STAVEONE.
MARLEY’SGHOST.
Marleywas
halott
dead:tobeginwith.
Thereis
nincs
nodoubtwhateveraboutthat.Theregisterofhisburialwassignedbytheclergyman,theclerk,theundertaker,
és
andthechiefmourner.Scroogesignedit:
és
andScrooge’snamewasgoodupon’Change,foranythinghechosetotenni
puthishandto.OldMarleywasas
halott
deadasadoor-nail.Mind!
Idon’tmeanto
mondani
saythatIknow,ofmysaját
ownknowledge,whatthereisparticularlyhalott
deadaboutadoor-nail.Imight
voltam
havebeeninclined,myself,toregardacoffin-nailasthedeadestpieceofironmongeryinthetrade.De
Butthewisdomofourancestorsisinthesimile;és
andmyunhallowedhandsshallnotdisturbit,vagy
ortheCountry’sdonefor.Youwillthereforepermitmetorepeat,emphatically,thatMarleywasas
halott
deadasadoor-nail.Scrooge
tudta
knewhewasdead?Of
persze
coursehedid.Howcoulditbeotherwise?
Scrooge
és
andhewerepartnersforIdon’ttudom
knowhowmanyyears.Scroogewashissoleexecutor,hissoleadministrator,hissoleassign,hissoleresiduarylegatee,hissolefriend,
és
andsolemourner.AndevenScroogewasnotsodreadfully
vágott
cutupbythesadevent,de
butthathewasanexcellentmanofbusinessontheverydayofthefuneral,és
andsolemniseditwithanundoubtedbargain.ThementionofMarley’sfuneralbringsmebacktothepointIstartedfrom.
Thereisnodoubt
hogy
thatMarleywasdead.This
kell
mustbedistinctlyunderstood,orsemmi
nothingwonderfulcancomeofthestoryIamgoingtorelate.Ha
IfwewerenotperfectlyconvincedthatHamlet’sApja
Fatherdiedbeforetheplaybegan,nem
therewouldbenothingmoreremarkableinhistakingastrollatéjszaka
night,inaneasterlywind,uponhissaját
ownramparts,thantherewouldbeinbármely
anyothermiddle-agedgentlemanrashlyturningoutután
afterdarkinabreezyspot—saySaintPaul’sChurchyardforinstance—literallytoastonishhisson’sweakmind.Scroogeneverpainted
ki
outOldMarley’sname.Thereitstood,yearsafterwards,above
a
thewarehousedoor:ScroogeandMarley.
A
ThefirmwasknownasScroogeés
andMarley.Sometimespeoplenewto
az
thebusinesscalledScroogeScrooge,andnéha
sometimesMarley,butheansweredtobothnames.Itwasallthesameto
őt
him.Oh!
Buthewas
egy
atight-fistedhandatthegrindstone,Scrooge!egy
asqueezing,wrenching,grasping,scraping,clutching,covetous,öreg
oldsinner!Hardandsharpasflint,fromwhich
nem
nosteelhadeverstruckki
outgenerousfire;secret,andself-contained,
és
andsolitaryasanoyster.The
hideg
coldwithinhimfrozehisrégi
oldfeatures,nippedhispointednose,shrivelledhischeek,stiffenedhisgait;madehiseyes
vörös
red,histhinlipsblue;és
andspokeoutshrewdlyinhisgratingvoice.Egy
Afrostyrimewasonhishead,és
andonhiseyebrows,andhiswirychin.Hecarriedhis
saját
ownlowtemperaturealwaysabouta
withhim;heicedhisofficeinthedog-days;
és
anddidn’tthawitonedegreeatChristmas.Externalheat
és
andcoldhadlittleinfluenceonScrooge.Nem
Nowarmthcouldwarm,nowintryweatherchillhim.Nincs
Nowindthatblewwasbitterermint
thanhe,nofallingsnowwasmoreintentuponitspurpose,nincs
