Old Scrooge: A Christmas Carol In Five Staves Part 10

_Mrs. B._ Ah! James. I have waited for you so long. What news? Is it good or bad?

_James._ Bad.

_Mrs B._ We are quite ruined?

_James._ No. There is hope yet, Caroline.

_Mrs. B._ If _he_ relents, there is. Nothing is past hope, if such a miracle has happened.

_James._ He is past relenting. He is dead.

_Mrs. B._ Dead! Thank Heaven; we are saved. (_Pause._) I pray forgiveness, I am sorry that I gave expression to the emotions of my heart.

_James._ What the half drunken woman, whom I told you of last night, said to me when I tried to see him and obtain a week's delay, and what I thought was a mere excuse to avoid me, turns out to have been quite true. He was not only very ill, but dying then.

_Mrs. B._ To whom will our debt be transferred?

_James._ I don't know, and I have been unable to ascertain. At all events, before that time we shall be ready with the money; and even though we were not, it would be a bad fortune indeed to find so merciless a creditor in his successor. We may sleep to-night with light hearts, Caroline!

_Mrs. B._ Yes; and our dear children will be brighter when they find the gloom dispelled from the minds of their parents. We cannot deny that this man's death has occasioned some happiness.

_James._ Come, let us hurry home [_Exeunt_, R.]

_Scro._ Spirit, it is evident that the only emotion you can show me, caused by the event foreshadowed, is one of pleasure. Let me see some tenderness connected with the death of another, or what has just been shown me will be forever present in my mind.

SCENE V.--_Bob Cratchit's home. Mrs. Cratchit, Belinda, Little Cratchit and Peter Cratchit discovered at table, the two former sewing and the latter reading a book._

_Peter._ (_Reading._) And he took a child and set him in the midst of them.

_Scro._ Where have I heard those words? I have not dreamed them. Why does he not go on?

_Mrs C._ (_Betrays emotions; lays her work upon the table, and puts her hand to her face._) The color hurts my eyes.

_Bel._ Yes, poor Tiny Tim!

_Mrs. C._ They're better now. It makes them weak by candle-light; and I wouldn't show weak eyes to your father when he comes home, for the world. It must be near his time. (_Resumes her work._)

_Peter._ Past it, rather (_shutting up book_), but I think he has walked a little slower than he used, these last few evenings, mother.

_Mrs. C._ (_In a faltering voice._) I have known him walk with--I have known him walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder very fast indeed.

_Peter._ And so have I, often.

_Bel._ And so have I.

_Mrs. C._ But he was very light to carry, and his father loved him so, that it was no trouble; no trouble. And there is your father at the door.

_Enter Bob Cratchit. Belinda and Little Cratchit meet him; Peter places a chair for him, and Mrs. C. averts her head to conceal her emotion. Bob kisses Belinda, and takes Little C. on his knees, who lays his little cheek against his face._

_Bob._ Hard at work, my dears; hard at work. Why, how industrious you are, and what progress you are making. You will be done long before Sunday.

_Mrs. C._ Sunday! You went to-day, then, Robert?

_Bob._ Yes, my dear; I wish you could have gone, it would have done you good to see how green a place it is. But you'll see it often. I promised him that I would walk there on a Sunday. My little, little child! my little child! (_Rises and retires up stage to compose himself; returns and resumes his place at the table._) Oh, I must tell you of the extraordinary kindness of Mr Scrooge's nephew, whom I have scarcely seen but once, and who, meeting me in the street, and seeing that I looked a little--just a little--down, you know, inquired what had happened to distress me. On which, for he is the pleasantest-spoken gentleman you ever heard, I told him. I am heartily sorry for it, Mr. Cratchit, he said, and heartily sorry for your good wife. By-the-bye, how he ever knew _that_, I don't know.

_Mrs. C._ Knew what, my dear?

_Bob._ Why, that you were a good wife.

_Peter._ Everybody knows that!

_Bob._ Very well observed, my boy. I hope they do. Heartily sorry, he said, for your good wife. If I can be of service to you in any way, he said, giving me his card, that's where I live; pray come to me. Now, it wasn't for the sake of anything he might be able to do for us, so much as for his kind way, that this was quite delightful. It really seemed as if he had known our Tiny Tim, and felt with us.

_Mrs. C._ I'm sure he's a good soul.

_Bob._ You would be sure of it, my dear, if you saw and spoke to him. I shouldn't be at all surprised--mark my words--if he got Peter a better situation.

_Mrs. C._ Only hear that, Peter.

_Bel._ And then Peter will be keeping company with some one, and setting up for himself.

_Peter._ (_Grinning_.) Get along with you!

_Bob._ It's just as likely as not, one of these days; though there's plenty of time for that, my dear. But, however and whenever we part from one another, I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Tim, shall we?

_All._ Never, father.

_Bob._ And I know, I know, my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was--although he was a little child--we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves, and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it.

_All._ No, never, father. (_All rise._)

_Bob._ I am very happy. I am very happy! (_Kisses Mrs C., Belinda, Young C. and shakes hands with Peter._) Spirit of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence is from above.

CURTAIN.

STAVE FIVE.

SCENE I.--_Scrooge's chamber. Scrooge discovered on his knees at the easy chair._

_Scro._ Spirit! Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been, but for this intercourse. Why have shown me all that you have, if I am past all hope? Good Spirit, your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. a.s.sure me that I yet may change the shadows you have shown me, by an altered life. Your hand trembles. I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh!

tell me I may sponge away the shadows of the future. (_Grasps the easy chair in his agony, as if struggling to detain it._) Do not go, I entreat you. It shrinks, it has collapsed, it has dwindled down into an easy chair. Yes! my own chair, my own room and best--and happiest of all--my own time before me to make amends in. Oh, Jacob Marley, Heaven and the Christmas time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob; on my knees! (_Rises and goes and opens door_ R., 2d E.) They are not torn down--the bed curtains are not torn down, rings and all. They are there--I am here--the shadows of the things that would have been, may be dispelled. They will be; I know they will! (_Commences to dress himself, putting everything on wrong, etc._) I don't know what to do!

(_Laughing and crying._) I am as light as a feather; I am as happy as an angel; I am as merry as a school boy; I am as giddy as a drunken man. A Merry Christmas to every body! A Happy New year to all the world! Halloo here! Waoop! Halloo! (_Dancing and capering around the room._) There's the saucepan that the gruel was in; there's the door by which the Ghost of Jacob Marley entered; there's the corner (_pointing into adjoining room_) where the Ghost of Christmas Past sat. It's all right; it's all true; it all happened. Ha, ha, ha! (_Laughing heartily._) I don't know what day of the month it is. I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits. I don't know any thing. I'm quite a baby. Never mind; I don't care. I'd rather be a baby. Haloo! whoop! Halloo here! (_Bells or chimes commences to ring. Goes to window and opens it._) No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; golden sunlight, heavenly sky; sweet, fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious! glorious! (_Looking out of window_) Hey! you boy in your Sunday clothes, what's to-day?