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5: THE SECOND OF THE ing bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim
with their delicious steam.
THREE SPIRITS
Upon this couch, there sat a jolly giant, glori-
Awakening and sitting up in bed to get his ous to see: who bore a glowing torch, which he
thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to held up high, to shed its light on Scrooge, as he
be told that the bell was again upon the stroke came peeping round the door.
of one. But, being prepared for almost anything,
he was not by any means prepared for nothing; ‘Come in!’ exclaimed the Ghost. ‘Come in and
and, consequently, when the bell struck one, know me better!’
and no shape appeared, he was taken with a
violent fit of trembling. Scrooge entered timidly. He was not the dog-
ged Scrooge he had been; and though the
Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an Spirit’s eyes were clear and kind, he did not like
hour went by, yet nothing came. All this time, to meet them.
as he lay upon his bed, a blaze of ruddy light,
streamed upon the clock, which Scrooge ‘I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,’ said the
began to think at last might be coming from the Spirit. ‘Look upon me!’
adjoining room. This idea taking full possession
of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his Scrooge did so. It was clothed in one simple
slippers to the door. green robe, bordered with white fur. Its feet,
observable beneath the ample folds of the
The moment Scrooge’s hand was on the lock, a garment, were bare; and on its head it wore
strange voice called him by his name and bade no other covering than a holly wreath, set here
him enter. He obeyed. and there with shining icicles. Its dark brown
curls were long and free: free as its genial face,
It was his own room. There was no doubt about its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery
that. But it had undergone a surprising transfor- voice, and its joyful air.
mation. The walls and ceiling were hung with
living green, from every part of which bright ‘You’ve never seen the like of me before!’
gleaming berries glistened. The crisp leaves of exclaimed the Spirit.
holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected back the light,
as if so many little mirrors had been scattered ‘Never,’ Scrooge made answer.
there; and such a mighty blaze went roaring up
the chimney. Heaped upon the floor, to form a The Ghost of Christmas Present rose.
kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, great joints
of meat, long wreaths of sausages, mince- ‘Spirit,’ said Scrooge submissively, ‘conduct me
pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot where you will. I went forth last night
chestnuts, cherry-cheeked apples, juicy orang- and I learned a lesson which is
es, luscious pears, immense cakes, and seeth- working now. Tonight, if you

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 School Radio

A Christmas Carol - 5: The second of the three spirits

have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.’ ‘We’d a deal of work to finish up last night,’
replied the girl, ‘and had to clear away this
‘Touch my robe!’ said the Spirit. morning, mother!’

Scrooge did as he was told and held it fast. ‘Well! Never mind, so long as you’re come,’
said Mrs Cratchit. ‘Sit down before the fire, my
Holly, mistletoe, red berries - all vanished dear, and have a warm!’
instantly. So did the room, the fire, the ruddy
glow. They stood, invisible as before, in the ‘No, no! There’s father coming,’ cried the two
suburbs of the town on Christmas morning, young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once.
before the house of Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Crat- ‘Hide, Martha, hide!’
chit.
So Martha hid herself, and in came Bob, the
Up rose Mrs Cratchit, dressed poorly, but brave father, in his threadbare clothes with Tiny Tim
in ribbons, which are cheap and make a good- upon his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a
ly show for sixpence; and she laid the cloth, little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an
assisted by Belinda Cratchit, second of her iron frame!
daughters, while Master Peter Cratchit plunged
a fork into the saucepan of potatoes. Now two ‘Why, where’s our Martha?’ cried Bob, looking
smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing round.
in, screaming that outside the baker’s they had
smelt the goose, and known it for their own; ‘Not coming,’ said Mrs Cratchit.
and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage-and-
onion, these young Cratchits danced about ‘Not coming!’ said Bob. ‘Not coming upon
the table, and exalted Master Peter Cratchit to Christmas Day!’
the skies, while he blew the fire, until the slow
potatoes bubbling up, knocked loudly at the Martha didn’t like to see him disappointed, even
saucepan-lid to be let out and peeled. if it were only in joke, so she came out from
behind the closet door, and ran into his arms,
‘What has ever got your father then?’ said Mrs while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim,
Cratchit. ‘And your brother, Tiny Tim! And your and bore him off into the wash-house, that he
sister Martha warn’t as late last Christmas Day might hear the pudding singing in the pot.
by half-an-hour!’
‘And how did little Tim behave?’ asked Mrs
‘Here’s Martha, mother!’ said a girl, appearing Cratchit, when Bob had hugged his daughter to
as she spoke. his heart’s content.

‘Here’s Martha, mother!’ cried two young Crat- ‘Good as gold,’ said Bob, ‘and better. Some-
chits. ‘Hurrah! There’s such a goose, Martha!’ how he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself
so much, and thinks the strangest things
‘Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you ever heard. He told me, coming
you are!’ said Mrs Cratchit. home, that he hoped the people

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A Christmas Carol - 5: The second of the three spirits

saw him in the church, because he was a size and cheapness, were the themes of uni-
cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to re- versal admiration. Eked out by apple sauce and
member upon Christmas Day, who made lame mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for
beggars walk, and blind men see.’ the whole family.

