Різдвяна історія
Chapter 1
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.
