Рождественская история
Chapter 3
‘Therearesomeuponthisearthofyours,’returnedtheSpirit,‘wholayclaimtoknowus,andwhodotheirdeedsofpassion,pride,ill-will,hatred,envy,bigotry,andselfishnessinourname,whoareasstrangetousandallourkithandkin,asiftheyhadneverlived.Rememberthat,andchargetheirdoingsonthemselves,notus.’
Scroogepromisedthathewould;andtheywenton,invisible,astheyhadbeenbefore,intothesuburbsofthetown.ItwasaremarkablequalityoftheGhost(whichScroogehadobservedatthebaker’s),thatnotwithstandinghisgiganticsize,hecouldaccommodatehimselftoanyplacewithease;andthathestoodbeneathalowroofquiteasgracefullyandlikeasupernaturalcreature,asitwaspossiblehecouldhavedoneinanyloftyhall.
AndperhapsitwasthepleasurethegoodSpirithadinshowingoffthispowerofhis,orelseitwashisownkind,generous,heartynature,andhissympathywithallpoormen,thatledhimstraighttoScrooge’sclerk’s;fortherehewent,andtookScroogewithhim,holdingtohisrobe;andonthethresholdofthedoortheSpiritsmiled,andstoppedtoblessBobCratchit’sdwellingwiththesprinklingofhistorch.Thinkofthat.Bobhadbutfifteenboba-weekhimself;hepocketedonSaturdaysbutfifteencopiesofhisChristianname;andyettheGhostofChristmasPresentblessedhisfour-roomedhouse.