nopeltingrainlessopentoentreaty.Foulweatherdidn’t
tudta
knowwheretohavehim.Theheaviestrain,
és
andsnow,andhail,andsleet,lehet
couldboastoftheadvantageoverhimincsak
onlyonerespect.Theyoften“camedown”handsomely,
és
andScroogeneverdid.Nobodyeverstoppedhimin
az
thestreettosay,withgladsomelooks,“MydearScrooge,howareyou?Mikor
Whenwillyoucometoseeme?”Nobeggarsimploredhimtobestow
egy
atrifle,nochildrenaskedhimwhatitwaso’clock,noférfi
manorwomaneveronceinallhislifeinquiredthewaytosuchandsuchegy
aplace,ofScrooge.Even
a
theblindmen’sdogsappearedtoknowhim;és
andwhentheysawhimcomingon,wouldtugtheirownersintodoorwaysés
andupcourts;andthenwouldwagtheirtailsasthoughtheysaid,“Noeyeatallis
jobb
betterthananevileye,darkmaster!”De
ButwhatdidScroogecare!Itwas
az
theverythingheliked.Toedgehiswayalongthecrowdedpathsof
élet
life,warningallhumansympathytotartsa
keepitsdistance,waswhattheknowingonescall“nuts”toScrooge.Egyszer
Onceuponatime—ofallthejó
gooddaysintheyear,onChristmasEve—oldScroogeült
satbusyinhiscounting-house.Itwas
hideg
cold,bleak,bitingweather:foggywithal:
és
andhecouldhearthepeopleinthecourtkívül
outside,gowheezingupandle
down,beatingtheirhandsupontheirbreasts,és
andstampingtheirfeetuponthepavementstonestowarmőket
them.Thecityclockshadonlyjustgone
három
three,butitwasquitedarkalready—ithadnotbeenfény
lightallday—andcandleswereflaringinthewindowsoftheneighbouringoffices,mint
likeruddysmearsuponthepalpablebrownlevegő
air.Thefogcamepouringinat
minden
everychinkandkeyhole,andwassodensewithout,hogy
thatalthoughthecourtwasofthenarrowest,thehousesoppositeweremerephantoms.To
látta
seethedingycloudcomedroopingdown,obscuringmindent
everything,onemighthavethoughtthatNatureél
livedhardby,andwasbrewingonalargescale.ThedoorofScrooge’scounting-housewasopen
hogy
thathemightkeephiseyeuponhisclerk,aki
whoinadismallittlecellbeyond,egy
asortoftank,wascopyingletters.Scrooge
volt
hadaverysmallfire,de
buttheclerk’sfirewassonagyon
verymuchsmallerthatitlookedmint
likeonecoal.Buthecouldn’treplenishit,forScroogekeptthecoal-boxinhis
saját
ownroom;andsosurelyastheclerkcameinwiththeshovel,themasterpredictedthatitwouldbenecessaryforthemtopart.
Whereforetheclerkputonhis
fehér
whitecomforter,andtriedtowarmhimselfatthecandle;inwhicheffort,notbeinga
ember
manofastrongimagination,hefailed.“AmerryChristmas,
bácsi
uncle!Godsaveyou!”
cried
egy
acheerfulvoice.ItwasthevoiceofScrooge’snephew,
aki
whocameuponhimsoquicklyhogy
thatthiswasthefirstintimationhevolt
hadofhisapproach.“Bah!”
mondta
saidScrooge,“Humbug!”Hehadsoheatedhimselfwithrapidwalkinginthefog
és
andfrost,thisnephewofScrooge’s,hogy
thathewasallinaglow;his
arca
facewasruddyandhandsome;hiseyessparkled,
és
andhisbreathsmokedagain.“Christmas
egy
ahumbug,uncle!”saidScrooge’snephew.
“Youdon’tmean
hogy
that,Iamsure?”“Ido,”
mondta
saidScrooge.“MerryChristmas!
