STAVEONE.
MARLEY’SGHOST.
Marleywas
tot
dead:tobeginwith.
Thereisnodoubtwhateveraboutthat.
Das
Theregisterofhisburialwassignedbydas
theclergyman,theclerk,theundertaker,und
andthechiefmourner.Scroogesigned
es
it:andScrooge’snamewas
gut
goodupon’Change,foranythinghechosetolegen
puthishandto.OldMarleywasas
tot
deadasadoor-nail.Mind!
Idon’tmeanto
sagen
saythatIknow,ofmyownknowledge,whatthereisparticularlytot
deadaboutadoor-nail.Imighthavebeeninclined,myself,toregardacoffin-nailas
das
thedeadestpieceofironmongeryindas
thetrade.Butthewisdomofourancestorsisin
die
thesimile;andmyunhallowedhandsshallnotdisturb
es
it,ortheCountry’sdonefor.Youwillthereforepermitmetorepeat,emphatically,thatMarleywasas
tot
deadasadoor-nail.Scroogeknewhewas
tot
dead?Ofcoursehedid.
How
könnte
coulditbeotherwise?Scrooge
und
andhewerepartnersforIdon’tknowhowviele
manyyears.Scroogewashissoleexecutor,hissoleadministrator,hissoleassign,hissoleresiduarylegatee,hissole
freund
friend,andsolemourner.And
selbst
evenScroogewasnotsodreadfullycutupbythesadevent,sondern
butthathewasanexcellentmanofbusinessontheverytag
dayofthefuneral,andsolemniseditwithein
anundoubtedbargain.ThementionofMarley’sfuneralbringsme
zurück
backtothepointIstartedfrom.Thereis
kein
nodoubtthatMarleywastot
dead.Thismustbedistinctlyunderstood,or
nichts
nothingwonderfulcancomeofthegeschichte
storyIamgoingtorelate.Wenn
Ifwewerenotperfectlyconvinceddass
thatHamlet’sFatherdiedbeforetheplaybegan,therewürde
wouldbenothingmoreremarkableinhistakingastrollatnight,inaneasterlywind,uponhisownramparts,als
thantherewouldbeinanyothermiddle-agedgentlemanrashlyturningoutnach
afterdarkinabreezyspot—saySaintPaul’sChurchyardforinstance—literallytoastonishhisson’sweakverstand
mind.ScroogeneverpaintedoutOldMarley’sname.
Dort
Thereitstood,yearsafterwards,aboveder
thewarehousedoor:ScroogeandMarley.
Die
ThefirmwasknownasScroogeund
andMarley.Sometimespeoplenewto
die
thebusinesscalledScroogeScrooge,und
andsometimesMarley,butheansweredtobeide
bothnames.Itwasallthe
gleich
sametohim.Oh!
Buthewas
eine
atight-fistedhandatthegrindstone,Scrooge!ein
asqueezing,wrenching,grasping,scraping,clutching,covetous,oldsinner!Hart
Hardandsharpasflint,fromwhichkein
nosteelhadeverstruckoutgenerousfeuer
fire;secret,andself-contained,andsolitaryas
eine
anoyster.Thecoldwithinhimfrozehisoldfeatures,nippedhispointednose,shrivelledhischeek,stiffenedhisgait;
madehiseyes
rot
red,histhinlipsblue;und
andspokeoutshrewdlyinhisgratingvoice.Ein
Afrostyrimewasonhiskopf
head,andonhiseyebrows,und
andhiswirychin.Hecarriedhisownlowtemperaturealwaysaboutwith
ihm
him;heicedhisofficein
den
thedog-days;anddidn’tthawitonedegreeatChristmas.
