9 Gan/ nothing elseFG

Le spo.e before the hour bell soun/e/9 4hich it no4 /i/ 4ith a
/eep9 /ull9 hollo49 melanchol, 2NE* ;ight flashe/ up in the room
upon the instant9 an/ the curtains of his be/ 4ere /ra4n*

The curtains of his be/ 4ere /ra4n asi/e9 1 tell ,ou9 b, a
han/* Not the curtains at his feet9 nor the curtains at his
bac.9 but those to 4hich his face 4as a//resse/* The curtains
of his be/ 4ere /ra4n asi/e@ an/ 3crooge9 starting up into a
halfrecumbent attitu/e9 foun/ himself face to face 4ith the
unearthl, ?isitor 4ho /re4 them" as close to it as 1 am no4
to ,ou9 an/ 1 am stan/ing in the spirit at ,our elbo4*

1t 4as a strange figure li.e a chil/" ,et not so li.e a
chil/ as li.e an ol/ man9 ?ie4e/ through some supernatural
me/ium9 4hich ga?e him the appearance of ha?ing rece/e/
from the ?ie49 an/ being /iminishe/ to a chil/Ns proportions*
1ts hair9 4hich hung about its nec. an/ /o4n its bac.9 4as
4hite as if 4ith age@ an/ ,et the face ha/ not a 4rin.le in
it9 an/ the ten/erest bloom 4as on the s.in* The arms 4ere
?er, long an/ muscular@ the han/s the same9 as if its hol/
4ere of uncommon strength* 1ts legs an/ feet9 most /elicatel,
forme/9 4ere9 li.e those upper members9 bare* 1t 4ore a tunic
of the purest 4hite9 an/ roun/ its 4aist 4as boun/
a lustrous belt9 the sheen of 4hich 4as beautiful* 1t hel/
a branch of fresh green holl, in its han/@ an/9 in singular
contra/iction of that 4intr, emblem9 ha/ its /ress trimme/
4ith summer flo4ers* 7ut the strangest thing about it 4as9
that from the cro4n of its hea/ there sprung a bright clear
jet of light9 b, 4hich all this 4as ?isible@ an/ 4hich 4as
/oubtless the occasion of its using9 in its /uller moments9 a
great extinguisher for a cap9 4hich it no4 hel/ un/er its arm*

E?en this9 though9 4hen 3crooge loo.e/ at it 4ith increasing
stea/iness9 4as not its strangest Hualit,* Bor as its belt
spar.le/ an/ glittere/ no4 in one part an/ no4 in another9
an/ 4hat 4as light one instant9 at another time 4as /ar.9 so
the figure itself fluctuate/ in its /istinctness" being no4 a
thing 4ith one arm9 no4 4ith one leg9 no4 4ith t4ent, legs9
no4 a pair of legs 4ithout a hea/9 no4 a hea/ 4ithout a
bo/," of 4hich /issol?ing parts9 no outline 4oul/ be ?isible
in the /ense gloom 4herein the, melte/ a4a,* An/ in the
?er, 4on/er of this9 it 4oul/ be itself again@ /istinct an/
clear as e?er*

VAre ,ou the 3pirit9 sir9 4hose coming 4as foretol/ to
me*N as.e/ 3crooge*

V1 am*N

The ?oice 4as soft an/ gentle* 3ingularl, lo49 as if
instea/ of being so close besi/e him9 it 4ere at a /istance*

V>ho9 an/ 4hat are ,ou*N 3crooge /eman/e/*

V1 am the Ghost of Christmas Past*N

V;ong Past*N inHuire/ 3crooge" obser?ant of its /4arfish
stature*

VNo* Jour past*N

Perhaps9 3crooge coul/ not ha?e tol/ an,bo/, 4h,9 if
an,bo/, coul/ ha?e as.e/ him@ but he ha/ a special /esire
to see the 3pirit in his cap@ an/ begge/ him to be co?ere/*

V>hat*N exclaime/ the Ghost9 V4oul/ ,ou so soon put out9
4ith 4orl/l, han/s9 the light 1 gi?e* 1s it not enough
that ,ou are one of those 4hose passions ma/e this cap9 an/
force me through 4hole trains of ,ears to 4ear it lo4 upon
m, bro4*N

3crooge re?erentl, /isclaime/ all intention to offen/
or an, .no4le/ge of ha?ing 4ilfull, bonnete/ the 3pirit at
an, perio/ of his life* Le then ma/e bol/ to inHuire 4hat
business brought him there*

VJour 4elfare*N sai/ the Ghost*

3crooge expresse/ himself much oblige/9 but coul/ not
help thin.ing that a night of unbro.en rest 4oul/ ha?e been
more con/uci?e to that en/* The 3pirit must ha?e hear/
him thin.ing9 for it sai/ imme/iatel,"

VJour reclamation9 then* Ta.e hee/*N

1t put out its strong han/ as it spo.e9 an/ claspe/ him
gentl, b, the arm*

V8ise* an/ 4al. 4ith me*N

1t 4oul/ ha?e been in ?ain for 3crooge to plea/ that the
4eather an/ the hour 4ere not a/apte/ to pe/estrian purposes@
that be/ 4as 4arm9 an/ the thermometer a long 4a, belo4
free0ing@ that he 4as cla/ but lightl, in his slippers9
/ressinggo4n9 an/ nightcap@ an/ that he ha/ a col/ upon him at
that time* The grasp9 though gentle as a 4omanNs han/9
4as not to be resiste/* Le rose" but fin/ing that the 3pirit
ma/e to4ar/s the 4in/o49 claspe/ his robe in supplication*

V1 am mortal9N 3crooge remonstrate/9 Van/ liable to fall*N

V7ear but a touch of m, han/ there9N sai/ the 3pirit9
la,ing it upon his heart9N an/ ,ou shall be uphel/ in more
than this*N

As the 4or/s 4ere spo.en9 the, passe/ through the 4all9
an/ stoo/ upon an open countr, roa/9 4ith fiel/s on either
han/* The cit, ha/ entirel, ?anishe/* Not a ?estige of it
4as to be seen* The /ar.ness an/ the mist ha/ ?anishe/
4ith it9 for it 4as a clear9 col/9 4inter /a,9 4ith sno4 upon
the groun/*

VGoo/ Lea?enFN sai/ 3crooge9 clasping his han/s together9
as he loo.e/ about him* V1 4as bre/ in this place* 1 4as
a bo, here*N

The 3pirit ga0e/ upon him mil/l,* 1ts gentle touch9
though it ha/ been light an/ instantaneous9 appeare/ still
present to the ol/ manNs sense of feeling* Le 4as conscious
of a thousan/ o/ours floating in the air9 each one connecte/
4ith a thousan/ thoughts9 an/ hopes9 an/ jo,s9 an/ cares
long9 long9 forgotten*

VJour lip is trembling9N sai/ the Ghost* VAn/ 4hat is
that upon ,our chee.*N

3crooge muttere/9 4ith an unusual catching in his ?oice9
that it 4as a pimple@ an/ begge/ the Ghost to lea/ him
4here he 4oul/*

VJou recollect the 4a,*N inHuire/ the 3pirit*

V8emember it*N crie/ 3crooge 4ith fer?our@ V1 coul/
4al. it blin/fol/*N

V3trange to ha?e forgotten it for so man, ,ears*N obser?e/
the Ghost* V;et us go on*N

The, 4al.e/ along the roa/9 3crooge recognising e?er,
gate9 an/ post9 an/ tree@ until a little mar.etto4n appeare/
in the /istance9 4ith its bri/ge9 its church9 an/ 4in/ing ri?er*
3ome shagg, ponies no4 4ere seen trotting to4ar/s them
4ith bo,s upon their bac.s9 4ho calle/ to other bo,s in
countr, gigs an/ carts9 /ri?en b, farmers* All these bo,s
4ere in great spirits9 an/ shoute/ to each other9 until the
broa/ fiel/s 4ere so full of merr, music9 that the crisp air
laughe/ to hear it*

VThese are but sha/o4s of the things that ha?e been9N sai/
the Ghost* VThe, ha?e no consciousness of us*N

The jocun/ tra?ellers came on@ an/ as the, came9 3crooge
.ne4 an/ name/ them e?er, one* >h, 4as he rejoice/ be,on/
all boun/s to see them* >h, /i/ his col/ e,e glisten9 an/
his heart leap up as the, 4ent past* >h, 4as he fille/
4ith gla/ness 4hen he hear/ them gi?e each other 6err,
Christmas9 as the, parte/ at crossroa/s an/ b,e4a,s9 for
their se?eral homes* >hat 4as merr, Christmas to 3crooge*
2ut upon merr, Christmas* >hat goo/ ha/ it e?er /one
to him*

VThe school is not Huite /eserte/9N sai/ the Ghost* VA
solitar, chil/9 neglecte/ b, his frien/s9 is left there still*N

3crooge sai/ he .ne4 it* An/ he sobbe/*

The, left the highroa/9 b, a 4ellremembere/ lane9 an/
soon approache/ a mansion of /ull re/ bric.9 4ith a little
4eathercoc.surmounte/ cupola9 on the roof9 an/ a bell
hanging in it* 1t 4as a large house9 but one of bro.en
fortunes@ for the spacious offices 4ere little use/9 their 4alls
4ere /amp an/ moss,9 their 4in/o4s bro.en9 an/ their
gates /eca,e/* Bo4ls cluc.e/ an/ strutte/ in the stables@
an/ the coachhouses an/ she/s 4ere o?errun 4ith grass*
Nor 4as it more retenti?e of its ancient state9 4ithin@ for
entering the /rear, hall9 an/ glancing through the open
/oors of man, rooms9 the, foun/ them poorl, furnishe/9
col/9 an/ ?ast* There 4as an earth, sa?our in the air9 a
chill, bareness in the place9 4hich associate/ itself someho4
4ith too much getting up b, can/lelight9 an/ not too
much to eat*

The, 4ent9 the Ghost an/ 3crooge9 across the hall9 to a
/oor at the bac. of the house* 1t opene/ before them9 an/
/isclose/ a long9 bare9 melanchol, room9 ma/e barer still b,
lines of plain /eal forms an/ /es.s* At one of these a lonel,
bo, 4as rea/ing near a feeble fire@ an/ 3crooge sat /o4n
upon a form9 an/ 4ept to see his poor forgotten self as he
use/ to be*

Not a latent echo in the house9 not a sHuea. an/ scuffle
from the mice behin/ the panelling9 not a /rip from the
halftha4e/ 4aterspout in the /ull ,ar/ behin/9 not a sigh among
the leafless boughs of one /espon/ent poplar9 not the i/le
s4inging of an empt, storehouse /oor9 no9 not a clic.ing in
the fire9 but fell upon the heart of 3crooge 4ith a softening
influence9 an/ ga?e a freer passage to his tears*

The 3pirit touche/ him on the arm9 an/ pointe/ to his
,ounger self9 intent upon his rea/ing* 3u//enl, a man9 in
foreign garments" 4on/erfull, real an/ /istinct to loo. at"
stoo/ outsi/e the 4in/o49 4ith an axe stuc. in his belt9 an/
lea/ing b, the bri/le an ass la/en 4ith 4oo/*

V>h,9 itNs Ali 7aba*N 3crooge exclaime/ in ecstas,* V1tNs
/ear ol/ honest Ali 7aba* Jes9 ,es9 1 .no4* 2ne Christmas
time9 4hen ,on/er solitar, chil/ 4as left here all alone9
he /i/ come9 for the first time9 just li.e that* Poor bo,* An/
:alentine9N sai/ 3crooge9N an/ his 4il/ brother9 2rson@ there
the, go* An/ 4hatNs his name9 4ho 4as put /o4n in his
/ra4ers9 asleep9 at the Gate of -amascus@ /onNt ,ou see him*
An/ the 3ultanNs Groom turne/ upsi/e /o4n b, the Genii@
there he is upon his hea/* 3er?e him right* 1Nm gla/ of it*
>hat business ha/ he to be marrie/ to the Princess*N

To hear 3crooge expen/ing all the earnestness of his nature
on such subjects9 in a most extraor/inar, ?oice bet4een
laughing an/ cr,ing@ an/ to see his heightene/ an/ excite/
face@ 4oul/ ha?e been a surprise to his business frien/s in
the cit,9 in/ee/*

VThereNs the Parrot*N crie/ 3crooge* VGreen bo/, an/
,ello4 tail9 4ith a thing li.e a lettuce gro4ing out of the
top of his hea/@ there he is* Poor 8obin Crusoe9 he calle/
him9 4hen he came home again after sailing roun/ the
islan/* VPoor 8obin Crusoe9 4here ha?e ,ou been9 8obin
Crusoe*N The man thought he 4as /reaming9 but he 4asnNt*
1t 4as the Parrot9 ,ou .no4* There goes Bri/a,9 running
for his life to the little cree.* Lalloa* Loop* Lallo*N

Then9 4ith a rapi/it, of transition ?er, foreign to his
usual character9 he sai/9 in pit, for his former self9 VPoor
bo,*N an/ crie/ again*

V1 4ish9N 3crooge muttere/9 putting his han/ in his
poc.et9 an/ loo.ing about him9 after /r,ing his e,es 4ith his
cuff" Vbut itNs too late no4*N

V>hat is the matter*N as.e/ the 3pirit*

VNothing9N sai/ 3crooge* VNothing* There 4as a bo,
singing a Christmas Carol at m, /oor last night* 1 shoul/
li.e to ha?e gi?en him something" thatNs all*N

The Ghost smile/ thoughtfull,9 an/ 4a?e/ its han/"
sa,ing as it /i/ so9 V;et us see another Christmas*N

3croogeNs former self gre4 larger at the 4or/s9 an/ the
room became a little /ar.er an/ more /irt,* The panels shrun.9
the 4in/o4s crac.e/@ fragments of plaster fell out of the
ceiling9 an/ the na.e/ laths 4ere sho4n instea/@ but ho4
all this 4as brought about9 3crooge .ne4 no more than ,ou
/o* Le onl, .ne4 that it 4as Huite correct@ that e?er,thing
ha/ happene/ so@ that there he 4as9 alone again9 4hen all
the other bo,s ha/ gone home for the joll, holi/a,s*

Le 4as not rea/ing no49 but 4al.ing up an/ /o4n
/espairingl,*

3crooge loo.e/ at the Ghost9 an/ 4ith a mournful
sha.ing of his hea/9 glance/ anxiousl, to4ar/s the /oor*

1t opene/@ an/ a little girl9 much ,ounger than the bo,9
came /arting in9 an/ putting her arms about his nec.9 an/
often .issing him9 a//resse/ him as her V-ear9 /ear
brother*N

V1 ha?e come to bring ,ou home9 /ear brother*N sai/ the
chil/9 clapping her tin, han/s9 an/ ben/ing /o4n to laugh*
VTo bring ,ou home9 home9 home*N

VLome9 little Ban*N returne/ the bo,*

VJes*N sai/ the chil/9 brimful of glee* VLome9 for goo/
an/ all* Lome9 for e?er an/ e?er* Bather is so much .in/er
than he use/ to be9 that homeNs li.e Lea?en* Le spo.e so
gentl, to me one /ear night 4hen 1 4as going to be/9 that
1 4as not afrai/ to as. him once more if ,ou might come
home@ an/ he sai/ Jes9 ,ou shoul/@ an/ sent me in a coach
to bring ,ou* An/ ,ouNre to be a man*N sai/ the chil/9
opening her e,es9N an/ are ne?er to come bac. here@ but
first9 4eNre to be together all the Christmas long9 an/ ha?e
the merriest time in all the 4orl/*N

VJou are Huite a 4oman9 little Ban*N exclaime/ the bo,*

3he clappe/ her han/s an/ laughe/9 an/ trie/ to touch his
hea/@ but being too little9 laughe/ again9 an/ stoo/ on
tiptoe to embrace him* Then she began to /rag him9 in her
chil/ish eagerness9 to4ar/s the /oor@ an/ he9 nothing loth to
go9 accompanie/ her*

A terrible ?oice in the hall crie/* V7ring /o4n 6aster
3croogeNs box9 there*N an/ in the hall appeare/ the schoolmaster
himself9 4ho glare/ on 6aster 3crooge 4ith a ferocious
con/escension9 an/ thre4 him into a /rea/ful state of min/
b, sha.ing han/s 4ith him* Le then con?e,e/ him an/ his
sister into the ?eriest ol/ 4ell of a shi?ering bestparlour that
e?er 4as seen9 4here the maps upon the 4all9 an/ the celestial
an/ terrestrial globes in the 4in/o4s9 4ere 4ax, 4ith col/*
Lere he pro/uce/ a /ecanter of curiousl, light 4ine9 an/ a
bloc. of curiousl, hea?, ca.e9 an/ a/ministere/ instalments
of those /ainties to the ,oung people" at the same time9
sen/ing out a meagre ser?ant to offer a glass of something
to the postbo,9 4ho ans4ere/ that he than.e/ the gentleman9
but if it 4as the same tap as he ha/ taste/ before9 he ha/
rather not* 6aster 3croogeNs trun. being b, this time tie/
on to the top of the chaise9 the chil/ren ba/e the schoolmaster
goo/b,e right 4illingl,@ an/ getting into it9 /ro?e
gail, /o4n the gar/ens4eep" the Huic. 4heels /ashing the
hoarfrost an/ sno4 from off the /ar. lea?es of the e?ergreens
li.e spra,*

VAl4a,s a /elicate creature9 4hom a breath might ha?e
4ithere/9N sai/ the Ghost* V7ut she ha/ a large heart*N

V3o she ha/9N crie/ 3crooge* VJouNre right* 1 4ill not
gainsa, it9 3pirit* Go/ forbi/*N

V3he /ie/ a 4oman9N sai/ the Ghost9 Van/ ha/9 as 1 thin.9
chil/ren*N

V2ne chil/9N 3crooge returne/*

VTrue9N sai/ the Ghost* VJour nephe4*N

3crooge seeme/ uneas, in his min/@ an/ ans4ere/ briefl,9
VJes*N

Although the, ha/ but that moment left the school behin/
them9 the, 4ere no4 in the bus, thoroughfares of a cit,9
4here sha/o4, passengers passe/ an/ repasse/@ 4here sha/o4,
carts an/ coaches battle for the 4a,9 an/ all the strife an/
tumult of a real cit, 4ere* 1t 4as ma/e plain enough9 b,
the /ressing of the shops9 that here too it 4as Christmas
time again@ but it 4as e?ening9 an/ the streets 4ere
lighte/ up*

The Ghost stoppe/ at a certain 4arehouse /oor9 an/ as.e/
3crooge if he .ne4 it*

VQno4 it*N sai/ 3crooge* V1 4as apprentice/ here*N

The, 4ent in* At sight of an ol/ gentleman in a >elsh
4ig9 sitting behin/ such a high /es.9 that if he ha/ been t4o
inches taller he must ha?e .noc.e/ his hea/ against the
ceiling9 3crooge crie/ in great excitement"

V>h,9 itNs ol/ Be00i4ig* 7less his heart@ itNs Be00i4ig
ali?e again*N

2l/ Be00i4ig lai/ /o4n his pen9 an/ loo.e/ up at the
cloc.9 4hich pointe/ to the hour of se?en* Le rubbe/ his
han/s@ a/juste/ his capacious 4aistcoat@ laughe/ all o?er
himself9 from his sho4s to his organ of bene?olence@ an/
calle/ out in a comfortable9 oil,9 rich9 fat9 jo?ial ?oice"

