Classic · A Christmas Carol · Charles Dickens · 1843 · 6:10

Marley’s Ghost

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.)

NarratorEbenezer ScroogeJacob Marley’s GhostFred, Scrooge’s nephew

Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!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!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嘲諷Bah!said Scrooge,Ebenezer ScroogeHumbug!He lived in chambers which had once belonged to his deceased partner.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.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.As Scrooge looked fixedly at this phenomenon, it was a knocker again.Quite satisfied, he closed his door, and locked himself in; double-locked himself in, which was not his custom.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.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.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緊張It's humbug still!said Scrooge.Ebenezer ScroogeI won't believe it.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.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!said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.Ebenezer ScroogeWhat do you want with me?Jacob Marley’s GhostMuch!Marley's voice, no doubt about it.Ebenezer ScroogeWho are you?Jacob Marley’s GhostAsk me who I was.Ebenezer ScroogeWho were you then?said Scrooge, raising his voice.Jacob Marley’s GhostIn life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.Jacob Marley’s GhostYou don't believe in me,observed the Ghost.Ebenezer ScroogeI don't,said Scrooge.Jacob Marley’s GhostWhy do you doubt your senses?Ebenezer ScroogeBecause,said Scrooge,Ebenezer Scroogea 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!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.Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face.Ebenezer Scrooge害怕Mercy!he said.Ebenezer ScroogeDreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?Jacob Marley’s Ghost威脅Man of the worldly mind!replied the Ghost,Jacob Marley’s Ghostdo you believe in me or not?Ebenezer ScroogeI do,said Scrooge.Ebenezer ScroogeI must.Ebenezer ScroogeYou are fettered,said Scrooge, trembling.Ebenezer ScroogeTell me why?Jacob Marley’s Ghost莊重I wear the chain I forged in life,replied the Ghost.Jacob Marley’s GhostI 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 ScroogeBut you were always a good man of business, Jacob,faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.Jacob Marley’s Ghost大喊Business!cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again.Jacob Marley’s GhostMankind 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 GhostHear me!cried the Ghost.Jacob Marley’s GhostMy time is nearly gone.Jacob Marley’s GhostI 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 GhostYou will be haunted,resumed the Ghost,Jacob Marley’s Ghostby Three Spirits.Scrooge's countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost's had done.Ebenezer Scrooge緊張I—I think I'd rather not,said Scrooge.Jacob Marley’s GhostWithout their visits,said the Ghost,Jacob Marley’s Ghostyou cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first to-morrow, when the bell tolls One.Ebenezer Scrooge懇求Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?hinted Scrooge.Jacob Marley’s GhostExpect 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!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.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.

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