The Annotated Christmas Carol – A Christmas Carol in Prose: 0 (The Annotated Books)

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They were very quiet again. At last she said, and in a steady, cheerful voice, that only faltered once: He went to church , and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head , and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk -- that anything -- could give him so much happiness. In the afternoon he turned his steps towards his nephew’s house.

I understand you,’ Scrooge returned,’ and I would do it, if I could. But I have not the power, Spirit. I have not the power.’ Whose else’s do you think.’ replied the woman. ` He isn’t likely to take cold without them, I dare say.’The cellar-door flew open with a booming sound , and then he heard the noise much louder, on the floors below; then coming up the stairs; then coming straight towards his door. The voice was soft and gentle . Singularly low, as if instead of being so close beside him, it were at a distance. Lord bless me.’ cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. `My dear Mr Scrooge, are you serious.’ But he was early at the office next morning. Oh, he was early there. If he could only be there first, and catch Bob Cratchit coming late. That was the thing he had set his heart upon. In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.

Scrooge listened to this dialogue in horror . As they sat grouped about their spoil , in the scanty light afforded by the old man’s lamp, he viewed them with a detestation and disgust, which could hardly have been greater, though the demons, marketing the corpse itself. He was not alone, but sat by the side of a fair young girl in a mourning-dress : in whose eyes there were tears , which sparkled in the light that shone out of the Ghost of Christmas Past. Belle,’ said the husband, turning to his wife with a smile,’ I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon.’ Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs.Without their visits,’ said the Ghost, `you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first tomorrow, when the bell tolls One.’ You would be surer of it, my dear ,’ returned Bob,’ if you saw and spoke to him. I shouldn’t be at all surprised - mark what I say. -- if he got Peter a better situation.’

But he was very light to carry,’ she resumed, intent upon her work,’ and his father loved him so, that it was no trouble: no trouble. And there is your father at the door.’ I do,’ said Scrooge. `Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough.’ He turned it gently, and sidled his face in, round the door. They were looking at the table (which was spread out in great array); for these young housekeepers are always nervous on such points, and like to see that everything is right. His colour changed though, when, without a pause, it came on through the heavy door, and passed into the room before his eyes. Upon its coming in, the dying flame leaped up, as though it cried `I know him; Marley’s Ghost!’ and fell again. Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, 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 laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.What the half- drunken woman whom I told you of last night, said to me, when I tried to see him and obtain a week’s delay; and what I thought was a mere excuse to avoid me; turns out to have been quite true. He was not only very ill, but dying, then.’ Yes,’ said Scrooge. ` That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And will you have the goodness’ -- here Scrooge whispered in his ear. You may -- the memory of what is past half makes me hope you will -- have pain in this. A very, very brief time, and you will dismiss the recollection of it , gladly, as an unprofitable dream , from which it happened well that you awoke. May you be happy in the life you have chosen .’ Spectre,’ said Scrooge,’ something informs me that our parting moment is at hand. I know it, but I know not how. Tell me what man that was whom we saw lying dead.’ He left the room, and went up-stairs into the room above, which was lighted cheerfully, and hung with Christmas . There was a chair set close beside the child, and there were signs of some one having been there, lately. Poor Bob sat down in it, and when he had thought a little and composed himself, he kissed the little face. He was reconciled to what had happened, and went down again quite happy.

That is no light part of my penance,’ pursued the Ghost. `I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer.’ And then,’ cried one of the girls,’ Peter will be keeping company with some one, and setting up for himself.’He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved. Always a delicate creature, whom a breath might have withered,’ said the Ghost. ` But she had a large heart. ’