VJo ho9 there* Ebene0er* -ic.*N

3croogeNs former self9 no4 gro4n a ,oung man9 came bris.l,
in9 accompanie/ b, his fello4prentice*

V-ic. >il.ins9 to be sure*N sai/ 3crooge to the Ghost*
V7less me9 ,es* There he is* Le 4as ?er, much attache/
to me9 4as -ic.* Poor -ic.* -ear9 /ear*N

VJo ho9 m, bo,s*N sai/ Be00i4ig* VNo more 4or. tonight*
Christmas E?e9 -ic.* Christmas9 Ebene0er* ;etNs
ha?e the shutters up9N crie/ ol/ Be00i4ig9 4ith a sharp clap
of his han/s9N before a man can sa, Oac. 8obinson*N

Jou 4oul/nNt belie?e ho4 those t4o fello4s 4ent at it*
The, charge/ into the street 4ith the shutters one9 t4o9
three ha/ them up in their places four9 fi?e9 six barre/
them an/ pinne/ then se?en9 eight9 nine an/ came bac.
before ,ou coul/ ha?e got to t4el?e9 panting li.e racehorses*

VLillihoFN crie/ ol/ Be00i4ig9 s.ipping /o4n from the
high /es.9 4ith 4on/erful agilit,* VClear a4a,9 m, la/s9
an/ letNs ha?e lots of room here* Lilliho9 -ic.* Chirrup9
Ebene0er*N

Clear a4a,* There 4as nothing the, 4oul/nNt ha?e cleare/
a4a,9 or coul/nNt ha?e cleare/ a4a,9 4ith ol/ Be00i4ig loo.ing
on* 1t 4as /one in a minute* E?er, mo?able 4as pac.e/ off9 as if
it 4ere /ismisse/ from public life for e?ermore@ the floor 4as
s4ept an/ 4atere/9 the lamps 4ere trimme/9 fuel 4as heape/ upon
the fire@ an/ the 4arehouse 4as as snug9 an/ 4arm9 an/ /r,9 an/
bright a ballroom9 as ,ou 4oul/ /esire to see upon a 4interNs
night*

1n came a fi//ler 4ith a musicboo.9 an/ 4ent up to the
loft, /es.9 an/ ma/e an orchestra of it9 an/ tune/ li.e fift,
stomachaches* 1n came 6rs Be00i4ig9 one ?ast substantial
smile* 1n came the three 6iss Be00i4igs9 beaming an/
lo?able* 1n came the six ,oung follo4ers 4hose hearts the,
bro.e* 1n came all the ,oung men an/ 4omen emplo,e/ in
the business* 1n came the housemai/9 4ith her cousin9 the
ba.er* 1n came the coo.9 4ith her brotherNs particular frien/9
the mil.man* 1n came the bo, from o?er the 4a,9 4ho 4as
suspecte/ of not ha?ing boar/ enough from his master@ tr,ing
to hi/e himself behin/ the girl from next /oor but one9 4ho
4as pro?e/ to ha?e ha/ her ears pulle/ b, her mistress*
1n the, all came9 one after another@ some sh,l,9 some bol/l,9
some gracefull,9 some a4.4ar/l,9 some pushing9 some pulling@
in the, all came9 an,ho4 an/ e?er,ho4* A4a, the, all 4ent9
t4ent, couples at once@ han/s half roun/ an/ bac. again
the other 4a,@ /o4n the mi//le an/ up again@ roun/
an/ roun/ in ?arious stages of affectionate grouping@ ol/
top couple al4a,s turning up in the 4rong place@ ne4 top
couple starting off again9 as soon as the, got there@ all top
couples at last9 an/ not a bottom one to help them* >hen
this result 4as brought about9 ol/ Be00i4ig9 clapping his
han/s to stop the /ance9 crie/ out9N >ell /one*N an/ the
fi//ler plunge/ his hot face into a pot of porter9 especiall,
pro?i/e/ for that purpose* 7ut scorning rest9 upon his
reappearance9 he instantl, began again9 though there 4ere no
/ancers ,et9 as if the other fi//ler ha/ been carrie/ home9
exhauste/9 on a shutter9 an/ he 4ere a branne4 man
resol?e/ to beat him out of sight9 or perish*

There 4ere more /ances9 an/ there 4ere forfeits9 an/ more
/ances9 an/ there 4as ca.e9 an/ there 4as negus9 an/ there
4as a great piece of Col/ 8oast9 an/ there 4as a great piece
of Col/ 7oile/9 an/ there 4ere mincepies9 an/ plent, of beer*
7ut the great effect of the e?ening came after the 8oast
an/ 7oile/9 4hen the fi//ler <an artful /og9 min/* The sort
of man 4ho .ne4 his business better than ,ou or 1 coul/
ha?e tol/ it him*= struc. up 3ir 8oger /e Co?erle,*N Then
ol/ Be00i4ig stoo/ out to /ance 4ith 6rs Be00i4ig* Top
couple9 too@ 4ith a goo/ stiff piece of 4or. cut out for them@
three or four an/ t4ent, pair of partners@ people 4ho 4ere
not to be trifle/ 4ith@ people 4ho 4oul/ /ance9 an/ ha/ no
notion of 4al.ing*

7ut if the, ha/ been t4ice as man, ah9 four times
ol/ Be00i4ig 4oul/ ha?e been a match for them9 an/ so 4oul/
6rs Be00i4ig* As to her9 she 4as 4orth, to be his partner
in e?er, sense of the term* 1f thatNs not high praise9 tell me
higher9 an/ 1Nll use it* A positi?e light appeare/ to issue
from Be00i4igNs cal?es* The, shone in e?er, part of the
/ance li.e moons* Jou coul/nNt ha?e pre/icte/9 at an, gi?en
time9 4hat 4oul/ ha?e become of them next* An/ 4hen ol/
Be00i4ig an/ 6rs Be00i4ig ha/ gone all through the /ance@
a/?ance an/ retire9 both han/s to ,our partner9 bo4 an/
curtse,9 cor.scre49 threa/thenee/le9 an/ bac. again to
,our place@ Be00i4ig cut cut so /eftl,9 that he appeare/
to 4in. 4ith his legs9 an/ came upon his feet again 4ithout
a stagger*

>hen the cloc. struc. ele?en9 this /omestic ball bro.e up*
6r an/ 6rs Be00i4ig too. their stations9 one on either si/e
of the /oor9 an/ sha.ing han/s 4ith e?er, person in/i?i/uall,
as he or she 4ent out9 4ishe/ him or her a 6err, Christmas*
>hen e?er,bo/, ha/ retire/ but the t4o prentices9 the, /i/
the same to them@ an/ thus the cheerful ?oices /ie/ a4a,9
an/ the la/s 4ere left to their be/s@ 4hich 4ere un/er a
counter in the bac.shop*

-uring the 4hole of this time9 3crooge ha/ acte/ li.e a
man out of his 4its* Lis heart an/ soul 4ere in the scene9
an/ 4ith his former self* Le corroborate/ e?er,thing9
remembere/ e?er,thing9 enjo,e/ e?er,thing9 an/ un/er4ent
the strangest agitation* 1t 4as not until no49 4hen the
bright faces of his former self an/ -ic. 4ere turne/ from
them9 that he remembere/ the Ghost9 an/ became conscious
that it 4as loo.ing full upon him9 4hile the light upon its
hea/ burnt ?er, clear*

VA small matter9N sai/ the Ghost9 Vto ma.e these sill,
fol.s so full of gratitu/e*N

V3mall*N echoe/ 3crooge*

The 3pirit signe/ to him to listen to the t4o apprentices9
4ho 4ere pouring out their hearts in praise of Be00i4ig"
an/ 4hen he ha/ /one so9 sai/9

V>h,* 1s it not* Le has spent but a fe4 poun/s of
,our mortal mone," three or four perhaps* 1s that so
much that he /eser?es this praise*N

V1t isnNt that9N sai/ 3crooge9 heate/ b, the remar.9 an/
spea.ing unconsciousl, li.e his former9 not his latter9 self*
V1t isnNt that9 3pirit* Le has the po4er to ren/er us happ,
or unhapp,@ to ma.e our ser?ice light or bur/ensome@ a
pleasure or a toil* 3a, that his po4er lies in 4or/s an/
loo.s@ in things so slight an/ insignificant that it is
impossible
to a// an/ count them up" 4hat then* The happiness
he gi?es9 is Huite as great as if it cost a fortune*N

Le felt the 3piritNs glance9 an/ stoppe/*

V>hat is the matter*N as.e/ the Ghost*

VNothing in particular9N sai/ 3crooge*

V3omething9 1 thin.*N the Ghost insiste/*

VNo9N sai/ 3crooge9N No* 1 shoul/ li.e to be able to sa,
a 4or/ or t4o to m, cler. just no4* ThatNs all*N

Lis former self turne/ /o4n the lamps as he ga?e utterance
to the 4ish@ an/ 3crooge an/ the Ghost again stoo/ si/e b,
si/e in the open air*

V6, time gro4s short9N obser?e/ the 3pirit* VPuic.*N

This 4as not a//resse/ to 3crooge9 or to an, one 4hom he
coul/ see9 but it pro/uce/ an imme/iate effect* Bor again
3crooge sa4 himself* Le 4as ol/er no4@ a man in the prime
of life* Lis face ha/ not the harsh an/ rigi/ lines of later
,ears@ but it ha/ begun to 4ear the signs of care an/ a?arice*
There 4as an eager9 gree/,9 restless motion in the e,e9 4hich
sho4e/ the passion that ha/ ta.en root9 an/ 4here the
sha/o4 of the gro4ing tree 4oul/ fall*

Le 4as not alone9 but sat b, the si/e of a fair ,oung
girl in a mourning/ress" in 4hose e,es there 4ere tears9
4hich spar.le/ in the light that shone out of the Ghost of
Christmas Past*

V1t matters little9N she sai/9 softl,* VTo ,ou9 ?er, little*
Another i/ol has /isplace/ me@ an/ if it can cheer an/ comfort
,ou in time to come9 as 1 4oul/ ha?e trie/ to /o9 1 ha?e
no just cause to grie?e*N

V>hat 1/ol has /isplace/ ,ou*N he rejoine/*

VA gol/en one*N

VThis is the e?enhan/e/ /ealing of the 4orl/*N he sai/*
VThere is nothing on 4hich it is so har/ as po?ert,@ an/
there is nothing it professes to con/emn 4ith such se?erit,
as the pursuit of 4ealth*N

VJou fear the 4orl/ too much9N she ans4ere/9 gentl,*
VAll ,our other hopes ha?e merge/ into the hope of being
be,on/ the chance of its sor/i/ reproach* 1 ha?e seen ,our
nobler aspirations fall off one b, one9 until the masterpassion9
Gain9 engrosses ,ou* La?e 1 not*N

V>hat then*N he retorte/* VE?en if 1 ha?e gro4n so
much 4iser9 4hat then* 1 am not change/ to4ar/s ,ou*N

3he shoo. her hea/*

VAm 1*N

V2ur contract is an ol/ one* 1t 4as ma/e 4hen 4e 4ere
both poor an/ content to be so9 until9 in goo/ season9 4e coul/
impro?e our 4orl/l, fortune b, our patient in/ustr,* Jou
are change/* >hen it 4as ma/e9 ,ou 4ere another man*N

V1 4as a bo,9N he sai/ impatientl,*

VJour o4n feeling tells ,ou that ,ou 4ere not 4hat ,ou
are9N she returne/* V1 am* That 4hich promise/ happiness
4hen 4e 4ere one in heart9 is fraught 4ith miser, no4 that
4e are t4o* Lo4 often an/ ho4 .eenl, 1 ha?e thought of
this9 1 4ill not sa,* 1t is enough that 1 ha?e thought of it9
an/ can release ,ou*N

VLa?e 1 e?er sought release*N

V1n 4or/s* No* Ne?er*N

V1n 4hat9 then*N

V1n a change/ nature@ in an altere/ spirit@ in another
atmosphere of life@ another Lope as its great en/* 1n
e?er,thing that ma/e m, lo?e of an, 4orth or ?alue in ,our
sight* 1f this ha/ ne?er been bet4een us9N sai/ the girl9
loo.ing mil/l,9 but 4ith stea/iness9 upon him@N tell me9
4oul/ ,ou see. me out an/ tr, to 4in me no4* Ah9 no*N

Le seeme/ to ,iel/ to the justice of this supposition9 in
spite of himself* 7ut he sai/ 4ith a struggle9N Jou thin.
not*N

V1 4oul/ gla/l, thin. other4ise if 1 coul/9N she ans4ere/9
VLea?en .no4s* >hen 1 ha?e learne/ a Truth li.e this9
1 .no4 ho4 strong an/ irresistible it must be* 7ut if ,ou
4ere free to/a,9 tomorro49 ,ester/a,9 can e?en 1 belie?e
that ,ou 4oul/ choose a /o4erless girl ,ou 4ho9 in ,our
?er, confi/ence 4ith her9 4eigh e?er,thing b, Gain" or9
choosing her9 if for a moment ,ou 4ere false enough to ,our
one gui/ing principle to /o so9 /o 1 not .no4 that ,our
repentance an/ regret 4oul/ surel, follo4* 1 /o@ an/ 1
release ,ou* >ith a full heart9 for the lo?e of him ,ou
once 4ere*N

Le 4as about to spea.@ but 4ith her hea/ turne/ from
him9 she resume/*

VJou ma, the memor, of 4hat is past half ma.es me
hope ,ou 4ill ha?e pain in this* A ?er,9 ?er, brief time9
an/ ,ou 4ill /ismiss the recollection of it9 gla/l,9 as an
unprofitable /ream9 from 4hich it happene/ 4ell that ,ou
a4o.e* 6a, ,ou be happ, in the life ,ou ha?e chosen*N

3he left him9 an/ the, parte/*

V3pirit*N sai/ 3crooge9N sho4 me no more* Con/uct
me home* >h, /o ,ou /elight to torture me*N

V2ne sha/o4 more*N exclaime/ the Ghost*

VNo more*N crie/ 3crooge* VNo more9 1 /onNt 4ish to
see it* 3ho4 me no more*N

7ut the relentless Ghost pinione/ him in both his arms9
an/ force/ him to obser?e 4hat happene/ next*

The, 4ere in another scene an/ place@ a room9 not ?er,
large or han/some9 but full of comfort* Near to the 4inter
fire sat a beautiful ,oung girl9 so li.e that last that 3crooge
belie?e/ it 4as the same9 until he sa4 her9 no4 a comel,
matron9 sitting opposite her /aughter* The noise in this
room 4as perfectl, tumultuous9 for there 4ere more chil/ren
there9 than 3crooge in his agitate/ state of min/ coul/ count@
an/9 unli.e the celebrate/ her/ in the poem9 the, 4ere not
fort, chil/ren con/ucting themsel?es li.e one9 but e?er,
chil/ 4as con/ucting itself li.e fort,* The conseHuences
4ere uproarious be,on/ belief@ but no one seeme/ to care@
on the contrar,9 the mother an/ /aughter laughe/ heartil,9
an/ enjo,e/ it ?er, much@ an/ the latter9 soon beginning to
mingle in the sports9 got pillage/ b, the ,oung brigan/s
most ruthlessl,* >hat 4oul/ 1 not ha?e gi?en to one of
them* Though 1 ne?er coul/ ha?e been so ru/e9 no9 no* 1
4oul/nNt for the 4ealth of all the 4orl/ ha?e crushe/ that
brai/e/ hair9 an/ torn it /o4n@ an/ for the precious little
shoe9 1 4oul/nNt ha?e pluc.e/ it off9 Go/ bless m, soul* to
sa?e m, life* As to measuring her 4aist in sport9 as the,
/i/9 bol/ ,oung broo/9 1 coul/nNt ha?e /one it@ 1 shoul/
ha?e expecte/ m, arm to ha?e gro4n roun/ it for a punishment9
an/ ne?er come straight again* An/ ,et 1 shoul/
ha?e /earl, li.e/9 1 o4n9 to ha?e touche/ her lips@ to ha?e
Huestione/ her9 that she might ha?e opene/ them@ to ha?e
loo.e/ upon the lashes of her /o4ncast e,es9 an/ ne?er
raise/ a blush@ to ha?e let loose 4a?es of hair9 an inch of
4hich 4oul/ be a .eepsa.e be,on/ price" in short9 1 shoul/
ha?e li.e/9 1 /o confess9 to ha?e ha/ the lightest licence
of a chil/9 an/ ,et to ha?e been man enough to .no4 its
?alue*

7ut no4 a .noc.ing at the /oor 4as hear/9 an/ such a
rush imme/iatel, ensue/ that she 4ith laughing face an/
plun/ere/ /ress 4as borne to4ar/s it the centre of a flushe/
an/ boisterous group9 just in time to greet the father9 4ho
came home atten/e/ b, a man la/en 4ith Christmas to,s
an/ presents* Then the shouting an/ the struggling9 an/
the onslaught that 4as ma/e on the /efenceless porter*
The scaling him 4ith chairs for la//ers to /i?e into his
poc.ets9 /espoil him of bro4npaper parcels9 hol/ on tight
b, his cra?at9 hug him roun/ his nec.9 pommel his bac.9
an/ .ic. his legs in irrepressible affection* The shouts of
4on/er an/ /elight 4ith 4hich the /e?elopment of e?er,
pac.age 4as recei?e/* The terrible announcement that the
bab, ha/ been ta.en in the act of putting a /ollNs fr,ingpan
into his mouth9 an/ 4as more than suspecte/ of ha?ing
s4allo4e/ a fictitious tur.e,9 glue/ on a 4oo/en platter*
The immense relief of fin/ing this a false alarm* The jo,9
an/ gratitu/e9 an/ ecstas,* The, are all in/escribable ali.e*
1t is enough that b, /egrees the chil/ren an/ their emotions
got out of the parlour9 an/ b, one stair at a time9 up to the
top of the house@ 4here the, 4ent to be/9 an/ so subsi/e/*

An/ no4 3crooge loo.e/ on more attenti?el, than e?er9
4hen the master of the house9 ha?ing his /aughter leaning
fon/l, on him9 sat /o4n 4ith her an/ her mother at his
o4n firesi/e@ an/ 4hen he thought that such another
creature9 Huite as graceful an/ as full of promise9 might
ha?e calle/ him father9 an/ been a springtime in the
haggar/ 4inter of his life9 his sight gre4 ?er, /im in/ee/*

V7elle9N sai/ the husban/9 turning to his 4ife 4ith a
smile9N 1 sa4 an ol/ frien/ of ,ours this afternoon*N

V>ho 4as it*N

VGuess*N

VLo4 can 1* Tut9 /onNt 1 .no4*N she a//e/ in the
same breath9 laughing as he laughe/* V6r 3crooge*N

V6r 3crooge it 4as* 1 passe/ his office 4in/o4@ an/ as
it 4as not shut up9 an/ he ha/ a can/le insi/e9 1 coul/
scarcel, help seeing him* Lis partner lies upon the point
of /eath9 1 hear@ an/ there he sat alone* Puite alone in
the 4orl/9 1 /o belie?e*N

