Різдвяна історія
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
