WEBVTT

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I have endeavored this ghostly little book to

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raise the ghost of an idea which shall not put

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my readers out of humor with themselves, with

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each other, with the season, or with me. May

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it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one

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wish to lay it. Marley was dead, to begin with.

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There is no doubt whatever about it. The register

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of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the

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clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner.

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Scrooge signed it, and Scrooge's name was good

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for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old

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Marley was as dead as a doornail. This must be

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distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can

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come of the story I am going to relate. Regulators

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Productions presents Charles Dickens' A Christmas

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Carol, adapted by Robin Schilke and Matthew Bishop,

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starring the not -pretty -enough -for -TV players

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with Cliff Bowen as Scrooge. Once upon a time,

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of all good days in the year, On Christmas Eve,

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old Scrooge sat busy in his counting house. It

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was cold, bleak, biting weather. The city clocks

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had just gone three, but it was quite dark already,

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and candles were flaring in the windows of the

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neighboring offices, like ready smears upon the

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palpable brown hair. A door of Scrooge's office

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was opened that he might keep his eye upon his

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clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond was

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copying letters. Scrooge had a very small fire,

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but the clerk's fire was so very much smaller

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that it looked like one coal. Wherefore, the

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clerk put on his white comforter and tried to

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warm himself at the candle, in which effort,

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not being a man of strong imagination, he failed.

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Suddenly, in much to Scrooge's displeasurement,

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his cheerful nephew came running in. A Merry

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Christmas, Uncle! God save you! Bah! Humbug!

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Christmas? A humbug, Uncle. You don't mean that,

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I'm sure. I do. Merry Christmas. What right have

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you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry?

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You're poor enough. What right have you to be

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dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You're

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rich enough. Bah. Humbug. Don't be cross, Uncle.

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What else can I be when I live in such a world

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of fools as this? Merry Christmas. Out upon Merry

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Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a

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time for paying bills without money? A time for

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finding yourself a year older and not an hour

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richer? A time for balancing your books and having

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every item in and through a round dozen of months

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presented dead against you? If I could work my

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will. Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas

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on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding

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and buried with a stake of holly through his

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heart, he should. Uncle! Nephew! They stared

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at each other a long moment, but Scrooge is not

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a man who ever backed down. Keep Christmas in

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your own way and let me keep it in mine. Keep

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it? You can't keep it in your own way because

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you don't keep it at all. Let me leave it alone,

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then. Much good may it do you. Much good it has

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ever done you. There are many things by which

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I might have derived good, by which I have not

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profited, I dare say. Christmas among the rest.

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But I am sure I have always thought of Christmastime

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as a good time, a kind, forgiving, charitable,

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pleasant time. The only time I know of in the

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long calendar year when men and women seem by

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one consent to open up their shut -up hearts

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freely and to think of people below them as if

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they really were fellow passengers to the grave

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and not another race of creatures bound on other

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journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has

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never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket,

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I believe it has done me good, and it will do

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me good, and I say, God bless it. Hear, hear.

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Scrooge gave a wary eye to the clerk. You'll

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keep your Christmas by losing your situation.

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Don't be angry, uncle. Come, dine with us tomorrow.

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I should think not. But why? Why did you get

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married? Because I fell in love. Because you

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fell in love. Scrooge looked at his nephew as

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if he had said the one thing in the world more

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ridiculous than a Merry Christmas. Good afternoon.

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I want nothing from you. I ask nothing of you.

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Why can't we be friends? Good afternoon. I am

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sorry with all my heart to find you so resolute.

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We have never had any quarrel. I've come here

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in the spirit of Christmas, and I'll keep my

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Christmas humor to the last. So, a Merry Christmas,

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Uncle. Good afternoon. And a Happy New Year!

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Good afternoon! His nephew left the room without

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an angry word. Have a Merry Christmas, Mr. Cratchit.

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To you as well, sir. There's another fellow,

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my clerk, with 15 shillings a week, and a wife

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and a family, talking about a Merry Christmas.

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It'll drive me crazy. The clerk, in letting Scrooge's

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nephew out, had let two other people in. They

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were portly gentlemen, pleasant to behold, and

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now stood with their hats off in Scrooge's office.

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They had books and papers in their hands and

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bowed to him. Scrooge and Marley's, I believe.

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Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge

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or Mr. Marley? Mr. Marley has been dead these

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seven years. Dead this very night. Well, sir,

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no doubt you then will share the generosity of

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the holiday. At this festive season of the year,

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Mr. Scrooge, it is more than usually desirable

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that we should make some slight provision for

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the poor and destitute who suffer greatly at

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the present time. Are there no prisons? There

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are plenty of prisons. Are there no workhouses?

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There are. Though I wish I could say there were

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not. Oh, I was afraid, from what you said at

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first, that something had occurred to stop them

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in their useful course. I'm very glad to hear

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it. Uh, but... But, sir, they scarcely furnish

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Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude.

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What shall I put you down for? Nothing. You wish

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to be anonymous. I wish to be left alone. I don't

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make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford

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to make idle people merry. I hope to support

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the establishments I have mentioned. They cost

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enough, and those who are badly off must go there.

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Many can't go there. And many would rather die.

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If they would rather die, they'd better do it

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and decrease the surplus population. Besides,

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it's not my business. It's enough for a man to

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understand his own business and not interfere

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with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly.

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Good afternoon, gentlemen. Seeing clearly that

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it would be useless to pursue their point, the

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gentlemen withdrew. Scrooge resumed his labors

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with an improved opinion of himself and in a

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more satisfied manner than was usual with him.

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Meanwhile, the fog and darkness thickened. The

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ancient tower of a church whose gruff old bell

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was always peeping slyly down at Scrooge out

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of a gothic window in the wall became invisible

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and struck the hours and quarters in the clouds

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with tremulous vibrations afterwards, as if its

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teeth were chattering in its frozen head. The

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cold became intense. A piercing, searching, biting

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cold. The owner of one scant young nose, gnawed

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and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed

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by dogs, stooped down at Scrooge's keyhole to

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regale him with a Christmas carol. Dashing through

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the snow, in the one -horse open sleigh, o 'er

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the fields we go. Get out of here, you little

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rat! Scrooge ran towards the door with such energy

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of action that the singer fled in terror, leaving

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the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial

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frost. You want all day tomorrow off, I suppose?

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If quite convenient, sir. It's not convenient.

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Do you think it's fair when I pay a day's wages

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for no work? It's only once a year, sir. A poor

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excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th

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of December. But I suppose you must have the

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whole day, however be here all the earlier next

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morning. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Scrooge walked

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out with a growl. The office was closed in a

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twinkling, and the clerk, with the long ends

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of his white comforter dangling below his waist,

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for he boasted no great coat, ran home to Camden

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Town as hard as he could. Scrooge took his melancholy

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dinner in his usual melancholy tavern, having

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read all the newspapers and beguiled the rest

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of the evening with his banker's book, went home

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to go to bed. He lived in chambers which had

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once belonged to his deceased partner. Now, they

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were quite a gloomy suite of rooms. It was old

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enough now and dreary enough for nobody lived

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in it but Scrooge, the other rooms being all

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let out as offices. The yard was so dark that

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even Scrooge, who knew its every stone, didn't

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venture to it often. The fog and frost so hung

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about the black old gateway of the house that

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it seemed as if the genius of the weather sat

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in mournful meditation on the threshold. It's

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all a humbug, I tell you, this season, this weather.

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Now, it is a fact that there was nothing at all

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particular about the knocker on the door, except

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that it was very large. Let it also be borne

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in mind that Scrooge had not bestowed one thought

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on Marley since his last mention of his seven

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years dead partner that afternoon. And let any

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man explain to me, if he can, how it happened

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that Scrooge, having his key in his hand and

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then in the lock of the door, saw not a knocker,

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but Marley's face. Marley's face. The hair was...

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curiously stirred as if by breath or hot air,

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and though the eyes were wide open, they were

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perfectly motionless. As Scrooge looked further

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at this phenomenon, it was a knocker yet again.

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To say he was not startled, or that his blood

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was not conscious of a terrible sensation to

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which it had been a stranger from infancy, would

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be untrue. But he put his hand upon the key he

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had relinquished, turned it sturdily, walked

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in, and lit his candle. He quickly slammed the

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door shut, reverberating through the house like

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thunder. He fastened the door and walked across

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the hall and up the stairs. Up Scrooge went.

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But before he opened the heavy bedroom door,

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he walked through his rooms just to see that

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they were all right. Sitting room, bedroom, lumber

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room. All as they should be. Nobody under the

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table, nobody under the sofa. A small fire in

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the grate, spoon and basin ready, and the little

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saucepan of oats upon the hob. Nobody under the

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bed, nobody in the closet, nobody in his dressing

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gown, which was hanging up in a suspicious attitude

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against the wall. I must be coming down with

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something. But quite satisfied, he closed his

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door and locked himself in. Double locked himself

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in, which was not his custom. Thus secured against

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surprise, he took off his cravat, put on his

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dressing gown and slippers and his nightcap,

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and sat down before the fire to eat his oats.

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It was a very low fire indeed, nothing on such

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a bitter night. The fireplace was an old one,

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and paved all around with quaint Dutch tiles

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designed to illustrate the scriptures. There

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were canes and ables, pharaoh's daughters, queens

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of Sheba, hundreds of figures, and yet the face

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of Marley, seven years dead, was all of a sudden

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upon everyone. Humbug! He got up and he walked

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around the room. After several turns, he sat

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down again, and as he threw his head back in

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the chair, his glance happened to rest upon a

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bell. It was with great astonishment and with

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a strange, inexplicable dread that as he looked,

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he saw this bell begin to swing. It swung so

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softly in the outset that it scarcely made a

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sound. but soon it rang out loudly, and so did

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every bell in the house. This might have lasted

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for a few seconds, but it seemed an hour. The

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bells ceased as they had begun, together. They

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were succeeded by a clanking noise deep down

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below, as if some person were dragging a heavy

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chain. These oaks must be going bad. He heard

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the cellar door fly open with a booming sound.

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and then he heard the noise much louder on the

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floors below, then coming up the stairs, then

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coming straight towards his door. It's humbug

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still. I won't believe it. His color changed,

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though, when, without a pause, a specter came

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on through the heavy door and passed in the room

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before his eyes. The same face, the very same

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from the knocker. The chain he drew was clasped

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about his middle. It was long and round about

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him like a tail, and it was made of cash boxes,

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keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses

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wrought in steel, though his body was transparent.

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Scrooge, he could not believe it. Though he had

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looked the phantom through and through and saw

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it standing before him, though he felt the chilling

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influence of his death -cold eyes and marked

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the very texture of the folded bandages bound

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around its head and chin, he was still incredulous

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and fought against his senses. What do you want

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with me? Much. Who are you? Ask me who I was,

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sir. Who were you, then? You're particular for

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a ghost? In life, I was your pa. Jacob Marley.

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Can you... Can you sit down? I can. Do it, then.

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You don't believe in me. I don't. What evidence

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would you have of my reality beyond that of your

00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:13.820
own senses? I don't know. Why do you doubt your

00:14:13.820 --> 00:14:17.059
senses? Because just a little thing can affect

00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:20.200
one's senses. A slight stomachache, for example.

00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:24.399
You may be an undigested bit of beef. A blot

00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:27.419
of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:30.820
an undone potato. There's more of gravy than

00:14:30.820 --> 00:14:33.539
a grave about you, whatever you are. Silence!