V3pirit*N sai/ 3crooge in a bro.en ?oice9N remo?e me
from this place*N

V1 tol/ ,ou these 4ere sha/o4s of the things that ha?e
been9N sai/ the Ghost* VThat the, are 4hat the, are9 /o
not blame me*N

V8emo?e me*N 3crooge exclaime/9N 1 cannot bear it*N

Le turne/ upon the Ghost9 an/ seeing that it loo.e/ upon
him 4ith a face9 in 4hich in some strange 4a, there 4ere
fragments of all the faces it ha/ sho4n him9 4restle/ 4ith it*

V;ea?e me* Ta.e me bac.* Launt me no longer*N

1n the struggle9 if that can be calle/ a struggle in 4hich
the Ghost 4ith no ?isible resistance on its o4n part 4as
un/isturbe/ b, an, effort of its a/?ersar,9 3crooge obser?e/
that its light 4as burning high an/ bright@ an/ /iml,
connecting that 4ith its influence o?er him9 he sei0e/ the
extinguishercap9 an/ b, a su//en action presse/ it /o4n
upon its hea/*

The 3pirit /roppe/ beneath it9 so that the extinguisher
co?ere/ its 4hole form@ but though 3crooge presse/ it /o4n
4ith all his force9 he coul/ not hi/e the light9 4hich streame/
from un/er it9 in an unbro.en floo/ upon the groun/*

Le 4as conscious of being exhauste/9 an/ o?ercome b, an
irresistible /ro4siness@ an/9 further9 of being in his o4n
be/room* Le ga?e the cap a parting sHuee0e9 in 4hich his han/
relaxe/@ an/ ha/ barel, time to reel to be/9 before he san.
into a hea?, sleep*


3ta?e !" The 3econ/ of the Three 3pirits

A4a.ing in the mi//le of a pro/igiousl, tough snore9 an/
sitting up in be/ to get his thoughts together9 3crooge ha/
no occasion to be tol/ that the bell 4as again upon the
stro.e of 2ne* Le felt that he 4as restore/ to consciousness
in the right nic. of time9 for the especial purpose of hol/ing
a conference 4ith the secon/ messenger /espatche/ to him
through Oacob 6arle,Ns inter?ention* 7ut9 fin/ing that he
turne/ uncomfortabl, col/ 4hen he began to 4on/er 4hich
of his curtains this ne4 spectre 4oul/ /ra4 bac.9 he put
them e?er, one asi/e 4ith his o4n han/s9 an/ l,ing /o4n
again9 establishe/ a sharp loo.out all roun/ the be/* Bor9
he 4ishe/ to challenge the 3pirit on the moment of its
appearance9 an/ /i/ not 4ish to be ta.en b, surprise9 an/
ma/e ner?ous*

Gentlemen of the freean/eas, sort9 4ho plume themsel?es
on being acHuainte/ 4ith a mo?e or t4o9 an/ being usuall,
eHual to the timeof/a,9 express the 4i/e range of their
capacit, for a/?enture b, obser?ing that the, are goo/ for
an,thing from pitchan/toss to manslaughter@ bet4een 4hich
opposite extremes9 no /oubt9 there lies a tolerabl, 4i/e an/
comprehensi?e range of subjects* >ithout ?enturing for
3crooge Huite as har/il, as this9 1 /onNt min/ calling on ,ou
to belie?e that he 4as rea/, for a goo/ broa/ fiel/ of
strange appearances9 an/ that nothing bet4een a bab, an/
rhinoceros 4oul/ ha?e astonishe/ him ?er, much*

No49 being prepare/ for almost an,thing9 he 4as not b,
an, means prepare/ for nothing@ an/9 conseHuentl,9 4hen the
7ell struc. 2ne9 an/ no shape appeare/9 he 4as ta.en 4ith a
?iolent fit of trembling* Bi?e minutes9 ten minutes9 a Huarter
of an hour 4ent b,9 ,et nothing came* All this time9 he la,
upon his be/9 the ?er, core an/ centre of a bla0e of ru//,
light9 4hich streame/ upon it 4hen the cloc. proclaime/ the
hour@ an/ 4hich9 being onl, light9 4as more alarming than
a /o0en ghosts9 as he 4as po4erless to ma.e out 4hat it
meant9 or 4oul/ be at@ an/ 4as sometimes apprehensi?e
that he might be at that ?er, moment an interesting case of
spontaneous combustion9 4ithout ha?ing the consolation of
.no4ing it* At last9 ho4e?er9 he began to thin. as ,ou or
1 4oul/ ha?e thought at first@ for it is al4a,s the person not
in the pre/icament 4ho .no4s 4hat ought to ha?e been /one
in it9 an/ 4oul/ unHuestionabl, ha?e /one it too at last9 1
sa,9 he began to thin. that the source an/ secret of this
ghostl, light might be in the a/joining room9 from 4hence9
on further tracing it9 it seeme/ to shine* This i/ea ta.ing
full possession of his min/9 he got up softl, an/ shuffle/ in
his slippers to the /oor*

The moment 3croogeNs han/ 4as on the loc.9 a strange
?oice calle/ him b, his name9 an/ ba/e him enter* Le
obe,e/*

1t 4as his o4n room* There 4as no /oubt about that*
7ut it ha/ un/ergone a surprising transformation* The 4alls
an/ ceiling 4ere so hung 4ith li?ing green9 that it loo.e/ a
perfect gro?e@ from e?er, part of 4hich9 bright gleaming
berries glistene/* The crisp lea?es of holl,9 mistletoe9 an/
i?, reflecte/ bac. the light9 as if so man, little mirrors ha/
been scattere/ there@ an/ such a might, bla0e 4ent roaring
up the chimne,9 as that /ull petrification of a hearth ha/
ne?er .no4n in 3croogeNs time9 or 6arle,Ns9 or for man, an/
man, a 4inter season gone* Leape/ up on the floor9 to form
a .in/ of throne9 4ere tur.e,s9 geese9 game9 poultr,9 bra4n9
great joints of meat9 suc.ingpigs9 long 4reaths of sausages9
mincepies9 plumpu//ings9 barrels of o,sters9 re/hot chestnuts9
cherr,chee.e/ apples9 juic, oranges9 luscious pears9
immense t4elfthca.es9 an/ seething bo4ls of punch9 that
ma/e the chamber /im 4ith their /elicious steam* 1n eas,
state upon this couch9 there sat a joll, Giant9 glorious to
see9 4ho bore a glo4ing torch9 in shape not unli.e Plent,Ns
horn9 an/ hel/ it up9 high up9 to she/ its light on 3crooge9
as he came peeping roun/ the /oor*

VCome in*N exclaime/ the Ghost* VCome in9 an/ .no4
me better9 man*N

3crooge entere/ timi/l,9 an/ hung his hea/ before this
3pirit* Le 4as not the /ogge/ 3crooge he ha/ been@ an/
though the 3piritNs e,es 4ere clear an/ .in/9 he /i/ not li.e
to meet them*

V1 am the Ghost of Christmas Present9N sai/ the 3pirit*
V;oo. upon me*N

3crooge re?erentl, /i/ so* 1t 4as clothe/ in one simple
green robe9 or mantle9 bor/ere/ 4ith 4hite fur* This garment
hung so loosel, on the figure9 that its capacious breast 4as
bare9 as if /is/aining to be 4ar/e/ or conceale/ b, an,
artifice* 1ts feet9 obser?able beneath the ample fol/s of the
garment9 4ere also bare@ an/ on its hea/ it 4ore no other
co?ering than a holl, 4reath9 set here an/ there 4ith shining
icicles* 1ts /ar. bro4n curls 4ere long an/ free@ free as its
genial face9 its spar.ling e,e9 its open han/9 its cheer, ?oice9
its unconstraine/ /emeanour9 an/ its jo,ful air* Gir/e/
roun/ its mi//le 4as an antiHue scabbar/@ but no s4or/
4as in it9 an/ the ancient sheath 4as eaten up 4ith rust*

VJou ha?e ne?er seen the li.e of me before*N exclaime/
the 3pirit*

VNe?er9N 3crooge ma/e ans4er to it*

VLa?e ne?er 4al.e/ forth 4ith the ,ounger members of
m, famil,@ meaning <for 1 am ?er, ,oung= m, el/er brothers
born in these later ,ears*N pursue/ the Phantom*

V1 /onNt thin. 1 ha?e9N sai/ 3crooge* V1 am afrai/ 1 ha?e
not* La?e ,ou ha/ man, brothers9 3pirit*N

V6ore than eighteen hun/re/9N sai/ the Ghost*

VA tremen/ous famil, to pro?i/e for*N muttere/ 3crooge*

The Ghost of Christmas Present rose*

V3pirit9N sai/ 3crooge submissi?el,9N con/uct me 4here
,ou 4ill* 1 4ent forth last night on compulsion9 an/ 1 learnt
a lesson 4hich is 4or.ing no4* Tonight9 if ,ou ha?e aught
to teach me9 let me profit b, it*N

VTouch m, robe*N

3crooge /i/ as he 4as tol/9 an/ hel/ it fast*

Loll,9 mistletoe9 re/ berries9 i?,9 tur.e,s9 geese9 game9
poultr,9 bra4n9 meat9 pigs9 sausages9 o,sters9 pies9 pu//ings9
fruit9 an/ punch9 all ?anishe/ instantl,* 3o /i/ the room9
the fire9 the ru//, glo49 the hour of night9 an/ the, stoo/
in the cit, streets on Christmas morning9 4here <for the
4eather 4as se?ere= the people ma/e a rough9 but bris. an/
not unpleasant .in/ of music9 in scraping the sno4 from the
pa?ement in front of their /4ellings9 an/ from the tops of
their houses9 4hence it 4as ma/ /elight to the bo,s to see
it come plumping /o4n into the roa/ belo49 an/ splitting
into artificial little sno4storms*

The house fronts loo.e/ blac. enough9 an/ the 4in/o4s
blac.er9 contrasting 4ith the smooth 4hite sheet of sno4
upon the roofs9 an/ 4ith the /irtier sno4 upon the groun/@
4hich last /eposit ha/ been ploughe/ up in /eep furro4s b,
the hea?, 4heels of carts an/ 4aggons@ furro4s that crosse/
an/ recrosse/ each other hun/re/s of times 4here the great
streets branche/ off@ an/ ma/e intricate channels9 har/ to trace
in the thic. ,ello4 mu/ an/ ic, 4ater* The s., 4as gloom,9
an/ the shortest streets 4ere cho.e/ up 4ith a /ing, mist9
half tha4e/9 half fro0en9 4hose hea?ier particles /escen/e/
in sho4er of soot, atoms9 as if all the chimne,s in Great
7ritain ha/9 b, one consent9 caught fire9 an/ 4ere bla0ing a4a,
to their /ear heartsN content* There 4as nothing ?er, cheerful
in the climate or the to4n9 an/ ,et 4as there an air of
cheerfulness abroa/ that the clearest summer air an/ brightest
summer sun might ha?e en/ea?oure/ to /iffuse in ?ain*

Bor9 the people 4ho 4ere sho?elling a4a, on the housetops
4ere jo?ial an/ full of glee@ calling out to one another
from the parapets9 an/ no4 an/ then exchanging a facetious
sno4ball betternature/ missile far than man, a 4or/, jest
laughing heartil, if it 4ent right an/ not less heartil, if it
4ent 4rong* The poulterersN shops 4ere still half open9 an/ the
fruiterersN 4ere ra/iant in their glor,* There 4ere great9 roun/9
roun/9 potbellie/ bas.ets of chestnuts9 shape/ li.e the 4aistcoats
of joll, ol/ gentlemen9 lolling at the /oors9 an/ tumbling out
into the street in their apoplectic opulence* There 4ere
ru//,9 bro4nface/9 broa/girthe/ 3panish Briars9 an/ 4in.ing
from their shel?es in 4anton sl,ness at the girls as the, 4ent
b,9 an/ glance/ /emurel, at the hungup mistletoe* There 4ere
pears an/ apples9 clustere/ high in blooming p,rami/s@ there
4ere bunches of grapes9 ma/e9 in the shop.eepersN bene?olence
to /angle from conspicuous hoo.s9 that peopleNs mouths might
4ater gratis as the, passe/@ there 4ere piles of filberts9 moss,
an/ bro4n9 recalling9 in their fragrance9 ancient 4al.s among
the 4oo/s9 an/ pleasant shufflings an.le /eep through 4ithere/
lea?es@ there 4ere Norfol. 7iffins9 sHuab an/ s4arth,9 setting
off the ,ello4 of the oranges an/ lemons9 an/9 in the great
compactness of their juic, persons9 urgentl, entreating an/
beseeching to be carrie/ home in paper bags an/ eaten after
/inner* The ?er, gol/ an/ sil?er fish9 set forth among
these choice fruits in a bo4l9 though members of a /ull an/
stagnantbloo/e/ race9 appeare/ to .no4 that there 4as
something going on@ an/9 to a fish9 4ent gasping roun/ an/
roun/ their little 4orl/ in slo4 an/ passionless excitement*

The GrocersN* oh the GrocersN* nearl, close/9 4ith perhaps
t4o shutters /o4n9 or one@ but through those gaps such
glimpses* 1t 4as not alone that the scales /escen/ing on the
counter ma/e a merr, soun/9 or that the t4ine an/ roller
parte/ compan, so bris.l,9 or that the canisters 4ere rattle/
up an/ /o4n li.e juggling tric.s9 or e?en that the blen/e/
scents of tea an/ coffee 4ere so grateful to the nose9 or e?en
that the raisins 4ere so plentiful an/ rare9 the almon/s so
extremel, 4hite9 the stic.s of cinnamon so long an/ straight9
the other spices so /elicious9 the can/ie/ fruits so ca.e/ an/
spotte/ 4ith molten sugar as to ma.e the col/est loo.erson
feel faint an/ subseHuentl, bilious* Nor 4as it that the figs
4ere moist an/ pulp,9 or that the Brench plums blushe/ in
mo/est tartness from their highl,/ecorate/ boxes9 or that
e?er,thing 4as goo/ to eat an/ in its Christmas /ress@ but
the customers 4ere all so hurrie/ an/ so eager in the hopeful
promise of the /a,9 that the, tumble/ up against each other
at the /oor9 crashing their 4ic.er bas.ets 4il/l,9 an/ left
their purchases upon the counter9 an/ came running bac. to
fetch them9 an/ committe/ hun/re/s of the li.e mista.es9 in
the best humour possible@ 4hile the Grocer an/ his people
4ere so fran. an/ fresh that the polishe/ hearts 4ith 4hich
the, fastene/ their aprons behin/ might ha?e been their o4n9
4orn outsi/e for general inspection9 an/ for Christmas /a4s
to pec. at if the, chose*

7ut soon the steeples calle/ goo/ people all9 to church an/
chapel9 an/ a4a, the, came9 floc.ing through the streets in
their best clothes9 an/ 4ith their ga,est faces* An/ at the
same time there emerge/ from scores of b,estreets9 lanes9 an/
nameless turnings9 innumerable people9 carr,ing their /inners
to the ba.erN shops* The sight of these poor re?ellers
appeare/ to interest the 3pirit ?er, much9 for he stoo/ 4ith
3crooge besi/e him in a ba.erNs /oor4a,9 an/ ta.ing off the
co?ers as their bearers passe/9 sprin.le/ incense on their
/inners from his torch* An/ it 4as a ?er, uncommon .in/
of torch9 for once or t4ice 4hen there 4ere angr, 4or/s
bet4een some /innercarriers 4ho ha/ jostle/ each other9 he
she/ a fe4 /rops of 4ater on them from it9 an/ their goo/
humour 4as restore/ /irectl,* Bor the, sai/9 it 4as a shame
to Huarrel upon Christmas -a,* An/ so it 4as* Go/ lo?e
it9 so it 4as*

1n time the bells cease/9 an/ the ba.ers 4ere shut up@ an/
,et there 4as a genial sha/o4ing forth of all these /inners
an/ the progress of their coo.ing9 in the tha4e/ blotch of
4et abo?e each ba.erNs o?en@ 4here the pa?ement smo.e/ as
if its stones 4ere coo.ing too*

V1s there a peculiar fla?our in 4hat ,ou sprin.le from
,our torch*N as.e/ 3crooge*

VThere is* 6, o4n*N

V>oul/ it appl, to an, .in/ of /inner on this /a,*N
as.e/ 3crooge*

VTo an, .in/l, gi?en* To a poor one most*N

V>h, to a poor one most*N as.e/ 3crooge*

V7ecause it nee/s it most*N

V3pirit9N sai/ 3crooge9 after a momentNs thought9N 1 4on/er
,ou9 of all the beings in the man, 4orl/s about us9 shoul/
/esire to cramp these peopleNs opportunities of innocent
enjo,ment*N

V1*N crie/ the 3pirit*

VJou 4oul/ /epri?e them of their means of /ining e?er,
se?enth /a,9 often the onl, /a, on 4hich the, can be sai/
to /ine at all9N sai/ 3crooge* V>oul/nNt ,ou*N

V1*N crie/ the 3pirit*

VJou see. to close these places on the 3e?enth -a,*N sai/
3crooge* VAn/ it comes to the same thing*N

V1 see.*N exclaime/ the 3pirit*

VBorgi?e me if 1 am 4rong* 1t has been /one in ,our
name9 or at least in that of ,our famil,9N sai/ 3crooge*

VThere are some upon this earth of ,ours9N returne/ the 3pirit9N
4ho la, claim to .no4 us9 an/ 4ho /o their /ee/s of passion9
pri/e9 ill4ill9 hatre/9 en?,9 bigotr,9 an/ selfishness
in our name9 4ho are as strange to us an/ all our .ith an/
.in9 as if the, ha/ ne?er li?e/* 8emember that9 an/ charge
their /oings on themsel?es9 not us*N

3crooge promise/ that he 4oul/@ an/ the, 4ent on9
in?isible9 as the, ha/ been before9 into the suburbs of the
to4n* 1t 4as a remar.able Hualit, of the Ghost <4hich
3crooge ha/ obser?e/ at the ba.erNs=9 that not4ithstan/ing
his gigantic si0e9 he coul/ accommo/ate himself to an, place
4ith ease@ an/ that he stoo/ beneath a lo4 roof Huite as
gracefull, an/ li.e a supernatural creature9 as it 4as possible
he coul/ ha?e /one in an, loft, hall*

An/ perhaps it 4as the pleasure the goo/ 3pirit ha/ in
sho4ing off this po4er of his9 or else it 4as his o4n .in/9
generous9 heart, nature9 an/ his s,mpath, 4ith all poor
men9 that le/ him straight to 3croogeNs cler.Ns@ for there he
4ent9 an/ too. 3crooge 4ith him9 hol/ing to his robe@ an/
on the threshol/ of the /oor the 3pirit smile/9 an/ stoppe/
to bless 7ob CratchitNs /4elling 4ith the sprin.ling of his
torch* Thin. of that* 7ob ha/ but fifteen bob a4ee.
himself@ he poc.ete/ on 3atur/a,s but fifteen copies of his
Christian name@ an/ ,et the Ghost of Christmas Present
blesse/ his fourroome/ house*

