A Christmas Carol

Chapter 1 Marleys Ghost

Marley was dead, to begin with theres no doubt about that. He was as dead as a doornail. Marley and Scrooge were business partners once. But then Marley died and now their firm belonged to Scrooge, who was a stingy and heartless old man. Once upon a time, on Christmas !e, old Scrooge sat busy in his office. "t was !ery cold outside and in Scrooges office it was not much warmer either. Suddenly, a cheerful person entered the office. "t was Scrooges nephew. #$ merry Christmas, uncle% &od sa!e you%' (red said. #Bah%' said Scrooge, #Humbug%' #Christmas a humbug, uncle%' said Scrooges nephew. #)ou dont mean that, " am sure*' #" do,' said Scrooge. #+hats Christmas time to you* )ou ha!e to pay bills without money% )oure a year older but not an hour richer% ,eep Christmas in your way, and let me -eep it in mine.' #,eep it* But you dont -eep it,' said Scrooges nephew, who was a !ery friendly young man. He e!en tried to cheer Scrooge up and in!ited him for dinner on Christmas .ay. But Scrooge said no and sent him out. +hen Scrooges nephew left, two gentlemen came in to collect money for the poor who had no place they could go. Stingy Scrooge, howe!er, didnt gi!e the gentlemen any money. #$re there no prisons* $re there no wor-houses*' he as-ed sarcastically and told them to lea!e the office. +hen it was time to close the office, Scrooge tal-ed to his cler-, Bob Cratchit. #)ou want all day off tomorrow, dont you*' said Scrooge. #"f that is o-ay, Sir,' answered the cler-. #"ts not o-ay,' said Scrooge, #and it is not fair. $fter all, " ha!e to pay you for the day although you dont wor-. But if it must be, " want you to start wor- e!en earlier the following morning.'

Cratchit promised that he would/ and the two went home. Scrooge li!ed all alone in an old house. 0he yard was !ery dar- and scary that night and when Scrooge wanted to unloc- the door, he had the feeling that he saw Marleys face there. 0his was rather spoo-y, but Scrooge was not frightened easily. #Humbug,' he said, opened the door and wal-ed in. He loc-ed himself in, howe!er, which he usually didnt do. But then he felt safe again and sat down before the fire. Suddenly, Scrooge heard a noise, deep down below, as if somebody was dragging a hea!y chain. 0he noise came nearer and nearer, and then Scrooge saw a ghost coming right through the hea!y door. "t was Marleys ghost, and his chains were long/ they were made of cash1bo2es, -eys and hea!y purses. #+ho are you*' said Scrooge #"n life " was your partner, 3acob Marley.' #But why do you come to me now*' #" must wander through the world and " wear the chains because " was so stingy in life. " only cared about business but not about the people around me. 4ow, " am here to warn you. )ou still ha!e a chance, bene5er. 0hree spirits will come to you. 2pect the first tomorrow, when the bell tolls one.' +hen he had said these words, Marleys ghost disappeared/ and the night became 6uiet again. Scrooge went straight to bed, without undressing, and fell asleep immediately.