M arley was dead . He died seven years ago . Scrooge signed the burial book . The two men were partners for many years . Scrooge was his only friend .
Scrooge never changed the sign . It still said Scrooge and Marley . Some people called him Marley . He answered to both names . He did not care .
Scrooge was a hard old man . He was cold inside . No fire warmed him . No winter made him colder . He kept his office cold in summer . He kept it cold at Christmas too .
Nobody stopped him in the street . Nobody asked him for help . Dogs pulled their owners away . Scrooge liked this very much .
One Christmas Eve , Scrooge sat in his office . Thick fog filled the streets . The clocks struck three . The sky was already dark .
Scrooge kept his door open . He watched his clerk . The clerk copied letters in a tiny room . Scrooge had a small fire . The clerk had almost none . Scrooge kept the coal in his own room . The clerk put on his white comforter . The candle gave him no heat .
“A merry Christmas , uncle !” said a happy voice . It was his nephew Fred .
“Bah !” said Scrooge . “Humbug !”
“Christmas a humbug , uncle !” said Fred . “You do not mean it .”
“I do mean it ,” said Scrooge . “You are poor . You have no reason for joy .”
“You are rich ,” said Fred . “You have no reason for gloom .”
Scrooge said “Bah !” again .
“What else can I be ?” he said . “The world is full of fools . Christmas is a time for bills . You get no money . You only get older .”
“Keep Christmas in your way ,” said Scrooge . “Leave me in mine .”
“But you do not keep it ,” said Fred .
“Then leave it alone ,” said Scrooge .
Fred did not stop . “Christmas is a kind time ,” he said . “People open their hearts . They think of poor people . Christmas never gave me gold . It still did me good . God bless it !”
The clerk clapped his hands . Then he poked the fire . He killed his last spark .
“One more sound from you ,” said Scrooge . “Then you will lose your job .”
“Come to dinner tomorrow , uncle ,” said Fred .
Scrooge refused with hard words .
“Why ?” cried Fred . “Why ?”
“Why did you marry ?” said Scrooge .
“I fell in love ,” said Fred .
“You fell in love !” growled Scrooge . “Good afternoon !”
“I want nothing from you ,” said Fred . “Why can we not be friends ?”
“Good afternoon ,” said Scrooge .
Fred left without one angry word . He wished the clerk a merry Christmas . The clerk answered him warmly .
Two men came in next . They carried books and papers . They took off their hats .
“Scrooge and Marley , I believe ,” said one .
“Marley died seven years ago ,” said Scrooge . “He died tonight , seven years ago .”
“We collect money for the poor ,” said one . “Many people need food and warmth . How much will you give ?”
“Nothing ,” said Scrooge .
“You want no name on the list ?”
“I want peace ,” said Scrooge . “I do not enjoy Christmas . I cannot pay for lazy people . We have prisons . We have workhouses . Poor people can go there .”
“Many cannot go ,” said one . “Many prefer death .”
“Then let them die ,” said Scrooge . “We have too many people .”
The two men left in silence . Scrooge felt pleased with himself .
Outside , the fog grew thicker . Men lit a fire in a metal pot . Poor boys warmed their hands over the flames . The shops shone with holly and light .
A small boy came to Scrooge’s door . He sang a Christmas song at the keyhole . Scrooge grabbed his ruler . The boy ran away in fear .
At last the office closed .
“You want the whole day tomorrow ,” said Scrooge .
“Please , sir ,” said the clerk .
“It is not fair ,” said Scrooge . “I pay a full day for no work . But take it . Come early the next morning .”
The clerk promised . Scrooge walked out with a growl . The clerk slid on the ice . He ran home to Camden Town .
Scrooge ate alone in his usual tavern . Then he went home to bed . He lived in Marley’s old rooms . They were dark and empty . Nobody else lived there .
Scrooge put his key in the lock . He looked at the door knocker . The knocker was not a knocker now . It was Marley’s face .