Then up rose 6rs Cratchit9 CratchitNs 4ife9 /resse/ out
but poorl, in a t4iceturne/ go4n9 but bra?e in ribbons9
4hich are cheap an/ ma.e a goo/l, sho4 for sixpence@ an/
she lai/ the cloth9 assiste/ b, 7elin/a Cratchit9 secon/ of
her /aughters9 also bra?e in ribbons@ 4hile 6aster Peter
Cratchit plunge/ a for. into the saucepan of potatoes9 an/
getting the corners of his monstrous shirt collar <7obNs pri?ate
propert,9 conferre/ upon his son an/ heir in honour of the
/a,= into his mouth9 rejoice/ to fin/ himself so gallantl,
attire/9 an/ ,earne/ to sho4 his linen in the fashionable Par.s*
An/ no4 t4o smaller Cratchits9 bo, an/ girl9 came tearing
in9 screaming that outsi/e the ba.erNs the, ha/ smelt the
goose9 an/ .no4n it for their o4n@ an/ bas.ing in luxurious
thoughts of sage an/ onion9 these ,oung Cratchits /ance/
about the table9 an/ exalte/ 6aster Peter Cratchit to the
s.ies9 4hile he <not prou/9 although his collars nearl, cho.e/
him= ble4 the fire9 until the slo4 potatoes bubbling up9
.noc.e/ lou/l, at the saucepanli/ to be let out an/
peele/*

V>hat has e?er got ,our precious father then*N sai/ 6rs
Cratchit* VAn/ ,our brother9 Tin, Tim* An/ 6artha
4arnNt as late last Christmas -a, b, halfanhour*N


VLereNs 6artha9 mother*N sai/ a girl9 appearing as she
spo.e*

VLereNs 6artha9 mother*N crie/ the t4o ,oung Cratchits*
VLurrah* ThereNs such a goose9 6artha*N

V>h,9 bless ,our heart ali?e9 m, /ear9 ho4 late ,ou are*N
sai/ 6rs Cratchit9 .issing her a /o0en times9 an/ ta.ing off
her sha4l an/ bonnet for her 4ith officious 0eal*

V>eN/ a /eal of 4or. to finish up last night9N replie/ the
girl9N an/ ha/ to clear a4a, this morning9 mother*N

V>ell* Ne?er min/ so long as ,ou are come9N sai/ 6rs
Cratchit* V3it ,e /o4n before the fire9 m, /ear9 an/ ha?e
a 4arm9 ;or/ bless ,e*N

VNo9 no* ThereNs father coming9N crie/ the t4o ,oung
Cratchits9 4ho 4ere e?er,4here at once* VLi/e9 6artha9
hi/e*N

3o 6artha hi/ herself9 an/ in came little 7ob9 the father9
4ith at least three feet of comforter exclusi?e of the fringe9
hanging /o4n before him@ an/ his threa/bare clothes /arne/
up an/ brushe/9 to loo. seasonable@ an/ Tin, Tim upon his
shoul/er* Alas for Tin, Tim9 he bore a little crutch9 an/
ha/ his limbs supporte/ b, an iron frame*

V>h,9 4hereNs our 6artha*N crie/ 7ob Cratchit9 loo.ing
roun/*

VNot coming9N sai/ 6rs Cratchit*

VNot coming*N sai/ 7ob9 4ith a su//en /eclension in his
high spirits@ for he ha/ been TimNs bloo/ horse all the 4a,
from church9 an/ ha/ come home rampant* VNot coming
upon Christmas -a,*N

6artha /i/nNt li.e to see him /isappointe/9 if it 4ere onl,
in jo.e@ so she came out prematurel, from behin/ the closet
/oor9 an/ ran into his arms9 4hile the t4o ,oung Cratchits
hustle/ Tin, Tim9 an/ bore him off into the 4ashhouse9
that he might hear the pu//ing singing in the copper*

VAn/ ho4 /i/ little Tim beha?e* as.e/ 6rs Cratchit9
4hen she ha/ rallie/ 7ob on his cre/ulit,9 an/ 7ob ha/
hugge/ his /aughter to his heartNs content*

VAs goo/ as gol/9N sai/ 7ob9N an/ better* 3omeho4 he
gets thoughtful9 sitting b, himself so much9 an/ thin.s the
strangest things ,ou e?er hear/* Le tol/ me9 coming home9
that he hope/ the people sa4 him in the church9 because he
4as a cripple9 an/ it might be pleasant to them to remember
upon Christmas -a,9 4ho ma/e lame beggars 4al.9 an/ blin/
men see*N

7obNs ?oice 4as tremulous 4hen he tol/ them this9 an/
tremble/ more 4hen he sai/ that Tin, Tim 4as gro4ing
strong an/ heart,*

Lis acti?e little crutch 4as hear/ upon the floor9 an/ bac.
came Tin, Tim before another 4or/ 4as spo.en9 escorte/ b,
his brother an/ sister to his stool before the fire@ an/ 4hile
7ob9 turning up his cuffs as if9 poor fello49 the, 4ere
capable of being ma/e more shabb, compoun/e/ some hot
mixture in a jug 4ith gin an/ lemons9 an/ stirre/ it roun/
an/ roun/ an/ put it on the hob to simmer@ 6aster Peter9
an/ the t4o ubiHuitous ,oung Cratchits 4ent to fetch the
goose9 4ith 4hich the, soon returne/ in high procession*

3uch a bustle ensue/ that ,ou might ha?e thought a goose
the rarest of all bir/s@ a feathere/ phenomenon9 to 4hich a
blac. s4an 4as a matter of course an/ in truth it 4as
something ?er, li.e it in that house* 6rs Cratchit ma/e
the gra?, <rea/, beforehan/ in a little saucepan= hissing hot@
6aster Peter mashe/ the potatoes 4ith incre/ible ?igour@
6iss 7elin/a s4eetene/ up the applesauce@ 6artha /uste/
the hot plates@ 7ob too. Tin, Tim besi/e him in a tin,
corner at the table@ the t4o ,oung Cratchits set chairs for
e?er,bo/,9 not forgetting themsel?es9 an/ mounting guar/
upon their posts9 cramme/ spoons into their mouths9 lest
the, shoul/ shrie. for goose before their turn came to be
helpe/* At last the /ishes 4ere set on9 an/ grace 4as
sai/* 1t 4as succee/e/ b, a breathless pause9 as 6rs
Cratchit9 loo.ing slo4l, all along the car?ing.nife9 prepare/
to plunge it in the breast@ but 4hen she /i/9 an/ 4hen the
long expecte/ gush of stuffing issue/ forth9 one murmur of
/elight arose all roun/ the boar/9 an/ e?en Tin, Tim9
excite/ b, the t4o ,oung Cratchits9 beat on the table 4ith
the han/le of his .nife9 an/ feebl, crie/ Lurrah*

There ne?er 4as such a goose* 7ob sai/ he /i/nNt belie?e
there e?er 4as such a goose coo.e/* 1ts ten/erness an/
fla?our9 si0e an/ cheapness9 4ere the themes of uni?ersal
a/miration* E.e/ out b, applesauce an/ mashe/ potatoes9
it 4as a sufficient /inner for the 4hole famil,@ in/ee/9 as
6rs Cratchit sai/ 4ith great /elight <sur?e,ing one small
atom of a bone upon the /ish=9 the, ha/nNt ate it all at
last* Jet e?er, one ha/ ha/ enough9 an/ the ,oungest
Cratchits in particular9 4ere steepe/ in sage an/ onion to
the e,ebro4s* 7ut no49 the plates being change/ b, 6iss
7elin/a9 6rs Cratchit left the room alone too ner?ous to
bear 4itnesses to ta.e the pu//ing up an/ bring it in*

3uppose it shoul/ not be /one enough* 3uppose it shoul/
brea. in turning out* 3uppose somebo/, shoul/ ha?e got
o?er the 4all of the bac.,ar/9 an/ stolen it9 4hile the,
4ere merr, 4ith the goose a supposition at 4hich the t4o
,oung Cratchits became li?i/* All sorts of horrors 4ere
suppose/*

Lallo* A great /eal of steam* The pu//ing 4as out of
the copper* A smell li.e a 4ashing/a,* That 4as the
cloth* A smell li.e an eatinghouse an/ a pastr,coo.Ns next
/oor to each other9 4ith a laun/ressNs next /oor to that*
That 4as the pu//ing* 1n half a minute 6rs Cratchit
entere/ flushe/9 but smiling prou/l, 4ith the pu//ing9
li.e a spec.le/ cannonball9 so har/ an/ firm9 bla0ing in half
of halfaHuartern of ignite/ bran/,9 an/ be/ight 4ith
Christmas holl, stuc. into the top*

2h9 a 4on/erful pu//ing* 7ob Cratchit sai/9 an/ calml,
too9 that he regar/e/ it as the greatest success achie?e/ b,
6rs Cratchit since their marriage* 6rs Cratchit sai/ that
no4 the 4eight 4as off her min/9 she 4oul/ confess she ha/
ha/ her /oubts about the Huantit, of flour* E?er,bo/, ha/
something to sa, about it9 but nobo/, sai/ or thought it
4as at all a small pu//ing for a large famil,* 1t 4oul/ ha?e
been flat heres, to /o so* An, Cratchit 4oul/ ha?e blushe/
to hint at such a thing*

At last the /inner 4as all /one9 the cloth 4as cleare/9 the
hearth s4ept9 an/ the fire ma/e up* The compoun/ in the
jug being taste/9 an/ consi/ere/ perfect9 apples an/ oranges
4ere put upon the table9 an/ a sho?elfull of chestnuts on the
fire* Then all the Cratchit famil, /re4 roun/ the hearth9 in
4hat 7ob Cratchit calle/ a circle9 meaning half a one@ an/
at 7ob CratchitNs elbo4 stoo/ the famil, /ispla, of glass*
T4o tumblers9 an/ a custar/cup 4ithout a han/le*

These hel/ the hot stuff from the jug9 ho4e?er9 as 4ell as
gol/en goblets 4oul/ ha?e /one@ an/ 7ob ser?e/ it out 4ith
beaming loo.s9 4hile the chestnuts on the fire sputtere/ an/
crac.e/ noisil,* Then 7ob propose/"

VA 6err, Christmas to us all9 m, /ears* Go/ bless us*N

>hich all the famil, reechoe/*

VGo/ bless us e?er, one*N sai/ Tin, Tim9 the last of all*

Le sat ?er, close to his fatherNs si/e upon his little
stool*
7ob hel/ his 4ithere/ little han/ in his9 as if he lo?e/ the
chil/9 an/ 4ishe/ to .eep him b, his si/e9 an/ /rea/e/ that
he might be ta.en from him*

V3pirit9N sai/ 3crooge9 4ith an interest he ha/ ne?er felt
before9 Vtell me if Tin, Tim 4ill li?e*N

V1 see a ?acant seat9N replie/ the Ghost9 Vin the poor
chimne,corner9 an/ a crutch 4ithout an o4ner9 carefull,
preser?e/* 1f these sha/o4s remain unaltere/ b, the Buture9
the chil/ 4ill /ie*N

VNo9 no9N sai/ 3crooge* V2h9 no9 .in/ 3pirit* sa, he
4ill be spare/*N

V1f these sha/o4s remain unaltere/ b, the Buture9 none
other of m, race9N returne/ the Ghost9 V4ill fin/ him here*
>hat then* 1f he be li.e to /ie9 he ha/ better /o it9 an/
/ecrease the surplus population*N

3crooge hung his hea/ to hear his o4n 4or/s Huote/ b,
the 3pirit9 an/ 4as o?ercome 4ith penitence an/ grief*
V6an9N sai/ the Ghost9 Vif man ,ou be in heart9 not
a/amant9 forbear that 4ic.e/ cant until ,ou ha?e /isco?ere/
>hat the surplus is9 an/ >here it is* >ill ,ou /eci/e 4hat
men shall li?e9 4hat men shall /ie* 1t ma, be9 that in the
sight of Lea?en9 ,ou are more 4orthless an/ less fit to li?e
than millions li.e this poor manNs chil/* 2h Go/* to hear
the 1nsect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life
among his hungr, brothers in the /ust*N

3crooge bent before the GhostNs rebu.e9 an/ trembling cast
his e,es upon the groun/* 7ut he raise/ them spee/il,9 on
hearing his o4n name*

V6r 3crooge*N sai/ 7ob@ V1Nll gi?e ,ou 6r 3crooge9 the
Boun/er of the Beast*N

VThe Boun/er of the Beast in/ee/*N crie/ 6rs Cratchit9
re//ening* V1 4ish 1 ha/ him here* 1N/ gi?e him a piece
of m, min/ to feast upon9 an/ 1 hope heN/ ha?e a goo/
appetite for it*N

V6, /ear9N sai/ 7ob9 Vthe chil/ren* Christmas -a,*N

V1t shoul/ be Christmas -a,9 1 am sure9N sai/ she9 Von
4hich one /rin.s the health of such an o/ious9 sting,9 har/9
unfeeling man as 6r 3crooge* Jou .no4 he is9 8obert*
Nobo/, .no4s it better than ,ou /o9 poor fello4*N

V6, /ear9N 4as 7obNs mil/ ans4er9 VChristmas -a,*N

V1Nll /rin. his health for ,our sa.e an/ the -a,Ns9N sai/
6rs Cratchit9 Vnot for his* ;ong life to him* A merr,
Christmas an/ a happ, ne4 ,ear* LeNll be ?er, merr, an/
?er, happ,9 1 ha?e no /oubt*N

The chil/ren /ran. the toast after her* 1t 4as the first of
their procee/ings 4hich ha/ no heartiness* Tin, Tim /ran.
it last of all9 but he /i/nNt care t4opence for it* 3crooge
4as the 2gre of the famil,* The mention of his name cast
a /ar. sha/o4 on the part,9 4hich 4as not /ispelle/ for full
fi?e minutes*

After it ha/ passe/ a4a,9 the, 4ere ten times merrier than
before9 from the mere relief of 3crooge the 7aleful being /one
4ith* 7ob Cratchit tol/ them ho4 he ha/ a situation in his
e,e for 6aster Peter9 4hich 4oul/ bring in9 if obtaine/9 full
fi?ean/sixpence 4ee.l,* The t4o ,oung Cratchits laughe/
tremen/ousl, at the i/ea of PeterNs being a man of business@
an/ Peter himself loo.e/ thoughtfull, at the fire from
bet4een his collars9 as if he 4ere /eliberating 4hat particular
in?estments he shoul/ fa?our 4hen he came into the receipt
of that be4il/ering income* 6artha9 4ho 4as a poor
apprentice at a millinerNs9 then tol/ them 4hat .in/ of 4or.
she ha/ to /o9 an/ ho4 man, hours she 4or.e/ at a stretch9
an/ ho4 she meant to lie abe/ tomorro4 morning for a
goo/ long rest@ tomorro4 being a holi/a, she passe/ at
home* Also ho4 she ha/ seen a countess an/ a lor/ some
/a,s before9 an/ ho4 the lor/ 4as much about as tall as
Peter@ at 4hich Peter pulle/ up his collars so high that ,ou
coul/nNt ha?e seen his hea/ if ,ou ha/ been there* All this
time the chestnuts an/ the jug 4ent roun/ an/ roun/@ an/
b,an/b,e the, ha/ a song9 about a lost chil/ tra?elling in
the sno49 from Tin, Tim9 4ho ha/ a plainti?e little ?oice9
an/ sang it ?er, 4ell in/ee/*

There 4as nothing of high mar. in this* The, 4ere not
a han/some famil,@ the, 4ere not 4ell /resse/@ their shoes
4ere far from being 4aterproof@ their clothes 4ere scant,@
an/ Peter might ha?e .no4n9 an/ ?er, li.el, /i/9 the insi/e
of a pa4nbro.erNs* 7ut9 the, 4ere happ,9 grateful9 please/
4ith one another9 an/ contente/ 4ith the time@ an/ 4hen
the, fa/e/9 an/ loo.e/ happier ,et in the bright sprin.lings
of the 3piritNs torch at parting9 3crooge ha/ his e,e upon
them9 an/ especiall, on Tin, Tim9 until the last*

7, this time it 4as getting /ar.9 an/ sno4ing prett,
hea?il,@ an/ as 3crooge an/ the 3pirit 4ent along the streets9
the brightness of the roaring fires in .itchens9 parlours9 an/
all sorts of rooms9 4as 4on/erful* Lere9 the flic.ering of
the bla0e sho4e/ preparations for a cos, /inner9 4ith hot
plates ba.ing through an/ through before the fire9 an/ /eep
re/ curtains9 rea/, to be /ra4n to shut out col/ an/ /ar.ness*
There all the chil/ren of the house 4ere running out
into the sno4 to meet their marrie/ sisters9 brothers9 cousins9
uncles9 aunts9 an/ be the first to greet them* Lere9 again9
4ere sha/o4s on the 4in/o4blin/ of guests assembling@ an/
there a group of han/some girls9 all hoo/e/ an/ furboote/9
an/ all chattering at once9 trippe/ lightl, off to some near
neighbourNs house@ 4here9 4oe upon the single man 4ho sa4
them enter artful 4itches9 4ell the, .ne4 it in a glo4*

7ut9 if ,ou ha/ ju/ge/ from the numbers of people on
their 4a, to frien/l, gatherings9 ,ou might ha?e thought
that no one 4as at home to gi?e them 4elcome 4hen the,
got there9 instea/ of e?er, house expecting compan,9 an/
piling up its fires halfchimne, high* 7lessings on it9 ho4
the Ghost exulte/* Lo4 it bare/ its brea/th of breast9 an/
opene/ its capacious palm9 an/ floate/ on9 outpouring9 4ith
a generous han/9 its bright an/ harmless mirth on e?er,thing
4ithin its reach* The ?er, lamplighter9 4ho ran on before9
/otting the /us., street 4ith spec.s of light9 an/ 4ho 4as
/resse/ to spen/ the e?ening some4here9 laughe/ out lou/l,
as the 3pirit passe/9 though little .enne/ the lamplighter
that he ha/ an, compan, but Christmas*

An/ no49 4ithout a 4or/ of 4arning from the Ghost9 the,
stoo/ upon a blea. an/ /esert moor9 4here monstrous masses
of ru/e stone 4ere cast about9 as though it 4ere the burialplace
of giants@ an/ 4ater sprea/ itself 4heresoe?er it liste/9
or 4oul/ ha?e /one so9 but for the frost that hel/ it prisoner@
an/ nothing gre4 but moss an/ fur0e9 an/ coarse ran. grass*
-o4n in the 4est the setting sun ha/ left a strea. of fier,
re/9 4hich glare/ upon the /esolation for an instant9 li.e a
sullen e,e9 an/ fro4ning lo4er9 lo4er9 lo4er ,et9 4as lost in
the thic. gloom of /ar.est night*

V>hat place is this*N as.e/ 3crooge*

VA place 4here 6iners li?e9 4ho labour in the bo4els of
the earth9N returne/ the 3pirit* V7ut the, .no4 me* 3ee*N

