Рождественская история
Chapter 1
Scroogeshivered,andwipedtheperspirationfromhisbrow.
‘Thatisnolightpartofmypenance,’pursuedtheGhost.‘Iamhereto-nighttowarnyou,thatyouhaveyetachanceandhopeofescapingmyfate.Achanceandhopeofmyprocuring,Ebenezer.’
‘Youwerealwaysagoodfriendtome,’saidScrooge.‘Thank‘ee!’
‘Youwillbehaunted,’resumedtheGhost,‘byThreeSpirits.’
Scrooge’scountenancefellalmostaslowastheGhost’shaddone.
‘Isthatthechanceandhopeyoumentioned,Jacob?’hedemanded,inafalteringvoice.
‘Itis.’
‘I—IthinkI’drathernot,’saidScrooge.
‘Withouttheirvisits,’saidtheGhost,‘youcannothopetoshunthepathItread.Expectthefirsttomorrow,whenthebelltollsOne.’
‘Couldn’tItake‘emallatonce,andhaveitover,Jacob?’hintedScrooge.
‘Expectthesecondonthenextnightatthesamehour.ThethirduponthenextnightwhenthelaststrokeofTwelvehasceasedtovibrate.Looktoseemenomore;andlookthat,foryourownsake,yourememberwhathaspassedbetweenus!’
Whenithadsaidthesewords,thespectretookitswrapperfromthetable,andbounditrounditshead,asbefore.Scroogeknewthis,bythesmartsounditsteethmade,whenthejawswerebroughttogetherbythebandage.Heventuredtoraisehiseyesagain,andfoundhissupernaturalvisitorconfrontinghiminanerectattitude,withitschainwoundoverandaboutitsarm.