The face had a pale , sick light . It looked at Scrooge with dead eyes . Scrooge stared at it . Then it was a knocker again .
Scrooge felt a cold shock . He turned the key and walked in . He looked behind the door . He found only screws and nuts . “Pooh , pooh !” he said . He shut the door with a bang .
Scrooge went up the wide stairs . He checked every room . Nobody under the table . Nobody under the bed . Nobody in the closet . His gruel sat by the fire .
He locked his door . He locked it twice . This was a new habit . He put on his gown and slippers . He sat down with his gruel .
The fire was very low . Old Dutch tiles covered the fireplace . They showed many holy pictures . Scrooge saw only one face in them . He saw Marley on every tile .
“Humbug !” said Scrooge .
An old bell hung on the wall . Nobody used it now . Scrooge watched it swing . It rang softly . Then it rang loudly . Every bell in the house rang .
The bells stopped together . A new noise came from the cellar . Something heavy dragged a chain . The cellar door flew open . The noise came up the stairs . It came straight to his door .
“Humbug !” said Scrooge . “I do not believe it .”
The ghost came through the heavy door . The dying fire jumped up . Then it fell again .
It was Marley . Scrooge saw the same face . A long chain hung around his body . Marley made it from cash boxes and keys . It held padlocks , ledgers and heavy purses . Scrooge looked through his body . He saw the buttons on his back .
“What do you want with me ?” said Scrooge .
“Much !” said the ghost .
“Tell me your name .”
“In life I was your partner . I am Jacob Marley .”
“Can you sit down ?” asked Scrooge .
“I can .”
The ghost sat by the fire .
“You do not believe in me ,” it said .
“I do not ,” said Scrooge . “Bad food makes my eyes lie . You are a bit of old beef .”
Scrooge made jokes . He hid his terror with jokes . The ghost’s voice shook his bones .
The ghost gave a terrible cry . It shook its heavy chain . Then it took off its bandage . Its lower jaw fell to its chest .
Scrooge dropped to his knees .
“Mercy !” he said . “Why do you trouble me ?”
“Do you believe in me now ?”
“I do ,” said Scrooge . “I must . Why do spirits walk the earth ?”
“Every man must walk among people ,” it said . “He must share their lives . My spirit stayed inside our office . Now my spirit walks forever . I see the world . I cannot help it .”
“You wear chains ,” said Scrooge . “Tell me the reason .”
“I made this chain in life ,” it said . “I made it link by link . I put it on myself . Your own chain is longer . You worked on it every day .”
Scrooge looked at the floor . He saw nothing .
“Speak kind words to me , Jacob .”
“I have none ,” said the ghost . “I cannot rest . My time here is short .”
“You were a good man of business .”
“Business !” cried the ghost . “People were my business ! Kindness was my business ! Mercy was my business ! My shop was one small drop .”
It threw the chain on the floor .
“Hear me . My time is nearly gone . I come with a warning . You still have a chance . You can escape my fate .”
“Three spirits will visit you .”
Scrooge’s face fell .
“Is this my chance , Jacob ?”
“It is . You cannot escape alone . Expect the first tomorrow . He comes at one o’clock .”
“Can I take them together ?” said Scrooge .
“Expect the second the next night . Expect the third one night later . He comes at midnight . Remember my words forever .”
The ghost tied the bandage again . The window opened by itself . The ghost walked backwards . It waved Scrooge away .
He heard strange voices in the air . They were sad and full of regret . The ghost joined the sad song . It floated out into the night .
Scrooge ran to the window . The air was full of ghosts . They wore heavy chains . They moved in restless pain . Scrooge knew some of them . One ghost carried an iron safe . It cried over a poor woman below . It wanted to help her . It had lost its power forever .
The ghosts faded into the mist . The night became quiet again .
Scrooge closed the window . The locks and bolts had not moved . He opened his mouth for a last “Humbug ”. No sound came out . He went straight to bed . He fell asleep at once .