A light shone from the 4in/o4 of a hut9 an/ s4iftl, the,
a/?ance/ to4ar/s it* Passing through the 4all of mu/ an/
stone9 the, foun/ a cheerful compan, assemble/ roun/ a
glo4ing fire* An ol/9 ol/ man an/ 4oman9 4ith their
chil/ren an/ their chil/renNs chil/ren9 an/ another generation
be,on/ that9 all /ec.e/ out gail, in their holi/a, attire*
The ol/ man9 in a ?oice that sel/om rose abo?e the ho4ling
of the 4in/ upon the barren 4aste9 4as singing them a
Christmas song it ha/ been a ?er, ol/ song 4hen he 4as a
bo, an/ from time to time the, all joine/ in the chorus*
3o surel, as the, raise/ their ?oices9 the ol/ man got Huite
blithe an/ lou/@ an/ so surel, as the, stoppe/9 his ?igour
san. again*

The 3pirit /i/ not tarr, here9 but ba/e 3crooge hol/ his
robe9 an/ passing on abo?e the moor9 spe/ 4hither* Not
to sea* To sea* To 3croogeNs horror9 loo.ing bac.9 he sa4
the last of the lan/9 a frightful range of roc.s9 behin/ them@
an/ his ears 4ere /eafene/ b, the thun/ering of 4ater9 as it
rolle/ an/ roare/9 an/ rage/ among the /rea/ful ca?erns it
ha/ 4orn9 an/ fiercel, trie/ to un/ermine the earth*

7uilt upon a /ismal reef of sun.en roc.s9 some league
or so from shore9 on 4hich the 4aters chafe/ an/ /ashe/9
the 4il/ ,ear through9 there stoo/ a solitar, lighthouse*
Great heaps of sea4ee/ clung to its base9 an/ stormbir/s
born of the 4in/ one might suppose9 as sea4ee/ of the
4ater rose an/ fell about it9 li.e the 4a?es the, s.imme/*

7ut e?en here9 t4o men 4ho 4atche/ the light ha/ ma/e
a fire9 that through the loophole in the thic. stone 4all she/
out a ra, of brightness on the a4ful sea* Ooining their
horn, han/s o?er the rough table at 4hich the, sat9 the,
4ishe/ each other 6err, Christmas in their can of grog@ an/
one of them" the el/er9 too9 4ith his face all /amage/ an/
scarre/ 4ith har/ 4eather9 as the figurehea/ of an ol/ ship
might be" struc. up a stur/, song that 4as li.e a Gale in
itself*

Again the Ghost spe/ on9 abo?e the blac. an/ hea?ing sea
on9 on until9 being far a4a,9 as he tol/ 3crooge9 from an,
shore9 the, lighte/ on a ship* The, stoo/ besi/e the helmsman
at the 4heel9 the loo.out in the bo49 the officers 4ho
ha/ the 4atch@ /ar.9 ghostl, figures in their se?eral stations@
but e?er, man among them humme/ a Christmas tune9 or
ha/ a Christmas thought9 or spo.e belo4 his breath to his
companion of some b,gone Christmas -a,9 4ith home4ar/
hopes belonging to it* An/ e?er, man on boar/9 4a.ing or
sleeping9 goo/ or ba/9 ha/ ha/ a .in/er 4or/ for another
on that /a, than on an, /a, in the ,ear@ an/ ha/ share/
to some extent in its festi?ities@ an/ ha/ remembere/ those
he care/ for at a /istance9 an/ ha/ .no4n that the, /elighte/
to remember him*

1t 4as a great surprise to 3crooge9 4hile listening to the
moaning of the 4in/9 an/ thin.ing 4hat a solemn thing it
4as to mo?e on through the lonel, /ar.ness o?er an un.no4n
ab,ss9 4hose /epths 4ere secrets as profoun/ as -eath" it
4as a great surprise to 3crooge9 4hile thus engage/9 to hear
a heart, laugh* 1t 4as a much greater surprise to 3crooge
to recognise it as his o4n nephe4Ns an/ to fin/ himself in a
bright9 /r,9 gleaming room9 4ith the 3pirit stan/ing smiling
b, his si/e9 an/ loo.ing at that same nephe4 4ith appro?ing
affabilit,*

VLa9 ha*N laughe/ 3croogeNs nephe4* VLa9 ha9 ha*N

1f ,ou shoul/ happen9 b, an, unli.el, chance9 to .no4 a
man more blest in a laugh than 3croogeNs nephe49 all 1 can
sa, is9 1 shoul/ li.e to .no4 him too* 1ntro/uce him to me9
an/ 1Nll culti?ate his acHuaintance*

1t is a fair9 e?enhan/e/9 noble a/justment of things9 that
4hile there is infection in /isease an/ sorro49 there is nothing
in the 4orl/ so irresistibl, contagious as laughter an/
goo/humour* >hen 3croogeNs nephe4 laughe/ in this 4a," hol/ing
his si/es9 rolling his hea/9 an/ t4isting his face into the
most extra?agant contortions" 3croogeNs niece9 b, marriage9
laughe/ as heartil, as he* An/ their assemble/ frien/s being
not a bit behin/han/9 roare/ out lustil,*

VLa9 ha* La9 ha9 ha9 ha*N

VLe sai/ that Christmas 4as a humbug9 as 1 li?e*N crie/
3croogeNs nephe4* VLe belie?e/ it too*N

V6ore shame for him9 Bre/*N sai/ 3croogeNs niece9
in/ignantl,* 7less those 4omen@ the, ne?er /o an,thing b,
hal?es* The, are al4a,s in earnest*

3he 4as ?er, prett," excee/ingl, prett,* >ith a /imple/9
surprise/loo.ing9 capital face@ a ripe little mouth9 that
seeme/ ma/e to be .isse/ as no /oubt it 4as@ all .in/s of
goo/ little /ots about her chin9 that melte/ into one another
4hen she laughe/@ an/ the sunniest pair of e,es ,ou e?er
sa4 in an, little creatureNs hea/* Altogether she 4as 4hat
,ou 4oul/ ha?e calle/ pro?o.ing9 ,ou .no4@ but satisfactor,*

VLeNs a comical ol/ fello49N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe49N thatNs
the truth" an/ not so pleasant as he might be* Lo4e?er9
his offences carr, their o4n punishment9 an/ 1 ha?e nothing
to sa, against him*N

V1Nm sure he is ?er, rich9 Bre/9N hinte/ 3croogeNs niece*
VAt least ,ou al4a,s tell me so*N

V>hat of that9 m, /ear*N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe4* VLis
4ealth is of no use to him* Le /onNt /o an, goo/ 4ith it*
Le /onNt ma.e himself comfortable 4ith it* Le hasnNt the
satisfaction of thin.ing ha9 ha9 ha* that he is e?er going
to benefit us 4ith it*N

V1 ha?e no patience 4ith him9N obser?e/ 3croogeNs niece*
3croogeNs nieceNs sisters9 an/ all the other la/ies9 expresse/
the same opinion*

V2h9 1 ha?e*N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe4* V1 am sorr, for
him@ 1 coul/nNt be angr, 4ith him if 1 trie/* >ho suffers
b, his ill 4hims* Limself9 al4a,s* Lere9 he ta.es it into
his hea/ to /isli.e us9 an/ he 4onNt come an/ /ine 4ith us*
>hatNs the conseHuence* Le /onNt lose much of a /inner*N

V1n/ee/9 1 thin. he loses a ?er, goo/ /inner9N interrupte/
3croogeNs niece* E?er,bo/, else sai/ the same9 an/ the,
must be allo4e/ to ha?e been competent ju/ges9 because
the, ha/ just ha/ /inner@ an/9 4ith the /essert upon the
table9 4ere clustere/ roun/ the fire9 b, lamplight*

V>ell* 1Nm ?er, gla/ to hear it9N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe49
Vbecause 1 ha?enNt great faith in these ,oung house.eepers*
>hat /o ,ou sa,9 Topper*N

Topper ha/ clearl, got his e,e upon one of 3croogeNs nieceNs
sisters9 for he ans4ere/ that a bachelor 4as a 4retche/ outcast9
4ho ha/ no right to express an opinion on the subject*
>hereat 3croogeNs nieceNs sister the plump one 4ith the lace
tuc.er" not the one 4ith the roses blushe/*

V-o go on9 Bre/9N sai/ 3croogeNs niece9 clapping her han/s*
VLe ne?er finishes 4hat he begins to sa,* Le is such a
ri/iculous fello4*N

3croogeNs nephe4 re?elle/ in another laugh9 an/ as it 4as
impossible to .eep the infection off@ though the plump sister
trie/ har/ to /o it 4ith aromatic ?inegar@ his example 4as
unanimousl, follo4e/*

V1 4as onl, going to sa,9N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe49N that
the conseHuence of his ta.ing a /isli.e to us9 an/ not ma.ing
merr, 4ith us9 is9 as 1 thin.9 that he loses some pleasant
moments9 4hich coul/ /o him no harm* 1 am sure he loses
pleasanter companions than he can fin/ in his o4n thoughts9
either in his moul/, ol/ office9 or his /ust, chambers* 1
mean to gi?e him the same chance e?er, ,ear9 4hether he
li.es it or not9 for 1 pit, him* Le ma, rail at Christmas
till he /ies9 but he canNt help thin.ing better of it 1 /ef,
him if he fin/s me going there9 in goo/ temper9 ,ear after
,ear9 an/ sa,ing 5ncle 3crooge9 ho4 are ,ou* 1f it onl,
puts him in the ?ein to lea?e his poor cler. fift, poun/s9
thatNs something@ an/ 1 thin. 1 shoo. him ,ester/a,*N

1t 4as their turn to laugh no4 at the notion of his sha.ing
3crooge* 7ut being thoroughl, goo/nature/9 an/ not much
caring 4hat the, laughe/ at9 so that the, laughe/ at an,
rate9 he encourage/ them in their merriment9 an/ passe/ the
bottle jo,ousl,*

After tea* the, ha/ some music* Bor the, 4ere a musical
famil,9 an/ .ne4 4hat the, 4ere about9 4hen the, sung a
Glee or Catch9 1 can assure ,ou" especiall, Topper9 4ho
coul/ gro4l a4a, in the bass li.e a goo/ one9 an/ ne?er
s4ell the large ?eins in his forehea/9 or get re/ in the face
o?er it* 3croogeNs niece pla,e/ 4ell upon the harp@ an/
pla,e/ among other tunes a simple little air <a mere nothing"
,ou might learn to 4histle it in t4o minutes=9 4hich ha/
been familiar to the chil/ 4ho fetche/ 3crooge from the
boar/ingschool9 as he ha/ been remin/e/ b, the Ghost of
Christmas Past* >hen this strain of music soun/e/9 all the
things that Ghost ha/ sho4n him9 came upon his min/@ he
softene/ more an/ more@ an/ thought that if he coul/ ha?e
listene/ to it often9 ,ears ago9 he might ha?e culti?ate/ the
.in/nesses of life for his o4n happiness 4ith his o4n han/s9
4ithout resorting to the sextonNs spa/e that burie/ Oacob
6arle,*

7ut the, /i/nNt /e?ote the 4hole e?ening to music* After
a 4hile the, pla,e/ at forfeits@ for it is goo/ to be chil/ren
sometimes9 an/ ne?er better than at Christmas9 4hen its
might, Boun/er 4as a chil/ himself* 3top* There 4as first
a game at blin/manNs buff* 2f course there 4as* An/ 1
no more belie?e Topper 4as reall, blin/ than 1 belie?e he
ha/ e,es in his boots* 6, opinion is9 that it 4as a /one
thing bet4een him an/ 3croogeNs nephe4@ an/ that the
Ghost of Christmas Present .ne4 it* The 4a, he 4ent after
that plump sister in the lace tuc.er9 4as an outrage on the
cre/ulit, of human nature* Qnoc.ing /o4n the fireirons9
tumbling o?er the chairs9 bumping against the piano9
smothering himself among the curtains9 4here?er she 4ent9
there 4ent he* Le al4a,s .ne4 4here the plump sister 4as*
Le 4oul/nNt catch an,bo/, else* 1f ,ou ha/ fallen up
against him <as some of them /i/=9 on purpose9 he 4oul/
ha?e ma/e a feint of en/ea?ouring to sei0e ,ou9 4hich 4oul/
ha?e been an affront to ,our un/erstan/ing9 an/ 4oul/ instantl,
ha?e si/le/ off in the /irection of the plump sister*
3he often crie/ out that it 4asnNt fair@ an/ it reall, 4as not*
7ut 4hen at last9 he caught her@ 4hen9 in spite of all her
sil.en rustlings9 an/ her rapi/ flutterings past him9 he got
her into a corner 4hence there 4as no escape@ then his
con/uct 4as the most execrable* Bor his preten/ing not to
.no4 her@ his preten/ing that it 4as necessar, to touch her
hea//ress9 an/ further to assure himself of her i/entit, b,
pressing a certain ring upon her finger9 an/ a certain chain
about her nec.@ 4as ?ile9 monstrous* No /oubt she tol/
him her opinion of it9 4hen9 another blin/man being in
office9 the, 4ere so ?er, confi/ential together9 behin/ the
curtains*

3croogeNs niece 4as not one of the blin/manNs buff part,9
but 4as ma/e comfortable 4ith a large chair an/ a footstool9
in a snug corner9 4here the Ghost an/ 3crooge 4ere close
behin/ her* 7ut she joine/ in the forfeits9 an/ lo?e/ her
lo?e to a/miration 4ith all the letters of the alphabet*
;i.e4ise at the game of Lo49 >hen9 an/ >here9 she 4as
?er, great9 an/ to the secret jo, of 3croogeNs nephe49 beat
her sisters hollo4" though the, 4ere sharp girls too9 as
coul/ ha?e tol/ ,ou* There might ha?e been t4ent, people there9
,oung an/ ol/9 but the, all pla,e/9 an/ so /i/ 3crooge9 for9
4holl, forgetting the interest he ha/ in 4hat 4as going on9 that
his ?oice ma/e no soun/ in their ears9 he sometimes came out 4ith
his guess Huite lou/9 an/ ?er, often guesse/ Huite right9 too@
for the sharpest nee/le9 best >hitechapel9 4arrante/ not to cut
in the e,e9 4as not sharper than 3crooge@ blunt as he too. it in
his hea/ to be*

The Ghost 4as greatl, please/ to fin/ him in this moo/9
an/ loo.e/ upon him 4ith such fa?our9 that he begge/ li.e
a bo, to be allo4e/ to sta, until the guests /eparte/* 7ut
this the 3pirit sai/ coul/ not be /one*

VLere is a ne4 game9N sai/ 3crooge* V2ne half hour9
3pirit9 onl, one*N

1t 4as a Game calle/ Jes an/ No9 4here 3croogeNs nephe4
ha/ to thin. of something9 an/ the rest must fin/ out 4hat@
he onl, ans4ering to their Huestions ,es or no9 as the case
4as* The bris. fire of Huestioning to 4hich he 4as expose/9
elicite/ from him that he 4as thin.ing of an animal9 a li?e
animal9 rather a /isagreeable animal9 a sa?age animal9 an
animal that gro4le/ an/ grunte/ sometimes9 an/ tal.e/ sometimes9
an/ li?e/ in ;on/on9 an/ 4al.e/ about the streets9
an/ 4asnNt ma/e a sho4 of9 an/ 4asnNt le/ b, an,bo/,9 an/
/i/nNt li?e in a menagerie9 an/ 4as ne?er .ille/ in a mar.et9
an/ 4as not a horse9 or an ass9 or a co49 or a bull9 or a
tiger9 or a /og9 or a pig9 or a cat9 or a bear* At e?er, fresh
Huestion that 4as put to him9 this nephe4 burst into a
fresh roar of laughter@ an/ 4as so inexpressibl, tic.le/9 that
he 4as oblige/ to get up off the sofa an/ stamp* At last
the plump sister9 falling into a similar state9 crie/ out"

V1 ha?e foun/ it out* 1 .no4 4hat it is9 Bre/* 1 .no4
4hat it is*N

V>hat is it*N crie/ Bre/*

V1tNs ,our 5ncle 3crooge*N

>hich it certainl, 4as* A/miration 4as the uni?ersal
sentiment9 though some objecte/ that the repl, to V1s it a
bear*N ought to ha?e been VJes@N inasmuch as an ans4er
in the negati?e 4as sufficient to ha?e /i?erte/ their thoughts
from 6r 3crooge9 supposing the, ha/ e?er ha/ an, ten/enc,
that 4a,*

VLe has gi?en us plent, of merriment9 1 am sure9N sai/
Bre/9N an/ it 4oul/ be ungrateful not to /rin. his health*
Lere is a glass of mulle/ 4ine rea/, to our han/ at the
moment@ an/ 1 sa,9 G5ncle 3crooge*GN

V>ell* 5ncle 3crooge*N the, crie/*

VA 6err, Christmas an/ a Lapp, Ne4 Jear to the ol/
man9 4hate?er he is*N sai/ 3croogeNs nephe4* VLe 4oul/nNt
ta.e it from me9 but ma, he ha?e it9 ne?ertheless* 5ncle
3crooge*N

5ncle 3crooge ha/ imperceptibl, become so ga, an/ light
of heart9 that he 4oul/ ha?e ple/ge/ the unconscious
compan, in return9 an/ than.e/ them in an inau/ible speech9
if the Ghost ha/ gi?en him time* 7ut the 4hole scene
passe/ off in the breath of the last 4or/ spo.en b, his
nephe4@ an/ he an/ the 3pirit 4ere again upon their tra?els*

6uch the, sa49 an/ far the, 4ent9 an/ man, homes the,
?isite/9 but al4a,s 4ith a happ, en/* The 3pirit stoo/
besi/e sic. be/s9 an/ the, 4ere cheerful@ on foreign lan/s9
an/ the, 4ere close at home@ b, struggling men9 an/ the,
4ere patient in their greater hope@ b, po?ert,9 an/ it 4as
rich* 1n almshouse9 hospital9 an/ jail9 in miser,Ns e?er,
refuge9 4here ?ain man in his little brief authorit, ha/ not
ma/e fast the /oor an/ barre/ the 3pirit out9 he left his
blessing9 an/ taught 3crooge his precepts*

1t 4as a long night9 if it 4ere onl, a night@ but 3crooge
ha/ his /oubts of this9 because the Christmas Loli/a,s appeare/
to be con/ense/ into the space of time the, passe/
together* 1t 4as strange9 too9 that 4hile 3crooge remaine/
unaltere/ in his out4ar/ form9 the Ghost gre4 ol/er9 clearl,
ol/er* 3crooge ha/ obser?e/ this change9 but ne?er spo.e of
it9 until the, left a chil/renNs T4elfth Night part,9 4hen9
loo.ing at the 3pirit as the, stoo/ together in an open place9
he notice/ that its hair 4as gre,*

VAre spiritsN li?es so short*N as.e/ 3crooge*

V6, life upon this globe9 is ?er, brief9N replie/ the Ghost*
V1t en/s tonight*N

VTonight*N crie/ 3crooge*

VTonight at mi/night* Lar.* The time is /ra4ing
near*N

The chimes 4ere ringing the three Huarters past ele?en at
that moment*

VBorgi?e me if 1 am not justifie/ in 4hat 1 as.9N sai/
3crooge9 loo.ing intentl, at the 3piritNs robe9N but 1 see
something strange9 an/ not belonging to ,ourself9 protru/ing
from ,our s.irts* 1s it a foot or a cla4*N

V1t might be a cla49 for the flesh there is upon it9N 4as
the 3piritNs sorro4ful repl,* V;oo. here*N

