Різдвяна історія

           Lightflashedupintheroomupontheinstant,andthecurtainsofhisbedweredrawn.

           Thecurtainsofhisbedweredrawnaside,Itellyou,byahand.Notthecurtainsathisfeet,northecurtainsathisback,butthosetowhichhisfacewasaddressed.Thecurtainsofhisbedweredrawnaside;andScrooge,startingupintoahalf-recumbentattitude,foundhimselffacetofacewiththeunearthlyvisitorwhodrewthem:asclosetoitasIamnowtoyou,andIamstandinginthespiritatyourelbow.

           Itwasastrangefigure—likeachild:yetnotsolikeachildaslikeanoldman,viewedthroughsomesupernaturalmedium,whichgavehimtheappearanceofhavingrecededfromtheview,andbeingdiminishedtoachild’sproportions.Itshair,whichhungaboutitsneckanddownitsback,waswhiteasifwithage;andyetthefacehadnotawrinkleinit,andthetenderestbloomwasontheskin.Thearmswereverylongandmuscular;thehandsthesame,asifitsholdwereofuncommonstrength.Itslegsandfeet,mostdelicatelyformed,were,likethoseuppermembers,bare.Itworeatunicofthepurestwhite,androunditswaistwasboundalustrousbelt,thesheenofwhichwasbeautiful.Itheldabranchoffreshgreenhollyinitshand;and,insingularcontradictionofthatwintryemblem,haditsdresstrimmedwithsummerflowers.