00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:39.139
Do you mock your own destiny? Mercy? Treadful

00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:42.200
apparition, why do you trouble me? Man of worldly

00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:46.759
mind, do you believe in me or not? I must! But

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:49.320
why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they

00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:53.019
come to me? It is required of every man that

00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:55.899
his spirit should walk among his fellow men and

00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:59.559
travel far and wide. And if that spirit does

00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:02.580
not go forth in life, it is condemned to do so

00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:05.980
after death. It is doomed to wander through the

00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:09.360
world all alone with me and witness what it cannot

00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:12.539
share, but might have shared on earth and turned

00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:17.929
to happiness. You're bound by chains. Tell me

00:15:17.929 --> 00:15:22.250
why. I wear the chain I forged in life. I made

00:15:22.250 --> 00:15:26.789
it link by link and yard by yard. I got it. It's

00:15:26.789 --> 00:15:29.809
of my own free will. It's of my own free will.

00:15:29.929 --> 00:15:33.009
I want it. Is there a pattern strange to you?

00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:36.159
Would you know the weight and length of the strong

00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:40.220
chain you bear yourself? It was as full, as heavy,

00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.259
and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago,

00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:47.259
when I died. You have labored on it since. It

00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:51.120
is an abondant chain indeed. Jacob. Oh, Jacob

00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:55.279
Marley. Tell me more. Speak comfort to me, Jacob.

00:15:55.659 --> 00:16:02.289
I... have none to give. I cannot rest. I cannot

00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:07.409
stay. I cannot linger anywhere. My spirit never

00:16:07.409 --> 00:16:11.029
walked beyond our counting house. Mark me. And

00:16:11.029 --> 00:16:13.750
life, my spirit never rode beyond the narrow

00:16:13.750 --> 00:16:17.250
limits of our money -changing home. And witty

00:16:17.250 --> 00:16:21.110
journeys lie before me. You must have been very

00:16:21.110 --> 00:16:24.730
slow about it, Jacob. Slow? Seven years dead

00:16:24.730 --> 00:16:27.990
and traveling all the time. The whole time? No

00:16:27.990 --> 00:16:31.669
rest, no peace. It's sauce that touts your remorse.

00:16:31.889 --> 00:16:35.330
You travel fast? On the wings of the wind. You

00:16:35.330 --> 00:16:37.649
might have got over a great quantity of ground

00:16:37.649 --> 00:16:41.769
in seven years. O captive -bound and double -ironed,

00:16:41.789 --> 00:16:45.149
not to know the ages of incessant labor by immortal

00:16:45.149 --> 00:16:48.570
creatures, for this earth must pass into eternity

00:16:48.570 --> 00:16:51.450
before the good of which is susceptible is all

00:16:51.450 --> 00:16:55.429
developed. Not to know that any Christian spirit,

00:16:55.750 --> 00:16:58.470
working kindly in its little sphere, whatever

00:16:58.470 --> 00:17:02.049
it may be, will find its mortal life too short

00:17:02.049 --> 00:17:07.029
for its vast means of usefulness. Not to know

00:17:07.029 --> 00:17:10.190
that no space of regret can make amends for one's

00:17:10.190 --> 00:17:14.190
life's opportunities misused. Yet such was I.

00:17:14.410 --> 00:17:18.829
Oh, such was I. But you were always a good man

00:17:18.829 --> 00:17:23.009
of business, Jacob. Business? Mankind was my

00:17:23.009 --> 00:17:26.230
business. The common welfare was my business.

00:17:26.670 --> 00:17:29.549
Charity, mercy, balance, and benevolence were

00:17:29.549 --> 00:17:36.180
all my business. The dealings of my trade were

00:17:36.180 --> 00:17:39.160
but a drop of water and the comprehensive ocean

00:17:39.160 --> 00:17:42.940
of my business. At this time of the rolling year,

00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:47.220
I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds

00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:50.579
of fellow beings with my eyes turned down, never

00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:53.920
to raise them to the blessed star which led to

00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:56.769
the wise men to the poor bold? where there are

00:17:56.769 --> 00:17:59.390
no poor homes to which it's light that have conducted

00:17:59.390 --> 00:18:03.670
me. Don't be so hard upon me, dear partner. Hear

00:18:03.670 --> 00:18:06.829
me! I will, I will. I have sat invisible beside

00:18:06.829 --> 00:18:11.730
you many a day, partner. Scrooge trembled more

00:18:11.730 --> 00:18:16.009
and more. That is no light part of my benefit.

00:18:16.529 --> 00:18:20.210
I am here tonight to warn you that you have a

00:18:20.210 --> 00:18:25.849
chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance

00:18:25.849 --> 00:18:29.470
and hope of my procuring evidence. You were always

00:18:29.470 --> 00:18:33.089
a good friend to me, Jacob. You will be haunted,

00:18:33.329 --> 00:18:38.210
old friend, by three spirits. Is that the chance

00:18:38.210 --> 00:18:43.450
and hope you mentioned, Jacob? It is. I think

00:18:43.450 --> 00:18:47.630
I'd rather not. Without their visits, you cannot

00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:52.630
hope to shun the path I tread. Expect a first

00:18:52.630 --> 00:18:57.440
tomorrow when the bells Couldn't I take them

00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.680
all at once and have it over, Jacob? Expect a

00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:03.460
second on the next night, on the same hour. The

00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:05.599
third upon the next, when the last stroke of

00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:09.980
twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:12.680
no more, and look that, for your own sake, you

00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:16.500
remember what has passed between us. When it

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:19.339
had said these words, the spectre took its bandage

00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:21.819
from the table and bound it round its head as

00:19:21.819 --> 00:19:24.980
before. The apparition walked backwards from

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:27.519
him, and at every step it took, the window raised

00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:30.700
itself a little, so that when the specter finally

00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:35.140
reached it, it was wide open. Sounds of lamentation

00:19:35.140 --> 00:19:38.759
and regret came from the window, wailings inexpressibly

00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:42.000
sorrowful and self -accusatory. The specter,

00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:44.940
after listening for a moment, joined in the mournful

00:19:44.940 --> 00:19:48.200
dirge and floated out upon the bleak, dark night.

00:19:49.309 --> 00:19:51.609
Scrooge followed to the window, desperate in

00:19:51.609 --> 00:19:54.630
his curiosity, and looked out. The air was filled

00:19:54.630 --> 00:19:57.430
with phantoms, wandering in restless haste and

00:19:57.430 --> 00:20:00.250
moaning as they went. Every one of them wore

00:20:00.250 --> 00:20:03.289
chains like Marley's ghost. Some few, they might

00:20:03.289 --> 00:20:05.690
have been guilty politicians, were linked together,

00:20:05.890 --> 00:20:10.029
but none were free. Whether these creatures faded

00:20:10.029 --> 00:20:12.849
into mist or mist enshrouded them, he could not

00:20:12.849 --> 00:20:15.970
tell. But they and their spirit and voices faded

00:20:15.970 --> 00:20:18.569
together. and the light became as it had been

00:20:18.569 --> 00:20:21.970
before when he walked home. Scrooge closed the

00:20:21.970 --> 00:20:24.210
window and examined the door by which the ghost

00:20:24.210 --> 00:20:26.970
had entered. It was double -locked, as he had

00:20:26.970 --> 00:20:29.609
locked it with his own hands, and the bolts were

00:20:29.609 --> 00:20:33.049
undisturbed. He tried to say his normal, miserable

00:20:33.049 --> 00:20:37.349
phrase, but couldn't. He found himself exceedingly

00:20:37.349 --> 00:20:39.849
tired, whether it had been from working, the

00:20:39.849 --> 00:20:41.950
conversation with the ghost, or lateness in the

00:20:41.950 --> 00:20:44.829
hour, he did not care. He went straight to bed,

00:20:45.009 --> 00:20:47.880
without undressing, and fell asleep upon the

00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:53.660
instant. It's not the first tomorrow when the

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:57.119
bell tolls one. Light flashed up in the room

00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:58.900
upon the instant, and the curtains of the bed

00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:03.400
were drawn aside, I tell you, by a hand. The

00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:05.680
curtains of his bed were drawn aside, and Scrooge,

00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:07.539
starting up into a half -recumbent attitude,

00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:10.900
found himself face to face with the unearthly

00:21:10.900 --> 00:21:14.140
visitor who drew them, as close to it as I am

00:21:14.140 --> 00:21:18.440
now to you. It was a strange figure, like a child,

00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:21.380
yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed

00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:24.119
through some supernatural medium which gave him

00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:26.319
the appearance of having receded from the view

00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:28.559
and being diminished to a child's proportions.

00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:31.660
Its hair, which hung about its neck and down

00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:34.400
its back, was white as with age, and yet the

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:37.059
face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest

00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:40.099
bloom was on the skin. But the strangest thing

00:21:40.099 --> 00:21:42.339
about it was that from the crown of its head

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:47.329
sprung a bright, clear jet. of light. Even this,

00:21:47.349 --> 00:21:49.289
though when Scrooge looked at it with increasing

00:21:49.289 --> 00:21:52.950
steadiness, was not its strangest quality. For

00:21:52.950 --> 00:21:55.329
as its belt sparkled and glittered now in one

00:21:55.329 --> 00:21:57.609
part and now in another, and what was light in

00:21:57.609 --> 00:21:59.910
one instance at another time was dark, so the

00:21:59.910 --> 00:22:02.769
figure itself fluctuated in its distinctiveness.

00:22:03.089 --> 00:22:05.170
Now being a thing with one arm, now with one

00:22:05.170 --> 00:22:07.289
leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs

00:22:07.289 --> 00:22:09.769
without a head, now a head without a body, of

00:22:09.769 --> 00:22:12.250
which dissolving parts no outline would be visible

00:22:12.250 --> 00:22:14.230
in the dense gloom wherein they melted away.

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:17.039
And in the very wonder of this, it would be itself

00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.420
again, distinct and clear as ever. Are you the

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:23.319
spirit, sir, whose coming was foretold in me?

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:28.619
I am. Who and what are you? I am the ghost of

00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:35.220
Christmas past. Long past? No, your past. I can't

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:38.240
tell you why, but sir, I beg you to put that

00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:41.619
cap on your head. Would you so soon put out with

00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:47.269
worldly hands the light? Is it not enough that

00:22:47.269 --> 00:22:50.509
you are one of the people who made this cap and

00:22:50.509 --> 00:22:53.509
forced me to wear it? I meant no offense, sir.

00:22:53.609 --> 00:22:56.250
And I did not know that I somehow contributed

00:22:56.250 --> 00:22:59.390
to the making of the cap. But what brings you

00:22:59.390 --> 00:23:04.970
here? Your welfare. My welfare? Thank you. But

00:23:04.970 --> 00:23:06.970
a good night's rest would have better suited

00:23:06.970 --> 00:23:11.890
that goal. Your reclamation, then. Rise and walk

00:23:11.890 --> 00:23:15.190
with me. He rose. but finding that the spirit

00:23:15.190 --> 00:23:18.170
made towards the window clasped its road in supplication.

00:23:18.230 --> 00:23:21.549
I am mortal and liable to fall. Just touch my

00:23:21.549 --> 00:23:26.430
heart, and you shall be upheld in more than this.

00:23:26.829 --> 00:23:28.710
As the words were spoken, they passed through

00:23:28.710 --> 00:23:30.890
the wall and stood upon an open country road,

00:23:31.170 --> 00:23:34.210
with fields on either hand. The city had entirely

00:23:34.210 --> 00:23:36.869
vanished, not a vestige of it was to be seen.

00:23:37.130 --> 00:23:39.529
The darkness and the mist had vanished with it,

00:23:39.569 --> 00:23:42.529
and for as a clear... cold winter day with snow

00:23:42.529 --> 00:23:45.650
upon the ground. Good heaven! I was raised in

00:23:45.650 --> 00:23:50.049
this place. I was a boy here. Your lip is trembling.

