Рождественская история

Chapter 3

           ‘To-night!’criedScrooge.

           ‘To-nightatmidnight.Hark!Thetimeisdrawingnear.

           Thechimeswereringingthethreequarterspastelevenatthatmoment.

           ‘ForgivemeifIamnotjustifiedinwhatIask,’saidScrooge,lookingintentlyattheSpirit’srobe,‘butIseesomethingstrange,andnotbelongingtoyourself,protrudingfromyourskirts.Isitafootoraclaw?’

           ‘Itmightbeaclaw,forthefleshthereisuponit,’wastheSpirit’ssorrowfulreply.‘Lookhere!’

           Fromthefoldingsofitsrobe,itbroughttwochildren;wretched,abject,frightful,hideous,miserable.Theykneltdownatitsfeet,andclungupontheoutsideofitsgarment.

           ‘Oh,Man,lookhere!Look,look,downhere!’exclaimedtheGhost.

           Theywereaboyandagirl.Yellow,meagre,ragged,scowling,wolfish;butprostrate,too,intheirhumility.Wheregracefulyouthshouldhavefilledtheirfeaturesout,andtouchedthemwithitsfreshesttints,astaleandshrivelledhand,likethatofage,hadpinched,andtwistedthem,andpulledthemintoshreds.Whereangelsmighthavesatenthroned,devilslurked,andglaredoutmenacing.Nochange,nodegradation,noperversionofhumanity,inanygrade,throughallthemysteriesofwonderfulcreation,hasmonstershalfsohorribleanddread.

           Scroogestartedback,appalled.Havingthemshowntohiminthisway,hetriedtosaytheywerefinechildren,butthewordschokedthemselves,ratherthanbepartiestoalieofsuchenormousmagnitude.

           ‘Spirit,aretheyyours?’Scroogecouldsaynomore

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