A Christmas Carol

by CHARLES DICKENS (1812-70) ____________________________________________________________________

Preface

I HAVE ENDEAVORED, in this Ghostly little book, to rise the Ghost of an idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me.  May it haunt their house pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

    Their friend and faithful servant,
    C.D.
    December, 1843
    
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1. Marley's Ghost

Marley was dead, to begin with.  There is no doubt whatever about that.  The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner.  Scrooge signed it.  And Scrooge's name was...

2.  The First of the Three Spirits

When Scrooge awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber.  He was endeavouring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighbouring church struck the four quarters.  So he listened for the hour. To his great astonishment the heavy bell went on from...

3.  The Second of the Three Spirits

Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told that the bell was again upon the stroke of One.  He felt that he was restored to consciousness in the right nick of time, for the especial purpose of holding a conference with the second messenger despatched to him through Jacob Marley's intervention.  But, finding that he...

4.  The Last of the Spirits

The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached.  When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand.  But for this it would have been

5.  The End of It

Yes. and the bedpost was his own.  The bed was his own, the room was his own.  Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in. ``I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.'' 
Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed.  ``The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.  Oh Jacob Marley. Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this.  I say...''

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