Brom the fol/ings of its robe9 it brought t4o chil/ren@
4retche/9 abject9 frightful9 hi/eous9 miserable* The, .nelt
/o4n at its feet9 an/ clung upon the outsi/e of its garment*

V2h9 6an* loo. here* ;oo.9 loo.9 /o4n here*N exclaime/
the Ghost*

The, 4ere a bo, an/ a girl* Jello49 meagre9 ragge/9
sco4ling9 4olfish@ but prostrate9 too9 in their humilit,* >here
graceful ,outh shoul/ ha?e fille/ their features out9 an/
touche/ them 4ith its freshest tints9 a stale an/ shri?elle/
han/9 li.e that of age9 ha/ pinche/9 an/ t4iste/ them9 an/
pulle/ them into shre/s* >here angels might ha?e sat
enthrone/9 /e?ils lur.e/9 an/ glare/ out menacing* No
change9 no /egra/ation9 no per?ersion of humanit,9 in an,
gra/e9 through all the m,steries of 4on/erful creation9 has
monsters half so horrible an/ /rea/*

3crooge starte/ bac.9 appalle/* La?ing them sho4n to
him in this 4a,9 he trie/ to sa, the, 4ere fine chil/ren9 but
the 4or/s cho.e/ themsel?es9 rather than be parties to a lie
of such enormous magnitu/e*

V3pirit* are the, ,ours*N 3crooge coul/ sa, no more*

VThe, are 6anNs9N sai/ the 3pirit9 loo.ing /o4n upon
them* VAn/ the, cling to me9 appealing from their fathers*
This bo, is 1gnorance* This girl is >ant* 7e4are them both9
an/ all of their /egree9 but most of all be4are this bo,9 for
on his bro4 1 see that 4ritten 4hich is -oom9 unless the
4riting be erase/* -en, it*N crie/ the 3pirit9 stretching out
its han/ to4ar/s the cit,* V3lan/er those 4ho tell it ,e*
A/mit it for ,our factious purposes9 an/ ma.e it 4orse*
An/ abi/e the en/*N

VLa?e the, no refuge or resource*N crie/ 3crooge*

VAre there no prisons*N sai/ the 3pirit9 turning on him
for the last time 4ith his o4n 4or/s* VAre there no 4or.houses*N
The bell struc. t4el?e*

3crooge loo.e/ about him for the Ghost9 an/ sa4 it
not* As the last stro.e cease/ to ?ibrate9 he remembere/ the
pre/iction of ol/ Oacob 6arle,9 an/ lifting
up his e,es9 behel/ a solemn Phantom9 /rape/ an/
hoo/e/9 coming9 li.e a mist along the groun/9 to4ar/s
him*


3ta?e &" The ;ast of the 3pirits

The Phantom slo4l,9 gra?el,9 silentl, approache/* >hen
it came9 3crooge bent /o4n upon his .nee@ for in
the ?er, air through 4hich this 3pirit mo?e/ it seeme/ to
scatter gloom an/ m,ster,*

1t 4as shrou/e/ in a /eep blac. garment9 4hich conceale/
its hea/9 its face9 its form9 an/ left nothing of it ?isible
sa?e one outstretche/ han/* 7ut for this it 4oul/ ha?e been
/ifficult to /etach its figure from the night9 an/ separate it
from the /ar.ness b, 4hich it 4as surroun/e/*

Le felt that it 4as tall an/ statel, 4hen it came besi/e
him9 an/ that its m,sterious presence fille/ him 4ith a
solemn /rea/* Le .ne4 no more9 for the 3pirit neither
spo.e nor mo?e/*

V1 am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Jet To
Come*N sai/ 3crooge*

The 3pirit ans4ere/ not9 but pointe/ on4ar/ 4ith its
han/*

VJou are about to sho4 me sha/o4s of the things that
ha?e not happene/9 but 4ill happen in the time before us9N
3crooge pursue/* V1s that so9 3pirit*N

The upper portion of the garment 4as contracte/ for an
instant in its fol/s9 as if the 3pirit ha/ incline/ its hea/*
That 4as the onl, ans4er he recei?e/*

Although 4ell use/ to ghostl, compan, b, this time9
3crooge feare/ the silent shape so much that his legs tremble/
beneath him9 an/ he foun/ that he coul/ har/l, stan/ 4hen
he prepare/ to follo4 it* The 3pirit pauses a moment9 as
obser?ing his con/ition9 an/ gi?ing him time to reco?er*

7ut 3crooge 4as all the 4orse for this* 1t thrille/ him
4ith a ?ague uncertain horror9 to .no4 that behin/ the
/us., shrou/9 there 4ere ghostl, e,es intentl, fixe/ upon
him9 4hile he9 though he stretche/ his o4n to the utmost9
coul/ see nothing but a spectral han/ an/ one great heap
of blac.*

VGhost of the Buture*N he exclaime/9N 1 fear ,ou more
than an, spectre 1 ha?e seen* 7ut as 1 .no4 ,our purpose
is to /o me goo/9 an/ as 1 hope to li?e to be another
man from 4hat 1 4as9 1 am prepare/ to bear ,ou compan,9
an/ /o it 4ith a than.ful heart* >ill ,ou not spea.
to me*N

1t ga?e him no repl,* The han/ 4as pointe/ straight
before them*

V;ea/ on*N sai/ 3crooge* V;ea/ on* The night is
4aning fast9 an/ it is precious time to me9 1 .no4* ;ea/
on9 3pirit*N

The Phantom mo?e/ a4a, as it ha/ come to4ar/s him*
3crooge follo4e/ in the sha/o4 of its /ress9 4hich bore him
up9 he thought9 an/ carrie/ him along*

The, scarcel, seeme/ to enter the cit,@ for the cit, rather
seeme/ to spring up about them9 an/ encompass them of its
o4n act* 7ut there the, 4ere9 in the heart of it@ on
Change9 amongst the merchants@ 4ho hurrie/ up an/ /o4n9
an/ chin.e/ the mone, in their poc.ets9 an/ con?erse/ in
groups9 an/ loo.e/ at their 4atches9 an/ trifle/ thoughtfull,
4ith their great gol/ seals@ an/ so forth9 as 3crooge ha/
seen them often*

The 3pirit stoppe/ besi/e one little .not of business men*
2bser?ing that the han/ 4as pointe/ to them9 3crooge
a/?ance/ to listen to their tal.*

VNo9N sai/ a great fat man 4ith a monstrous chin9N 1
/onNt .no4 much about it9 either 4a,* 1 onl, .no4 heNs
/ea/*N

V>hen /i/ he /ie*N inHuire/ another*

V;ast night9 1 belie?e*N

V>h,9 4hat 4as the matter 4ith him*N as.e/ a thir/9
ta.ing a ?ast Huantit, of snuff out of a ?er, large snuffbox*
V1 thought heN/ ne?er /ie*N

VGo/ .no4s9N sai/ the first9 4ith a ,a4n*

V>hat has he /one 4ith his mone,*N as.e/ a re/face/
gentleman 4ith a pen/ulous excrescence on the en/ of his
nose9 that shoo. li.e the gills of a tur.e,coc.*

V1 ha?enNt hear/9N sai/ the man 4ith the large chin9
,a4ning again* V;eft it to his compan,9 perhaps* Le hasnNt
left it to me* ThatNs all 1 .no4*N

This pleasantr, 4as recei?e/ 4ith a general laugh*

V1tNs li.el, to be a ?er, cheap funeral9N sai/ the same
spea.er@N for upon m, life 1 /onNt .no4 of an,bo/, to go
to it* 3uppose 4e ma.e up a part, an/ ?olunteer*N

V1 /onNt min/ going if a lunch is pro?i/e/9N obser?e/ the
gentleman 4ith the excrescence on his nose* V7ut 1 must
be fe/9 if 1 ma.e one*N

Another laugh*

V>ell9 1 am the most /isintereste/ among ,ou9 after all9N
sai/ the first spea.er9N for 1 ne?er 4ear blac. glo?es9 an/ 1
ne?er eat lunch* 7ut 1Nll offer to go9 if an,bo/, else 4ill*
>hen 1 come to thin. of it9 1Nm not at all sure that 1 4asnNt
his most particular frien/@ for 4e use/ to stop an/ spea.
4hene?er 4e met* 7,e9 b,e*N

3pea.ers an/ listeners strolle/ a4a,9 an/ mixe/ 4ith
other groups* 3crooge .ne4 the men9 an/ loo.e/ to4ar/s the
3pirit for an explanation*

The Phantom gli/e/ on into a street* 1ts finger pointe/
to t4o persons meeting* 3crooge listene/ again9 thin.ing
that the explanation might lie here*

Le .ne4 these men9 also9 perfectl,* The, 4ere men of a,e
business" ?er, 4ealth,9 an/ of great importance* Le ha/ ma/e
a point al4a,s of stan/ing 4ell in their esteem" in a business
point of ?ie49 that is@ strictl, in a business point of ?ie4*

VLo4 are ,ou*N sai/ one*

VLo4 are ,ou*N returne/ the other*

V>ell*N sai/ the first* V2l/ 3cratch has got his o4n at
last9 he,*N

V3o 1 am tol/9N returne/ the secon/* VCol/9 isnNt it*N

V3easonable for Christmas time* JouNre not a s.ater9 1
suppose*N

VNo* No* 3omething else to thin. of* Goo/ morning*N

Not another 4or/* That 4as their meeting9 their
con?ersation9 an/ their parting*

3crooge 4as at first incline/ to be surprise/ that the
3pirit shoul/ attach importance to con?ersations apparentl, so
tri?ial@ but feeling assure/ that the, must ha?e some hi//en
purpose9 he set himself to consi/er 4hat it 4as li.el, to be*
The, coul/ scarcel, be suppose/ to ha?e an, bearing on the
/eath of Oacob9 his ol/ partner9 for that 4as Past9 an/ this
GhostNs pro?ince 4as the Buture* Nor coul/ he thin. of an,
one imme/iatel, connecte/ 4ith himself9 to 4hom he coul/
appl, them* 7ut nothing /oubting that to 4homsoe?er
the, applie/ the, ha/ some latent moral for his o4n impro?ement9
he resol?e/ to treasure up e?er, 4or/ he hear/9
an/ e?er,thing he sa4@ an/ especiall, to obser?e the
sha/o4 of himself 4hen it appeare/* Bor he ha/ an expectation
that the con/uct of his future self 4oul/ gi?e him
the clue he misse/9 an/ 4oul/ ren/er the solution of these
ri//les eas,*

Le loo.e/ about in that ?er, place for his o4n image@ but
another man stoo/ in his accustome/ corner9 an/ though the
cloc. pointe/ to his usual time of /a, for being there9 he
sa4 no li.eness of himself among the multitu/es that poure/
in through the Porch* 1t ga?e him little surprise9 ho4e?er@
for he ha/ been re?ol?ing in his min/ a change of life9 an/
thought an/ hope/ he sa4 his ne4born resolutions carrie/
out in this*

Puiet an/ /ar.9 besi/e him stoo/ the Phantom9 4ith its
outstretche/ han/* >hen he rouse/ himself from his
thoughtful Huest9 he fancie/ from the turn of the han/9 an/
its situation in reference to himself9 that the 5nseen E,es
4ere loo.ing at him .eenl,* 1t ma/e him shu//er9 an/ feel
?er, col/*

The, left the bus, scene9 an/ 4ent into an obscure part
of the to4n9 4here 3crooge ha/ ne?er penetrate/ before9
although he recognise/ its situation9 an/ its ba/ repute* The
4a,s 4ere foul an/ narro4@ the shops an/ houses 4retche/@
the people halfna.e/9 /run.en9 slipsho/9 ugl,* Alle,s an/
arch4a,s9 li.e so man, cesspools9 /isgorge/ their offences of
smell9 an/ /irt9 an/ life9 upon the straggling streets@ an/ the
4hole Huarter ree.e/ 4ith crime9 4ith filth9 an/ miser,*

Bar in this /en of infamous resort9 there 4as a lo4bro4e/9
beetling shop9 belo4 a penthouse roof9 4here iron9 ol/ rags9
bottles9 bones9 an/ greas, offal9 4ere bought* 5pon the floor
4ithin9 4ere pile/ up heaps of rust, .e,s9 nails9 chains9 hinges9
files9 scales9 4eights9 an/ refuse iron of all .in/s* 3ecrets
that fe4 4oul/ li.e to scrutinise 4ere bre/ an/ hi//en in
mountains of unseeml, rags9 masses of corrupte/ fat9 an/
sepulchres of bones* 3itting in among the 4ares he /ealt in9 b, a
charcoal sto?e9 ma/e of ol/ bric.s9 4as a gre,haire/ rascal9
nearl, se?ent, ,ears of age@ 4ho ha/ screene/ himself from the
col/ air 4ithout9 b, a frous, curtaining of miscellaneous
tatters9 hung upon a line@ an/ smo.e/ his pipe in all the luxur,
of calm retirement*

3crooge an/ the Phantom came into the presence of this
man9 just as a 4oman 4ith a hea?, bun/le slun. into the
shop* 7ut she ha/ scarcel, entere/9 4hen another 4oman9
similarl, la/en9 came in too@ an/ she 4as closel, follo4e/ b,
a man in fa/e/ blac.9 4ho 4as no less startle/ b, the sight
of them9 than the, ha/ been upon the recognition of each
other* After a short perio/ of blan. astonishment9 in 4hich
the ol/ man 4ith the pipe ha/ joine/ them9 the, all three
burst into a laugh*

V;et the char4oman alone to be the first*N crie/ she 4ho
ha/ entere/ first* V;et the laun/ress alone to be the secon/@
an/ let the un/erta.erNs man alone to be the thir/* ;oo.
here9 ol/ Ooe9 hereNs a chance* 1f 4e ha?enNt all three met
here 4ithout meaning it*N

VJou coul/nNt ha?e met in a better place9N sai/ ol/ Ooe9
remo?ing his pipe from his mouth* VCome into the parlour*
Jou 4ere ma/e free of it long ago9 ,ou .no4@ an/ the other
t4o anNt strangers* 3top till 1 shut the /oor of the shop*
Ah* Lo4 it s.ree.s* There anNt such a rust, bit of metal
in the place as its o4n hinges9 1 belie?e@ an/ 1Nm sure thereNs
no such ol/ bones here9 as mine* La9 ha* >eNre all suitable
to our calling9 4eNre 4ell matche/* Come into the
parlour* Come into the parlour*N

The parlour 4as the space behin/ the screen of rags* The
ol/ man ra.e/ the fire together 4ith an ol/ stairro/9 an/
ha?ing trimme/ his smo., lamp <for it 4as night=9 4ith the
stem of his pipe9 put it in his mouth again*

>hile he /i/ this9 the 4oman 4ho ha/ alrea/, spo.en
thre4 her bun/le on the floor9 an/ sat /o4n in a flaunting
manner on a stool@ crossing her elbo4s on her .nees9 an/
loo.ing 4ith a bol/ /efiance at the other t4o*

V>hat o//s then* >hat o//s9 6rs -ilber*N sai/ the
4oman* VE?er, person has a right to ta.e care of themsel?es*
Le al4a,s /i/*N

VThatNs true9 in/ee/*N sai/ the laun/ress* VNo man
more so*N

V>h, then9 /onNt stan/ staring as if ,ou 4as afrai/9
4oman@ 4hoNs the 4iser* >eNre not going to pic. holes in
each otherNs coats9 1 suppose*N

VNo9 in/ee/*N sai/ 6rs -ilber an/ the man together*
V>e shoul/ hope not*N

V:er, 4ell9 then*N crie/ the 4oman* VThatNs enough*
>hoNs the 4orse for the loss of a fe4 things li.e these*
Not a /ea/ man9 1 suppose*N

VNo9 in/ee/9N sai/ 6rs -ilber9 laughing*

V1f he 4ante/ to .eep them after he 4as /ea/9 a 4ic.e/ ol/
scre49N pursue/ the 4oman9N 4h, 4asnNt he natural in his
lifetime* 1f he ha/ been9 heN/ ha?e ha/ somebo/, to loo.
after him 4hen he 4as struc. 4ith -eath9 instea/ of l,ing
gasping out his last there9 alone b, himself*N

V1tNs the truest 4or/ that e?er 4as spo.e9N sai/ 6rs
-ilber* V1tNs a ju/gment on him*N

V1 4ish it 4as a little hea?ier ju/gment9N replie/ the
4oman@N an/ it shoul/ ha?e been9 ,ou ma, /epen/ upon it9
if 1 coul/ ha?e lai/ m, han/s on an,thing else* 2pen that
bun/le9 ol/ Ooe9 an/ let me .no4 the ?alue of it* 3pea. out
plain* 1Nm not afrai/ to be the first9 nor afrai/ for them to
see it* >e .no4 prett, 4ell that 4e 4ere helping oursel?es9
before 4e met here9 1 belie?e* 1tNs no sin* 2pen the bun/le9
Ooe*N

7ut the gallantr, of her frien/s 4oul/ not allo4 of this@
an/ the man in fa/e/ blac.9 mounting the breach first9
pro/uce/ his plun/er* 1t 4as not extensi?e* A seal or t4o9
a pencilcase9 a pair of slee?ebuttons9 an/ a brooch of no
great ?alue9 4ere all* The, 4ere se?erall, examine/ an/
appraise/ b, ol/ Ooe9 4ho chal.e/ the sums he 4as /ispose/
to gi?e for each9 upon the 4all9 an/ a//e/ them up into a
total 4hen he foun/ there 4as nothing more to come*

VThatNs ,our account9N sai/ Ooe9N an/ 1 4oul/nNt gi?e
another sixpence9 if 1 4as to be boile/ for not /oing it*
>hoNs next*N

6rs -ilber 4as next* 3heets an/ to4els9 a little 4earing
apparel9 t4o ol/fashione/ sil?er teaspoons9 a pair of
sugartongs9 an/ a fe4 boots* Ler account 4as state/ on the 4all
in the same manner*

V1 al4a,s gi?e too much to la/ies* 1tNs a 4ea.ness of mine9
an/ thatNs the 4a, 1 ruin m,self9N sai/ ol/ Ooe* VThatNs
,our account* 1f ,ou as.e/ me for another penn,9 an/ ma/e
it an open Huestion9 1N/ repent of being so liberal an/ .noc.
off halfacro4n*N

VAn/ no4 un/o m, bun/le9 Ooe9N sai/ the first 4oman*

Ooe 4ent /o4n on his .nees for the greater con?enience
of opening it9 an/ ha?ing unfastene/ a great man, .nots9
/ragge/ out a large an/ hea?, roll of some /ar. stuff*

V>hat /o ,ou call this*N sai/ Ooe* V7e/curtains*N

VAh*N returne/ the 4oman9 laughing an/ leaning for4ar/
on her crosse/ arms* V7e/curtains*N

VJou /onNt mean to sa, ,ou too. them /o4n9 rings an/
all9 4ith him l,ing there*N sai/ Ooe*

VJes 1 /o9N replie/ the 4oman* V>h, not*N

VJou 4ere born to ma.e ,our fortune9N sai/ Ooe9N an/
,ouNll certainl, /o it*N

V1 certainl, shanNt hol/ m, han/9 4hen 1 can get an,thing
in it b, reaching it out9 for the sa.e of such a man as he
4as9 1 promise ,ou9 Ooe9N returne/ the 4oman cooll,* V-onNt
/rop that oil upon the blan.ets9 no4*N

