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tave five（第2页）

“I’llsendittoBobCratchit’s！”whisperedScrooge，rubbinghishands，andsplittingwithalaugh。“Heshan’tknowwhosendsitIt’stwicethesizeofTinyTim。JoeMillernevermadesuchajokeassendingittoBob’swillbe！”

Thehandinwhichhewrotetheaddresswasnotasteadyone，butwriteithedid，somehow，andwentdownstairstoopenthestreetdoor，readyforthecomingofthepoulterersman。Ashestoodthere，waitinghisarrival，theknockercaughthiseye。

“Ishallloveit，aslongasIlive！”criedScrooge，pattingitwithhishand。“Iscarcelyeverlookedatitbefore。Whatanhonestexpressionithasinitsface。It’sawonderfulknocker。Here’stheturkey。Hollo！Whoop！Howareyou？MerryChristmas！”

Itwasaturkey！Henevercouldhavestooduponhislegs，thatbird。Hewouldhavesnapped’emshortoffinaminute，likesticksofsealing-wax。

“Why，it’simpossibletocarrythattoCamdenTown，”saidScrooge。“Youmusthaveacab。”Thechucklewithwhichhesaidthis，andthechucklewithwhichhepaidfortheturkey，andthechucklewithwhichhepaidforthecab，andthechucklewithwhichherecompensedtheboy，wereonlytobeexceededbythechucklewithwhichhesatdownbreathlessinhischairagain，andchuckledtillhecried。

Shavingwasnotaneasytask，forhishandcontinuedtoshakeverymuch；andshavingre-quiresattention，evenwhenyoudon’tdancewhileyouareatit。Butifhehadcuttheendofhisnoseoff，hewouldhaveputapieceofsticking-plasteroverit，andbeenquitesatisfied。

Hedressedhimself“allinhisbest，”andatlastgotoutintothestreets。Thepeoplewerebythistimepouringforth，ashehadseenthemwiththeGhostofChristmasPresent；andwalkingwithhishandsbehindhim，Scroogeregardedeveryonewithadelightfulsmile。Helookedsoirresistiblypleasant，inaword，thatthreeorfourgood-humouredfellowssaid，“Good-morning，sir。AMerryChristmastoyou！”AndScroogesaidoftenafterwards，thatofalltheblithesoundshehadeverheard，thoseweretheblithestinhisears。

Hehadnotgonefar，whencomingontowardshimhebeheldtheportlygentlemanwhohadwalkedintohiscounting-housethedaybeforeandsaid，“ScroogeandMariey’s，Ibelieve？”Itsentapangacrosshishearttothinkhowthisoldgentlemanwouldlookuponhimwhentheymet；butheknewwhatpathlaystraightbeforehim，andhetookit。

“Mydearsir，”saidScrooge，quickeninghispace，andtakingtheoldgentlemanbybothhishands。“Howdoyoudo？Ihopeyousucceededyesterday。Itwasverykindofyou。AMerryChristmastoyou，sir！”

“Mr。Scrooge？”

“Yes，”saidScrooge。“Thatismyname，andIfearitmaynotbepleasanttoyou。Allowmetoaskyourpardon。Andwillyouhavethegoodness—”hereScroogewhisperedinhisear。

“Lordblessme！”criedthegentleman，asifhisbreathweretakenaway。“MydearMr。Scrooge，areyouserious？”

“Ifyouplease，”saidScrooge。“Notafarthingless。Agreatmanyback-paymentsareincludedinit，Iassureyou。Willyoudomethatfavour？”

“Mydearsir，”saidtheother，shakinghandswithhim。“Idon’tknowwhattosaytosuchmunifi—

“Don’tsayanything，please，”retortedScrooge。“Comeandseeme。Willyoucomeandseeme？”“Iwill！”criedtheoldgentleman。Anditwasclearhemeanttodoit。

“Thankee，saidScrooge。“Iammuchobligedtoyou。Ithankyoufiftytimes。Blessyou！”

Hewenttochurch，andwalkedaboutthestreets，andwatchedthepeoplehurryingtoandfro，andpattedchildrenonthehead，andquestionedbeggars，andlookeddownintothekitchensofhouses，anduptothewindows；andfoundthateverythingcouldyieldhimpleasure。Hehadneverdreamedthatanywalk—thatanything—couldgivehimsomuchhappiness。Intheafter-noon，heturnedhisstepstowardshisnephew’shouse。

Hepassedthedooradozentimes，beforehehadthecouragetogoupandknock。Buthemadeadash，anddidit，

“Isyourmasterathome，mydear？”saidScroogetothegirl。Nicegirl！Very。

“Yes，sir。”

“Whereishe，mylove？”saidScrooge。

“He’sinthedining-room，sir，alongwithmistress。I’llshowyouupstairs，ifyouplease。”

“Thank’ee。Heknowsme，”saidScrooge，withhishandalreadyonthedining-roomlock。“I’llgoinhere，mydear。”

Heturneditgently，andsidledhisfacein，roundthedoor。Theywerelookingatthetable（whichwasspreadoutingreatarray）；fortheseyounghousekeepersarealwaysnervousonsuchpoints，andliketoseethateverythingisright。

“Fred！”saidScrooge。

Dearheartalive，howhisniecebymarriagestarted！Scroogehadforgotten，forthemoment，abouthersittinginthecornerwiththefootstool，orhewouldn’thavedoneit，onanyaccount。

Why，blessmysoul！”criedFred，“who’sthat？”

“It’sI。YouruncleScrooge。Ihavecometodinner。Willyouletmein，Fred？”

Lethimin！Itisamercyhedidn’tshakehisarmoff。Hewasathomeinfiveminutes。Nothingcouldbeheartier。Hisniecelookedjustthesame。SodidTopperwhenhecame。Sodidtheplumpsisterwhenshe