A CHRISTMAS CAROLby

Charles Dickens

When Charles Dickens presented this little story to the world almost a hundred years ago, he found an instant response in the hearts of people everywhere who saw in it their favorite fictional chronicle of what Christmas is, and what Christmas means to all the people of the Earth. From the day of its first printing, families have been innumerable in which there has remained unbroken the tradition that the reading of "A Christmas Carol" was an item indispensable to a proper observance of the most important of days.

Narrator

Marley was dead, to begin with. There’s no doubt whatever.

Narrator

Old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house, a grim cheerless place if ever there was one. The door of Scrooge's counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, Bob Cratchit, who in a cold and dismal little cell beyond, worked at his ledgers.

A happy Christmas carol plays and the door slams

Narrator

A merry Christmas Uncle! God save you!

Robust and happy

FRED

Bah! Humbug!

A mean old man

SCROOGE

Christmas a humbug, Uncle Scrooge? You don’t mean that, I am sure.

Happy

FRED

I do, Merry Christmas! What right do you have to be merry? What reason? You’re poor enough!

SCROOGE

Come then, what right do you have to be dismal, what reason to be morose? You’re rich enough!

FRED

Bah Humbug! What’s Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money? A time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer?

SCROOGE

Though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that Christmas has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!

FRED

Very well said, Mr. Fred!

Applauding Fred

CRATCHIT

And you, Bob Cratchit, my fine young clerk. One more sound out of you, you’ll keep Christmas by loosing you job.

SCROOGE

Beg pardon, Mr. Scrooge.

CRATCHIT

If I could work my will Fred, every idiot who goes about with “Merry Christmas” on his lips would be boiled in his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.

SCROOGE

Uncle!

FRED

Nephew! Keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine!

SCROOGE

Keep it? But you don’t keep it!

FRED

Let me leave it alone, then. Good afternoon.

SCROOGE

Don’t be angry, Uncle. Come! Dine with us tomorrow!

FRED

Good afternoon!

SCROOGE

I am sorry with all my heart to find you so resolute, Uncle. Merry Christmas!

FRED

Good afternoon!

SCROOGE

And to you too, Cratchit!

FRED

Thank you, sir.

Cratchit

And a happy New Year!

Door slamming shut

FRED

Christmas, indeed! Humbug! Bah!

Doorbell ringing

SCROOGE

Well, Cratchit. See who’s at the door!

SCROOGE

Very good, sir.

Door being opened

CRATCHIT

And who are you?

SCROOGE

Scrooge and Marley’s I believe. Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?

GENTLEMAN

Mr. Marley has been dead for seven years. He died seven years ago this very night.

SCROOGE

I have no doubt his liberality is well represented by his surviving partner.

GENTLEMAN

Liberality?

Suspicipusly

SCROOGE

At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, it is ,ore than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time.

GENTLEMAN

Are there no prisons?

SCROOGE

Oh, plenty of prisons.

GENTLEMAN

And the union workhouses? Are they still in operation?

SCROOGE

They are. Still, I wish I could say they were not.

GENTLEMAN

Oh! I was afraid from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course. Let those who are badly off go to the institutions I have just mentioned.

SCROOGE

Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.

GENTLEMAN

Let them do it then, and decrease the surplus population.

SCROOGE

Oh, I am sure you don’t mean that, Mr. Scrooge. What shall I put you down for?

GENTLEMAN

Nothing!

SCROOGE

You wish to remain anonymous?

GENTLEMAN

I wish to be left alone. Good day!

SCROOGE

I see. Good afternoon, Mr. Scrooge.

Door being shut

GENTLEMAN

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December. And you, Cratchit!

SCROOGE

Yes, Mr. Scrooge?

CRATCHIT

I suppose you’ll want to take the whole day off tomorrow?

SCROOGE

It’s customary to have the entire day off on Christmas, Mr. Scrooge.

CRATCHIT

It’s not convenient and it’s not fair! If you take the full day off I will dock you half your pay. I don’t think it’s fair for me to pay a full days wages for no work.