00:23:50.769 --> 00:23:56.670
And what is that upon your cheek? Oh, it must

00:23:56.670 --> 00:24:00.829
be a pimple. Please, take me to our destination.

00:24:01.549 --> 00:24:05.789
You remember the way? Remember it? I could walk

00:24:05.789 --> 00:24:11.130
it blindfolded. Then let us go on. Look! It's

00:24:11.130 --> 00:24:15.569
James. And there, Charles. Oh, my goodness. Little

00:24:15.569 --> 00:24:19.990
Sarah Adams. What a cute girl she was. These

00:24:19.990 --> 00:24:23.470
are but shadows of the things that have been.

00:24:23.970 --> 00:24:27.170
They have no consciousness of us. They left the

00:24:27.170 --> 00:24:29.390
high road by a well -remembered lane and soon

00:24:29.390 --> 00:24:33.130
approached a mansion of dull red brick. Ah, the

00:24:33.130 --> 00:24:38.230
schoolhouse. It is not quite deserted. A solitary

00:24:38.230 --> 00:24:43.160
child. neglected by his friends, is left there

00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:46.579
still. I know. It was a large house, but one

00:24:46.579 --> 00:24:48.819
of broken fortunes, for the spacious offices

00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:52.140
were little used. Their walls were damp and mossy,

00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:54.460
their windows broken, and their gates decayed.

00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:57.339
There was an earthly savor in the air, chilly

00:24:57.339 --> 00:25:00.359
bareness in the place. They went, the ghost and

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:02.619
Scrooge, across the hall to a door at the back

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:05.480
of the house. It opened before them and disclosed

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:08.759
a long, bare, melancholy room made bare still

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:12.700
by lines of desks. At one of these, a lonely

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:16.559
boy was reading near a feeble fire. I only had

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:21.619
myself to rely on. Even then. Even as a boy.

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:24.559
Suddenly a man in foreign garments, wonderfully

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:27.339
real and distinct to look at, stood outside the

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:30.019
window with an axe stuck in his belt and leading

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:33.220
a mule laden with wood by the brittle. Merry

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:36.839
Christmas, my boy. Come outside. Join me. Why,

00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:41.519
it's Alibaba. It's dear, old, honest Alibaba.

00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:45.980
Yes, yes, I know. One Christmas time, I was left

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:50.400
here all alone. He did come for the first time.

00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:55.220
Just like that. It seems not everyone forgot

00:25:55.220 --> 00:26:00.259
the boy. I wish. But it doesn't matter now. What

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:03.779
is the matter? Nothing. Nothing. There was a

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:06.059
boy singing a Christmas carol at my door last

00:26:06.059 --> 00:26:09.240
night. I should like to have given him something,

00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:13.700
that's all. Let us see another Christmas. The

00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:15.900
ghost smiled thoughtfully and waved its hand.

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:19.380
Scrooge's former self grew larger at the words.

00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:22.000
The room became a little darker and more dirty.

00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:24.960
The panels shrunk, the windows cracked, fragments

00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:27.839
of plaster fell out of the ceiling. But how all

00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.099
this brought about, Scrooge knew no more than

00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:32.710
you do. He only knew that it was quite correct

00:26:32.710 --> 00:26:35.690
that everything had happened so, that there he

00:26:35.690 --> 00:26:38.450
was, alone again, when all the other boys had

00:26:38.450 --> 00:26:41.549
gone home for the jolly holidays. He was not

00:26:41.549 --> 00:26:44.210
reading now, but walked up and down despairingly.

00:26:44.670 --> 00:26:46.769
Scrooge looked at the ghost, and with a mournful

00:26:46.769 --> 00:26:49.109
shaking of his head, glanced anxiously toward

00:26:49.109 --> 00:26:52.289
the door. It opened, and a little girl, much

00:26:52.289 --> 00:26:54.650
younger than the boy, came darting in and putting

00:26:54.650 --> 00:26:56.990
her arms around his neck, often kissing him.

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:59.359
Oh, dear, dear brother, I have come to bring

00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:01.539
you home, dear brother. To bring you home, home,

00:27:01.619 --> 00:27:04.680
home. Home, little femme. Yes, home for good

00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:07.740
and all. Home forever and ever. Father is so

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:10.019
much kinder than he used to be, that home's like

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:12.920
heaven. He spoke so gently to me one dear night

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:14.839
when I was going to bed, that I was not afraid

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:17.019
to ask him once if he might come home. And he

00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:19.180
said, yes, you should. You are quite a woman,

00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:23.460
little femme. Always a delicate creature, whom

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:27.509
a breath might have withered. but she had a large

00:27:27.509 --> 00:27:31.589
heart. So she had. You're right. I'll not say

00:27:31.589 --> 00:27:36.369
it, spirit. God forbid. She died a woman and

00:27:36.369 --> 00:27:41.509
had, as I think, children. One child. True. Your

00:27:41.509 --> 00:27:45.950
nephew. They left the school behind them. They

00:27:45.950 --> 00:27:48.170
were now in the busy thoroughfares of a city

00:27:48.170 --> 00:27:50.630
where shadowy passengers passed, where shadowy

00:27:50.630 --> 00:27:53.269
carts and coaches battled for the way, and all

00:27:53.269 --> 00:27:56.369
the strife and tumult of a real city were. Here,

00:27:56.390 --> 00:27:58.890
too, it was Christmastime again, but it was evening

00:27:58.890 --> 00:28:01.410
and the streets were lit up. The ghost stopped

00:28:01.410 --> 00:28:05.190
at a certain warehouse door. They went in. Do

00:28:05.190 --> 00:28:08.609
you know this place? Know it? I was apprenticed

00:28:08.609 --> 00:28:12.869
here. Why, it's old Fezziwig. Bless his heart.

00:28:13.049 --> 00:28:17.049
Is Fezziwig alive again? Old Fezziwig laid down

00:28:17.049 --> 00:28:19.069
his pen and looked up at the clock, which pointed

00:28:19.069 --> 00:28:22.109
to the hour of seven. He rubbed his hands, adjusted

00:28:22.109 --> 00:28:24.950
his large pants, laughed all over himself, from

00:28:24.950 --> 00:28:27.650
his shoes to his organ of benevolence, and called

00:28:27.650 --> 00:28:30.569
out in a comfortable, oily, rich, fat, jovial

00:28:30.569 --> 00:28:35.970
voice. Yo -ho there, Ebenezer! Dick! Dick Wilkins,

00:28:36.190 --> 00:28:41.130
to be sure. Bless me, yes. There he is. He was

00:28:41.130 --> 00:28:44.029
very much attached to me, was Dick. Scrooge's

00:28:44.029 --> 00:28:46.950
former self, now a grown young man, came briskly

00:28:46.950 --> 00:28:49.130
in, accompanied by his fellow apprentice. Ho,

00:28:49.130 --> 00:28:54.369
ho, my boys! No more work tonight! It's Christmas

00:28:54.369 --> 00:28:58.930
Eve, Dick! Christmas, Ebenezer! Let's have the

00:28:58.930 --> 00:29:02.069
shutters up before a man can say, Jack Robinson!

00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:05.440
You wouldn't believe how those two fellows went

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.519
at it. They charged into the street with the

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:09.819
shutters, one, two, three, had them up in their

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:12.119
places, four, five, six, barred them and pinned

00:29:12.119 --> 00:29:14.420
them, seven, eight, nine, and came back before

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:17.279
you could count to twelve, panting like racehorses.

00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:19.980
Fezziwig, despite his heft, skipped down from

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:22.619
his high desk with wonderful agility. Clear away,

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:26.660
my lads, and let's have lots of room here. Hilly

00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:30.660
-ho, Dick! Cheer up, Ebenezer! It was done in

00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:33.349
a minute. Every movable was packed off as if

00:29:33.349 --> 00:29:35.750
it were dismissed from public life forevermore.

00:29:35.890 --> 00:29:38.230
The floor was swept and mopped, the lamps were

00:29:38.230 --> 00:29:40.289
trimmed, fuel was heaped upon the fire, and the

00:29:40.289 --> 00:29:43.349
warehouse was as snug and warm and dry and bright

00:29:43.349 --> 00:29:46.390
a ballroom as anyone would desire to have upon

00:29:46.390 --> 00:29:49.910
a winter's night. In came a fiddler with a music

00:29:49.910 --> 00:29:52.049
book and went up to the lofty desk and made an

00:29:52.049 --> 00:29:54.829
orchestra of it. He was soon joined by a cellist,

00:29:54.890 --> 00:29:57.089
flautist, and portly old fellow intent to keep

00:29:57.089 --> 00:30:00.170
time. They formed a merry little band for a wondrous

00:30:00.170 --> 00:30:03.450
night. In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast substantial

00:30:03.450 --> 00:30:06.809
smile. In came three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming

00:30:06.809 --> 00:30:09.390
and lovable. In came the six young followers

00:30:09.390 --> 00:30:12.390
whose hearts they broke. In came all the young

00:30:12.390 --> 00:30:14.849
men and women employed in the business. In they

00:30:14.849 --> 00:30:17.349
all came, one after another, some shyly, some

00:30:17.349 --> 00:30:19.769
boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some

00:30:19.769 --> 00:30:22.829
pushing, some pulling. In they all came, anyhow

00:30:22.829 --> 00:30:26.019
and everyhow. Away they went dancing, twenty

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:28.799
couples at once, hands half round and back again

00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:30.460
the other way, down the middle and up again,

00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:33.259
round and round in various stages of affectionate

00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:35.420
grouping. When this result was brought about,

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:37.980
old Fezziwig clapped his hands to stop the dance.

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:47.039
Well done! Well done! A small matter to make

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:51.279
these silly folks so full of gratitude. Small!

00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:55.539
Why, is it not? He has spent but a few pounds

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:59.099
of your mortal money. Three or four, perhaps.

00:30:59.700 --> 00:31:03.299
Is that so much that he deserves this praise?

00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:06.559
It isn't that, Spirit. He has the power to render

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:09.619
us happy or unhappy, to make our service light

00:31:09.619 --> 00:31:13.240
or burdensome, a pleasure or a toil. The happiness

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:16.440
he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:21.160
Spirit, you can't... What is the matter? Nothing

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:25.779
particular. I think it's something. No, it's

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:29.220
just... I should like to be able to say a word

00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:33.380
or two to my clerk just now. That's all. My time

00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:37.700
grows short. Quick! This was not addressed to

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:40.259
Scrooge or to anyone he could see, but it produced

00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:43.579
an immediate effect. For again, Scrooge saw himself.

00:31:44.119 --> 00:31:46.660
He was older now, a man in the prime of his life.

00:31:47.210 --> 00:31:49.529
His face had not the harsh or rigid lines of

00:31:49.529 --> 00:31:52.130
later years, but had begun to wear the signs

00:31:52.130 --> 00:31:56.009
of care and avarice. He was not alone, but sat

00:31:56.009 --> 00:31:58.349
by the side of a fair young woman in a mourning

00:31:58.349 --> 00:32:01.190
dress, and whose eyes there were tears which

00:32:01.190 --> 00:32:03.309
sparked in the light that shone out of the ghost

00:32:03.309 --> 00:32:07.869
of Christmas past. It matters little, to you

00:32:07.869 --> 00:32:13.369
very little. Another idol has displaced me, and

00:32:13.369 --> 00:32:15.890
if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come,

00:32:16.329 --> 00:32:20.170
As I would have tried to do. I have no just cause

00:32:20.170 --> 00:32:25.210
to grief. What idol has displaced you? A golden

00:32:25.210 --> 00:32:29.029
one. This is the even -handed dealing of the

00:32:29.029 --> 00:32:32.349
world. There is nothing on which it is so hard

00:32:32.349 --> 00:32:35.990
as poverty. And there is nothing it professes

00:32:35.990 --> 00:32:39.130
to condemn with such severity as the pursuit

00:32:39.130 --> 00:32:43.680
of wealth. You fear the world too much. All your

00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:46.140
other hopes have merged into the hope of being

00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:50.740
beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have

00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:53.839
seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by

00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:57.200
one until the master passion, gain, engrosses

00:32:57.200 --> 00:33:01.299
you. Am I wrong? What then? I am not changed

00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:06.039
towards you. Am I? Our contract is an old one.