VLis blan.ets*N as.e/ Ooe*

V>hose elseNs /o ,ou thin.*N replie/ the 4oman* VLe
isnNt li.el, to ta.e col/ 4ithout them9 1 /are sa,*N

V1 hope he /i/nNt /ie of an, thing catching* Eh*N sai/
ol/ Ooe9 stopping in his 4or.9 an/ loo.ing up*

V-onNt ,ou be afrai/ of that9N returne/ the 4oman* V1
anNt so fon/ of his compan, that 1N/ loiter about him for
such things9 if he /i/* Ah* ,ou ma, loo. through that
shirt till ,our e,es ache@ but ,ou 4onNt fin/ a hole in it9 nor
a threa/bare place* 1tNs the best he ha/9 an/ a fine one too*
The,N/ ha?e 4aste/ it9 if it ha/nNt been for me*N

V>hat /o ,ou call 4asting of it*N as.e/ ol/ Ooe*

VPutting it on him to be burie/ in9 to be sure9N replie/
the 4oman 4ith a laugh* V3omebo/, 4as fool enough to
/o it9 but 1 too. it off again* 1f calico anNt goo/ enough for
such a purpose9 it isnNt goo/ enough for an,thing* 1tNs Huite
as becoming to the bo/,* Le canNt loo. uglier than he /i/
in that one*N

3crooge listene/ to this /ialogue in horror* As the, sat
groupe/ about their spoil9 in the scant, light affor/e/ b,
the ol/ manNs lamp9 he ?ie4e/ them 4ith a /etestation an/
/isgust9 4hich coul/ har/l, ha?e been greater9 though the
/emons9 mar.eting the corpse itself*

VLa9 ha*N laughe/ the same 4oman9 4hen ol/ Ooe9
pro/ucing a flannel bag 4ith mone, in it9 tol/ out their
se?eral gains upon the groun/* VThis is the en/ of it9 ,ou
see* Le frightene/ e?er, one a4a, from him 4hen he 4as
ali?e9 to profit us 4hen he 4as /ea/* La9 ha9 ha*N

V3pirit*N sai/ 3crooge9 shu//ering from hea/ to foot* V1
see9 1 see* The case of this unhapp, man might be m, o4n*
6, life ten/s that 4a,9 no4* 6erciful Lea?en9 4hat is
this*N

Le recoile/ in terror9 for the scene ha/ change/9 an/ no4
he almost touche/ a be/" a bare9 uncurtaine/ be/" on 4hich9
beneath a ragge/ sheet9 there la, a something co?ere/ up9
4hich9 though it 4as /umb9 announce/ itself in a4ful
language*

The room 4as ?er, /ar.9 too /ar. to be obser?e/ 4ith
an, accurac,9 though 3crooge glance/ roun/ it in obe/ience
to a secret impulse9 anxious to .no4 4hat .in/ of room it
4as* A pale light9 rising in the outer air9 fell straight upon
the be/@ an/ on it9 plun/ere/ an/ bereft9 un4atche/9 un4ept9
uncare/ for9 4as the bo/, of this man*

3crooge glance/ to4ar/s the Phantom* 1ts stea/, han/
4as pointe/ to the hea/* The co?er 4as so carelessl, a/juste/
that the slightest raising of it9 the motion of a finger upon
3croogeNs part9 4oul/ ha?e /isclose/ the face* Le thought
of it9 felt ho4 eas, it 4oul/ be to /o9 an/ longe/ to /o it@
but ha/ no more po4er to 4ith/ra4 the ?eil than to /ismiss
the spectre at his si/e*

2h col/9 col/9 rigi/9 /rea/ful -eath9 set up thine altar
here9 an/ /ress it 4ith such terrors as thou hast at th,
comman/" for this is th, /ominion* 7ut of the lo?e/9
re?ere/9 an/ honoure/ hea/9 thou canst not turn one hair
to th, /rea/ purposes9 or ma.e one feature o/ious* 1t is
not that the han/ is hea?, an/ 4ill fall /o4n 4hen release/@
it is not that the heart an/ pulse are still@ but that the
han/ 4as open9 generous9 an/ true@ the heart bra?e9 4arm9
an/ ten/er@ an/ the pulse a manNs* 3tri.e9 3ha/o49 stri.e*
An/ see his goo/ /ee/s springing from the 4oun/9 to so4
the 4orl/ 4ith life immortal*

No ?oice pronounce/ these 4or/s in 3croogeNs ears9 an/
,et he hear/ them 4hen he loo.e/ upon the be/* Le
thought9 if this man coul/ be raise/ up no49 4hat 4oul/ be
his foremost thoughts* A?arice9 har//ealing9 griping cares*
The, ha?e brought him to a rich en/9 trul,*

Le la,9 in the /ar. empt, house9 4ith not a man9 a
4oman9 or a chil/9 to sa, that he 4as .in/ to me in this
or that9 an/ for the memor, of one .in/ 4or/ 1 4ill be
.in/ to him* A cat 4as tearing at the /oor9 an/ there 4as
a soun/ of gna4ing rats beneath the hearthstone* >hat
the, 4ante/ in the room of /eath9 an/ 4h, the, 4ere so
restless an/ /isturbe/9 3crooge /i/ not /are to thin.*

V3pirit*N he sai/9N this is a fearful place* 1n lea?ing it9
1 shall not lea?e its lesson9 trust me* ;et us go*N

3till the Ghost pointe/ 4ith an unmo?e/ finger to the
hea/*

V1 un/erstan/ ,ou9N 3crooge returne/9N an/ 1 4oul/ /o
it9 if 1 coul/* 7ut 1 ha?e not the po4er9 3pirit* 1 ha?e
not the po4er*N

Again it seeme/ to loo. upon him*

V1f there is an, person in the to4n9 4ho feels emotion
cause/ b, this manNs /eath9N sai/ 3crooge Huite agonise/9
Vsho4 that person to me9 3pirit9 1 beseech ,ou*N

The Phantom sprea/ its /ar. robe before him for a
moment9 li.e a 4ing@ an/ 4ith/ra4ing it9 re?eale/ a room
b, /a,light9 4here a mother an/ her chil/ren 4ere*

3he 4as expecting some one9 an/ 4ith anxious eagerness@
for she 4al.e/ up an/ /o4n the room@ starte/ at e?er,
soun/@ loo.e/ out from the 4in/o4@ glance/ at the cloc.@
trie/9 but in ?ain9 to 4or. 4ith her nee/le@ an/ coul/ har/l,
bear the ?oices of the chil/ren in their pla,*

At length the longexpecte/ .noc. 4as hear/* 3he hurrie/
to the /oor9 an/ met her husban/@ a man 4hose face 4as
care4orn an/ /epresse/9 though he 4as ,oung* There 4as
a remar.able expression in it no4@ a .in/ of serious /elight
of 4hich he felt ashame/9 an/ 4hich he struggle/ to repress*

Le sat /o4n to the /inner that ha/ been boar/ing for
him b, the fire@ an/ 4hen she as.e/ him faintl, 4hat ne4s
<4hich 4as not until after a long silence=9 he appeare/
embarrasse/ ho4 to ans4er*

V1s it goo/*N she sai/9 Vor ba/MN to help him*

V7a/9N he ans4ere/*

V>e are Huite ruine/*N

VNo* There is hope ,et9 Caroline*N

V1f he relents9N she sai/9 ama0e/9 Vthere is* Nothing is
past hope9 if such a miracle has happene/*N

VLe is past relenting9N sai/ her husban/* VLe is /ea/*N

3he 4as a mil/ an/ patient creature if her face spo.e
truth@ but she 4as than.ful in her soul to hear it9 an/ she
sai/ so9 4ith claspe/ han/s* 3he pra,e/ forgi?eness the next
moment9 an/ 4as sorr,@ but the first 4as the emotion of
her heart*

V>hat the half/run.en 4oman 4hom 1 tol/ ,ou of last
night9 sai/ to me9 4hen 1 trie/ to see him an/ obtain a
4ee.Ns /ela,@ an/ 4hat 1 thought 4as a mere excuse to a?oi/
me@ turns out to ha?e been Huite true* Le 4as not onl,
?er, ill9 but /,ing9 then*N

VTo 4hom 4ill our /ebt be transferre/*N

V1 /onNt .no4* 7ut before that time 4e shall be rea/,
4ith the mone,@ an/ e?en though 4e 4ere not9 it 4oul/ be
a ba/ fortune in/ee/ to fin/ so merciless a cre/itor in his
successor* >e ma, sleep tonight 4ith light hearts9 Caroline*N

Jes* 3often it as the, 4oul/9 their hearts 4ere lighter*
The chil/renNs faces9 hushe/ an/ clustere/ roun/ to hear 4hat
the, so little un/erstoo/9 4ere brighter@ an/ it 4as a happier
house for this manNs /eath* The onl, emotion that the
Ghost coul/ sho4 him9 cause/ b, the e?ent9 4as one of
pleasure*

V;et me see some ten/erness connecte/ 4ith a /eath9N sai/
3crooge@N or that /ar. chamber9 3pirit9 4hich 4e left just
no49 4ill be for e?er present to me*N

The Ghost con/ucte/ him through se?eral streets familiar
to his feet@ an/ as the, 4ent along9 3crooge loo.e/ here an/
there to fin/ himself9 but no4here 4as he to be seen* The,
entere/ poor 7ob CratchitNs house@ the /4elling he ha/
?isite/ before@ an/ foun/ the mother an/ the chil/ren seate/
roun/ the fire*

Puiet* :er, Huiet* The nois, little Cratchits 4ere as
still as statues in one corner9 an/ sat loo.ing up at Peter9
4ho ha/ a boo. before him* The mother an/ her /aughters
4ere engage/ in se4ing* 7ut surel, the, 4ere ?er, Huiet*

VAn/ he too. a chil/9 an/ set him in the mi/st of
them*N

>here ha/ 3crooge hear/ those 4or/s* Le ha/ not
/reame/ them* The bo, must ha?e rea/ them out9 as he
an/ the 3pirit crosse/ the threshol/* >h, /i/ he not
go on*

The mother lai/ her 4or. upon the table9 an/ put her
han/ up to her face*

VThe colour hurts m, e,es9N she sai/*

The colour* Ah9 poor Tin, Tim*

VThe,Nre better no4 again9N sai/ CratchitNs 4ife* V1t
ma.es them 4ea. b, can/lelight@ an/ 1 4oul/nNt sho4 4ea.
e,es to ,our father 4hen he comes home9 for the 4orl/* 1t
must be near his time*N

VPast it rather9N Peter ans4ere/9 shutting up his boo.*
V7ut 1 thin. he has 4al.e/ a little slo4er than he use/9
these fe4 last e?enings9 mother*N

The, 4ere ?er, Huiet again* At last she sai/9 an/ in a
stea/,9 cheerful ?oice9 that onl, faltere/ once"

V1 ha?e .no4n him 4al. 4ith 1 ha?e .no4n him 4al.
4ith Tin, Tim upon his shoul/er9 ?er, fast in/ee/*N

VAn/ so ha?e 19N crie/ Peter* V2ften*N

VAn/ so ha?e 19N exclaime/ another* 3o ha/ all*

V7ut he 4as ?er, light to carr,9N she resume/9 intent upon
her 4or.9N an/ his father lo?e/ him so9 that it 4as no
trouble" no trouble* An/ there is ,our father at the /oor*N

3he hurrie/ out to meet him@ an/ little 7ob in his comforter
he ha/ nee/ of it9 poor fello4 came in* Lis tea
4as rea/, for him on the hob9 an/ the, all trie/ 4ho shoul/
help him to it most* Then the t4o ,oung Cratchits got
upon his .nees an/ lai/9 each chil/ a little chee.9 against
his face9 as if the, sai/9N -onNt min/ it9 father* -onNt be
grie?e/*N

7ob 4as ?er, cheerful 4ith them9 an/ spo.e pleasantl, to
all the famil,* Le loo.e/ at the 4or. upon the table9 an/
praise/ the in/ustr, an/ spee/ of 6rs Cratchit an/ the girls*
The, 4oul/ be /one long before 3un/a,9 he sai/*

V3un/a,* Jou 4ent to/a,9 then9 8obert*N sai/ his
4ife*

VJes9 m, /ear9N returne/ 7ob* V1 4ish ,ou coul/ ha?e
gone* 1t 4oul/ ha?e /one ,ou goo/ to see ho4 green a
place it is* 7ut ,ouNll see it often* 1 promise/ him that 1
4oul/ 4al. there on a 3un/a,* 6, little9 little chil/*N
crie/ 7ob* V6, little chil/*N

Le bro.e /o4n all at once* Le coul/nNt help it* 1f he
coul/ ha?e helpe/ it9 he an/ his chil/ 4oul/ ha?e been farther
apart perhaps than the, 4ere*

Le left the room9 an/ 4ent upstairs into the room abo?e9
4hich 4as lighte/ cheerfull,9 an/ hung 4ith Christmas*
There 4as a chair set close besi/e the chil/9 an/ there 4ere
signs of some one ha?ing been there9 latel,* Poor 7ob sat
/o4n in it9 an/ 4hen he ha/ thought a little an/ compose/
himself9 he .isse/ the little face* Le 4as reconcile/ to 4hat
ha/ happene/9 an/ 4ent /o4n again Huite happ,*

The, /re4 about the fire9 an/ tal.e/@ the girls an/ mother
4or.ing still* 7ob tol/ them of the extraor/inar, .in/ness
of 6r 3croogeNs nephe49 4hom he ha/ scarcel, seen but
once9 an/ 4ho9 meeting him in the street that /a,9 an/ seeing
that he loo.e/ a little N just a little /o4n ,ou .no49N sai/
7ob9 inHuire/ 4hat ha/ happene/ to /istress him* V2n
4hich9N sai/ 7ob9N for he is the pleasantestspo.en gentleman
,ou e?er hear/9 1 tol/ him* V1 am heartil, sorr, for it9 6r
Cratchit9N he sai/9N an/ heartil, sorr, for ,our goo/ 4ife*N
7, the b,e9 ho4 he e?er .ne4 that9 1 /onNt .no4*N

VQne4 4hat9 m, /ear*N

V>h,9 that ,ou 4ere a goo/ 4ife9N replie/ 7ob*

VE?er,bo/, .no4s that*N sai/ Peter*

V:er, 4ell obser?e/9 m, bo,*N crie/ 7ob* V1 hope the,
/o* VLeartil, sorr,9N he sai/9N for ,our goo/ 4ife* 1f 1
can be of ser?ice to ,ou in an, 4a,9N he sai/9 gi?ing me
his car/9N thatNs 4here 1 li?e* Pra, come to me*N No49 it
4asnNt9N crie/ 7ob9N for the sa.e of an,thing he might be
able to /o for us9 so much as for his .in/ 4a,9 that this 4as
Huite /elightful* 1t reall, seeme/ as if he ha/ .no4n our
Tin, Tim9 an/ felt 4ith us*N

V1Nm sure heNs a goo/ soul*N sai/ 6rs Cratchit*

VJou 4oul/ be surer of it9 m, /ear9N returne/ 7ob9N if
,ou sa4 an/ spo.e to him* 1 shoul/nNt be at all surprise/
mar. 4hat 1 sa,* if he got Peter a better situation*N

V2nl, hear that9 Peter9N sai/ 6rs Cratchit*

VAn/ then9N crie/ one of the girls9N Peter 4ill be .eeping
compan, 4ith some one9 an/ setting up for himself*N

VGet along 4ith ,ou*N retorte/ Peter9 grinning*

V1tNs just as li.el, as not9N sai/ 7ob9N one of these /a,s@
though thereNs plent, of time for that9 m, /ear* 7ut ho4e?er
an/ 4hen e?er 4e part from one another9 1 am sure 4e
shall none of us forget poor Tin, Tim shall 4e or this
first parting that there 4as among us*N

VNe?er9 father*N crie/ the, all*

VAn/ 1 .no49N sai/ 7ob9N 1 .no49 m, /ears9 that 4hen
4e recollect ho4 patient an/ ho4 mil/ he 4as@ although he
4as a little9 little chil/@ 4e shall not Huarrel easil, among
oursel?es9 an/ forget poor Tin, Tim in /oing it*N

VNo9 ne?er9 father*N the, all crie/ again*

V1 am ?er, happ,9N sai/ little 7ob9N 1 am ?er, happ,*N

6rs Cratchit .isse/ him9 his /aughters .isse/ him9 the
t4o ,oung Cratchits .isse/ him9 an/ Peter an/ himself shoo.
han/s* 3pirit of Tin, Tim9 th, chil/ish essence 4as from
Go/*

V3pectre9N sai/ 3crooge9N something informs me that our
parting moment is at han/* 1 .no4 it9 but 1 .no4 not
ho4* Tell me 4hat man that 4as 4hom 4e sa4 l,ing /ea/*N

The Ghost of Christmas Jet To Come con?e,e/ him9 as
before though at a /ifferent time9 he thought" in/ee/9 there
seeme/ no or/er in these latter ?isions9 sa?e that the, 4ere
in the Buture into the resorts of business men9 but sho4e/
him not himself* 1n/ee/9 the 3pirit /i/ not sta, for an,thing9
but 4ent straight on9 as to the en/ just no4 /esire/9
until besought b, 3crooge to tarr, for a moment*

VThis courts9N sai/ 3crooge9N through 4hich 4e hurr, no49
is 4here m, place of occupation is9 an/ has been for a length
of time* 1 see the house* ;et me behol/ 4hat 1 shall be9
in /a,s to come*N

The 3pirit stoppe/@ the han/ 4as pointe/ else4here*

VThe house is ,on/er9N 3crooge exclaime/* V>h, /o ,ou
point a4a,*N

The inexorable finger un/er4ent no change*

3crooge hastene/ to the 4in/o4 of his office9 an/ loo.e/
in* 1t 4as an office still9 but not his* The furniture 4as
not the same9 an/ the figure in the chair 4as not himself*
The Phantom pointe/ as before*

Le joine/ it once again9 an/ 4on/ering 4h, an/ 4hither
he ha/ gone9 accompanie/ it until the, reache/ an iron gate*
Le pause/ to loo. roun/ before entering*

A church,ar/* Lere9 then9 the 4retche/ man 4hose name
he ha/ no4 to learn9 la, un/erneath the groun/* 1t 4as a
4orth, place* >alle/ in b, houses@ o?errun b, grass an/
4ee/s9 the gro4th of ?egetationNs /eath9 not life@ cho.e/ up
4ith too much bur,ing@ fat 4ith replete/ appetite* A
4orth, place*

The 3pirit stoo/ among the gra?es9 an/ pointe/ /o4n to
2ne* Le a/?ance/ to4ar/s it trembling* The Phantom 4as
exactl, as it ha/ been9 but he /rea/e/ that he sa4 ne4
meaning in its solemn shape*

V7efore 1 /ra4 nearer to that stone to 4hich ,ou point9N
sai/ 3crooge9 Vans4er me one Huestion* Are these the
sha/o4s of the things that >ill be9 or are the, sha/o4s of
things that 6a, be9 onl,*N

