Chapter three: The first spirit.
Scrooge opened his eyes. It was still dark. “Had it all been a dream? ” He wondered. “How could Marley have visited me? ”
Just then he remembered that the first ghost was to come at one in the morning. Soon he heard the clock strike one.
“Nothing! No one is here,” he thought. “It all really was just a bad dream. ”
Then, just when he thought it was safe, a sudden light filled the room. At the foot of his bed he could see a white figure. Its face seemed young, but its clothes were all white.
“You are you the first spirit? ” Scrooge asked.
“Yes, I am,” the ghost answered quietly. “I am the ghost of Christmas past. ”
“Whose past? ”
“Your past. ”
The ghost led him to the window and then started to pull him out.
Suddenly they were standing in the country. It was a beautiful winter day.
“This. This is where I was born,” Scrooge cried. And he remembered the happiness and joy when he was a child.
“Are you sad? ” Asked the ghost.
“No, no, I am happy,” Scrooge said. “Then why do you cry? ”
“I am not crying,” Scrooge answered, but he could feel tears on his cheek.
Slowly Scrooge and the ghost walked toward a little village. As they came closer, they could hear the happy shouts of children playing in the distance. The boys and girls were coming from a small school. They shouted and laughed happily because it was a holiday.
“They are not real,” said the ghost. “They are only spirits from Christmas past. They cannot see us. ”
But Scrooge knew the spirits, just as he knew the streets, the houses, and the townspeople.
“Come,” said the ghost. “There is still one child left at the school. ”
“I know,” said Scrooge sadly. “I know. ” and the ghost could see tears in Scrooge's eyes.
The school was cold and dark now. One little boy sat reading at a desk. Scrooge sat down at a desk next to him and began to cry.
“It's, it's me,” Scrooge said. “Once, when I was a boy, I was left alone here on Christmas. My father and mother weren't at home. Now, suddenly, I wish I had”
Scrooge's voice grew quiet.
“What? What do you wish? ” The ghost asked politely.
“Nothing, it's too late now,” Scrooge said with heavy sadness. “It's just that last night a young boy came to my office window and sang me a Christmas Carol. But I gave him nothing. I just got angry and told him to leave. Now, I wish I had given him something”
The ghost smiled. “It's time to see another Christmas. ”
They were back in the school. This time young Scrooge was a little bigger. The school seemed even older and darker than before. The one thing that had remained the same was Scrooge sitting all alone at a desk.
Just then the door opened and a young girl ran in. “Ebenezer, it's me, your sister Fran! ” Said the girl as she ran up to Scrooge and hugged him. “Father is kinder now. He has changed his mind. He wants you to come home. ”
“I can go home? ” Young Scrooge asked with a surprised voice. “Father wants me home? ”
As the old Scrooge watched the scene, another tear ran down his cheek. It really had been a merry christmas that year.
“My sister Fran was a good woman,” Scrooge said, “Always happy and kind to everyone. ”
“She had a child, didn't she? ” The ghost asked, “Before she died? ”
“Yes, ghost, she did, my nephew Fred. He has the same happy, kindly spirit as my sister. ”
He remembered seeing Fred earlier that day and refusing his invitation to dinner. It made him feel even worse.
Now the ghost led Scrooge to a busy, crowded city. They walked up to an office.
“Do you remember this place? ” The ghost asked.
Of course,” Scrooge cried happily. “It's old mr Fezziwig's office. It's the first place I worked. Mr Fezziwig was such a happy, kind boss. ”
The ghost and Scrooge walked into the office. A fat, happy looking man sat working at his desk in his office. Suddenly he called out to his two employees. “Dick, Ebenezer! ” He shouted. “It's christmas eve. It's time to stop working and start celebrating! ”
Dick and Scrooge excitedly put away their account books and papers and built a big fire.
“I remember Dick,” old Scrooge said. “He was my best friend. ”
Just then mrs Fezziwig and the three Fezziwig daughters came into the office. They were followed by even more young people. People talked to their friends, danced to the music, and ate some wonderful food.
Scrooge enjoyed watching the party.
“I used to be different,” he thought to himself.
“Everyone loved mr Fezziwig,” the ghost said. “Why? That party was nothing special. Perhaps they were fools to be so happy over such a small thing.
“No, ghost! You are wrong! ” Scrooge said.
“Mr Fezziwig was our boss, so he could make us happy or unhappy. He could make our work easy or hard. And this party was very special to us. It made us happy, and that was even better than money! ” Scrooge was surprised when he said that.
The scene changed again. Scrooge saw a man of forty. It was himself. He could see the changes time had made. The love of money was now very clear.
“Kind ghost, please, I don't want to see anymore! ” Scrooge cried because he remembered the scene.
Scrooge was sitting with a young woman. The woman had once been his fiancée. She was crying.
“No, it is too late,” she said. “You have another love now. ”
“What? What other love? ” This Scrooge asked.
“Money,” the woman answered. “You love only money now, not me. Once, when we first met, I believe you loved me. But that is gone. Since I have no money, you have no love for me. Goodbye and good luck with your money. ”
“Please ghost, no more! I want to go home,” Scrooge cried in pain and sadness.
“No, Scrooge,” the ghost said. “There is one more scene. Hurry, for there is little time. ”
Years had passed since the last scene. There was a beautiful little girl sitting with her mother next to a big fire in a room. The mother was the woman from Scrooge's past. She saw children playing happily. Just then the father came into the room. His arms were full of christmas presents. He gave one to each of his children. They laughed and shouted as they opened the presents. They thanked their mother and father for the presents, and then they went to bed.
Now the room was quiet. There were only the man and his wife.
Then the husband spoke to her, “I saw your old friend today, Ebenezer Scrooge. I walked past his office. People say Marley is dying. Poor Scrooge, once Marley is gone, he will have no friends left in the world. ”
“Ghost! No more, please! ” Scrooge cried. “I don't want to see anymore.
“This was your life,” the ghost said. “These were the christmases of your past. How have you lived your life, Ebenezer Scrooge? ” The ghost asked. “These things happened and cannot be changed. Only the future can be changed. ”
Then the ghost disappeared. Scrooge was back in his bed. His heart ached