SCROOGE

It’s only once a year, sir…

CRATCHIT

Bah! But I suppose you must have the whole day off. See that you’re here all the earlier next morning. Good night, Cratchit.

SCROOGE

Oh, I will, Mr. Scrooge. Good night, Mr. Scrooge! And… Mr. Scrooge…

CRATCHIT

Eh?

SCROOGE

A merry Christmas, sir!

CRATCHIT

Humbug! That’s what it is, humbug!

SCROOGE

Scrooge is in his bed, tossing and turning

SCENE II

Mmm…Can’t sleep…so tired…must get some rest…Clock tolls twelve

SCROOGE

Eh? Twelve midnight already? What’s wrong with me? I can’t sleep. Something must have upset me. Ah yes! That door knocker downstairs. Strange, that door knocker. It looked like Marley’s face… my old business partner, Jacob Marley. But that’s impossible! What are you thinking about , Ebenezer Scrooge? It was the knocker, nothing else! Now get to sleep.Chains dragging

SCROOGE

Eh? What is that sound? Someone’s on the stair. Someone is dragging a chain. Humbug! There’s no one there. There’s that noise again. Chains! It’s humbug still! I won’t believe it! He can’t get in here; I locked the door before getting into bed. He can’t get in here! But… wait! He’s coming… through the door! It’s Marley, that’s who it is. Marley! I know him; it’s Marley’s Ghost! What do you want with me?

SCROOGE

Much.

MARLEY

Who…..who are you?

SCROOGE

Ask me who I was.

MARLEY

Who were you then? You are a might particular!

SCROOGE

In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.

MARLEY

Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?

SCROOGE

It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men, and travel far and wide. And if that spirit go not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death.

MARLEY

You are bound in chains, Marley. Tell me why?

SCROOGE

I wear the chains I created in life. I made it link by link, yard by yard. I tightened it on my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Do you know the weight and the length of your own chain?

MARLEY

Jacob, old Jacob Marley, speak comfort to me, Jacob!

SCROOGE

I have none to give, Ebenezer Scrooge. Hear me; my time is nearly gone.

MARLEY

I will. But don’t be hard upon me, Jacob.

SCROOGE

I am here tonight to warn you that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. You will be haunted by three spirits.

MARLEY

Is…is that the chance and hope you mentioned Jacob?

SCROOGE

It is.

MARLEY

I…I think I’d rather not.

SCROOGE

Without their visits you cannot hope to shun the path I followed. Expect the first tomorrow, when the bell tolls one.

MARLEY

Couldn’t I take them all at once?

SCROOGE

Expect the second on the next night at the same hour. The third will come the next night, when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. Goodbye Ebenezer Scrooge. You will see me no more Goodbye…

MARLEY

I am cold. Humbug, I don’t believe it! Ghosts! Ha! Humbug!

Clock tolls one

SCROOGE

One! Oh dear! It’s time for him to come, the first spirit. Nonsense, Ebenezer, there’s no one coming. It’s all humbug! (Gasps) Who…who are you? Are you the spirit whose coming was foretold to me?

SCROOGE

I am

In a kindly ghost-like voice

CHRISTMAS PAST

Who…What are you?

SCROOGE

I am the ghost of Christmas Past.

CHRISTMAS PAST

Long past?

SCROOGE

No, your past. Rise, and walk with me. Come!

CHRISTMAS PAST

Out the window? But I am a mortal and liable to fall!

SCROOGE

Bear but a torch of my hand upon your heart, and you shall be upheld in more than this.

CHRISTMAS PAST

Good Heavens, I know this place. I went to school here when I was a boy!

SCROOGE

The school is not quite deserted. A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.

CHRISTMAS PAST

Poor boy… why…it’s me! And who is that little girl running into the schoolroom?

SCROOGE

Do you not recognize her?

CHRISTMAS PAST

Why, it’s my little sister, Fan!

SCROOGE

Ebenezer, dear brother!

FAN

Poor Fan! How I miss her, now that she’s dead.

SCROOGE

I have come to bring you home, dear brother. Home home! Father is so much kinder than he used to be, that home’s like Heaven. We’re to be together all Christmas long, and we’ll be happy!

