Рождественская история
Chapter 1
Theapparitionwalkedbackwardfromhim;andateverystepittook,thewindowraiseditselfalittle,sothatwhenthespectrereachedit,itwaswideopen.ItbeckonedScroogetoapproach,whichhedid.Whentheywerewithintwopacesofeachother,Marley’sGhostheldupitshand,warninghimtocomenonearer.Scroogestopped.
Notsomuchinobedience,asinsurpriseandfear:forontheraisingofthehand,hebecamesensibleofconfusednoisesintheair;incoherentsoundsoflamentationandregret;wailingsinexpressiblysorrowfulandself-accusatory.Thespectre,afterlisteningforamoment,joinedinthemournfuldirge;andfloatedoutuponthebleak,darknight.
Scroogefollowedtothewindow:desperateinhiscuriosity.Helookedout.
Theairwasfilledwithphantoms,wanderinghitherandthitherinrestlesshaste,andmoaningastheywent.EveryoneofthemworechainslikeMarley’sGhost;somefew(theymightbeguiltygovernments)werelinkedtogether;nonewerefree.ManyhadbeenpersonallyknowntoScroogeintheirlives.Hehadbeenquitefamiliarwithoneoldghost,inawhitewaistcoat,withamonstrousironsafeattachedtoitsankle,whocriedpiteouslyatbeingunabletoassistawretchedwomanwithaninfant,whomitsawbelow,uponadoor-step.Themiserywiththemallwas,clearly,thattheysoughttointerfere,forgood,inhumanmatters,andhadlostthepowerforever.
Whetherthesecreaturesfadedintomist,ormistenshroudedthem,hecouldnottell