3till the Ghost pointe/ /o4n4ar/ to the gra?e b, 4hich
it stoo/*

V6enNs courses 4ill foresha/o4 certain en/s9 to 4hich9 if
perse?ere/ in9 the, must lea/9N sai/ 3crooge* V7ut if the
courses be /eparte/ from9 the en/s 4ill change* 3a, it is
thus 4ith 4hat ,ou sho4 me*N

The 3pirit 4as immo?able as e?er*

3crooge crept to4ar/s it9 trembling as he 4ent@ an/
follo4ing the finger9 rea/ upon the stone of the neglecte/
gra?e his o4n name9 Ebene0er 3crooge*

VAm 1 that man 4ho la, upon the be/*N he crie/9 upon
his .nees*

The finger pointe/ from the gra?e to him9 an/ bac. again*

VNo9 3pirit* 2h no9 no*N

The finger still 4as there*

V3pirit*N he crie/9 tight clutching at its robe9N hear me*
1 am not the man 1 4as* 1 4ill not be the man 1 must
ha?e been but for this intercourse* >h, sho4 me this9 if 1
am past all hope*N

Bor the first time the han/ appeare/ to sha.e*

VGoo/ 3pirit9N he pursue/9 as /o4n upon the groun/ he
fell before it"N Jour nature interce/es for me9 an/ pities
me* Assure me that 1 ,et ma, change these sha/o4s ,ou
ha?e sho4n me9 b, an altere/ life*N

The .in/ han/ tremble/*

V1 4ill honour Christmas in m, heart9 an/ tr, to .eep it
all the ,ear* 1 4ill li?e in the Past9 the Present9 an/ the
Buture* The 3pirits of all Three shall stri?e 4ithin me* 1
4ill not shut out the lessons that the, teach* 2h9 tell me 1
ma, sponge a4a, the 4riting on this stone*N

1n his agon,9 he caught the spectral han/* 1t sought to
free itself9 but he 4as strong in his entreat,9 an/ /etaine/ it*
The 3pirit9 stronger ,et9 repulse/ him*

Lol/ing up his han/s in a last pra,er to ha?e his fate a,e
re?erse/9 he sa4 an alteration in the PhantomNs hoo/ an/ /ress*
1t shrun.9 collapse/9 an/ /4in/le/ /o4n into a be/post*


3ta?e (" The En/ of 1t

JesF an/ the be/post 4as his o4n* The be/ 4as his o4n9
the room 4as his o4n* 7est an/ happiest of all9 the Time
before him 4as his o4n9 to ma.e amen/s inF

V1 4ill li?e in the Past9 the Present9 an/ the Buture*N
3crooge repeate/9 as he scramble/ out of be/* VThe 3pirits
of all Three shall stri?e 4ithin me* 2h Oacob 6arle,*
Lea?en9 an/ the Christmas Time be praise/ for this* 1 sa,
it on m, .nees9 ol/ Oacob9 on m, .nees*N

Le 4as so fluttere/ an/ so glo4ing 4ith his goo/ intentions9
that his bro.en ?oice 4oul/ scarcel, ans4er to his
call* Le ha/ been sobbing ?iolentl, in his conflict 4ith the
3pirit9 an/ his face 4as 4et 4ith tears*

VThe, are not torn /o4n*N crie/ 3crooge9 fol/ing one of
his be/curtains in his arms9N the, are not torn /o4n9 rings
an/ all* The, are here 1 am here the sha/o4s of the
things that 4oul/ ha?e been9 ma, be /ispelle/* The, 4ill
be* 1 .no4 the, 4ill*N

Lis han/s 4ere bus, 4ith his garments all this time@
turning them insi/e out9 putting them on upsi/e /o4n9
tearing them9 misla,ing them9 ma.ing them parties to e?er,
.in/ of extra?agance*

V1 /onNt .no4 4hat to /o*N crie/ 3crooge9 laughing an/
cr,ing in the same breath@ an/ ma.ing a perfect ;aocoon of
himself 4ith his stoc.ings* V1 am as light as a feather9 1
am as happ, as an angel9 1 am as merr, as a schoolbo,* 1
am as gi//, as a /run.en man* A merr, Christmas to
e?er,bo/,* A happ, Ne4 Jear to all the 4orl/* Lallo
here* >hoop* Lallo*N

Le ha/ fris.e/ into the sittingroom9 an/ 4as no4 stan/ing
there" perfectl, 4in/e/*

VThereNs the saucepan that the gruel 4as in*N crie/
3crooge9 starting off again9 an/ going roun/ the fireplace*
VThereNs the /oor9 b, 4hich the Ghost of Oacob 6arle,
entere/* ThereNs the corner 4here the Ghost of Christmas
Present9 sat* ThereNs the 4in/o4 4here 1 sa4 the 4an/ering
3pirits* 1tNs all right9 itNs all true9 it all happene/*
La ha ha*N

8eall,9 for a man 4ho ha/ been out of practice for so
man, ,ears9 it 4as a splen/i/ laugh9 a most illustrious laugh*
The father of a long9 long line of brilliant laughs*

V1 /onNt .no4 4hat /a, of the month it is*N sai/
3crooge* V1 /onNt .no4 ho4 long 1N?e been among the
3pirits* 1 /onNt .no4 an,thing* 1Nm Huite a bab,* Ne?er
min/* 1 /onNt care* 1N/ rather be a bab,* Lallo* >hoop*
Lallo here*N

Le 4as chec.e/ in his transports b, the churches ringing
out the lustiest peals he ha/ e?er hear/* Clash9 clang9
hammer@ /ing9 /ong9 bell* 7ell9 /ong9 /ing@ hammer9 clang9
clash* 2h9 glorious9 glorious*

8unning to the 4in/o49 he opene/ it9 an/ put out his
hea/* No fog9 no mist@ clear9 bright9 jo?ial9 stirring9 col/@
col/9 piping for the bloo/ to /ance to@ Gol/en sunlight@
Lea?enl, s.,@ s4eet fresh air@ merr, bells* 2h9 glorious*
Glorious*

V>hatNs to/a,*N crie/ 3crooge9 calling /o4n4ar/ to a
bo, in 3un/a, clothes9 4ho perhaps ha/ loitere/ in to loo.
about him*

VEh*N returne/ the bo,9 4ith all his might of 4on/er*

V>hatNs to/a,9 m, fine fello4*N sai/ 3crooge*

VTo/a,*N replie/ the bo,* V>h,9 Christmas -a,*N

V1tNs Christmas -a,*N sai/ 3crooge to himself* V1
ha?enNt misse/ it* The 3pirits ha?e /one it all in one night*
The, can /o an,thing the, li.e* 2f course the, can* 2f
course the, can* Lallo9 m, fine fello4*N

VLallo*N returne/ the bo,*

V-o ,ou .no4 the PoultererNs9 in the next street but one9
at the corner*N 3crooge inHuire/*

V1 shoul/ hope 1 /i/9N replie/ the la/*

VAn intelligent bo,*N sai/ 3crooge* VA remar.able bo,*
-o ,ou .no4 4hether the,N?e sol/ the pri0e Tur.e, that
4as hanging up there Not the little pri0e Tur.e," the
big one*N

V>hat9 the one as big as me*N returne/ the bo,*

V>hat a /elightful bo,*N sai/ 3crooge* V1tNs a pleasure
to tal. to him* Jes9 m, buc.*N

V1tNs hanging there no49N replie/ the bo,*

V1s it*N sai/ 3crooge* VGo an/ bu, it*N

V>al.er*N exclaime/ the bo,*

VNo9 no9N sai/ 3crooge9 V1 am in earnest* Go an/ bu,
it9 an/ tell them to bring it here9 that 1 ma, gi?e them the
/irection 4here to ta.e it* Come bac. 4ith the man9 an/
1Nll gi?e ,ou a shilling* Come bac. 4ith him in less than
fi?e minutes an/ 1Nll gi?e ,ou halfacro4n*N

The bo, 4as off li.e a shot* Le must ha?e ha/ a stea/,
han/ at a trigger 4ho coul/ ha?e got a shot off half so fast*

V1Nll sen/ it to 7on CratchitNs*N 4hispere/ 3crooge9
rubbing his han/s9 an/ splitting 4ith a laugh* VLe shanNt
.no4 4ho sen/s it* 1tNs t4ice the si0e of Tin, Tim* Ooe
6iller ne?er ma/e such a jo.e as sen/ing it to 7obNs
4ill be*N

The han/ in 4hich he 4rote the a//ress 4as not a stea/,
one9 but 4rite it he /i/9 someho49 an/ 4ent /o4nstairs to
open the street /oor9 rea/, for the coming of the poultererNs
man* As he stoo/ there9 4aiting his arri?al9 the .noc.er
caught his e,e*

V1 shall lo?e it9 as long as 1 li?e*N crie/ 3crooge9 patting
it 4ith his han/* V1 scarcel, e?er loo.e/ at it before*
>hat an honest expression it has in its face* 1tNs a
4on/erful .noc.er* LereNs the Tur.e,* Lallo* >hoop*
Lo4 are ,ou* 6err, Christmas*N

1t 4as a Tur.e,* Le ne?er coul/ ha?e stoo/ upon his
legs9 that bir/* Le 4oul/ ha?e snappe/ them short off in a
minute9 li.e stic.s of sealing4ax*

V>h,9 itNs impossible to carr, that to Cam/en To4n9N
sai/ 3crooge* VJou must ha?e a cab*N

The chuc.le 4ith 4hich he sai/ this9 an/ the chuc.le 4ith
4hich he pai/ for the Tur.e,9 an/ the chuc.le 4ith 4hich
he pai/ for the cab9 an/ the chuc.le 4ith 4hich he recompense/
the bo,9 4ere onl, to be excee/e/ b, the chuc.le
4ith 4hich he sat /o4n breathless in his chair again9 an/
chuc.le/ till he crie/*

3ha?ing 4as not an eas, tas.9 for his han/ continue/ to
sha.e ?er, much@ an/ sha?ing reHuires attention9 e?en 4hen
,ou /onNt /ance 4hile ,ou are at it* 7ut if he ha/ cut the
en/ of his nose off9 he 4oul/ ha?e put a piece of
stic.ingplaster o?er it9 an/ been Huite satisfie/*

Le /resse/ himself all in his best9 an/ at last got out
into the streets* The people 4ere b, this time pouring forth9
as he ha/ seen them 4ith the Ghost of Christmas Present@
an/ 4al.ing 4ith his han/s behin/ him9 3crooge regar/e/
e?er, one 4ith a /elighte/ smile* Le loo.e/ so irresistibl,
pleasant9 in a 4or/9 that three or four goo/humoure/ fello4s
sai/9N Goo/ morning9 sir* A merr, Christmas to ,ou*N
An/ 3crooge sai/ often after4ar/s9 that of all the blithe
soun/s he ha/ e?er hear/9 those 4ere the blithest in his ears*

Le ha/ not gone far9 4hen coming on to4ar/s him he
behel/ the portl, gentleman9 4ho ha/ 4al.e/ into his
countinghouse the /a, before9 an/ sai/9N 3crooge an/ 6arle,Ns9 1
belie?e*N 1t sent a pang across his heart to thin. ho4 this
ol/ gentleman 4oul/ loo. upon him 4hen the, met@ but he
.ne4 4hat path la, straight before him9 an/ he too. it*

V6, /ear sir9N sai/ 3crooge9 Huic.ening his pace9 an/
ta.ing the ol/ gentleman b, both his han/s* VLo4 /o ,ou
/o* 1 hope ,ou succee/e/ ,ester/a,* 1t 4as ?er, .in/ of
,ou* A merr, Christmas to ,ou9 sir*N

V6r 3crooge*N

VJes9N sai/ 3crooge* VThat is m, name9 an/ 1 fear it
ma, not be pleasant to ,ou* Allo4 me to as. ,our par/on*
An/ 4ill ,ou ha?e the goo/nessN here 3crooge 4hispere/ in
his ear*

V;or/ bless me*N crie/ the gentleman9 as if his breath
4ere ta.en a4a,* V6, /ear 6r 3crooge9 are ,ou serious*N

V1f ,ou please9N sai/ 3crooge* VNot a farthing less* A
great man, bac.pa,ments are inclu/e/ in it9 1 assure ,ou*
>ill ,ou /o me that fa?our*N

V6, /ear sir9N sai/ the other9 sha.ing han/s 4ith him*
V1 /onNt .no4 4hat to sa, to such munificence*N

V-onNt sa, an,thing please9N retorte/ 3crooge* VCome
an/ see me* >ill ,ou come an/ see me*N

V1 4ill*N crie/ the ol/ gentleman* An/ it 4as clear he
meant to /o it*

VThan. ,ou9N sai/ 3crooge* V1 am much oblige/ to ,ou*
1 than. ,ou fift, times* 7less ,ou*N

Le 4ent to church9 an/ 4al.e/ about the streets9 an/
4atche/ the people hurr,ing to an/ fro9 an/ patte/ chil/ren
on the hea/9 an/ Huestione/ beggars9 an/ loo.e/ /o4n into
the .itchens of houses9 an/ up to the 4in/o4s9 an/ foun/
that e?er,thing coul/ ,iel/ him pleasure* Le ha/ ne?er
/reame/ that an, 4al. that an,thing coul/ gi?e him so
much happiness* 1n the afternoon he turne/ his steps
to4ar/s his nephe4Ns house*

Le passe/ the /oor a /o0en times9 before he ha/ the
courage to go up an/ .noc.* 7ut he ma/e a /ash9 an/
/i/ it"

V1s ,our master at home9 m, /ear*N sai/ 3crooge to the
girl* Nice girl* :er,*

VJes9 sir*N

V>here is he9 m, lo?e*N sai/ 3crooge*

VLeNs in the /iningroom9 sir9 along 4ith mistress* 1Nll
sho4 ,ou upstairs9 if ,ou please*N

VThan. ,ou* Le .no4s me9N sai/ 3crooge9 4ith his han/
alrea/, on the /iningroom loc.* V1Nll go in here9 m, /ear*N

Le turne/ it gentl,9 an/ si/le/ his face in9 roun/ the /oor*
The, 4ere loo.ing at the table <4hich 4as sprea/ out in
great arra,=@ for these ,oung house.eepers are al4a,s ner?ous
on such points9 an/ li.e to see that e?er,thing is right*

VBre/*N sai/ 3crooge*

-ear heart ali?e9 ho4 his niece b, marriage starte/*
3crooge ha/ forgotten9 for the moment9 about her sitting
in the corner 4ith the footstool9 or he 4oul/nNt ha?e /one
it9 on an, account*

V>h, bless m, soul*N crie/ Bre/9N 4hoNs that*N

V1tNs 1* Jour uncle 3crooge* 1 ha?e come to /inner*
>ill ,ou let me in9 Bre/*N

;et him in* 1t is a merc, he /i/nNt sha.e his arm off*
Le 4as at home in fi?e minutes* Nothing coul/ be heartier*
Lis niece loo.e/ just the same* 3o /i/ Topper 4hen he
came* 3o /i/ the plump sister 4hen she came* 3o /i/
e?er, one 4hen the, came* >on/erful part,9 4on/erful
games9 4on/erful unanimit,9 4on/erful happiness*

7ut he 4as earl, at the office next morning* 2h9 he 4as
earl, there* 1f he coul/ onl, be there first9 an/ catch 7ob
Cratchit coming late* That 4as the thing he ha/ set his
heart upon*

An/ he /i/ it@ ,es9 he /i/* The cloc. struc. nine* No
7ob* A Huarter past* No 7ob* Le 4as full eighteen
minutes an/ a half behin/ his time* 3crooge sat 4ith his
/oor 4i/e open9 that he might see him come into the Tan.*

Lis hat 4as off9 before he opene/ the /oor@ his comforter
too* Le 4as on his stool in a jiff,@ /ri?ing a4a, 4ith his
pen9 as if he 4ere tr,ing to o?erta.e nine oNcloc.*

VLallo*N gro4le/ 3crooge9 in his accustome/ ?oice9 as
near as he coul/ feign it* V>hat /o ,ou mean b, coming
here at this time of /a,*N

V1 am ?er, sorr,9 sir9N sai/ 7ob* V1 am behin/ m, time*N

VJou are*N repeate/ 3crooge* VJes* 1 thin. ,ou are*
3tep this 4a,9 sir9 if ,ou please*N

V1tNs onl, once a ,ear9 sir9N plea/e/ 7ob9 appearing from
the Tan.* V1t shall not be repeate/* 1 4as ma.ing rather
merr, ,ester/a,9 sir*N

VNo49 1Nll tell ,ou 4hat9 m, frien/9N sai/ 3crooge9N 1
am not going to stan/ this sort of thing an, longer* An/
therefore9N he continue/9 leaping from his stool9 an/ gi?ing
7ob such a /ig in the 4aistcoat that he staggere/ bac. into
the Tan. again@N an/ therefore 1 am about to raise ,our
salar,*N

7ob tremble/9 an/ got a little nearer to the ruler* Le
ha/ a momentar, i/ea of .noc.ing 3crooge /o4n 4ith it9
hol/ing him9 an/ calling to the people in the court for help
an/ a strait4aistcoat*

VA merr, Christmas9 7ob9N sai/ 3crooge9 4ith an earnestness
that coul/ not be mista.en9 as he clappe/ him on the
bac.* VA merrier Christmas9 7ob9 m, goo/ fello49 than 1
ha?e gi?en ,ou for man, a ,ear* 1Nll raise ,our salar,9 an/
en/ea?our to assist ,our struggling famil,9 an/ 4e 4ill /iscuss
,our affairs this ?er, afternoon9 o?er a Christmas bo4l of
smo.ing bishop9 7ob* 6a.e up the fires9 an/ bu, another
coalscuttle before ,ou /ot another i9 7ob Cratchit*N

3crooge 4as better than his 4or/* Le /i/ it all9 an/
infinitel, more@ an/ to Tin, Tim9 4ho /i/ not /ie9 he 4as
a secon/ father* Le became as goo/ a frien/9 as goo/ a
master9 an/ as goo/ a man9 as the goo/ ol/ cit, .ne49 or
an, other goo/ ol/ cit,9 to4n9 or borough9 in the goo/ ol/
4orl/* 3ome people laughe/ to see the alteration in him9
but he let them laugh9 an/ little hee/e/ them@ for he 4as
4ise enough to .no4 that nothing e?er happene/ on this
globe9 for goo/9 at 4hich some people /i/ not ha?e their fill
of laughter in the outset@ an/ .no4ing that such as these
4oul/ be blin/ an,4a,9 he thought it Huite as 4ell that the,
shoul/ 4rin.le up their e,es in grins9 as ha?e the mala/, in
less attracti?e forms* Lis o4n heart laughe/" an/ that 4as
Huite enough for him*

Le ha/ no further intercourse 4ith 3pirits9 but li?e/ upon
the Total Abstinence Principle9 e?er after4ar/s@ an/ it 4as
al4a,s sai/ of him9 that he .ne4 ho4 to .eep Christmas
4ell9 if an, man ali?e possesse/ the .no4le/ge* 6a, that
be trul, sai/ of us9 an/ all of usF An/ so9 as Tin, Tim
obser?e/9 Go/ bless 5s9 E?er, 2neF



En/ of The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Christmas Carol*