FAN

Pretty little fan! Fred’s mother… and I turned Fred from my door.

SCROOGE

Come, Ebenezer Scrooge. Another vision spreads before us!

CHRISTMAS PAST

Why, where is this?

SCROOGE

Another Christmas from your past, Ebenezer Scrooge.

CHRIISTMAS PAST

It’s the Fezziwigs! Dear old Fezziwig, the best hearted man there ever was. I worked for him when I was a lad. Old Fezziwig!

SCROOGE

Ho there, Ebenezer! It’s Christmas Eve! No more work for the day. It’s holiday time! Put up the shutters, my boy. And clear the floor! It’s time for the Christmas dance. Come, come, Ebenezer. Hurry! ‘Tis Christmas!

FEZZIWIG

Laughing

Bless his heart, old Fezziwig.

SCROOGE

Come, Ebenezer Scrooge.

CHRISTMAS PAST

Oh, let me stay a while longer.

SCROOGE

No, another vision appears. You are older still…a young man, engaged to be married, I think.

CHRISTMAS PAST

Yes, and that young lady, there, that was Belle, in intended. Lovely Belle…

SCROOGE

Listen…and remember.

CHRISTMAS PAST

It matters little, Ebenezer. To you, very little. Another idol has displaced me in your heart; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve. Our engagement is an old one, made when we were both poor. You are changed, Ebenezer. Gold and gain are all that matter to you now. I have no dowry, no fortune. And so I release you from your promise to marry me, with a full heart, for the love of him you once were. May you be happy in the life you have chosen.

BELLE

No more, Spirit! Show me no more! Take me home, no more!Clock tolls one

SCROOGE

What? One o’ clock? Could I have slept through a whole day?

Bells jingling gaily

SCROOGE

But what sound is that? Bells jingling?

SCROOGE

Laughs heartily

CHRISTMAS PAST

Laughter! Someone’s in my sitting room! I’ll see who…

SCROOGE

In a jovial voice

Come in! Come in, and know me better man!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Who…who are you, fellow?

SCROOGE

I am the ghost of Christmas Present. Look upon me!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

What’s all this mess you’ve got in my room? Holly, mistletoe, ivy, turkeys, geese, poultry.

SCROOGE

And see here! A roaring fire in the chimney, sausage, mince pies, plum puddings, oranges, pears, bowls of punch! A Christmas feast!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

All to teach me a lesson, no doubt. Well, if you have to teach me, let me profit by it. Spirit, conduct me where you will.

SCROOGE

Touch my robe!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

What house it that, the one with the peeled paint, there?

SCROOGE

Go to the window and see. Watch the people who live there; listen to their words.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

It’s a poor woman, with several young children by her side. She’s talking to them.

SCROOGE

Listen!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

What has got your precious father, then? And your brother, Tiny Tim? And Martha wasn’t as late last Christmas Day by half an hour.

MRS. CRATCHIT

Here comes Martha now, mother!

CRATCHIT BOY

Merry Christmas, mother, children!

MARTHA

Merry Christmas, Martha!

ALL

Wait till you see the goose, Martha!

CRATCHIT GIRL

Sorry I am late, but there was so much work to be done.

MARTHA

Well, never mind, so long as you all have come. Sit down by the fire and have a warm, Lord bless ye!

MRS. CRATCHIT

Look, look! Father is coming!

CRATCHIT GIRL

Hide Martha, hide! We’ll pretend you aren’t here.

CRATCHIT BOY

All right!

MARTHA

Merry Christmas, Mother, children!

BOB CRATCHIT

Merry Christmas, Father! Merry Christmas, Tiny Tim!

ALL

Merry Christmas! Mmm, the goose smells so good!

TINY TIM

And how is… why, where is our Martha?

BOB CRATCHIT

Not coming.

MRS. CRATCHIT

Not coming upon Christmas Day?

BOB CRATCHIT

We’re only teasing Father. Here I am. And a Merry Christmas to you!