Externalheat
und
andcoldhadlittleinfluenceonScrooge.Kein
Nowarmthcouldwarm,nowintryweatherchillihn
him.Nowindthatblewwasbitterer
als
thanhe,nofallingsnowwasmehr
moreintentuponitspurpose,kein
nopeltingrainlessopentoentreaty.Foulweatherdidn’tknow
wo
wheretohavehim.Theheaviestrain,
und
andsnow,andhail,andsleet,konnte
couldboastoftheadvantageüber
overhiminonlyonerespect.Theyoften“camedown”handsomely,
und
andScroogeneverdid.Nobodyever
angehalten
stoppedhiminthestreettosagen
say,withgladsomelooks,“MydearScrooge,howareyou?Whenwillyoucometoseeme?”
Kein
Nobeggarsimploredhimtobestoweine
atrifle,nochildrenaskedhimwhatitwaso’clock,kein
nomanorwomanevereinmal
onceinallhislifeinquiredtheweg
waytosuchandsucheine
aplace,ofScrooge.Eventheblindmen’sdogsappearedto
kennen
knowhim;andwhenthey
sahen
sawhimcomingon,wouldtugtheirownersintodoorwaysund
andupcourts;andthen
würden
wouldwagtheirtailsasthoughtheysaid,“Noeyeatallisbesser
betterthananevileye,darkmaster!”Aber
ButwhatdidScroogecare!Itwas
das
theverythingheliked.Toedgehis
weg
wayalongthecrowdedpathsoflife,warningalle
allhumansympathytokeepitsdistance,waswhattheknowingonescall“nuts”toScrooge.Einmal
Onceuponatime—ofallder
thegooddaysintheyear,onChristmasEve—oldScroogesatbusyinhiscounting-house.Itwas
kalt
cold,bleak,bitingweather:foggywithal:
und
andhecouldheartheleute
peopleinthecourtoutside,gowheezingupund
anddown,beatingtheirhandsupontheirbreasts,und
andstampingtheirfeetupondie
thepavementstonestowarmthem.Thecityclockshadonlyjustgone
drei
three,butitwasquitedarkalready—ithadnotbeenlightallday—andcandleswereflaringinthewindowsoftheneighbouringoffices,likeruddysmearsuponthepalpablebrownluft
air.Thefogcamepouringinateverychink
und
andkeyhole,andwassodensewithout,thatalthoughthecourtwasofthenarrowest,thehousesoppositeweremerephantoms.To
sah
seethedingycloudcomedroopingdown,obscuringalles
everything,onemighthavethoughtdass
thatNaturelivedhardby,und
andwasbrewingonalargescale.ThedoorofScrooge’scounting-housewas
offen
openthathemightkeephiseyeuponhisclerk,whoinadismallittlecellbeyond,aart
sortoftank,wascopyingletters.Scroogehadaverysmall
feuer
fire,buttheclerk’sfirewassoverymuchsmallerthatitlookedlikeonecoal.Aber
Buthecouldn’treplenishit,forScroogekeptdie
thecoal-boxinhisownzimmer
room;andsosurelyas
der
theclerkcameinwithder
theshovel,themasterpredicteddass
thatitwouldbenecessaryforthemtotrennen
part.Whereforetheclerkputonhiswhitecomforter,
und
andtriedtowarmhimselfatder
thecandle;inwhicheffort,notbeinga
mann
manofastrongimagination,hefailed.“AmerryChristmas,
onkel
uncle!Godsaveyou!”
cried
eine
acheerfulvoice.ItwasthevoiceofScrooge’snephew,whocameuponhimsoquicklythatthiswasthe
erste
firstintimationhehadofhisapproach.“Bah!”
saidScrooge,“Humbug!”
Hehadsoheatedhimselfwithrapidwalkinginthefog
und
andfrost,thisnephewofScrooge’s,thathewasallinaglow;his
gesicht
facewasruddyandhandsome;hiseyessparkled,
und
andhisbreathsmokedagain.“Christmas
ein
ahumbug,uncle!”saidScrooge’snephew.
“Youdon’t
meinst
meanthat,Iamsure?”“Ido,”saidScrooge.
“MerryChristmas!