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:10.099
It was made when we were both poor and content

00:33:10.099 --> 00:33:14.869
to be so. It was made with love. You are changed.

00:33:15.490 --> 00:33:19.349
When it was made, you were another man. I was

00:33:19.349 --> 00:33:25.549
a boy. No. It was when you were Ebenezer. My

00:33:25.549 --> 00:33:32.069
Ebenezer. Now you are just Mr. Scrooge. We were

00:33:32.069 --> 00:33:35.269
once of one heart, a happy one. Now that we are

00:33:35.269 --> 00:33:39.920
two, we are fraught with misery. I know you can't

00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:42.259
see it because you are blinded by the coin, but

00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:47.660
I have thought about it, cried about it, night

00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:51.980
after night, and now I can release you. Have

00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:57.420
I ever sought release? In words? No, never. In

00:33:57.420 --> 00:34:02.460
what, then? In a changed nature. In an altered

00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:06.519
spirit. Have I not given you everything? What

00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:11.869
is it you want, Belle? You. I wanted you, Ebenezer.

00:34:12.789 --> 00:34:15.690
But you can't say the same about me as you cannot

00:34:15.690 --> 00:34:20.030
profit from my love. Tell me, if we had never

00:34:20.030 --> 00:34:23.809
met, would you seek me out and try to win me

00:34:23.809 --> 00:34:30.809
now? You think not. I would gladly think otherwise

00:34:30.809 --> 00:34:34.420
if I could. But how can I believe that you would

00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:37.400
choose a dowerless girl, you who, in your very

00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:40.559
confidence with her, weigh everything by game?

00:34:41.119 --> 00:34:44.840
So even if I tell you I want to be with you,

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:47.840
you will not believe me? Even if I believed you

00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:50.920
today, what about tomorrow? Even if you could

00:34:50.920 --> 00:34:54.360
set aside your guiding principle, I know regret

00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:58.900
would come. And regret is soon followed by disdain.

00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:04.380
Belle, I... I... You may. Have pain in this,

00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:08.619
at least for a brief time. But soon you will

00:35:08.619 --> 00:35:13.239
forget about it. Forget about me as an unprofitable

00:35:13.239 --> 00:35:18.800
dream. May you be happy in the life you have

00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:25.440
chosen. She left him, and they parted. They were

00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:28.239
in another scene and place, a room not very large

00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:30.900
or handsome, but full of comfort. Nearer to the

00:35:30.900 --> 00:35:33.500
winter fire sat a beautiful young girl, so like

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:35.619
the last that Scrooge believed it was the same,

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:41.039
until he saw her, now a comely matron, sitting

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:45.260
opposite her daughter. And now Scrooge looked

00:35:45.260 --> 00:35:47.519
on more attentively than ever, when the master

00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:49.320
of the house came into the room and sat down

00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:52.260
with his daughter and his wife at his own fireside.

00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:55.099
Then Scrooge thought that such a daughter, quite

00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:57.599
as graceful and as full of promise, might have

00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:00.579
called him father. and been a springtime in the

00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:03.780
haggard winter of his life, his sight grew very

00:36:03.780 --> 00:36:07.260
dim indeed. The man's eyes sparkled when he looked

00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:10.920
at Belle and gave her a handsome smile. Belle,

00:36:11.139 --> 00:36:13.840
I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon.

00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:19.320
Who was it? Guess. How can I? Come on, try. Oh,

00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:25.119
I don't know. Mr. Scrooge. Mr. Scrooge it was.

00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:28.340
His office window was open, and I couldn't resist

00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:31.219
taking a peek. His partner lies on the point

00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:34.760
of death, I hear, and there he sat alone. Quite

00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:37.679
alone in the world, I do believe. Spirit, remove

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:40.699
me from this place! I told you, these were shadows

00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:44.099
of the things that have been. They are what they

00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:47.730
are. Do not blame me. Remove me. I cannot bear

00:36:47.730 --> 00:36:49.829
it. He turned upon the ghost, and seeing that

00:36:49.829 --> 00:36:52.590
it looked upon him, he saw in the specter's face

00:36:52.590 --> 00:36:55.610
fragments of all the faces it had shown him and

00:36:55.610 --> 00:36:59.630
wrestled with it. Leave me. Take me back. Haunt

00:36:59.630 --> 00:37:02.230
me no longer. So he seized the extinguisher cap

00:37:02.230 --> 00:37:04.710
and by a sudden action pressed it down upon his

00:37:04.710 --> 00:37:07.539
head. The spirit dropped beneath it so that the

00:37:07.539 --> 00:37:09.980
extinguisher covered its whole form, but though

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:12.260
Scrooge pressed it down with all his force, he

00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:14.920
could not hide from the light which streamed

00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:17.860
from under it, an unbroken flood above the ground

00:37:17.860 --> 00:37:23.670
until finally it was out. He was conscious of

00:37:23.670 --> 00:37:26.829
being exhausted and overcome by an irresistible

00:37:26.829 --> 00:37:29.269
drowsiness, and further of being in his own bedroom,

00:37:29.469 --> 00:37:32.170
he gave the cap a parting squeeze in which his

00:37:32.170 --> 00:37:35.050
hand relaxed, and he had barely enough time to

00:37:35.050 --> 00:37:37.849
reel to bed before he sank into a heavy sleep.

00:37:39.030 --> 00:37:40.989
Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough

00:37:40.989 --> 00:37:43.469
snore and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts

00:37:43.469 --> 00:37:46.090
together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told

00:37:46.090 --> 00:37:48.869
that the bell was again upon the stroke of one.

00:37:49.489 --> 00:37:54.150
Expect the second! on the next night at the same

00:37:54.150 --> 00:37:59.389
hour. What will you send me now, spirits? Perhaps

00:37:59.389 --> 00:38:03.550
a rhinoceros? I'm sorry, I did not mean it. A

00:38:03.550 --> 00:38:06.590
blaze of ruddy light began to shine on him. What

00:38:06.590 --> 00:38:10.210
is this? Am I to spontaneously combust? This

00:38:10.210 --> 00:38:12.670
idea taking full possession of his mind, he got

00:38:12.670 --> 00:38:15.070
up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the

00:38:15.070 --> 00:38:17.929
door. The moment Scrooge's hand was on the lock,

00:38:18.110 --> 00:38:24.559
it called. Ebenezer. Ebenezer Scrooge. Come.

00:38:25.639 --> 00:38:29.480
Enter. He obeyed and entered. It was his own

00:38:29.480 --> 00:38:32.199
room. There was no doubt about that. But it had

00:38:32.199 --> 00:38:35.659
undergone a surprising transformation. The walls

00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:38.119
and ceiling were so hung with living green that

00:38:38.119 --> 00:38:40.860
it looked a perfect grove, for every part of

00:38:40.860 --> 00:38:43.860
which bright gleaming berries glistened. Heaped

00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:46.219
up on the floor to form a kind of throne were

00:38:46.219 --> 00:38:48.820
turkeys, geese, game, poultry, long wreaths of

00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:51.320
sausages, and red -hot chestnuts that made the

00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:54.860
chamber dim with their delicious steam. In an

00:38:54.860 --> 00:38:57.739
easy state upon this couch, there sat a jolly

00:38:57.739 --> 00:39:00.860
giant, glorious to see, who bore a glorying torch

00:39:00.860 --> 00:39:03.840
and held up high to shed its light on Scrooge

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:11.699
as he came peeping around the door. Scrooge entered

00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:13.699
timidly and hung his head before the spirit.

00:39:14.280 --> 00:39:18.099
I am the ghost of Christmas present. Look upon

00:39:18.099 --> 00:39:22.500
me. I am, but I am confused, spirit. You wear

00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:25.199
a green robe with mink around the corners and

00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:28.280
a holly wreath around your dark hair like a queen.

00:39:28.820 --> 00:39:31.780
Yet you also wear an empty scabbard that is eaten

00:39:31.780 --> 00:39:35.679
with rust. Are you an ancient Amazon? Or perhaps

00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:39.090
Athena herself? You have never seen the likes

00:39:39.090 --> 00:39:42.210
of me before. Never. Perhaps you have walked

00:39:42.210 --> 00:39:46.269
with my brothers? I don't think I have. Have

00:39:46.269 --> 00:39:49.050
you had many brothers, Spirit? More than eighteen

00:39:49.050 --> 00:39:53.030
hundred. Tremendous family to provide for. Speak

00:39:53.030 --> 00:39:57.289
up, little man. Oh, nothing. Anything worth saying

00:39:57.289 --> 00:40:02.150
must be proclaimed, lest I speak it at all. Spirit,

00:40:02.369 --> 00:40:17.460
conduct me where you will. Scrooge did as he

00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:20.699
was told and held it fast. They vanished from

00:40:20.699 --> 00:40:22.739
the warmth and cornucopia of the house and stood

00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:25.159
in the city streets on Christmas morning, where

00:40:25.159 --> 00:40:27.679
the people made a rough but brisk and not unpleasant

00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:30.480
kind of music in scraping the snow from the pavement

00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:32.889
in front of their dwellings. They soon went to

00:40:32.889 --> 00:40:35.050
the neighborhood bakery where the baker was arguing

00:40:35.050 --> 00:40:37.710
with a customer. What do you mean you sold out

00:40:37.710 --> 00:40:41.230
of rolls? I specifically put in an advance order

00:40:41.230 --> 00:40:45.050
to prevent this. Those were my rolls. Well, maybe

00:40:45.050 --> 00:40:47.070
you shouldn't have waited until Christmas Day

00:40:47.070 --> 00:40:50.110
to pick them up. Such a shame to quarrel on Christmas

00:40:50.110 --> 00:40:53.170
Day. The spirit sprinkled a few drops of perfumed

00:40:53.170 --> 00:40:55.329
water from her torch on their heads and then

00:40:55.329 --> 00:40:58.829
on some pastries. I'm sorry. You're right. I

00:40:58.829 --> 00:41:02.260
should not have waited until Christmas. Oh, nonsense.

00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:06.159
It is on me. Here, take these croissants. Is

00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:08.400
there a peculiar flavor in what you sprinkle

00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:12.760
from your torch? There is. My own. Would it apply

00:41:12.760 --> 00:41:16.239
to any kind of dinner on this day? To any kind

00:41:16.239 --> 00:41:20.179
of dinner. To a poor one, most. Why to a poor

00:41:20.179 --> 00:41:23.260
one, most? Because it needs it most. And perhaps

00:41:23.260 --> 00:41:25.619
it was the pleasure the good spirit had in showing

00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:28.039
off this power of hers that led her straight

00:41:28.039 --> 00:41:31.000
to Scrooge's clerks. For there she went and took

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:33.440
Scrooge with her, holding to her robe, and on

00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:36.340
the threshold of the door the spirit smiled and

00:41:36.340 --> 00:41:38.860
stopped to bless Bob Cratchit's dwelling with

00:41:38.860 --> 00:41:41.960
the sprinklings of its watch. There they saw

00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:44.960
Mrs. Cratchit dressed out but poorly in a second

00:41:44.960 --> 00:41:47.880
-hand gown, but with many colorful ribbons, which

00:41:47.880 --> 00:41:51.000
cost only pennies. She was making Christmas dinner,

00:41:51.099 --> 00:41:53.659
being assisted by Belinda Cratchit, second of

00:41:53.659 --> 00:41:56.820
her daughters, also brave in ribbons, while Master

00:41:56.820 --> 00:41:59.179
Peter Cratchit plunged a fork into the saucepan

00:41:59.179 --> 00:42:01.980
of potatoes. Where in heavens is your precious

00:42:01.980 --> 00:42:04.980
father with Tiny Tim? Bob Cratchit, the father,

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:08.079
came in, his threadbare clothes pressed and brushed

00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:11.260
to look seasonable. and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder.