MARTHA

Come on Tiny Tim. Come with us!

CRATCHIT GIRL

Come listen to the Christmas pudding sing in the copper!

CRATCHIT BOY

Oh yes, show me!

TINY TIM

And now, how did little Tim behave?

MRS. CRATCHIT

As good as gold, and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, poor little cripple, sitting by himself so much, he thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me that he hoped the people in church saw him, because he was cripple, and it might be pleasant for them to remember, upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.

BOB CRATCHIT

If only we could do something for him…but hush! Here come the children back again!

MRS. CRATCHIT

I saw the goose!

TINY TIM

And we smelled the pudding!

CRATCHIT BOY

It looks delicious!

CRATCHIT GIRL

And it will be delicious too!

MARTHA

And now… a toast!

BOB CRATCHIT

A toast! Hurrah! Serve the punch!

ALL

Mr. Scrooge! I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!

BOB CRATCHIT

The Founder of the Feast, indeed! I wish I had him here. I’d give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and hope he’s have a good appetite for it.

MRS. CRATCHIT

My dear, the children. Christmas Day!

BOB CRATCHIT

It should be Christmas Day. I’m sure on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is Bob. Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow.

MRS. CRATCHIT

My dear, Christmas Day!

BOB CRATCHIT

Very well. I’ll drink to his health for your sake and the day’s, but not for his. Long life to him! A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. He’ll be very merry and very happy, I’m sure.

MRS. CRATCHIT

To Mr. Scrooge.

All raise their glass to Mr. Scrooge

ALL

And now, a Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!

All raise their glass to the family

BOB CRATCHIT

God bless us!

ALL

God bless us, every one.

TINY TIM

Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.

SCROOGE

Why worry about poor crippled Tiny Tim? If he is going to die, he better do it, and decrease the surplus population.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

I do, I do. Oh, take me home, Spirit. Show me no more. Take me home!

SCROOGE

As you wish, Ebinezer Scrooge!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Take me home, home! Why…why I’m in my bed again. In my bed! Was it a dream? No, impossible. And yet…there’s no holly, no mistletoe! But is wasn’t a dream. I am sure of it!The clock tolls twelve

SCROOGE

Oh dear, oh dear, it’s midnight! It’s time for him to be coming, the Ghost that I fear most of all…the third. The Ghost of Christmas Future. The Ghost of Christmas yet to come.Eerie music plays

SCROOGE

GaspingIt’s he…there in the shadows, I see him. A phantom draped and hooded, coming like the mist! Am I in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come? You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in time before us. Is that so, Spirit? Ghost of the future, I fear you more than any other Ghost I have seen. But as I know, your purpose is to do me good, I am prepared to bear your company. Lead on! Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!

SCROOGE

What, Spirit? Do you, too, bring me to the home of the clerk, Bob Cratchit? You motion me toward the window. There is Mrs. Cratchit by the fire, with her sewing. And the children,,,they are so quiet! Still as statues, they are.

SCROOGE

Are you crying mother?

MARTHA

No dear, it’s… it’s the light, it hurts my eyes. They are weak by the candlelight, and I wouldn’t want to show weak eyes to your father when he comes, for the whole world. It must be time for him to come.

MRS. CRATCHIT

Past it, rather.

MARTHA

He walks a little slower than he used to, these past foe evening, mother.

CRATCHIT BOY

I’ve known him to walk with…I’ve known him to walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder, very fast indeed.

MRS. CRATCHIT

So have I, mother.

CRATCHIT GIRL

And so have we all.

MARTHA

But he was very light to carry, and his father loved him so, that it was n trouble. Now, there’s your father at the door.

MRS. CRATCHIT

Come here, Father. Sit by the fire.

MARTHA

Thank you, Martha, my dear.

BOB CRATCHIT

Your tea is ready, Father.

CRATCHIT GIRL

You…you went today, Bob?

MRS. CRATCHIT

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 we would. My little child…My Tiny Tim.

