Christmas Eve. Scrooge’s door-knocker becomes his dead partner’s face, every bell rings, and Marley comes up the stairs dragging the chain he forged in life. (Abridged.)
Narrator Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Narrator Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Narrator Once upon a time—of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve—old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house. Fred, Scrooge’s nephew 欣喜 A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!Narrator cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach. Ebenezer Scrooge 嘲讽 Bah!Narrator said Scrooge, Ebenezer Scrooge Humbug! Narrator He lived in chambers which had once belonged to his deceased partner. Narrator Now, it is a fact, that there was nothing at all particular about the knocker on the door, except that it was very large. And then let any man explain to me, if he can, how it happened that Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change—not a knocker, but Marley's face. Narrator Marley's face. It was not in impenetrable shadow as the other objects in the yard were, but had a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar. Narrator As Scrooge looked fixedly at this phenomenon, it was a knocker again. Narrator Quite satisfied, he closed his door, and locked himself in; double-locked himself in, which was not his custom. Narrator As he threw his head back in the chair, his glance happened to rest upon a bell, a disused bell, that hung in the room, and communicated for some purpose now forgotten with a chamber in the highest story of the building. It swung so softly in the outset that it scarcely made a sound; but soon it rang out loudly, and so did every bell in the house. Narrator The bells ceased as they had begun, together. They were succeeded by a clanking noise, deep down below; as if some person were dragging a heavy chain over the casks in the wine-merchant's cellar. Narrator The cellar-door flew open with a booming sound, and then he heard the noise much louder, on the floors below; then coming up the stairs; then coming straight towards his door. Ebenezer Scrooge 紧张 It's humbug still!Narrator said Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge I won't believe it. Narrator His colour changed though, when, without a pause, it came on through the heavy door, and passed into the room before his eyes. Upon its coming in, the dying flame leaped up, as though it cried, I know him; Marley's Ghost! and fell again. Narrator The same face: the very same. The chain he drew was clasped about his middle. It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. Ebenezer Scrooge 冷淡 How now!Narrator said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever. Ebenezer Scrooge What do you want with me? Jacob Marley’s Ghost Much! Narrator Marley's voice, no doubt about it. Ebenezer Scrooge Who are you? Jacob Marley’s Ghost Ask me who I was. Ebenezer Scrooge Who were you then? Narrator said Scrooge, raising his voice. Jacob Marley’s Ghost In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley. Jacob Marley’s Ghost You don't believe in me, Narrator observed the Ghost. Ebenezer Scrooge I don't, Narrator said Scrooge. Jacob Marley’s Ghost Why do you doubt your senses? Ebenezer Scrooge Because, Narrator said Scrooge, Ebenezer Scrooge a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are! Narrator At this the spirit raised a frightful cry, and shook its chain with such a dismal and appalling noise, that Scrooge held on tight to his chair, to save himself from falling in a swoon. Narrator Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face. Ebenezer Scrooge 害怕 Mercy!Narrator he said. Ebenezer Scrooge Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me? Jacob Marley’s Ghost 威胁 Man of the worldly mind!Narrator replied the Ghost, Jacob Marley’s Ghost do you believe in me or not? Ebenezer Scrooge I do, Narrator said Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge I must. Ebenezer Scrooge You are fettered, Narrator said Scrooge, trembling. Ebenezer Scrooge Tell me why? Jacob Marley’s Ghost 庄重 I wear the chain I forged in life,Narrator replied the Ghost. Jacob Marley’s Ghost I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you? Ebenezer Scrooge But you were always a good man of business, Jacob, Narrator faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. Jacob Marley’s Ghost 大喊 Business!Narrator cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. Jacob Marley’s Ghost Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business! Jacob Marley’s Ghost Hear me! Narrator cried the Ghost. Jacob Marley’s Ghost My time is nearly gone. Jacob Marley’s Ghost I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer. Jacob Marley’s Ghost You will be haunted, Narrator resumed the Ghost, Jacob Marley’s Ghost by Three Spirits. Narrator Scrooge's countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost's had done. Ebenezer Scrooge 紧张 I—I think I'd rather not,Narrator said Scrooge. Jacob Marley’s Ghost Without their visits, Narrator said the Ghost, Jacob Marley’s Ghost you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first to-morrow, when the bell tolls One. Ebenezer Scrooge 恳求 Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?Narrator hinted Scrooge. Jacob Marley’s Ghost Expect the second on the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night when the last stroke of Twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us! Narrator The apparition walked backward from him; and at every step it took, the window raised itself a little, so that when the spectre reached it, it was wide open. Narrator Scrooge closed the window, and examined the door by which the Ghost had entered. It was double-locked, as he had locked it with his own hands, and the bolts were undisturbed. He tried to say Humbug! but stopped at the first syllable.
Narrator
Ebenezer Scrooge
Jacob Marley’s Ghost
Fred, Scrooge’s nephew
