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tave fur（第2页）

“It’slikelytobeaverycheapfuneral，”saidthesamespeaker；“foruponmylifeIdon’tknowofanybodytogotoit。Supposewemakeupapartyandvolunteer？”

“Idon’tmindgoingifalunchisprovided，”observedthegentlemanwiththeexcrescenceonhisnose。“ButImustbefed，ifImakeone。”

Anotherlaugh。

“Well，Iamthemostdisinterestedamongyou，afterall，”saidthefirstspeaker，“forIneverwearblackgloves，andInevereatlunch。ButI’lloffertogo，ifanybodyelsewill。WhenIcometothinkofit，I’mnotatallsurethatIwasn’thismostparticularfriend；forweusedtostopandspeakwheneverwemet。Bye，bye！”

Speakersandlistenersstrolledaway，andmixedwithothergroups。Scroogeknewthemen，andlookedtowardsthespiritforanexplanation。

Thephantomglidedonintoastreet。Itsfingerpointedtotwopersonsmeeting。Scroogelistenedagain，thinkingthattheexplanationmightliehere。

Heknewthesemen，also，perfectly。Theyweremenofbusiness，verywealthy，andofgreatimportance。Hehadmadeapointofalwaysstandingwellintheiresteem—inabusinesspointofview，thatis；strictlyinabusinesspointofview。

“Howareyou？”saidone。

“Howareyou？”returnedtheother。

“Well！”saidthefirst。“OldScratchhasgothisownatlast，hey？”

“SoIamtold，”returnedthesecond。“Cold，isn’tit？”

“SeasonableforChristmastime。You’renotaskater，Isuppose？”

“No。No。Somethingelsetothinkof。Good-morning！”

Notanotherword。Thatwastheirmeeting，theirconversation，andtheirparting。

Scroogewasatfirstinclinedtobesurprisedthatthespiritshouldattachimportancetoconversationsapparentlysotrivial；butfeelingassuredthattheymusthavesomehiddenpurpose，hesethimselftoconsiderwhatitwaslikelytobe。TheycouldscarcelybesupposedtohaveanybearingonthedeathofJacob，hisoldpartner，forthatwaspast，andthisghost’sprovincewasthefuture。Norcouldhethinkofanyoneimmediatelyconnectedwithhimselftowhomhecouldapplythem。Butnothingdoubtingthattowhomsoevertheyappliedtheyhadsomelatentmoralforhisownimprovement，heresolvedtotreasureupeverywordheheard，andeverythinghesaw；andespeciallytoobservetheshadowofhimselfwhenitappeared。Forhehadanexpectationthattheconductofhisfutureselfwouldgivehimthecluehemissed，andwouldrenderthesolutionoftheseriddleseasy。

Helookedaboutinthatveryplaceforhisownimage；butanothermanstoodinhisaccustomedcorner，andthoughtheclockpointedtohisusualtimeofdayforbeingthere，hesawnolikenessofhimselfamongthemultitudesthatpouredinthroughtheporch。Itgavehimlittlesurprise，however；forhehadbeenrevolvinginhismindachangeoflife，andthoughtandhopedhesawhisnew-bornresolutionscarriedoutinthis。

Quietanddark，besidehimstoodthephantom，withitsoutstretchedhand。Whenherousedhimselffromhisthoughfulquest，hefanciedfromtheturnofthehand，anditssituationinreferencetohimself，thattheunseeneyeswerelookingathimkeenly。Itmadehimshudder，andfeelverycold。

Theyleftthebusyscene，andwentintoanobscurepartofthetown，whereScroogehadneverpenetratedbefore，althoughherecogniseditssituation，anditsbadrepute。Thewayswerefoulandnarrow；theshopsandhouseswretched；thepeoplehalf-naked，drunken，slipshod，ugly。Alleysandarchways，likesomanycesspools，disgorgedtheiroffencesofsmell，anddirt，andlife，uponthestragglingstreets；andthewholequarterreekedwithcrime，withfilth，andmisery。

Farinthisdenofinfamousresort，therewasalow-browed，beetlingshop，belowapent-houseroof，whereiron，oldrags，bottles，bones，andgreasyoffal，werebought。Uponthefloorwithin，werepiledupheapsofrustykeys，nails，chains，hinges，files，scales，weights，andrefuseironofallkinds。Secretsthatfewwouldliketoscrutinisewerebredandhiddeninmountainsofunseemlyrags，massesofcorruptedfat，andsepulchresofbones。Sittinginamongthewareshedealtin，byacharcoalstove，madeofoldbricks，wasagrayhairedrascal，nearlyseventyyearsofage；whohadscreenedhimselffromthecoldairwithout，byafrowsycurtainingofmiscellaneoustatters，hunguponaline；andsmokedhispipeinalltheluxuryofcalmretirement。

Scroogeandthephantomcameintothepresenceofthisman，justasawomanwithaheavybundleslunkintotheshop。Butshehadscarcelyentered，whenanotherwoman，similarlyladen，cameintoo；andshewascloselyfollowedbyamaninfadedblack，whowasnolessstartledbythesightofthemthantheyhadbeenupontherecognitionofeachother。Afterashortperiodofblankastonishment，inwhichtheoldmanwiththepipehadjoinedthem，theyallthreeburstintoalaugh。

“Letthecharwomanalonetobethefirst！”criedshewhohadenteredfirst。“Letthelaundressalonetobethesecond；andlettheundertakersmanalonetobethethird。Lookhere，oldJoe，here’sachance！Ifwehaven’tallthreemetherewithoutmeaningit！”

“Youcouldn’thavemetinabetterplace，”saidoldJoe，removinghispipefromhismouth。“Comeintotheparlour。Youweremadefreeofitlongago，youknow；andtheothertwoain’tstrangers。StoptillIshutthedooroftheshop。Ah！Howitscreaks！Thereain’tsucharustybitofmetalintheplaceasitsownhinges，Ibelieve；andI’msurethere’snosucholdboneshere，asmine。Ha，ha！We’reallsuitabletoourcalling；werewellmatched。Comeintotheparlour。Comeintotheparlour。”

Theparlourwasthespacebehindthescreenofrags；theoldmanrakedthefiretogetherwithanoldstair-rod，andhavingtrimmedhissmokylamp（foritwasnight）withthestemofhispipe，putitintohismouthagain。

Whilehedidthis，thewomanwhohadalreadyspokenthrewherbundleonthefloorandsatdowninaflauntingmanneronastool；crossingherelbowsonherknees，andlookingwithabolddefianceattheothertwo。