A Christmas Carol Page #3

Is that the chance you mentioned, Jacob?

It is.

I think I'd rather not.

Unless you suffer these three visitations,

your fate will be the same as mine.

Jacob. Don't leave me yet. Jacob!

Expect the first when the bell tolls 1:00...

the second on the stroke of 2:00...

the third on the last vibration of 3:00.

Couldn't I take all three at once

and have it over?

Remember, the first at 1:00...

the second at 2:
00, the third at 3:00.

Humbug.

- Are you the spirit I was told to expect?

- I am.

- Who are you?

- I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.

The light. It hurts my eyes.

- It blinds me.

- I'm not surprised.

It's the warming light of thankfulness...

the light of gratitude to others.

- I've never seen it before.

- Of course not.

It's men of greed like you

who have long forgotten gratitude.

What's your business with me?

Your welfare. Your reclamation.

Rise and walk with me.

- We spirits have no fear.

- But I'm not a spirit.

Bear but the touch of my hand

on your heart, and you shall be safe.

Good heaven! This is my old school!

I was a boy here.

Merry Christmas!

Harry, Joe, Tommy, Percy and Dick!

Dick Wilkins!

These are but shadows

of things that have been.

They have no consciousness of us.

You knew them?

I went to school with them, all of them.

- Your lip is trembling.

- The cold.

- Let's continue. You remember this way?

- Remember it?

I could walk it blindfold.

Strange to have forgotten it

for so many years.

- That is myself.

- Was yourself.

Was.

What is that upon your cheek?

Nothing. The cold.

Listen.

Goodbye, young Scrooge.

Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas, Jack.

- Your parents coming for you?

- No. I'm staying at school for the holidays.

- You are?

Always do, you know?

Father and I talked it over.

We decided that some extra swatting at

my studies would do me more good than...

Christmas at home.

Christmas, plum pudding and turkeys...

that's just for children.

I say,

your governor must be a crusty old bird.

- He knows what's best.

- Jack, hurry!

Right-o. I didn't mean anything

against your father, Eb. Good luck.

Merry Christmas!

- Master Scrooge.

- Yes, sir?

Your sister's come to see you.

Ebbie, dear Ebbie.

I've come to bring you home.

Home, Fran? Home?

Father is so much kinder

than he used to be...

that home is like heaven.

That's why I asked him if you

could come home, and he said, "Yes."

And he sent me to fetch you with a coach.

And, Ebbie, Father says

that you're going to go to work...

and never come back here.

And we're going to have a turkey

and chestnuts and everything.

God bless you, Fran.

Ebbie, it's going to be so glorious.

God bless you.

- She loved you.

- She did.

I believe she had children before she died.

- One child.

- Your nephew, Fred.

Come.

You remember this place?

Fezziwig's warehouse.

I was apprenticed here.

It's old Fezziwig.

It's old Fezziwig alive again.

Ebenezer, Dick!

Yes, sir?

Ebenezer Scrooge, Dick Wilkins.

Yes, sir?

Do you observe the time, sir?

7:
05, sir.

Do you know you've let me work you

five minutes overtime?

No more work tonight.

Christmas Eve, Dick. Christmas, Ebenezer.

Up with the shutters. Close up shop.

In the eye, Dick. Cheer up, Ebenezer.

What a lark.

He always comes through, doesn't he?

- Always comes through does old Fezziwig.

- And royally, too.

And royally, too.

Nothing's too good for Fezziwig.

Closed up tight, sirs?

- Tight as a barrel, sir.

- Good.

Now, about tomorrow.

It's a holiday, of course.

But I shall expect you to spend part of it,

at least, with me...

eating Christmas dinner.

Thank you, sir.

And as probably you'll eat too much

to be any good next day...

we'll make that a holiday, too.

Good night, Ebenezer. Good night, Dick.

Good night, sir. And thank you, sir.

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

- A sovereign.

- A whole sovereign.

- Solid gold is old Fezziwig.

- Solid gold, through and through.

What is the matter?

Nothing particular.

Something, I think.

Yes, there is.

Old Fezziwig was very kind to me.

Yes, he was. But he's dead now.

Perhaps you feel

you'd like to repay his kindness to you.

Well?

You have a clerk, Bob Cratchit.

Old Fezziwig would have been

very happy...

if you had shown your gratitude to him

by showing kindness to others.

Your clerk, for instance.

Business is business.

I'm a good businessman!

My time grows short.

I have yet to show you the black years

of your life.

Your gradual enslavement to greed.

- Your ruthlessness.

- No!

Your ingratitude.

Your wretched thirst for gold.

No, leave me. I can't stand more.

I can't stand more!

Come here.

Come here and know me better, Scrooge.

I am the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Have you never seen the like of me before?

Never.

And have you never known my elder

brothers, born these years before me?

I'm afraid I haven't.

Have you had many brothers, Spirit?

A huge number. Some...

1,800.

A tremendous family to provide for.

What are we going to do?

Walk into the world this Christmas night,

so that you can...

hear and see and feel Christmas

in the world this night.

Did you say "walk" or "fly"?

Touch my robe.

Good morning,

and a merry, merry Christmas to you.

Merry Christmas to you.

These people, what are they doing?

The poor find it cheaper to bring

their dinners to the baker to be cooked.

Now then, watch who you're stepping on.

Watch who I'm stepping on? I like that.

- Go on, off it.

- I will not!

Why you little...

- Here, let's make it up.

- Frightened?

I wouldn't touch your old hand.

I wouldn't...

Well, you're not such a bad sort after all.

Thank you, and a merry Christmas to you.

And the same to you.

What do you sprinkle from that horn

that made them stop quarreling?

It's a spirit...

five times distilled,

the spirit of Christmas cheer...

of love, of all that's good...

of all that makes this time of year

different from any other time.

Is there a peculiar flavor

in what you sprinkle?

An excellent flavor.

Would it apply to any kind of dinner?

To a poor one most.

Why to a poor one most?

Because it needs it most.

Look where you're going,

you big, clumsy ox, you. I'll...

I'll shove those words

down your nasty little throat.

Stop shoving, will you?

Stop it, I say, or I'll...

Here we are being silly, aren't we now?

Like a couple of infants.

I say, I know a nice little pub

where they sell hot rum and gin.

- We stopped that.

- Yes, we did, didn't we?

That church.

We have business there. Come.

I don't believe for a minute

that they love one another.

What makes you say that, Spirit?

It is obvious

that they love each other dearly.

Nevertheless, don't you think that...

it's lucky that they haven't

the wherewithal to get married?

Their love will soon fade.

I take exception to that!

On the contrary,

I think their love would grow.

I... They...

They should be married.

- Good morning and merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you.

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