Рождественская история

           Ipassedhisofficewindow;andasitwasnotshutup,andhehadacandleinside,Icouldscarcelyhelpseeinghim.Hispartnerliesuponthepointofdeath,Ihear;andtherehesatalone.Quitealoneintheworld,Idobelieve.’

           ‘Spirit,’saidScroogeinabrokenvoice,‘removemefromthisplace.’

           ‘Itoldyouthesewereshadowsofthethingsthathavebeen,’saidtheGhost.‘Thattheyarewhattheyare,donotblameme.’

           ‘Removeme,’Scroogeexclaimed,‘Icannotbearit.’

           HeturnedupontheGhost,andseeingthatitlookeduponhimwithaface,inwhichinsomestrangewaytherewerefragmentsofallthefacesithadshownhim,wrestledwithit.

           ‘Leaveme!Takemeback!Hauntmenolonger!’

           Inthestruggle,ifthatcanbecalledastruggleinwhichtheGhostwithnovisibleresistanceonitsownpartwasundisturbedbyanyeffortofitsadversary,Scroogeobservedthatitslightwasburninghighandbright;anddimlyconnectingthatwithitsinfluenceoverhim,heseizedtheextinguisher-cap,andbyasuddenactionpresseditdownuponitshead.

           TheSpiritdroppedbeneathit,sothattheextinguishercovereditswholeform;butthoughScroogepresseditdownwithallhisforce,hecouldnothidethelight,whichstreamedfromunderit,inanunbrokenfloodupontheground.

           Hewasconsciousofbeingexhausted,andovercomebyanirresistibledrowsiness;and,further,ofbeinginhisownbedroom.Hegavethecapapartingsqueeze,inwhichhishandrelaxed;andhadbarelytimetoreeltobed,beforehesankintoaheavysleep.