00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:14.940
Alas, for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch and

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:18.199
had his limbs supported by an iron frame. And

00:42:18.199 --> 00:42:21.739
how did Little Tim behave? As good as gold, and

00:42:21.739 --> 00:42:24.550
better. Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by

00:42:24.550 --> 00:42:26.889
himself so much and thinks the strangest things

00:42:26.889 --> 00:42:29.590
you ever heard. He told me coming home that he

00:42:29.590 --> 00:42:31.630
hoped the people saw him in the church because

00:42:31.630 --> 00:42:34.110
he was a cripple and it might help them remember

00:42:34.110 --> 00:42:36.969
who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.

00:42:37.150 --> 00:42:39.510
Tiny Tim's active little crutch was heard upon

00:42:39.510 --> 00:42:41.909
the floor. Back came Tiny Tim before another

00:42:41.909 --> 00:42:44.789
word was spoken, escorted by his brother and

00:42:44.789 --> 00:42:48.119
sister to his stool beside the fire. Master Peter

00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:50.280
and the two ubiquitous young cratchits went to

00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:52.780
fetch the goose, which they had soon returned

00:42:52.780 --> 00:42:55.860
in high procession. Would you say grace, dear?

00:42:56.199 --> 00:43:00.000
Of course. Everybody bow their heads now. Miraculously,

00:43:00.099 --> 00:43:03.159
all the children obeyed. Dear Lord, thank you

00:43:03.159 --> 00:43:05.760
for this most wonderful and plentiful feast you

00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:08.739
have provided. May we revel on this holiest of

00:43:08.739 --> 00:43:11.179
days and may have another year of good fortune.

00:43:11.619 --> 00:43:18.340
Amen. Amen. Fortune. What fortune has he? A fortune

00:43:18.340 --> 00:43:23.480
you may never have, Ebenezer. Watch. What a goose

00:43:23.480 --> 00:43:26.000
this is. I don't think there ever was such a

00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:28.940
wonderful bird cooked. It's no turkey, but I

00:43:28.940 --> 00:43:32.019
suppose it'll do. Well, I must say, Miss Cratchit,

00:43:32.039 --> 00:43:34.440
this may have been your greatest success since

00:43:34.440 --> 00:43:37.380
you married me. Oh, that's my greatest success,

00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:40.960
huh? A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God

00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:46.159
bless us. God bless us. God bless us, everyone.

00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:49.800
Tiny Tim sat very close to his father's side

00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:53.300
upon his little stool. Bob held his withered

00:43:53.300 --> 00:43:56.480
little hand in his as if he loved the child and

00:43:56.480 --> 00:43:59.239
wished to keep him by his side and dreaded that

00:43:59.239 --> 00:44:02.039
he might be taken from him. Spirit, tell me if

00:44:02.039 --> 00:44:06.420
Tiny Tim will live. I see a vacant seat in the

00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:09.980
little corner by the fireplace and a crutch without

00:44:09.980 --> 00:44:13.630
an owner carefully preserved. If these shadows

00:44:13.630 --> 00:44:17.329
remain unaltered by the future, the child will

00:44:17.329 --> 00:44:21.469
die. None other of my race can save him. No.

00:44:21.610 --> 00:44:26.289
No. Oh, no. Kind spirit, say he will be spared.

00:44:26.610 --> 00:44:30.969
What then? If he be like to die, he had better

00:44:30.969 --> 00:44:36.710
do it and decrease the surplus population. I

00:44:36.710 --> 00:44:39.030
didn't mean it like that. How do you know what

00:44:39.030 --> 00:44:43.250
the surplus is and where it is? Will you decide

00:44:43.250 --> 00:44:47.789
what men shall live, what men shall die? It may

00:44:47.789 --> 00:44:50.670
be that in the sight of heaven, you are more

00:44:50.670 --> 00:44:54.329
worthless and less fit to live than millions

00:44:54.329 --> 00:44:58.389
like this poor man's child. Scrooge bent before

00:44:58.389 --> 00:45:00.969
the ghost's rebuke and trembling cast his eyes

00:45:00.969 --> 00:45:03.750
upon the ground. But he raised him speedily on

00:45:03.750 --> 00:45:07.789
hearing his own name. Mr. Scrooge. I'll give

00:45:07.789 --> 00:45:10.630
you Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast. The

00:45:10.630 --> 00:45:13.789
founder of the feast, indeed. I wish I had him

00:45:13.789 --> 00:45:16.030
here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast

00:45:16.030 --> 00:45:18.789
upon. And I hope he'd have a good appetite for

00:45:18.789 --> 00:45:21.849
it. My dear, not in front of the children. It's

00:45:21.849 --> 00:45:24.710
Christmas Day. Christmas Day. Why should one

00:45:24.710 --> 00:45:27.630
drink to the health of such an odious, stingy,

00:45:27.650 --> 00:45:31.289
hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge? You know

00:45:31.289 --> 00:45:33.289
he is, Robert. Nobody knows it better than you

00:45:33.289 --> 00:45:36.909
do. My dear, it's Christmas. I'll drink to his

00:45:36.909 --> 00:45:40.130
health for your sake and the day's. Long life

00:45:40.130 --> 00:45:43.010
to him. A merry Christmas and a happy new year.

00:45:43.269 --> 00:45:47.070
He'll be very merry and very happy, I have no

00:45:47.070 --> 00:45:50.489
doubt. Scrooge was the ogre of the family. The

00:45:50.489 --> 00:45:52.809
mention of his name cast a dark shadow in the

00:45:52.809 --> 00:45:55.389
party, which was not dispelled for a full five

00:45:55.389 --> 00:45:58.909
minutes. They are not a handsome family. They're

00:45:58.909 --> 00:46:01.570
not well -dressed, their shoes have holes, and

00:46:01.570 --> 00:46:05.070
Bob has likely seen the inside of a pawnbroker's.

00:46:05.690 --> 00:46:07.869
But they have more wealth here than you have

00:46:07.869 --> 00:46:12.090
ever seen. What wealth, my lady? They are happy,

00:46:12.269 --> 00:46:16.789
grateful, and pleased with one another. There

00:46:16.789 --> 00:46:20.030
is love here. With that, the ghost sprinkled

00:46:20.030 --> 00:46:22.630
them all with her magical concoction as Scrooge

00:46:22.630 --> 00:46:26.670
kept his eye on Tiny Tim. And now, without a

00:46:26.670 --> 00:46:28.670
word of warning from the ghost, they stood upon

00:46:28.670 --> 00:46:32.099
a large field. where monstrous masses of rude

00:46:32.099 --> 00:46:34.619
stone were cast about, as though it were the

00:46:34.619 --> 00:46:39.780
burial place of giants. What place is this? A

00:46:39.780 --> 00:46:42.940
place where miners live, who labor in the bowels

00:46:42.940 --> 00:46:47.800
of the earth. But they know me. Watch. At a small

00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:50.519
camp outside the cave, a small group of miners

00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:53.659
were huddled in a cabin around a bare tree with

00:46:53.659 --> 00:46:57.519
candles hanging from it. They held hands and

00:46:57.519 --> 00:47:17.099
hummed. The spirit quickly whisked him away,

00:47:17.199 --> 00:47:19.300
passing through mud and stone when they happened

00:47:19.300 --> 00:47:23.420
upon a small cottage. Inside, a woman whose face

00:47:23.420 --> 00:47:26.460
showed the lines of a long life sat rocking in

00:47:26.460 --> 00:47:46.329
a chair. Though she was alone, the miners' voices

00:47:46.329 --> 00:47:49.730
somehow joined hers as if the Christmas spirit

00:47:49.730 --> 00:47:55.989
connected them. The stars in the bright sky looked

00:47:55.989 --> 00:48:12.239
down. The spirit did not dally here, but bade

00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:14.860
Scrooge hold her rope and passed on above the

00:48:14.860 --> 00:48:18.659
moor into the sea. Built upon a dismal reef of

00:48:18.659 --> 00:48:21.519
sunken rocks, miles from the shore, there stood

00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:26.159
a solitary lighthouse. But even here, two men

00:48:26.159 --> 00:48:28.900
who watched the light had made a fight. The elder

00:48:28.900 --> 00:48:31.800
man, with his face all damaged and scarred with

00:48:31.800 --> 00:48:34.519
hard weather, as the figurehead of an old ship

00:48:34.519 --> 00:48:37.579
might be, struck up a sturdy song that was like

00:48:37.579 --> 00:48:43.869
a gale in itself. The cattle are lowing, the

00:48:43.869 --> 00:48:52.650
baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying

00:48:52.650 --> 00:48:58.190
he makes. The young man soon harmonized. I love

00:48:58.190 --> 00:49:06.210
thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and

00:49:06.210 --> 00:49:17.920
stay. The spirit then joined in, but it was not

00:49:17.920 --> 00:49:21.039
just her voice that came from her mouth, but

00:49:21.039 --> 00:49:43.260
those of all that had seen that night. It was

00:49:43.260 --> 00:49:45.480
a great surprise to Scrooge while listening to

00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:49.019
this mystical chorus that he heard a hearty laugh.

00:49:49.579 --> 00:49:52.539
It was a much greater surprise to Scrooge to

00:49:52.539 --> 00:49:55.860
recognize it as his own nephews and to find himself

00:49:55.860 --> 00:49:59.559
in a bright, dry, gleaming room with the spirit

00:49:59.559 --> 00:50:02.539
standing, smiling by his side and looking at

00:50:02.539 --> 00:50:06.079
that same nephew with a proving affability. When

00:50:06.079 --> 00:50:08.119
Scrooge's nephew laughed in this way, holding

00:50:08.119 --> 00:50:10.360
his sides, rolling his head, and twisting his

00:50:10.360 --> 00:50:13.659
face into the most extravagant contortions, Scrooge's

00:50:13.659 --> 00:50:16.280
niece, by marriage, laughed as heartily as he.

00:50:18.900 --> 00:50:21.619
She was exceedingly pretty and was quite a match

00:50:21.619 --> 00:50:24.480
for his nephew. She smiled with her dimpled cheeks

00:50:24.480 --> 00:50:26.880
as she kissed him. And their assembled friends,

00:50:27.099 --> 00:50:35.750
being not a bit behind, roared out. And he said

00:50:35.750 --> 00:50:39.769
that Christmas was a humbug. He believed it,

00:50:39.789 --> 00:50:43.309
too. More shame for him, Fred. He's a comical

00:50:43.309 --> 00:50:46.130
old fellow, that's the truth, and not so pleasant

00:50:46.130 --> 00:50:49.369
as he might be. However, his offenses carry their

00:50:49.369 --> 00:50:51.469
own punishment, and I have nothing to say against

00:50:51.469 --> 00:50:54.650
him. I'm sure he's very rich, Fred. At least

00:50:54.650 --> 00:50:56.909
you always tell me so. What of that, Madeline?

