A Christmas Carol in Prose; Being a Ghost Story of Christmas

wn, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all,

out of bed. “The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh Jacob Marley! Heaven, a

roken voice would scarcely answer to his call. He had been sobbing viol

ms, “they are not torn down, rings and all. They are here—I am here—the shadows of

hem inside out, putting them on upside down, tearing them, mis

self with his stockings. “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am a

ting-room, and was now stan

re’s the door, by which the Ghost of Jacob Marley entered! There’s the corner where the Ghost of Christmas Present,

ny years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious la

long I’ve been among the Spirits. I don’t know anything. I’m quite a baby.

stiest peals he had ever heard. Clash, clang, hammer; ding, dong, b

ar, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Gol

ownward to a boy in Sunday clothes, who p

e boy, with all h

my fine fellow

d the boy. “Why,

The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they

returne

in the next street but one, at

e I did,” rep

you know whether they’ve sold the prize Turkey that was ha

as big as me?”

d Scrooge. “It’s a pleasure

there now,” re

Scrooge. “Go

” exclaim

at I may give them the direction where to take it. Come back with the man, and I’ll give y

ave had a steady hand at a trigger who

splitting with a laugh. “He sha’n’t know who sends it. It’s twice the size o

omehow, and went down-stairs to open the street door, ready for the coming of the p

arcely ever looked at it before. What an honest expression it has in its face! It’s

his legs, that bird. He would have snapped ’em s

y that to Camden Town,” said

e with which he paid for the cab, and the chuckle with which he recompensed the boy, were only to be e

s attention, even when you don’t dance while you are at it. But if he had cut the end of his

and walking with his hands behind him, Scrooge regarded every one with a delighted smile. He looked so irresistibly pleasant, in a word, that three or four good-humoured fello

house the day before, and said, “Scrooge and Marley’s, I believe?” It sent a pang across his heart to think how t

d gentleman by both his hands. “How do you do? I hope you succeeded

Scr

ot be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And wi

as if his breath were taken away. “M

less. A great many back-payments are included i

haking hands with him. “I don’t

retorted Scrooge. “Come and se

gentleman. And it was

am much obliged to you. I tha

d beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had n

ore he had the courage to go up and k

my dear?” said Scrooge to

s,

, my love?”

along with mistress. I’ll sho

, with his hand already on the dining

at the table (which was spread out in great array); for these young housekeep

said S

ad forgotten, for the moment, about her sitting in the corner

oul!” cried Fre

e. I have come to dinner.

rtier. His niece looked just the same. So did Topper when he came. So did the plump sister when she came. S

there. If he could only be there first, and catch Bob Cratch

t. No Bob. He was full eighteen minutes and a half behind his time. Scro

r too. He was on his stool in a jiffy; driving away with

oice, as near as he could feign it. “What do

sir,” said Bob. “I

“Yes. I think you are. Step t

pearing from the Tank. “It shall not be repea

longer. And therefore,” he continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the wai

entary idea of knocking Scrooge down with it, holding him, and c

fellow, than I have given you, for many a year! I’ll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs t

orough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of

and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the kno