Scrooge Page #6

on his shoulder, very fast, indeed.

So have l ... Often.

So have l.

- So have l.

But then, he was very light to carry and his

father loved him, so it was no trouble.

No trouble.

l'm a little late, my dear.

Please forgive me.

You must be cold and tired.

Sit near the fire.

No, no, l'm ... very content, my dear.

very content.

l went to see the place

where he will rest.

lt's sheltered by green trees, my dear,

and very quiet and still.

lt was strange,

but as l stood there,

l felt his hand slip in mine, as if he was

standing beside me and comforting me.

l felt very peaceful, my dear.

He was telling me, you see,

in his own little way, that he's happy.

Truly happy now,...

and that we must cease to grieve

for him, and try to be happy, too.

Oh Tim, ...

my Tiny Tim.

Poor Robert, Oh Robert, ...

poor Robert.

Hello, Joe.

Huh.

Hi, Joe.

Hey.

Well, come on.

No, let the laundress go first.

- No, no, dear, you was here first.

After you, l'm sure.

Oh look, Old Joe, it's a chance, ...

if the chow lady, the laundress,

and the undertaker

haven't all met here at the

same time without meaning it!

Well, you couldn't have met

in a better place.

Let's go in the parlor.

You were made free of it

long ago, eh?

And the other two aren't strangers, heh...

Uh,...wait a minute just 'til l

shut the door to the shop, eh?

Just shut the door of the shop.

Oh! How it screeks!

There's not a rusted piece of metal

in the place like its own hinges.

And, l'm sure, there are no old

bones here like mine.

We're all suitable to our

callin's, eh?

We're all well matched.

Come into the parlor.

Come into the parlor.

Who goes first?

What odds, now, that all met at the once.

Everyone's got a right to take care

of themselves, he always did.

Oh, that's true enough, no one more so.

Why then, don't stand staring

as if you was afraid, woman.

Who's the wiser?

We're not gonna pick holes

in each other's coats, l suppose.

No, indeed!

No, we hope not!

Very well then, who's the worse for

the loss of a few things like these?

Not a dead man, l suppose.

- No indeed.

lf he wanted to keep 'em

after he was dead,

why wasn't he amiable in his lifetime?

lf he had been, he'd have had somebody

with him when he was struck with death.

lnstead of lying, gasping out his

last air alone be himself.

There never was a truer word spoken.

T'was a judgment on him.

l wish it was a little heavier one.

And it would been, if l could of laid me

hands on anything else.

We knew pretty well

we was helping ourselves,

before we come here, l believe.

lt's no sin.

Open the bundle, Joe.

No, no, l'll go first.

Just to show we all got trust in one another.

lt's very polite of you,

l do grant, l'm sure.

Watch, fob, seal, pencil case,

sleeve buttons, broach.

Yes, ... 8 shillings, this lot, and l

wouldn't give you another 6 pence.

Not if l was boiled for life

for not doing it.

Who's next?

Always a lady, dear.

l shall have to insist you

all stop and watch mine,

now that we're all so open

and above with each other.

2 sheets, 2 towels, shirt,

teaspoons, 2 silver,

sugar tongs, boots assorted, four.

Yeah, 17 and 6.

l always give too much to a lady,

it's a weakness of mine.

That's how l come to ruin myself.

lf you ask for another penny

might leave an open question,

l'd regret me liberality.

Knock off half a crown.

Now open my bundle, Joe.

Come on, what's in it?

Aaaah...

- Eh?

You wait and see.

- ya.

Bed curtains.

Bed curtains?

- Uh huh, bed curtains.

What'd you? You would say

you took these down,

rings and all, and, ...

him lying there?

Yes l do, why not?

You was born to make

a fortune, ma'am, and you, ...

you certainly will.

l certainly won't hold back my hand

when l can get something in it

for sake of such a man as he was,

l promise you Joe.

These his blankets, too?

- Who's else do ya think?

He ain't likely to take cold

without 'em, l daresay.

He didn't die of anything catching,

did he?

Oh, don't you be afraid of it!

l wasn't too fond of his company

l'd loiter about him for

such things, if he did.

And you can look through that

'til your eyes ache

and you won't find a hole in it.

lt's the best one he had,

and a fine one, too.

They'd have wasted it,

if it hadn't been for me.

What you mean, wasted it?

Well they'd have buried him

in this, of course.

But l took it off of him, again.

As if calico ain't good enough

for burying.

Anyway, it's just as becoming

to the body.

He couldn't have looked uglier than

what he did in this one.

lt's poetic justice.

He frightened near everybody away

from him when he was alive.

And now he benefits us when he's dead.

No, l don't know much

about it either way.

l only know he's dead.

- When did he die?

Last night, l believe.

What was the matter with him?

l thought he'd never die.

So did he, l daresay.

What's he done with all his money?

Left it to his company, where else?

He didn't leave it to me, ...

that's all l know.

Well, funeral won't cost much,

that's certain.

Pawn my soul, l can't think of

anyone who'll go to it.

l don't mind going,...

if the lunch were provided.

But l must be fed, ...

or else l stay at home.

l know those men.

They're men of business,

very wealthy, very important.

Who's funeral were they talking about?

Strange.

My usual place is over there,

under the clock.

l ought to be there this time of day.

But l'm not....

l'm not!

Before l draw nearer to that stone,

answer me one question.

Are these the shadows of

things that must be?

Or are they only shadows

of things that might be?

l know that men's deeds

foreshadow certain ends,

but if the deeds be departed from,

surely the ends will change!

Tell me it is so with what

you show me now.

No Spirit, no, no, no!

Tell me l'm not already dead.

Tell me l'm not already dead!

Tell me l'm not already dead.

Hear me, Spirit,

l'm not the man l was.

Believe me, l'm not the man l was!

Why show me all this

if l'm beyond all hope?

Oh, pity me, Spirit, pity me!

And help me!

Help me to sponge away the

writing on the stone if l repent.

And l do repent, l do repent!

l'll make good, the wrongs

l've done my fellow man.

And, l'll - l'll change!

l'm not the man l was.

l'm not the man l was!

Believe me. Believe me!

l'm not the man l was!

Believe me!

l'm not the man l was.

l'm not the man l was!

Good morning, Sir.

Tell me, ... what day is it?

What day?

Why it's Christmas Day, of course, Sir.

Christmas Day, Christmas Day!

Then l haven't missed it.

The spirits must have done

everything in one night.

But of course, they can do

anything, can't they?

Of course, they can!

Are you quite yourself, Sir?

- What?

l don't know.

No, l don't think so.

l hope not!

- What!?

The curtains are still here.

They're still here!

You didn't,... you didn't tear

them down and sell them.

They're here. Everything's here!

l'm here!

and the shadows of things that

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