Whatright
van
haveyoutobemerry?Whatreason
van
haveyoutobemerry?You’re
szegény
poorenough.”“Come,then,”returned
az
thenephewgaily.“Whatright
van
haveyoutobedismal?Whatreason
van
haveyoutobemorose?You’rerichenough.”
Scrooge
volt
havingnobetteranswerreadyonthespurofthemoment,mondta
said,“Bah!”again;
andfolloweditup
a
with“Humbug.”“Don’tbecross,uncle!”
mondta
saidthenephew.“WhatelsecanIbe,”returnedthe
nagybátyja
uncle,“whenIliveinilyen
suchaworldoffoolsasthis?MerryChristmas!
OutuponmerryChristmas!
What’sChristmas
ideje
timetoyoubutaideje
timeforpayingbillswithoutpénz
money;atimeforfindingyourselfayearolder,
de
butnotanhourricher;egy
atimeforbalancingyourbooksés
andhavingeveryitemin’emát
througharounddozenofmonthspresenteddeadagainstyou?Ha
IfIcouldworkmywill,”saidScroogeindignantly,“everyidiotaki
whogoesaboutwith‘MerryChristmas’onhislips,kellene
shouldbeboiledwithhissaját
ownpudding,andburiedwithegy
astakeofhollythroughhisheart.Heshould!”
“Uncle!”
pleaded
az
thenephew.“Nephew!”
returnedthe
nagybátyja
unclesternly,“keepChristmasinyoursaját
ownway,andletmekeepitinmine.”“Keepit!”
repeatedScrooge’snephew.
“Butyoudon’tkeepit.”
“Letmeleaveitalone,then,”
mondta
saidScrooge.“Muchgoodmayitdoyou!
Sok
Muchgoodithaseverdoneyou!”“TherearemanythingsfromwhichImighthavederivedgood,bywhichIhavenotprofited,Idaresay,”returned
az
thenephew.“Christmasamongtherest.
De
ButIamsureIvagyok
havealwaysthoughtofChristmastime,whenitvagyok
hascomeround—apartfromthevenerationduetoitssacredneve
nameandorigin,ifanythingbelongingtoitcanbeapartfromthat—asegy
agoodtime;akind,forgiving,charitable,pleasant
idő
time;theonlytimeI
tudom
knowof,inthelongcalendaroftheév
year,whenmenandwomenseembyoneconsenttoopentheirshut-upheartsfreely,és
andtothinkofpeoplebelowthemasiftheyreallywerefellow-passengerstothegrave,és
andnotanotherraceofcreaturesboundonotherjourneys.És
Andtherefore,uncle,thoughitvagy
hasneverputascrapofgoldvagy
orsilverinmypocket,Ihiszem
believethatithasdonemegood,és
andwilldomegood;és
andIsay,Godblessit!”TheclerkintheTankinvoluntarilyapplauded.
Becomingimmediatelysensibleoftheimpropriety,hepokedthe
tüzet
fire,andextinguishedthelastfrailsparkforever.“Letmehearanother
hangot
soundfromyou,”saidScrooge,“andyou’llkeepyourChristmasbylosingyoursituation!You’re
elég
quiteapowerfulspeaker,sir,”headded,turningtohisnephew.“Iwonderyoudon’t
megy
gointoParliament.”“Don’tbeangry,
bácsi
uncle.Come!
Dinewithusto-morrow.”
Scrooge
mondta
saidthathewouldseehim—yes,indeedhedid.Hewentthe
egész
wholelengthoftheexpression,és
andsaidthathewouldseehiminhogy
thatextremityfirst.“Butwhy?”
criedScrooge’snephew.
“Why?”
“Whydidyougetmarried?”
mondta
saidScrooge.“BecauseIfellinlove.”
“Becauseyoufellinlove!”
growledScrooge,asifthatweretheonlyone
dolog
thingintheworldmoreridiculousthanamerryChristmas.“Goodafternoon!”
“Nay,uncle,
de
butyounevercametoseememielőtt
beforethathappened.Whygiveitasareasonfornot
jöjjön
comingnow?”“Goodafternoon,”saidScrooge.
