The Man Who Invented Christmas Page #8

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Stave five.

"The End of It."

Yes. And the bedpost

was his own,

the bed was his own,

the room was his own.

Best and happiest of all, the time before

him was his own to make amends in.

Scrooge was better

than his word.

He did it all

and infinitely more.

And to Tiny Tim,

who did not die,

he was a second father.

And so,

as Tiny Tim observed,

"God bless us, every one."

The end.

The end.

- Charles?

- What?

- There is someone here to see you.

- Not now, Kate, please.

I have to get this to the

printer by nine o'clock.

Tara.

Thank you for the loan.

Well, thank you.

It's good, isn't it?

Oh, yes, sir.

It was fizzing.

Fizzing? [laughs]

That's delightful.

Tara.

I am very sorry that I sent you away.

That was a mistake.

And I was...

And you were right

about Tiny Tim.

He doesn't die.

Scrooge helps him

to get better.

And does he help Scrooge

get better too?

Yes.

Yes, he does.

[chuckling]

- Where did that come from?

- A gift.

For the children.

From your father.

My father was here?

You can still catch him, if...

Oh!

Kate.

I know.

You don't deserve me.

Go. Go.

[chuckling]

- Cab!

- Whoa!

- Paddington Station!

- Right-o, governor.

- As fast as you can!

- Oi! Oi!

- Whoa!

- [whinnying]

Turn it around.

And wait for me here!

- Oi! Stop!

- [whistle blows]

- Hey!

- Stop! Police!

Wait!

Wait, wait, please! Where

do you think you're going?

- What?

- Oh, please, dear.

- Don't make a scene. We're going away.

- No, you're not. Please.

Police! Get out of my way! Clear the way!

Let me through!

Oh.

What have I done now?

No, it's...

it's what you haven't done.

- What do you mean?

- Well, who's going to carve the turkey?

And who's going to make

the Christmas pudding?

It won't be the same

without you.

The pudding! The secret is

to warm the treacle first.

There, you...

You see, my dear?

I told you something

would turn up.

Oh, my son. Oh.

Gotcha!

You're that Charles

Dickens, aren't you?

Uh, guilty.

That last one.

Chuzzlewit.

Wept like a baby, I did.

Well, that's... That's very kind.

What's your name, Constable?

My name?

Copperfield, sir.

Copperfield.

Any chance

of a new book soon?

New book. New book!

Wait. New book.

Merry Christmas!

I'm his father.

[man]

Santa bells for sale!

Shoe Lane!

As fast as you can go.

- Charles, where have you been?

- It's all right. I've got it!

Mr. Grub!

Mr. Grub. We're here.

I have it. I have the ending.

You can finish it now.

- It's too late.

- What?

Oh, come on. You've already printed the other

four chapters, and it's just one more.

Get the whole book

finished today.

- I can't guarantee anything.

- Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Grub!

[laughs] Thank you.

I didn't say

I could do it.

Well, I'll see

what I can do.

[chattering]

Oh, come on, man.

Don't prolong the agony.

[chuckling]

[spine cracking]

It's exactly

as I'd imagined it.

[sighs]

Hello, gents. Extraordinary

weather, isn't it?

Looks like snow.

- Hello, Thackeray.

- Oh, what's this I have?

Yes. It's a proof copy

of your new book.

I'm going to review it

for The Spectator.

I'm told you wrote it

in only six weeks, Charles.

What a prodigy you are.

Did you bring that

all the way from Italy?

S. Venezia.

And now...

And now the beautiful mermaid

floats through the sea.

- Wooo!

- [singing, faint]

Hello, old girl!

[squawks]

Oh, my goodness.

That is beautiful.

Isn't it? The Germans

call it a Tannenbaum.

It's a tree for Christmas.

A Christmas tree, I suppose.

Now the royal family have got

one, it'll be all the rage.

[door closes]

- Hello.

- Miss Wigmore!

Papa had

a change of heart.

So he did. Oh, I'm so pleased!

Congratulations.

Charles, uh, I think you're

going to want to hear this.

- It's by Thackeray.

- Not now.

No, please.

Everyone, gather round.

"It was a blessed inspiration

that put such a book into

the head of Charles Dickens.

A happy inspiration

of the heart

that warms every page.

It is impossible to read without a

glowing bosom and burning cheeks,

between love and shame

of our kind."

- [woman] Aw.

- [Mr. Dickens] Bravo, Charles.

Well, uh... [chuckles]

- Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

- [laughing]

And those on the way.

A toast.

I wish you all many,

many happy Christmases

and friendships, and great

accumulation of cheerful recollections

and heaven at last

for all of us.

In the season of hope, we will shut

out nothing from our firesides

and everyone

will be welcome.

[squawks]

[squawks]

Welcome what has been

and what is

and what we hope may be,

to this shelter

underneath the holly.

[laughing]

[squawking]

Merry, merry Christmas

to one and all.

[all] Merry Christmas!

[squawking]

[chattering]

[giggling]

Thank you.

[horse whinnies]

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