BOB CRATCHIT

Poor Tiny Tim…oh, why did he have to die? You draw me with you, Spirit. This count through which we hurry now…I know this place. This is where my place of occupation is. I see my office. Let me look in. Why…why, it is not my office! The furniture has been changed. That man at my desk, who is it? Why, it’s my nephew, Fred! What is the meaning of this? Will you answer my questions Phantom? But no; you draw me on.

SCROOGE

A churchyard, overrun with weeds and grass. What a miserable place this is, unkempt, uncared for. What wretched souls finds their ends beneath this neglected soil? You have singled out a grave. Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point, answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that may be? You answer not, you just point to the headstone. The stone is decayed, I can’t make out the name. I can only feel out the letters. The spell EB … EBE … EBENEZER SCROOGE!

SCROOGE

Then this wretched grave, this dismal end, is mine! No, Spirit, oh no! Spirit, hear me. I am not the man I was. Why show me this, Spirit? I will change! I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall live within me. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone. Tell me so! Tell me! Tell me!Clock tolling one

SCROOGE

WhimperingTell me, Spirit! Tell me! Why, shy, I’m in my room. I’m home, I’m alive! Oh, Jacob Marley, I will change! Oh, I don’t know what to do. I am as light as a feather, as happy as an angel. Merry Christmas, old room, old bed curtains! Merry Christmas old saucepan! But what am I standing here for? I must find out what it is?Window being opened

SCROOGE

Hello there, what day is it, boy?

SCROOGE

Today? Why, it’s Christmas Day!

YOUNG BOY

Thanks heavens! Christmas! Then I haven’t missed it. May I ask a favor my fine fellow?

SCROOGE

Do you know the Poulterers on the next street, at the corner? Do you know whether they’ve sold the prize turkey that was hanging up in the shop, not the little one, but great big one?

YOUNG BOY

It’s hanging there now, sir.

YOUNG BOY

Is it? What an intelligent boy you are! Go and buy it for me, here’s the money, and a half a crown extra for you.

SCROOGE

Yes sir!

YOUNG BOY

And have them send it to this address. Merry Christmas!

SCROOGE

Merry Christmas to you too, sir!

YOUNG BOY

Ha, ha! I’ll sent to Bob Cratchit! He won’t know who sent it. What a surprise it will be, twice the size of Tiny Tim! But what am I standing here in my nightshirt for? I’ve things to do, people to see. I must be off. Whee!

SCROOGE

Knock at the door

Fred!

SCROOGE

Why who is this I see?

FRED

It’s I, your Uncle Scrooge. I’ve come to dinner, for Christmas. Will you let me in Fred?

SCROOGE

Let you in! You’ll be lucky if I don’t shake your hand off! Merry Christmas, Uncle Ebenezer! Nancy! Looks who’s here! Set another place at the table. It’s Uncle Scrooge, here for Christmas dinner.

FRED

Scrooge had Christmas dinner with Fred. It is now the day after Christmas.

Ah, what a wonderful time that was at Fred’s yesterday. What a charming girl his wife is. I really must do something for them! Oh, but here comes Bob Cratchit. I hoped I’d get her to the office ahead of him to surprise him!

SCROOGE

Door opening Scrooge acts upset

Hello! What do you mean by coming here to work this time of day, Cratchit?

SCROOGE

Timidly

I am very sorry, Mr. Scrooge, sir. It won’t happen again, sir, I promise. I was making merry yesterday, and…

BOB CRATCHIT

Grumbling

Now, I’ll tell you what. I am not going to stand for this sort of thing any more, and therefore I am about to … raise your salary!

SCROOGE

In amazement

Mr. Scrooge?

BOB CRATCHIT

Laughing heartily

A Merry Christmas, Bob, a merrier Christmas, my good fellow, than I’ve given you for many a year. I’ll raise your salary … and we must find the best doctor in all of London for that young son of yours.

SCROOGE

I … I don’t know what to say, Mr. Scrooge.

BOB CRATCHIT

Don’t say anything, Bob, old fellow, This is the happiest Christmas of my life.

SCROOGE

And of mind too! As Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, every one!

BOB CRATCHIT

Merry ChristmasTo All!

ALL

THE END