“I
akarok
wantnothingfromyou;Iasknothingofyou;
miért
whycannotwebefriends?”“Goodafternoon,”
mondta
saidScrooge.“Iamsorry,withallmyheart,to
talállak
findyousoresolute.We
volt
haveneverhadanyquarrel,towhichIvolt
havebeenaparty.ButIhavemadethetrialinhomagetoChristmas,
és
andI’llkeepmyChristmashumourtothelast.SoAMerryChristmas,uncle!”
“Goodafternoon!”
mondta
saidScrooge.“AndAHappyNewYear!”
“Goodafternoon!”
mondta
saidScrooge.Hisnephewlefttheroomwithout
egy
anangryword,notwithstanding.He
megállt
stoppedattheouterdoortobestowthegreetingsoftheseasonontheclerk,aki
who,coldashewas,waswarmerthanScrooge;forhereturnedthemcordially.
“There’sanotherfellow,”mutteredScrooge;
aki
whooverheardhim:“myclerk,
a
withfifteenshillingsaweek,és
andawifeandfamily,talkingaboutegy
amerryChristmas.I’llretiretoBedlam.”
Ez
Thislunatic,inlettingScrooge’snephewout,voltak
hadlettwootherpeoplein.Theywereportlygentlemen,pleasanttobehold,és
andnowstood,withtheirhatsoff,inScrooge’soffice.They
voltak
hadbooksandpapersintheirhands,és
andbowedtohim.“Scrooge
és
andMarley’s,Ibelieve,”saidegyik
oneofthegentlemen,referringtohislist.“HaveI
az
thepleasureofaddressingMr.Scrooge,vagy
orMr.Marley?”“Mr.
Marley
már
hasbeendeadthesesevenyears,”Scroogereplied.“Hediedsevenyears
ezelőtt
ago,thisverynight.”“Wehavenodoubthisliberalityis
jól
wellrepresentedbyhissurvivingpartner,”mondta
saidthegentleman,presentinghiscredentials.Itcertainlywas;
forthey
voltak
hadbeentwokindredspirits.Attheominous
szó
word“liberality,”Scroogefrowned,andshookhisfejét
head,andhandedthecredentialsvissza
back.“Atthisfestiveseasonofthe
év
year,Mr.Scrooge,”saidthegentleman,takingupegy
apen,“itismoremint
thanusuallydesirablethatweshouldmakesomeslightprovisionforthePoorés
anddestitute,whosuffergreatlyatthepresenttime.Manythousandsareinwantofcommonnecessaries;
hundredsofthousandsareinwantofcommoncomforts,sir.”
“Aretherenoprisons?”
kérdezte
askedScrooge.“Plentyofprisons,”
mondta
saidthegentleman,layingdownthepenújra
again.“AndtheUnionworkhouses?”
demandedScrooge.
“Aretheystillinoperation?”
“Theyare.
Still,”returned
az
thegentleman,“IwishIcouldsaytheywerenot.”“TheTreadmill
és
andthePoorLawareinteljes
fullvigour,then?”saidScrooge.
“Both
nagyon
verybusy,sir.”“Oh!
Iwasafraid,fromwhatyousaidat
először
first,thatsomethinghadoccurredtostopthemintheirusefulcourse,”saidScrooge.“I’m
nagyon
verygladtohearit.”“UndertheimpressionthattheyscarcelyfurnishChristiancheerofmindorbodytothemultitude,”returnedthegentleman,“afewofusareendeavouringtoraise
egy
afundtobuythePoorsomemeatés
anddrink,andmeansofwarmth.Wechoosethistime,
mert
becauseitisatime,ofallothers,amikor
whenWantiskeenlyfelt,és
andAbundancerejoices.WhatshallIputyou
le
downfor?”“Nothing!”
Scroogereplied.
“Youwishtobeanonymous?”
“Iwishtobeleftalone,”
mondta
saidScrooge.“SinceyouaskmewhatIwish,gentlemen,thatismyanswer.