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68 |
A CHRISTMAS CAROL. |
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drunken man. A Merry Christmas to everybody! A Happy New Year to all the world. Hallo here ! Whoop ! Hallo !"
He had frisked into the sitting-room, and was now standing there: perfectly winded.
" There's the saucepan that the gruel was in !" cried Scrooge, starting off again, and frisking round the fireplace. " There's the door, by which the Ghost of Jacob Marley entered ! There's the corner where the Ghost of Christmas Present sat! There's the window where I saw the wandering Spirits ! It's all right, it's all true, it all happened. Ha, ha, ha ! "
Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs !
" I don't know what day of the month it is !" said Scrooge. " I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits. I don't know anything. I'm quite a baby. Never mind. I don't care. I'd rather be a baby. Hallo ! Whoop ! Hallo here ! "
He was checked in his transports by the churches ringing out the lustiest peals he had ever heard. Clash, clang, hammer, ding, dong, bell. Bell, dong, ding, hammer, clang, clash ! Oh, glorious, glorious!
Running to the window, he opened it, and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; golden sunlight; heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious. Glorious !
"What's to-day?" cried Scrooge, calling downward to a boy in Sunday clothes, who perhaps had loitered in to look about him.
" Eh ?" returned the boy, with all his might of wonder.
"What's to-day, my fine fellow ?" said Scrooge.
" To-day !" replied the boy. " Why, Christmas Day."
" It's Christmas Day !" said Scrooge to himself. " I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can. Of course they can. Hallo, my fine fellow !"
" Hallo !" returned the boy.
" Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one, at the corner ?" Scrooge inquired.
" I should hope I did," replied the lad.
"An intelligent boy!" said Scrooge. "A remarkable boy! Do you know whether they've sold the prize Turkey that was hanging up there ? Not the little prize Turkey : the big one ?"
" What, the one as big as me ?" returned the boy.
" What a delightful boy!" said Scrooge. " It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck ! " |
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