Рождественская история

           NottoknowthatanyChristianspiritworkingkindlyinitslittlesphere,whateveritmaybe,willfinditsmortallifetooshortforitsvastmeansofusefulness.Nottoknowthatnospaceofregretcanmakeamendsforonelife’sopportunitymisused!YetsuchwasI!Oh!suchwasI!’

           ‘Butyouwerealwaysagoodmanofbusiness,Jacob,’falteredScrooge,whonowbegantoapplythistohimself.

           ‘Business!’criedtheGhost,wringingitshandsagain.‘Mankindwasmybusiness.Thecommonwelfarewasmybusiness;charity,mercy,forbearance,andbenevolence,were,all,mybusiness.Thedealingsofmytradewerebutadropofwaterinthecomprehensiveoceanofmybusiness!’

           Itheldupitschainatarm’slength,asifthatwerethecauseofallitsunavailinggrief,andflungitheavilyuponthegroundagain.

           ‘Atthistimeoftherollingyear,’thespectresaid‘Isuffermost.WhydidIwalkthroughcrowdsoffellow-beingswithmyeyesturneddown,andneverraisethemtothatblessedStarwhichledtheWiseMentoapoorabode!Weretherenopoorhomestowhichitslightwouldhaveconductedme!’

           Scroogewasverymuchdismayedtohearthespectregoingonatthisrate,andbegantoquakeexceedingly.

           ‘Hearme!’criedtheGhost.‘Mytimeisnearlygone.’

           ‘Iwill,’saidScrooge.‘Butdon’tbeharduponme!Don’tbeflowery,Jacob!Pray!’

           ‘HowitisthatIappearbeforeyouinashapethatyoucansee,Imaynottell.Ihavesatinvisiblebesideyoumanyandmanyaday.’

           Itwasnotanagreeableidea.