00:50:57.130 --> 00:50:59.690
His wealth is of no use to him. He doesn't do

00:50:59.690 --> 00:51:01.610
any good with it. He doesn't make himself comfortable

00:51:01.610 --> 00:51:05.380
with it. He's a miserly old fool. I have no patience

00:51:05.380 --> 00:51:09.639
with him. Oh, I have. I'm sorry for him. I couldn't

00:51:09.639 --> 00:51:12.940
be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by

00:51:12.940 --> 00:51:17.500
his ill whims? Himself. Always. Here he takes

00:51:17.500 --> 00:51:19.739
it into his head to dislike us and he won't come

00:51:19.739 --> 00:51:22.639
and dine with us. What's the consequences? He

00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:25.019
doesn't lose much of a dinner. I think he loses

00:51:25.019 --> 00:51:28.000
a very good dinner, dear. But do go on, Fred.

00:51:28.099 --> 00:51:29.719
You never finished what you were going to say.

00:51:29.880 --> 00:51:32.610
I was only going to say... that the consequences

00:51:32.610 --> 00:51:34.949
of his taking a dislike to us and not making

00:51:34.949 --> 00:51:37.929
merry with us is that he loses some pleasant

00:51:37.929 --> 00:51:41.690
moments which could do him no harm. I mean to

00:51:41.690 --> 00:51:44.110
give him the same chance every year, whether

00:51:44.110 --> 00:51:48.309
he likes it or not, for I pity him. He may rail

00:51:48.309 --> 00:51:50.849
at Christmas till he dies, but he can't help

00:51:50.849 --> 00:51:54.349
thinking better of it. I defy him. If he finds

00:51:54.349 --> 00:51:56.690
me going there in good temper year after year

00:51:56.690 --> 00:52:00.860
and saying, Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it

00:52:00.860 --> 00:52:03.280
only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk

00:52:03.280 --> 00:52:08.940
some money, that's something. And actually, I

00:52:08.940 --> 00:52:15.219
think I shook him yesterday. Laugh if you want,

00:52:15.340 --> 00:52:19.280
but I won't stop. Not till he's cold in the grave,

00:52:19.340 --> 00:52:21.519
I tell you. Soon they moved on from the topic

00:52:21.519 --> 00:52:23.780
of Scrooge and began to sing their own carol.

00:52:23.940 --> 00:52:26.440
There might have been twenty people there, young

00:52:26.440 --> 00:52:52.320
and old, but they all sang. The ghost turned

00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:54.940
to see Scrooge, a bright smile on his face, as

00:52:54.940 --> 00:52:57.199
he joined in, even if they couldn't hear him.

00:52:57.280 --> 00:53:01.780
Oh, spirit, may I stay, please? Just until everyone

00:53:01.780 --> 00:53:06.719
departs. I'm sorry, but it cannot be done. It

00:53:06.719 --> 00:53:09.219
would be ungrateful to at least not drink to

00:53:09.219 --> 00:53:11.219
the health of the old man. He has definitely

00:53:11.219 --> 00:53:14.980
given us merriment tonight. You're insufferable,

00:53:15.059 --> 00:53:18.000
dear. Here is a glass of wine ready to our hand

00:53:18.000 --> 00:53:21.980
at the moment. And I say to Uncle Scrooge. Uncle

00:53:21.980 --> 00:53:26.300
Scrooge! A merry Christmas and a happy new year

00:53:26.300 --> 00:53:28.860
to the old man wherever he is. He wouldn't take

00:53:28.860 --> 00:53:30.599
it from me, but he may have it nevertheless.

00:53:31.039 --> 00:53:34.880
Uncle Scrooge! It was a long night, if it were

00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:37.420
only a night, but Scrooge had his doubts of this,

00:53:37.579 --> 00:53:39.760
because the Christmas holidays appeared to be

00:53:39.760 --> 00:53:42.239
condensed into the space of time they passed

00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:45.400
together. It was strange, too, that while Scrooge

00:53:45.400 --> 00:53:48.500
remained unaltered in his outward form, the ghost

00:53:48.500 --> 00:53:54.219
grew older, clearly older. Are spirits' lives

00:53:54.219 --> 00:53:59.960
so short? My life upon this globe is very brief.

00:54:00.500 --> 00:54:05.019
It ends tonight. Tonight? Tonight at midnight.

00:54:05.440 --> 00:54:09.320
But it is already a quarter till. Yes, my time

00:54:09.320 --> 00:54:12.360
is drawing near. Forgive me if I am not justified

00:54:12.360 --> 00:54:15.960
in what I ask, but I see something strange and

00:54:15.960 --> 00:54:18.800
not belonging to yourself protruding from your

00:54:18.800 --> 00:54:23.639
skirts. Is it a foot or a claw? It might be a

00:54:23.639 --> 00:54:28.760
claw. For it is flesh. Look here. From the foldings

00:54:28.760 --> 00:54:31.519
of its robe it brought two children. Wretched,

00:54:31.739 --> 00:54:34.980
abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt

00:54:34.980 --> 00:54:37.440
down at its feet and clung upon the outside of

00:54:37.440 --> 00:54:40.119
its garment. Scrooge immediately diverted his

00:54:40.119 --> 00:54:44.079
eyes. Do not avert your eyes! Look at this boy

00:54:44.079 --> 00:54:49.500
and girl. Yellow, ragged, scowling. Yet they

00:54:49.500 --> 00:54:52.940
are weak and meager. Where graceful youth should

00:54:52.940 --> 00:54:56.739
fill their features, a stale and shriveled hand

00:54:56.739 --> 00:54:59.860
has pinched and twisted them. Where angels might

00:54:59.860 --> 00:55:04.059
have sat enthroned, devils lurked and glared

00:55:04.059 --> 00:55:08.059
out menacing. Scrooge startled back, appalled.

00:55:08.320 --> 00:55:12.400
Are they your spirit? They are man's, and they

00:55:12.400 --> 00:55:16.980
cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This

00:55:16.980 --> 00:55:22.340
boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware them

00:55:22.340 --> 00:55:26.400
both and all of their degree. But most of all

00:55:26.400 --> 00:55:30.519
beware this boy. For on his brow I see the written

00:55:30.519 --> 00:55:35.079
which is due unless the writing be erased. This...

00:55:35.079 --> 00:55:40.400
this can't be. Do you deny it? You who make it

00:55:40.400 --> 00:55:44.400
worse and bide the end. Have they no refuge or

00:55:44.400 --> 00:55:49.300
resource? Are there no prisons? Are there no

00:55:49.300 --> 00:55:56.869
workhouses? The bell struck twelve. Scrooge looked

00:55:56.869 --> 00:55:59.630
about for the ghost and saw it not. As the last

00:55:59.630 --> 00:56:02.170
stroke ceased to vibrate, he remembered the prediction

00:56:02.170 --> 00:56:06.849
of old Jacob Marley. Three spirits! The third

00:56:06.849 --> 00:56:10.429
when the last stroke of twelve ceased to vibrate!

00:56:14.190 --> 00:56:17.869
A phantom, draped and hooded, came toward Scrooge

00:56:17.869 --> 00:56:21.829
like a mist along the ground. The phantom slowly,

00:56:22.269 --> 00:56:26.269
gravely, silently approached. When it came near

00:56:26.269 --> 00:56:29.170
him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee, for in

00:56:29.170 --> 00:56:31.590
the very air through which this spirit moved,

00:56:31.690 --> 00:56:35.889
it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. It was

00:56:35.889 --> 00:56:38.949
shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed

00:56:38.949 --> 00:56:43.070
its head, its face, its form, and left nothing

00:56:43.070 --> 00:56:46.570
of it visible save for one outstretched, pale

00:56:46.570 --> 00:56:51.030
hand. He felt that it was tall and stately when

00:56:51.030 --> 00:56:53.690
it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence

00:56:53.690 --> 00:56:57.969
filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more,

00:56:57.989 --> 00:57:01.409
for the spirit neither spoke nor moved. Am I

00:57:01.409 --> 00:57:03.610
in the presence of the ghost of Christmas yet

00:57:03.610 --> 00:57:07.429
to come? The spirit answered not, but pointed

00:57:07.429 --> 00:57:09.730
downward with its hand. You are about to show

00:57:09.730 --> 00:57:11.909
me shadows of the things that have not happened,

00:57:12.050 --> 00:57:16.150
but will happen in the time before us. Is that

00:57:16.150 --> 00:57:20.789
so? The spirit inclined its head. The only answer

00:57:20.789 --> 00:57:24.869
Scrooge received. Ghost of the future, I fear

00:57:24.869 --> 00:57:28.150
you more than any specter I have seen. But as

00:57:28.150 --> 00:57:31.329
I know your purpose is to do me good, and as

00:57:31.329 --> 00:57:34.070
I hope to live to be another man from what I

00:57:34.070 --> 00:57:38.769
was, I am prepared to bear you company and do

00:57:38.769 --> 00:57:42.969
it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak

00:57:42.969 --> 00:57:46.469
to me? It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed

00:57:46.469 --> 00:57:51.710
straight before them. Lead on. The night is waning

00:57:51.710 --> 00:57:55.710
fast, and it is precious time to me. I know.

00:57:56.550 --> 00:58:01.170
Lead on, spirit. They went into an obscure part

00:58:01.170 --> 00:58:04.150
of town where Scrooge had never penetrated before,

00:58:04.489 --> 00:58:07.610
although he recognized its situation and its

00:58:07.610 --> 00:58:11.389
bad repute. The ways were foul and narrow, the

00:58:11.389 --> 00:58:14.409
shops and houses wretched, the people half -naked,

00:58:14.489 --> 00:58:18.070
drunken, slipshod, and ugly. Alleys and archways,

00:58:18.130 --> 00:58:20.750
like so many cesspools, disgorged their offenses

00:58:20.750 --> 00:58:25.510
of smell and dirt and life upon these straggling

00:58:25.510 --> 00:58:28.510
streets. And the whole quarter reeked with crime,

00:58:28.710 --> 00:58:33.210
filth, and misery. Far in this den of infamous

00:58:33.210 --> 00:58:37.269
resort, there was a lowbrow beetling shop. Sitting

00:58:37.269 --> 00:58:39.630
in among the wares was a gray -haired rascal

00:58:39.630 --> 00:58:42.989
known as Old Joe, nearly 70 years of age, and

00:58:42.989 --> 00:58:45.630
smoked his pipe in all the luxury of calm retirement.

00:58:46.550 --> 00:58:48.570
Scrooge and the Phantom came into the presence

00:58:48.570 --> 00:58:50.590
of this man just as the woman with the heavy

00:58:50.590 --> 00:58:53.530
bundle slunk into the shop. But she had scarcely

00:58:53.530 --> 00:58:56.690
entered when another woman, carrying a suspiciously

00:58:56.690 --> 00:59:00.070
similar load, came in as well, and she was closely

00:59:00.070 --> 00:59:02.909
followed by a man in faded black who was no less

00:59:02.909 --> 00:59:04.969
startled by the sight of them as they recognized

00:59:04.969 --> 00:59:08.739
each other. After a short period of blank astonishment,

00:59:08.800 --> 00:59:10.940
in which the old man with the pipe had joined

00:59:10.940 --> 00:59:16.860
them, they all three burst into a laugh. Well,

00:59:16.980 --> 00:59:20.360
look at us, the maid, laundress, and undertaker,

00:59:20.360 --> 00:59:24.380
all here at the same time, no less. I suppose

00:59:24.380 --> 00:59:27.960
we all came as fast as we could. We couldn't

00:59:27.960 --> 00:59:30.699
have met in a better place. Now let's do business.

