chapter nine
to the churchyard
Scrooge stood staring at the bed. "this poor creature lies in a dark and empty house," scrooge thought, "with not a man or woman or child to remember him. l can hear rats gnawing by the fireplace. i do not dare to think what they want!"
he turned to the ghost. "this is a dreadful place!" he cried. "i shall remember what you have taught me. let us leave."
but still the ghost pointed towards the head.
"i know what you are asking," scrooge said, "but i cannot look. i cannot. is there anybody in this town who feels any emotion because this man has died? lf there is, show that person to me, i beg you!"
the ghost spread its dark robe before him like a wing. then he pulled it bake to reveal a room were a mother sat waiting with her children. she got up from time to time and walked anxiously up and down the room. she glanced at the clock, then through the window. at last her husband returned. he was young but his face looked old and worried. but now he wore a guilty smile.
"is it good news?" she asked him. "will he give us time to pay the money we owe him?"
"yes," her husband replied. "he is dead."
"thank god!" she cried. "may god forgive me for saying so."
"i do not know who will ask us to pay back the money we owe, but we shall have saved the money by then," he said,smiling. "we may sleep well, tonight, my dear.
"but they are pleased that the man is upset by death of a loved one, or i shall never forget what i have just seen." the ghost led him to bob Cratchit's house. the noisy little Cratchits sat as still as statues in the corner of the room. a knock came at the door and Mrs Cratchit ran to let in her husband. as he came in, each child ran to kiss him. he was cheerful at first. then suddenly tears fell down his cheeks. "Mr scrooge's nephew has been very kind to me," he told them. "l have only met him once' but he noticed that i looked unhappy when he passed me in the street the other day. i told him that Tiny Tim had died. He offered to help in any way he could." Bob Cratchit looked at his family. "i am sure none of us will forget poor Tiny Tim, shall we?"
"Never, father!" they all cried, getting up to kiss him. "spirit," Scrooge said. "i fell that it is almost time for you to leave. before you go, tell me the name of that man lying dead on the bed."
the ghost of Christmas yet to come hurried Scrooge past his own house and past the place where he worked. the man sitting at his desk was a stranger. "where am i?" scrooge asked himself. at last, they reached an iron gate. scrooge looked around him.