What
recht
righthaveyoutobemerry?What
grund
reasonhaveyoutobemerry?You’re
arm
poorenough.”“Come,then,”returned
der
thenephewgaily.“Whatright
sein
haveyoutobedismal?What
grund
reasonhaveyoutobemorose?You’rerichenough.”
Scroogehavingnobetter
antwort
answerreadyonthespurofthemoment,said,“Bah!”again;
und
andfolloweditupwith“Humbug.”“Don’tbecross,uncle!”
said
der
thenephew.“WhatelsecanIbe,”returned
der
theuncle,“whenIliveinsuchawelt
worldoffoolsasthis?MerryChristmas!
OutuponmerryChristmas!
What’sChristmas
zeit
timetoyoubutazeit
timeforpayingbillswithoutgeld
money;atimeforfindingyourselfa
jahr
yearolder,butnotanstunde
hourricher;atimeforbalancingyourbooks
und
andhavingeveryitemin’emdurch
througharounddozenofmonthspresentedtot
deadagainstyou?IfI
könnte
couldworkmywill,”saidScroogeindignantly,“everyidiotwhogoesaboutwith‘MerryChristmas’onhislips,sollte
shouldbeboiledwithhisownpudding,und
andburiedwithastakeofhollydurch
throughhisheart.Heshould!”
“Uncle!”
pleaded
den
thenephew.“Nephew!”
returnedthe
onkel
unclesternly,“keepChristmasinyourownweise
way,andletmekeepitinmine.”“Keepit!”
repeatedScrooge’snephew.
“Butyoudon’tkeepit.”
“Letmeleaveitalone,then,”saidScrooge.
“Muchgoodmayit
tun
doyou!Muchgoodithasever
getan
doneyou!”“TherearemanythingsfromwhichI
könnte
mighthavederivedgood,bywhichIhaben
havenotprofited,Idaresay,”returnedthenephew.“Christmasamong
den
therest.ButIam
sicher
sureIhavealwaysthoughtofChristmaszeit
time,whenithascomeround—apartfromthevenerationduetoitssacrednameund
andorigin,ifanythingbelongingtoitkann
canbeapartfromthat—aseine
agoodtime;akind,forgiving,charitable,pleasant
zeit
time;theonlytimeIknowof,inthelongcalendaroftheyear,whenmen
und
andwomenseembyoneconsenttoöffnen
opentheirshut-upheartsfreely,und
andtothinkofpeoplebelowthemasiftheywirklich
reallywerefellow-passengerstothegrave,und
andnotanotherraceofcreaturesboundonandere
otherjourneys.Andtherefore,uncle,
obwohl
thoughithasneverputascrapofgoldorsilverinmypocket,Iglaube
believethatithasdonemegut
good,andwilldomegut
good;andIsay,Godblessit!”
Der
TheclerkintheTankinvoluntarilyapplauded.Becomingimmediatelysensibleoftheimpropriety,hepokedthe
feuer
fire,andextinguishedthelastfrailsparkforever.“Letmehearanother
klang
soundfromyou,”saidScrooge,“andyou’llkeepyourChristmasbylosingyoursituation!You’re
ziemlich
quiteapowerfulspeaker,sir,”headded,wandte
turningtohisnephew.“Iwonderyoudon’t
gehen
gointoParliament.”“Don’tbeangry,
onkel
uncle.Come!
Dinewithusto-morrow.”
Scroogesaid
dass
thathewouldseehim—yes,indeedhetat
did.Hewentthewholelengthof
die
theexpression,andsaidthathewürde
wouldseehiminthatextremityzuerst
first.“Butwhy?”
criedScrooge’snephew.
“Why?”
“Whydidyougetmarried?”
saidScrooge.
“BecauseIfellinlove.”
“Becauseyoufellinlove!”
growledScrooge,as
ob
ifthatweretheonlyonesache
thingintheworldmoreridiculousthanein
amerryChristmas.“Goodafternoon!”
“Nay,
onkel
uncle,butyounevercametoseemebevor
beforethathappened.Whygiveitasa
grund
reasonfornotcomingnow?”“Goodafternoon,”saidScrooge.