00:59:31.599 --> 00:59:33.980
The maid threw her bundle on the floor and sat

00:59:33.980 --> 00:59:36.800
down in a flaunting manner on a stool, crossing

00:59:36.800 --> 00:59:39.099
her elbows on her knees and looking with a bold

00:59:39.099 --> 00:59:42.480
defiance at the other two. What odds, then? What

00:59:42.480 --> 00:59:47.500
odds? Mrs. Dilba, every person has a right to

00:59:47.500 --> 00:59:51.239
take care of themselves. He always did. That's

00:59:51.239 --> 00:59:56.059
true indeed, no man more so. Who's the worst

00:59:56.059 --> 00:59:59.380
for the loss of a few things like these? Not

00:59:59.380 --> 01:00:04.039
a dead man, I suppose. No, indeed. If he wanted

01:00:04.039 --> 01:00:06.619
to keep him after he was dead, wicked old screw,

01:00:06.940 --> 01:00:09.840
why wasn't he good in his lifetime? If he had

01:00:09.840 --> 01:00:12.539
been, he'd had somebody to look after him when

01:00:12.539 --> 01:00:14.699
he was struck with death. It's the truest word

01:00:14.699 --> 01:00:17.300
that ever was spoke. It's a judgment on him.

01:00:17.480 --> 01:00:19.920
Old Joe unraveled what the maid had brought him.

01:00:20.000 --> 01:00:23.780
What do you call this? Bed curtains? Exactly

01:00:23.780 --> 01:00:26.440
what they are. You don't mean to say you took

01:00:26.440 --> 01:00:29.400
them down, rings and all, with him lying there?

01:00:29.980 --> 01:00:35.159
Yes, I do. Why not? You were born to make your

01:00:35.159 --> 01:00:38.500
fortune, and you'll certainly do it. I certainly

01:00:38.500 --> 01:00:41.880
won't hold my hand for the sake of such a man

01:00:41.880 --> 01:00:46.019
as he was. I promise you, Joe, don't drop that

01:00:46.019 --> 01:00:49.380
oil upon the blankets now. His blankets. Who

01:00:49.380 --> 01:00:51.789
else's do you think? Well, I hope he didn't die

01:00:51.789 --> 01:00:55.349
of anything catching, eh? You don't be afraid

01:00:55.349 --> 01:00:59.730
of that. He was just old. Old and cranky. But

01:00:59.730 --> 01:01:01.989
take a look at that shirt there. You won't find

01:01:01.989 --> 01:01:04.949
a hole in it. It's the best he had, and a fine

01:01:04.949 --> 01:01:08.190
one, too. They'd have wasted it if it hadn't

01:01:08.190 --> 01:01:11.690
been for me. What do you mean, wasted it? Putting

01:01:11.690 --> 01:01:14.530
it on him to be buried in. After thoroughly going

01:01:14.530 --> 01:01:16.769
through the contents, Old Joe gave the maid a

01:01:16.769 --> 01:01:19.130
flannel bag with money in it. This is the...

01:01:19.179 --> 01:01:21.900
end of it, you see. He frightened everyone away

01:01:21.900 --> 01:01:25.260
from him when he was alive to profit us when

01:01:25.260 --> 01:01:32.199
he was dead. Spirit, I see. I see. The case of

01:01:32.199 --> 01:01:35.800
this unhappy man may be my own. My life tends

01:01:35.800 --> 01:01:38.619
that way now. Merciful heaven, what is this?

01:01:39.079 --> 01:01:42.519
He recoiled in terror, for the scene had changed,

01:01:42.579 --> 01:01:46.920
and now he almost touched a bed. A bare, uncurtained

01:01:46.920 --> 01:01:49.579
bed on which beneath a ragged sheet there lay

01:01:49.579 --> 01:01:52.219
something covered up, which announced itself

01:01:52.219 --> 01:01:56.699
in awful language. This man lay in a dark, empty

01:01:56.699 --> 01:01:59.820
house with not a man, woman, or child to say

01:01:59.820 --> 01:02:03.099
he was kind. If there is any person in the town

01:02:03.099 --> 01:02:05.719
who feels emotion caused by this man's death,

01:02:05.960 --> 01:02:10.199
show that person to me, spirit. I beg you. The

01:02:10.199 --> 01:02:12.320
phantom spread its dark robe before him for a

01:02:12.320 --> 01:02:14.780
moment like a wing, and withdrawing it revealed

01:02:14.780 --> 01:02:17.440
a room by daylight where a mother and her children

01:02:17.440 --> 01:02:20.900
were. She was expecting someone, and with anxious

01:02:20.900 --> 01:02:23.460
eagerness, for she walked up and down the room,

01:02:23.519 --> 01:02:28.920
startled at every sound. Oh, God! It's just you.

01:02:29.239 --> 01:02:31.800
I thought for sure they'd come for the house.

01:02:32.119 --> 01:02:34.679
Here, I made you some dinner. Thank you, dear.

01:02:34.960 --> 01:02:40.360
Any news? Um... Is it good, or... Or bad. Please

01:02:40.360 --> 01:02:43.739
tell me. I can't bear it. Do you believe in hope,

01:02:44.239 --> 01:02:49.320
Caroline? Are we ruined? I knew it. Maybe, uh,

01:02:49.500 --> 01:02:55.280
maybe, maybe he can relent. Miracles do happen,

01:02:55.400 --> 01:02:59.000
you know. He has passed relenting. That miserable

01:02:59.000 --> 01:03:02.179
old fool. Of course he would throw a family on

01:03:02.179 --> 01:03:05.940
the streets on Christmas. No, Caroline. He has

01:03:05.940 --> 01:03:10.280
passed relenting because... Well, he's... he's

01:03:10.280 --> 01:03:14.380
dead. What? You're kidding me. Our luck is not

01:03:14.380 --> 01:03:18.000
that good. No, turns out he was not trying to

01:03:18.000 --> 01:03:22.280
avoid me last week. He was dying. This... this

01:03:22.280 --> 01:03:26.739
is wonderful. A true Christmas miracle. To whom

01:03:26.739 --> 01:03:29.599
will our debt be transferred? I don't know, but

01:03:29.599 --> 01:03:32.179
they can't possibly be as merciless as he was.

01:03:32.340 --> 01:03:34.880
We may sleep with light hearts tonight, Caroline.

01:03:35.500 --> 01:03:37.659
The only emotion that the ghost could show him

01:03:37.659 --> 01:03:42.559
caused by the event was one of pleasure. Let

01:03:42.559 --> 01:03:44.679
me see some tenderness connected with a death.

01:03:44.940 --> 01:03:47.380
The ghost conducted him through several streets.

01:03:47.659 --> 01:03:50.940
They entered poor Bob Cratchit's house, the dwelling

01:03:50.940 --> 01:03:53.639
he had visited before, and found Bob and his

01:03:53.639 --> 01:03:56.519
wife sitting at the table, Bob sipping a cup

01:03:56.519 --> 01:03:59.280
of tea his wife had made him. You went today

01:03:59.280 --> 01:04:02.980
then, Robert? Yes, my dear. I wish you could

01:04:02.980 --> 01:04:05.340
have gone. It would have done you good to see

01:04:05.340 --> 01:04:08.420
how green a place it is. But you'll see it often.

01:04:08.980 --> 01:04:11.559
I promised him that we would walk there every

01:04:11.559 --> 01:04:17.679
Sunday. My little, little child. My little child.

01:04:19.820 --> 01:04:23.920
You are such a good wife, my dear. However and

01:04:23.920 --> 01:04:26.739
whenever we part from one another, I am sure

01:04:26.739 --> 01:04:30.260
none of us will forget poor tiny Timmy. Never,

01:04:30.320 --> 01:04:33.710
dear. We will all remember how patient and how

01:04:33.710 --> 01:04:36.630
sweet he was, although he was a little, little

01:04:36.630 --> 01:04:39.630
child. Mrs. Cratchit hugged Bob with all her

01:04:39.630 --> 01:04:43.429
strength as they cried in solemn unity. Spirit

01:04:43.429 --> 01:04:47.269
of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence was from God.

01:04:49.070 --> 01:04:52.530
Spectre, I feel that our parting moment is at

01:04:52.530 --> 01:04:55.650
hand. I'm certain of it, though I don't know

01:04:55.650 --> 01:05:00.550
how. Tell me. Who was the man under those sheets?

01:05:00.909 --> 01:05:03.329
The ghost of Christmas yet to come conducted

01:05:03.329 --> 01:05:05.969
him through time and place again as Scrooge followed

01:05:05.969 --> 01:05:09.750
until they reached an iron gate. He paused to

01:05:09.750 --> 01:05:13.929
look around before entering. A church room. Here,

01:05:14.070 --> 01:05:16.789
the wretched man whose name he had now to learn

01:05:16.789 --> 01:05:20.250
lay underneath the ground. The spirit stood among

01:05:20.250 --> 01:05:24.449
the graves and pointed down to one. Scrooge advanced

01:05:24.449 --> 01:05:27.809
towards it, trembling. The phantom was exactly

01:05:27.809 --> 01:05:30.750
as it had been, but he dreaded that he saw a

01:05:30.750 --> 01:05:34.809
new meaning in its solemn shape. Before I draw

01:05:34.809 --> 01:05:37.969
near to that stone to which you point, answer

01:05:37.969 --> 01:05:41.469
me one question. Are these the shadows of the

01:05:41.469 --> 01:05:44.449
things that will be, or are they the shadows

01:05:44.449 --> 01:05:48.150
of the things that only may be? Still the ghost

01:05:48.150 --> 01:05:50.809
pointed downward to the grave by which it stood.

01:05:51.050 --> 01:05:54.250
Tell me these courses may be changed. Say this

01:05:54.250 --> 01:05:57.699
is what you show me, spirit. The spirit was immovable

01:05:57.699 --> 01:06:02.119
as ever. Scrooge crept towards it, trembling

01:06:02.119 --> 01:06:05.079
as he went, and following the finger read upon

01:06:05.079 --> 01:06:10.139
the stone of the neglected grave, Ebenezer Scrooge!

01:06:10.519 --> 01:06:13.719
Am I that man who lay upon the bed? The finger

01:06:13.719 --> 01:06:16.079
pointed from the grave to him and back again.

01:06:16.320 --> 01:06:20.889
No, spirit! Oh, no, no! The finger was still

01:06:20.889 --> 01:06:25.369
there. Spirit, hear me. I am not the man I was

01:06:25.369 --> 01:06:29.250
before. Why show me this if I am past all hope?

01:06:29.590 --> 01:06:32.989
Assure me that I may yet change these shadows

01:06:32.989 --> 01:06:37.190
you have shown me by an altered life. I will

01:06:37.190 --> 01:06:40.750
honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it

01:06:40.750 --> 01:06:45.090
all the year. I will live in the past, the present,

01:06:45.150 --> 01:06:48.960
and the future. The spirits of all three shall

01:06:48.960 --> 01:06:53.139
strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons

01:06:53.139 --> 01:06:57.880
that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away

01:06:57.880 --> 01:07:02.019
the writing on this stone. In his agony, he caught

01:07:02.019 --> 01:07:04.679
the spectral hand. It sought to free itself,

01:07:04.860 --> 01:07:07.059
but Scrooge detained it. The spirit, stronger

01:07:07.059 --> 01:07:09.960
yet, repulsed him, holding up his hands in one

01:07:09.960 --> 01:07:12.659
last prayer to have his fate reversed. He saw

01:07:12.659 --> 01:07:14.699
an alteration in the phantom's hood and dress.

01:07:14.900 --> 01:07:18.960
It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into

01:07:18.960 --> 01:07:25.900
a bedpost. Yes, a bedpost. And the bedpost was

01:07:25.900 --> 01:07:28.760
his own. The bed was his own. The room was his

01:07:28.760 --> 01:07:31.679
own. Best and happiest of all, the time before

01:07:31.679 --> 01:07:36.280
him was his own to make amends in. And he quickly

01:07:36.280 --> 01:07:39.559
scrambled out of bed. I will live in the past,

01:07:39.599 --> 01:07:42.800
the present, and the future. The spirits of all

01:07:42.800 --> 01:07:47.019
three shall strive within me. O Jacob, Marley,

01:07:47.139 --> 01:07:50.340
heaven, and the Christmas time be praised for

01:07:50.340 --> 01:07:54.119
this. I say it on my knees, O Jacob, on my knees.