Bob’s voice was tremulous when he told them The plates were changed by Miss Belinda and
this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny now Mrs Cratchit left the room, to take the
Tim was growing strong and hearty. pudding up, and bring it in. Suppose it should
not be done enough! Suppose it should break
His little crutch was heard upon the floor, and in turning out! Suppose somebody should have
back came Tiny Tim before another word was got over the wall of the backyard, and stolen it,
spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to while they were merry with the goose! All sorts
his stool before the fire. Bob, turned up his of horrors were supposed by Mrs Cratchit.
cuffs and compounded some hot mixture in a
jug, and stirred it round and round and put it on In half a minute Mrs Cratchit returned: flushed
the hob to simmer; while Master Peter, and the but smiling proudly, with the pudding, like a
two young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blaz-
with which they soon returned. ing in ignited brandy, and with Christmas holly
stuck into the top.
Such a bustle ensued that you might have
thought a goose the rarest of all birds; a Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said
feathered phenomenon; and, in truth, it was that he regarded it as the greatest success
something very like it in that house. Mrs Crat- achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage.
chit made the gravy hissing hot; Master Peter Mrs Cratchit said that now the weight was off
mashed the potatoes with incredible vigour; her mind, she would confess that she had had
Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple-sauce; her doubts about the quantity of flour. Every-
Martha dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny body had something to say about it, but nobody
Tim beside him in a tiny corner at the table; the said or thought it was at all a small pudding for
two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody. such a large family.

At last the dishes were set, and grace was said. At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was
It was succeeded by a breathless pause, as cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made
Mrs Cratchit, looked slowly all along the carv- up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and
ing-knife, preparing to plunge it in the goose. considered perfect, apples and oranges were
And when she did, and the long expected gush put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chest-
of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight nuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family
arose all round the table, and even Tiny Tim drew round the hearth, and at Bob Cratchit’s
beat on the table with the handle of his knife, elbow stood the family display of glass: two
and feebly cried Hurrah! tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.

Bob said he didn’t believe there ever was such These held the hot stuff from the jug,
a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavour, however, as well as golden goblets

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 School Radio

A Christmas Carol - 5: The second of the three spirits

would have done; and Bob served it out with ‘Mr Scrooge!’ said Bob; ‘I give you Mr Scrooge,
beaming looks, while the chestnuts upon the the Founder of the Feast!’
fire sputtered and cracked noisily. Then Bob
proposed: ‘The Founder of the Feast indeed!’ cried Mrs
Cratchit, reddening. ‘I wish I had him here. I’d
‘A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God give him a piece of my mind to feast upon.’
bless us!’
‘My dear,’ said Bob, ‘the children; Christmas
Which all the family re-echoed. Day.’

‘God bless us every one!’ said Tiny Tim, the last ‘It should be Christmas Day, I am sure,’ said
of all. she, ‘on which one drinks the health of such
an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr
He sat very close to his father’s side upon his Scrooge. You know he is, Robert! Nobody
little stool. Bob held his withered little hand in knows it better than you do!’
his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep
him by his side, and dreaded that he might be ‘My dear,’ was Bob’s mild answer, ‘Christmas
taken from him. Day.’

‘Spirit,’ said Scrooge, with an interest he had ‘I’ll drink his health for your sake and the day’s,’
never felt before, ‘tell me if Tiny Tim will live.’ said Mrs Cratchit, ‘not for his. Long life to him.
A merry Christmas and a happy new year! He’ll
‘I see a vacant seat,’ replied the Ghost, ‘in the be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!’
poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an she added.
owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows
remain unaltered by the Future, the child will The children drank the toast after her. It was
die.’ the first of their proceedings which had no
heartiness. Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he
‘Oh no,’ said Scrooge. ‘Oh, no, kind Spirit! say didn’t care two-pence for it. Scrooge was the
he’ll be spared.’ ogre of the family. The mention of his name
cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not
‘If he be like to die,’ returned the Ghost, ‘he had dispelled for full five minutes.
better do it, and decrease the surplus popula-
tion.’ After it had passed away, they were ten times
merrier than before, from the mere relief of
Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words Scrooge being done with. Bob told them how
quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with he’d enquired about a job for Master Peter,
penitence and grief. He bent before the Ghost’s which would bring in, if obtained, full five shil-
rebuke, and trembling cast his eyes upon the lings and sixpence weekly. The two young
ground. But he raised them speedily, on hear- Cratchits laughed tremendously at the idea
ing his own name. of Peter’s being a man of business; and
Peter himself looked thoughtfully

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 School Radio

A Christmas Carol - 5: The second of the three spirits

at the fire, as if he were deliberating what

particular investments he should favour when
he came into the receipt of that bewildering
income.

All this time the chestnuts and the jug went

round and round; and bye and bye they had a
song, about a lost child travelling in the snow,
from Tiny Tim, who had a plaintive little voice,
and sang it very well indeed.

There was nothing of high mark in this. They

were not a handsome family; they were not
well dressed; their shoes were far from being
water-proof; their clothes were scanty. But, they
were happy, grateful, pleased with one anoth-
er and contented. And, when they faded, and
looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of
the Spirit’s torch at parting, Scrooge had his
eye upon them - and especially on Tiny Tim -
until the last.

School Radio www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio © BBC 2016