Різдвяна історія
Chapter 2
Ipassedhisofficewindow;andasitwasnotshutup,andhehadacandleinside,Icouldscarcelyhelpseeinghim.Hispartnerliesuponthepointofdeath,Ihear;andtherehesatalone.Quitealoneintheworld,Idobelieve.’
‘Spirit,’saidScroogeinabrokenvoice,‘removemefromthisplace.’
‘Itoldyouthesewereshadowsofthethingsthathavebeen,’saidtheGhost.‘Thattheyarewhattheyare,donotblameme.’
‘Removeme,’Scroogeexclaimed,‘Icannotbearit.’
HeturnedupontheGhost,andseeingthatitlookeduponhimwithaface,inwhichinsomestrangewaytherewerefragmentsofallthefacesithadshownhim,wrestledwithit.
‘Leaveme!Takemeback!Hauntmenolonger!’
Inthestruggle,ifthatcanbecalledastruggleinwhichtheGhostwithnovisibleresistanceonitsownpartwasundisturbedbyanyeffortofitsadversary,Scroogeobservedthatitslightwasburninghighandbright;anddimlyconnectingthatwithitsinfluenceoverhim,heseizedtheextinguisher-cap,andbyasuddenactionpresseditdownuponitshead.
TheSpiritdroppedbeneathit,sothattheextinguishercovereditswholeform;butthoughScroogepresseditdownwithallhisforce,hecouldnothidethelight,whichstreamedfromunderit,inanunbrokenfloodupontheground.
Hewasconsciousofbeingexhausted,andovercomebyanirresistibledrowsiness;and,further,ofbeinginhisownbedroom.Hegavethecapapartingsqueeze,inwhichhishandrelaxed;andhadbarelytimetoreeltobed,beforehesankintoaheavysleep.