01:07:54.829 --> 01:07:56.789
He inspected his bed curtains, folding them in

01:07:56.789 --> 01:07:59.730
his arm. They are not torn down. They are not

01:07:59.730 --> 01:08:03.489
torn down. Rings and all, they are here. I am

01:08:03.489 --> 01:08:06.429
here. The shadows of the things that would have

01:08:06.429 --> 01:08:12.309
been may be dispelled. They will be. I know they

01:08:12.309 --> 01:08:17.170
will. It's all right. It's all true. It all happened.

01:08:18.130 --> 01:08:23.189
I don't know what day of the month it is. I don't

01:08:23.189 --> 01:08:25.869
know how long I've been among the spirits. I

01:08:25.869 --> 01:08:29.329
don't know anything. I'm quite a baby. Never

01:08:29.329 --> 01:08:35.789
mind. I don't care. I'd rather be a baby. Hooray!

01:08:36.810 --> 01:08:38.850
Running to the window, he opened it and put out

01:08:38.850 --> 01:08:42.649
his head. No fog, no mist, clear, bright, jovial,

01:08:42.649 --> 01:08:45.350
stirring, cold, cold, piping for the blood to

01:08:45.350 --> 01:08:48.510
dance to, golden sunlight, heavenly sky, sweet,

01:08:48.630 --> 01:08:51.789
fresh air, merry bells. He then looked down upon

01:08:51.789 --> 01:08:54.149
a boy who was staring up at him, no doubt curious

01:08:54.149 --> 01:08:56.529
for all the noise Scrooge was making. My dear

01:08:56.529 --> 01:09:01.050
boy, what is today? What's today, my fine fellow?

01:09:02.180 --> 01:09:05.680
Today? Why, Christmas Day, of course. It's Christmas

01:09:05.680 --> 01:09:08.739
Day. I haven't missed it. The spirits have done

01:09:08.739 --> 01:09:11.159
it all in one night. They can do anything they

01:09:11.159 --> 01:09:13.420
like. Of course they can. Of course they can.

01:09:13.579 --> 01:09:17.060
A great day, my fine fellow. A great day, sir.

01:09:17.319 --> 01:09:19.939
Do you know the butcher at the corner? I should

01:09:19.939 --> 01:09:23.720
hope so. An intelligent boy. A remarkable boy.

01:09:23.800 --> 01:09:26.060
Do you know whether they've sold the prize turkey

01:09:26.060 --> 01:09:28.460
that was hanging up there? Not the little prize

01:09:28.460 --> 01:09:32.199
turkey. The big one. The one as big as me? Yes,

01:09:32.359 --> 01:09:36.260
that one. It's hanging there now. Is it? Go and

01:09:36.260 --> 01:09:39.720
buy it. You're crazy, mister. No, no, I'm in

01:09:39.720 --> 01:09:42.380
earnest. Go and buy it and tell them to bring

01:09:42.380 --> 01:09:44.680
it here that I may give them the direction where

01:09:44.680 --> 01:09:47.720
to take it. Come back with the man and I'll give

01:09:47.720 --> 01:09:50.069
you a dollar. Come back with him in less than

01:09:50.069 --> 01:09:52.829
five minutes, and I'll give you twenty. The boy

01:09:52.829 --> 01:09:55.310
was off like a shot. I'll send it to Bob Cratchits.

01:09:55.350 --> 01:09:57.930
He won't know who sends it. It's twice the size

01:09:57.930 --> 01:10:00.609
of Tiny Tim. The hand in which he wrote the address

01:10:00.609 --> 01:10:03.569
was not a steady one, but righted he did, and

01:10:03.569 --> 01:10:06.029
went downstairs to open the street door ready

01:10:06.029 --> 01:10:08.569
for the coming of the butcher's man. As he stood

01:10:08.569 --> 01:10:10.810
there waiting for his arrival, the knocker caught

01:10:10.810 --> 01:10:14.350
his eye. I shall love it as long as I live. I

01:10:14.350 --> 01:10:17.409
scarcely ever looked at it before. What an honest

01:10:17.409 --> 01:10:20.510
expression it has in its face. It's a wonderful

01:10:20.510 --> 01:10:23.329
knocker. You wanted this turkey, sir? Ah, yes,

01:10:23.489 --> 01:10:26.329
the turkey. Hello! This is quite the turkey.

01:10:26.430 --> 01:10:28.550
He never could have stood on his own legs, that

01:10:28.550 --> 01:10:30.909
bird. He would have snapped them off like sticks

01:10:30.909 --> 01:10:34.609
of ceiling wax. Okay, okay. Where do you want

01:10:34.609 --> 01:10:37.489
it? Why, it's impossible to carry that to Camden

01:10:37.489 --> 01:10:40.199
Town. You must have a cab. He dressed himself

01:10:40.199 --> 01:10:42.979
at his best and went out into the streets. Scrooge

01:10:42.979 --> 01:10:45.600
regarded everyone with a delighted smile. He

01:10:45.600 --> 01:10:48.039
had not gone far when he happened upon the gentleman

01:10:48.039 --> 01:10:50.439
who had asked him for a donation yesterday and

01:10:50.439 --> 01:10:53.260
took him with both hands, which slightly frightened

01:10:53.260 --> 01:10:56.760
the man. My dear sir, how do you do? I hope you

01:10:56.760 --> 01:10:59.300
succeeded yesterday. It was very kind of you.

01:10:59.399 --> 01:11:03.000
A Merry Christmas to you, sir. Mr. Scrooge? Yes,

01:11:03.079 --> 01:11:06.359
that is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant

01:11:06.359 --> 01:11:09.260
to you. Allow me to ask your pardon, and allow

01:11:09.260 --> 01:11:11.819
me to write you a check. My dear Mr. Scrooge,

01:11:11.819 --> 01:11:14.239
are you serious? If you please, and not a cent

01:11:14.239 --> 01:11:17.220
less. A great many back payments are included

01:11:17.220 --> 01:11:21.880
in it, I assure you. Oh, my dear sir, I don't

01:11:21.880 --> 01:11:23.380
know what to say to such benevolence. Don't say

01:11:23.380 --> 01:11:26.479
anything, please. Come and see me. Will you come

01:11:26.479 --> 01:11:30.680
and see me? I will. Thank you. I am much obliged

01:11:30.680 --> 01:11:34.470
to you. I thank you 50 times. Bless you. He had

01:11:34.470 --> 01:11:37.449
never dreamed that any walk, that anything, could

01:11:37.449 --> 01:11:40.649
give him so much happiness. In the afternoon,

01:11:40.729 --> 01:11:43.149
he turned his steps towards his nephew's house.

01:11:43.369 --> 01:11:46.109
He must have passed by the door a dozen times

01:11:46.109 --> 01:11:48.430
before he had the courage to go up and knock.

01:11:48.630 --> 01:11:56.149
But he made a dash and did it. Fred! Why, bless

01:11:56.149 --> 01:12:00.180
my soul! Is this who I think it is? It's I, your

01:12:00.180 --> 01:12:03.399
Uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Will you

01:12:03.399 --> 01:12:06.539
have me, friend? Of course, Uncle, of course.

01:12:07.100 --> 01:12:10.060
Madeline, you'll believe who's here. Scrooge

01:12:10.060 --> 01:12:12.460
very much enjoyed himself, just as he imagined

01:12:12.460 --> 01:12:15.340
with the ghost the past night. Wonderful party,

01:12:15.460 --> 01:12:18.039
wonderful games, wonderful fraternity, wonderful

01:12:18.039 --> 01:12:21.579
happiness. But he was early at the office the

01:12:21.579 --> 01:12:24.279
next morning. If he could only be there first

01:12:24.279 --> 01:12:27.609
and catch Bob Cratchit coming in late. Cratchit!

01:12:27.789 --> 01:12:29.789
What do you mean by coming here at this time

01:12:29.789 --> 01:12:33.189
of day? I'm very sorry, sir. I am behind my time.

01:12:33.409 --> 01:12:36.409
Yes, I think you are. A full eighteen and a half

01:12:36.409 --> 01:12:39.970
minutes late. Step this way, if you please. It's

01:12:39.970 --> 01:12:42.550
only once a year, sir. It shall not be repeated.

01:12:42.729 --> 01:12:45.609
I was making rather merry yesterday, sir. Now

01:12:45.609 --> 01:12:48.069
I'll tell you what, Mr. Cratchit. I am not going

01:12:48.069 --> 01:12:51.449
to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore...

01:12:51.449 --> 01:12:54.050
Scrooge jumped out of his chair and Bob retreated

01:12:54.050 --> 01:12:56.289
back into his cell, fearful of what was next.

01:12:56.609 --> 01:13:01.689
And therefore, I am to raise your salary. What's

01:13:01.689 --> 01:13:05.109
that? Merry Christmas, Bob. Marrier Christmas,

01:13:05.270 --> 01:13:07.670
Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you for

01:13:07.670 --> 01:13:10.829
many a year. You called me Bob. You've never

01:13:10.829 --> 01:13:13.500
done that. Just one of many offenses I intend

01:13:13.500 --> 01:13:16.579
to rectify. I'll raise your salary and endeavor

01:13:16.579 --> 01:13:19.260
to assist your struggling family, and we will

01:13:19.260 --> 01:13:22.020
discuss your affairs this very afternoon over

01:13:22.020 --> 01:13:25.479
a fine sherry bob. Scrooge was better than his

01:13:25.479 --> 01:13:29.439
word. He did it all and infinitely more. And

01:13:29.439 --> 01:13:32.119
to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second

01:13:32.119 --> 01:13:35.159
father. He became as good a friend, as good a

01:13:35.159 --> 01:13:37.859
master, as good a man as the good old city knew.

01:13:38.569 --> 01:13:40.550
He had no further interactions with spirits,

01:13:40.850 --> 01:13:43.409
but it was always said of him that he knew how

01:13:43.409 --> 01:13:47.310
to keep Christmas well. May that be truly said

01:13:47.310 --> 01:13:51.029
of us and all of us. And so, as Tiny Tim observed,

01:13:51.529 --> 01:14:04.529
God bless us, everyone. A Christmas Carol was

01:14:04.529 --> 01:14:06.829
produced and engineered by Matthew Bishop and

01:14:06.829 --> 01:14:09.069
features The Not Pretty Enough for TV Players

01:14:09.069 --> 01:14:11.890
with Mack Mitchell as the ghost of Christmas

01:14:11.890 --> 01:14:14.810
Past and Young Scrooge, Raven McGowan as the

01:14:14.810 --> 01:14:17.369
ghost of Christmas Present and Caroline, Caleb

01:14:17.369 --> 01:14:21.210
Henry as Fred, Slade Haney as Bob Cratchit, Grace

01:14:21.210 --> 01:14:24.270
Reeves as Belle, Jamie Shannon Ferguson as Mrs.

01:14:24.390 --> 01:14:27.729
Cratchit and Old Woman, Michael Kinslow as Fezziwig

01:14:27.729 --> 01:14:31.329
and Old Joe, Elaine Ray as The Maid, Christine

01:14:31.329 --> 01:14:34.640
Callahan as Sister, Martha Menefree as Cratchit

01:14:34.640 --> 01:14:37.500
Child and Chorus, and Matthew Bishop as Marley

01:14:37.500 --> 01:14:40.279
and the narrator. All other parts were played

01:14:40.279 --> 01:14:43.180
by members of the cast. Recorded at LaGrange

01:14:43.180 --> 01:14:44.760
Studios in Ridgeland, Mississippi.