A Christmas Carol Page #2

a fund for the poor, to buy them food...

and drink, and means of warmth.

What can I put you down for, sir?

Nothing.

You wish to be anonymous?

I wish to be left alone.

Since you asked me what I wish,

gentlemen, that is my answer.

I help to support the institutions

I mentioned. They cost enough...

and those who are badly off

must go there.

Many can't go there,

and many would rather die.

If they'd rather die, they'd better do it

and decrease the surplus population.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

In that case, we must apologize

for interrupting you, sir.

Humbug!

You keep close watch on the closing hour.

- It's half an hour past, sir.

- Then close up.

Thank you, sir.

Don't work overtime.

You might make something of yourself.

- You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose?

- lf it's quite convenient, sir.

It's not convenient, and it's not fair.

If I was to stop half a crown for it,

you'd consider yourself ill-used...

I'll be bound.

It's only once a year, sir.

A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket

every 25th of December.

However, I suppose you'll have to have

the whole day.

Be here all the earlier next morning.

- Yes, sir.

- Then be off.

Well?

My wages, sir. They fall due today.

Can't wait to spend them?

Thank you, sir.

You rascal! You want more?

Now look here, boys, just because

a fellow wears a hat, you know...

it doesn't mean he can't throw a snowball.

I used to do a lot of snowballing...

and I found the best way to make

a snowball was to take the snow into...

your bare hands, like this, and then...

crunch it together

until the warmth from your hands...

Here!

Look who's coming down the street.

A blooming topper.

- Come on, governor. Show us.

- Right you are. Here, give me room.

Half a more.

Let her go!

A bull's-eye!

I had no idea it was you, master.

No idea at all. Truly, master.

No doubt this is your idea

of a Christmas joke.

I'll get your hat, sir.

I didn't know, sir. The coach, it...

Cratchit, I told you before that I could

find a man more capable than yourself.

- I need say no more.

- You mean, I'm sacked, sir?

Exactly.

But in my papers, sir,

it says I must have a week's notice.

Your week's salary will recompense me

for the price of a new hat. No.

As this hat cost 16 and 6,

and your salary is 15 and 6...

you owe me a shilling.

I say, governor, we are sorry.

The old stinker.

- Merry Christmas!

- Merry Christmas!

I'd like to buy a goose.

About 5 and 8 pence.

Certainly, sir.

- That's the one.

- A very good choice, sir.

Here, let me help you.

4 penneth of potatoes,

6 penneth of mixed nuts...

6 penneth of apples.

The special pippins, sir,

or the medium cookers?

- The special pippins.

- Yes, sir.

And 6... No, 8 penneth of oranges.

Thank you, sir.

Chestnuts.

Chestnuts, sir? All hot, sir.

They warm the innards

and cheer the heart.

- What's Christmas without chestnuts, sir?

- What indeed.

2 penneth... No, 3 penneth.

- Yes, sir.

- Put them in my back pocket.

- Yes. I will, sir.

- That's it.

- There you are, sir.

- Now the other one.

- Here we are.

- And here's your 3 pence.

- And a merry Christmas.

- Thank you, sir.

- Bob, you have got a load.

- Haven't I, though?

And all for tomorrow.

Let me help you.

- Did you get the oranges?

- Yes.

- And the lemons?

- Yes.

- And the potatoes?

- Yes.

Oh, bless me.

- How did you carry it all?

- I really don't know.

- What's this?

- Guess.

- Roast of beef.

- No. Try again.

- Veal.

- No.

- Tripe.

- No.

- Ribs.

- No.

- I know. Sausages.

- No. Goose.

Look!

Now take it all into the kitchen.

Save Mother a step.

Let me carry something.

- Here, Tim, you may carry the neck.

- Thank you.

Go over to the fire and have a warm, Bob.

Yes, dear.

- Did you get the day off tomorrow?

- Without hardly any trouble at all.

- Wasn't Mr. Scrooge angry?

- Well, you might say he was...

- and you might say he wasn't.

- Meaning what, Bob?

Meaning I got the day off and we don't

want to talk about Mr. Scrooge tonight.

Come here, you monkeys,

and see what I've got.

Chestnuts!

Marley!

Humbug.

- Who are you?

- Ask me who I was.

Who were you then?

In life, I was your partner, Jacob Marley.

Well...

- what do you want?

- Much.

- You don't believe in me?

- I don't.

What proof would you have of my reality

beyond that of your own senses?

- I don't know.

- Why do you doubt your senses?

Because a little thing affects them.

A slight disorder of the stomach

makes them liars.

You may be an undigested bit of beef,

a blot of mustard, or a crumb of cheese.

Humbug, I tell you. Humbug!

Silence!

10:
00 and all's well.

Watch! There's an intruder in my room.

- Right up, sir. Law and order.

- Here's my key. Make haste.

Good.

We'll soon see how real you are.

I made this visit for your welfare,

Ebenezer Scrooge.

- In here.

- Right-o.

There he is. Out with him!

Your intruder seems to have extruded,

if I may say so, governor.

He was here when I opened the door.

He was a spirit. Someone I know.

Of course, a spirit.

A great night for spirits, sir,

of one sort or another.

Meaning, governor,

we wouldn't mind a bit of spirit ourselves.

You may leave!

Indigestion, that's what it was.

Out with you!

Sorry we couldn't be of any assistance,

governor.

Perhaps the next spirits you have, we can.

Man of the worldly mind.

- Now do you believe in me?

- I do. I must.

But why? Why do you trouble me?

It is required of every man that the spirit

within him should walk abroad...

among his fellow men.

If that spirit goes not forth in life,

it must do so after death.

- You are bound in heavy chains.

- I wear the chain I forged in life.

Is its pattern strange to you?

The chain you will bear

was full as heavy and as long as this...

seven Christmas Eves ago.

It must be a ponderous chain by now.

Jacob. Old Jacob Marley...

- have you no comfort for me?

- None.

And none for myself.

In life, my spirit never walked beyond...

the narrow limits

of our money-changing hole...

and weary journeys lie before me.

- You travel fast?

- On the wings of the wind.

You must have covered a great quantity

of ground in seven years.

Captive, bound, and double-ironed.

No space of regret can make amends

for the wasted opportunities of one life.

Poor and ignorant Scrooge.

Yet, such was I.

But you were always

a good man of business, Jacob.

Business. Mankind was my business.

The common welfare was my business.

Charity, mercy, forbearance,

and benevolence...

all these were my business.

It is at this time of the year

that I suffer most.

To see the want I could have stopped,

the suffering I could have solaced.

The hunger I could have satisfied.

Hear me.

My time is nearly gone.

If you must go, Jacob,

don't let me keep you.

I have sat invisible beside you

many and many a day.

I am here to warn you that you have

one chance of escaping my fate.

- One chance, Ebenezer Scrooge.

- What is it?

You will be haunted by three spirits.

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