Dickens's Christmas Books - complete online versions

The Christmas Carol, The Chimes, Cricket On the Hearth, Battle Of Life
& The Haunted Man & the Ghosts's Bargain with Illustrations.

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	THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH	•215
	remembered, " ' for the many times I have heard it, and the many thoughts its harmless music has given me.'" " She said so ! " cried the Carrier. " True !' " " 'This has been a happy Home, John; and I love the Cricket for its sake !'" "It has been, Heaven knows," returned the Carrier. "She made it happy, always,—until now." " So gracefully sweet-tempered ; so domestic, joyful, busy, and light-hearted ! " said the Voice.
	" Otherwise I never could have loved her as I did," returned the Carrier. The Voice, correcting him, said "do." The Carrier repeated "as I did." But not firmly. His faltering tongue resisted his control, and would speak in its own way, for itself and him. The Figure, in an attitude of invocation, raised its hand and said: "Upon your own hearth------" The hearth she has blighted," interposed the Carrier.