Різдвяна історія
Chapter 3
‘Hewouldn’ttakeitfromme,butmayhehaveit,nevertheless.UncleScrooge.’
UncleScroogehadimperceptiblybecomesogayandlightofheart,thathewouldhavepledgedtheunconsciouscompanyinreturn,andthankedtheminaninaudiblespeech,iftheGhosthadgivenhimtime.Butthewholescenepassedoffinthebreathofthelastwordspokenbyhisnephew;andheandtheSpiritwereagainupontheirtravels.
Muchtheysaw,andfartheywent,andmanyhomestheyvisited,butalwayswithahappyend.TheSpiritstoodbesidesickbeds,andtheywerecheerful;onforeignlands,andtheywerecloseathome;bystrugglingmen,andtheywerepatientintheirgreaterhope;bypoverty,anditwasrich.Inalmshouse,hospital,andjail,inmisery’severyrefuge,wherevainmaninhislittlebriefauthorityhadnotmadefastthedoorandbarredtheSpiritout,helefthisblessing,andtaughtScroogehisprecepts.
Itwasalongnight,ifitwereonlyanight;butScroogehadhisdoubtsofthis,becausetheChristmasHolidaysappearedtobecondensedintothespaceoftimetheypassedtogether.Itwasstrange,too,thatwhileScroogeremainedunalteredinhisoutwardform,theGhostgrewolder,clearlyolder.Scroogehadobservedthischange,butneverspokeofit,untiltheyleftachildren’sTwelfthNightparty,when,lookingattheSpiritastheystoodtogetherinanopenplace,henoticedthatitshairwasgrey.
‘Arespirits’livessoshort?’askedScrooge.
‘Mylifeuponthisglobeisverybrief,’repliedtheGhost.‘Itendsto-night.’