“Iwant
nichts
nothingfromyou;Iask
nichts
nothingofyou;whycannotwebefriends?”
“Goodafternoon,”saidScrooge.
“Iamsorry,withallmyheart,tofindyousoresolute.
We
haben
haveneverhadanyquarrel,towhichIhaben
havebeenaparty.ButIhavemade
den
thetrialinhomagetoChristmas,und
andI’llkeepmyChristmashumourtoden
thelast.SoAMerryChristmas,uncle!”
“Goodafternoon!”
saidScrooge.
“And
Ein
AHappyNewYear!”“Goodafternoon!”
saidScrooge.
Hisnephew
verließ
lefttheroomwithoutanangrywort
word,notwithstanding.Hestoppedattheouterdoortobestowthegreetingsoftheseasonontheclerk,who,
kalt
coldashewas,waswarmerthanScrooge;forhereturnedthemcordially.
“There’sanotherfellow,”mutteredScrooge;
whooverheard
ihn
him:“myclerk,withfifteenshillingsa
woche
week,andawifeandfamilie
family,talkingaboutamerryChristmas.I’llretiretoBedlam.”
Dieser
Thislunatic,inlettingScrooge’snephewout,hadletzwei
twootherpeoplein.Theywereportlygentlemen,pleasanttobehold,und
andnowstood,withtheirhatsab
off,inScrooge’soffice.Theyhadbooks
und
andpapersintheirhands,und
andbowedtohim.“Scrooge
und
andMarley’s,Ibelieve,”saideiner
oneofthegentlemen,referringtohislist.“HaveI
das
thepleasureofaddressingMr.Scrooge,orMr.Marley?”“Mr.
Marleyhasbeen
tot
deadthesesevenyears,”Scroogereplied.“He
starb
diedsevenyearsago,thisverynight.”“We
haben
havenodoubthisliberalityisgut
wellrepresentedbyhissurvivingpartner,”saidder
thegentleman,presentinghiscredentials.Itcertainlywas;
fortheyhadbeen
zwei
twokindredspirits.Attheominous
wort
word“liberality,”Scroogefrowned,andshookhiskopf
head,andhandedthecredentialszurück
back.“Atthisfestiveseasonoftheyear,Mr.Scrooge,”saidthegentleman,takingup
eine
apen,“itismoreals
thanusuallydesirablethatweshouldmakeetwas
someslightprovisionforthePoorund
anddestitute,whosuffergreatlyatthepresenttime.Viele
Manythousandsareinwantofcommonnecessaries;hundredsofthousandsareinwantofcommoncomforts,sir.”
“Aretherenoprisons?”
fragte
askedScrooge.“Plentyofprisons,”saidthegentleman,layingdownthepen
wieder
again.“AndtheUnionworkhouses?”
demandedScrooge.
“Aretheystillinoperation?”
“Theyare.
Still,”returned
der
thegentleman,“IwishIkönnte
couldsaytheywerenot.”“TheTreadmill
und
andthePoorLawareinfullvigour,then?”saidScrooge.
“Both
sehr
verybusy,sir.”“Oh!
Iwasafraid,fromwhatyousaidat
zuerst
first,thatsomethinghadoccurredtostoppen
stopthemintheirusefulcourse,”saidScrooge.“I’m
sehr
verygladtohearit.”“UndertheimpressionthattheyscarcelyfurnishChristiancheerofmindorbodytothemultitude,”returnedthegentleman,“afewofusareendeavouringtoraiseafundto
kaufen
buythePoorsomemeatund
anddrink,andmeansofwarmth.Wechoose
diese
thistime,becauseitiseine
atime,ofallothers,whenWantiskeenlyfelt,und
andAbundancerejoices.WhatshallIputyoudownfor?”
“Nothing!”
Scroogereplied.
“You
wollen
wishtobeanonymous?”“Iwishtobeleftalone,”saidScrooge.
“Sinceyou
fragen
askmewhatIwish,gentlemen,thatismyantwort
answer.