第三章

天才一秒记住【阅读阁】地址:yueduge.cc

Holly,mistletoe,redberries,ivy,turkeys,geese,game,poultry,brawn,meat,pigs,sausages,oysters,pies,puddings,fruit,andpunch,allvanishedinstantly。Sodidtheroom,thefire,theruddyglow,thehourofnight,andtheystoodinthecitystreetsonChristmasmorning,where(fortheweatherwassevere)thepeoplemadearough,butbriskandnotunpleasantkindofmusic,inscrapingthesnowfromthepavementinfrontoftheirdwellings,andfromthetopsoftheirhouses,whenceitwasmaddelighttotheboystoseeitcomeplumpingdownintotheroadbelow,andsplittingintoartificiallittlesnow-storms。

Thehousefrontslookedblackenough,andthewindowsblacker,contrastingwiththesmoothwhitesheetofsnowupontheroofs,andwiththedirtiersnowupontheground;whichlastdeposithadbeenploughedupindeepfurrowsbytheheavywheelsofcartsandwaggons;furrowsthatcrossedandrecrossedeachotherhundredsoftimeswherethegreatstreetsbranchedoff;andmadeintricatechannels,hardtotraceinthethickyellowmudandicywater。Theskywasgloomy,andtheshorteststreetswerechokedupwithadingymist,halfthawed,halffrozen,whoseheavierparticlesdescendedinashowerofsootyatoms,asifallthechimneysinGreatBritainhad,byoneconsent,caughtfire,andwereblazingawaytotheirdearhearts‘content。Therewasnothingverycheerfulintheclimateorthetown,andyetwasthereanairofcheerfulnessabroadthattheclearestsummerairandbrightestsummersunmighthaveendeavouredtodiffuseinvain。

For,thepeoplewhowereshovellingawayonthehousetopswerejovialandfullofglee;callingouttooneanotherfromtheparapets,andnowandthenexchangingafacetioussnowball--better-naturedmissilefarthanmanyawordyjest--laughingheartilyifitwentrightandnotlessheartilyifitwentwrong。Thepoulterers‘shopswerestillhalfopen,andthefruiterers’wereradiantintheirglory。Thereweregreat,round,round,pot-belliedbasketsofchestnuts,shapedlikethewaistcoatsofjollyoldgentlemen,lollingatthedoors,andtumblingoutintothestreetintheirapoplecticopulence。Therewereruddy,brown-faced,broad-girthedSpanishonions,shininginthefatnessoftheirgrowthlikeSpanishFriars,andwinkingfromtheirshelvesinwantonslynessatthegirlsastheywentby,andglanceddemurelyatthehung-upmistletoe。Therewerepearsandapples,clusteredhighinbloomingpyramids;therewerebunchesofgrapes,made,intheshopkeepers‘benevolence,todanglefromconspicuoushooks,thatpeople'smouthsmightwatergratisastheypassed;therewerepilesoffilberts,mossyandbrown,recalling,intheirfragrance,ancientwalksamongthewoods,andpleasantshufflingsankledeepthroughwitheredleaves;therewereNorfolkBiffins,squatandswarthy,settingofftheyellowoftheorangesandlemons,and,inthegreatcompactnessoftheirjuicypersons,urgentlyentreatingandbeseechingtobecarriedhomeinpaperbagsandeatenafterdinner。Theverygoldandsilverfish,setforthamongthesechoicefruitsinabowl,thoughmembersofadullandstagnant-bloodedrace,appearedtoknowthattherewassomethinggoingon;and,toafish,wentgaspingroundandroundtheirlittleworldinslowandpassionlessexcitement。

TheGrocers‘!oh,theGrocers’!nearlyclosed,withperhapstwoshuttersdown,orone;butthroughthosegapssuchglimpses!Itwasnotalonethatthescalesdescendingonthecountermadeamerrysound,orthatthetwineandrollerpartedcompanysobriskly,orthatthecanisterswererattledupanddownlikejugglingtricks,oreventhattheblendedscentsofteaandcoffeeweresogratefultothenose,oreventhattheraisinsweresoplentifulandrare,thealmondssoextremelywhite,thesticksofcinnamonsolongandstraight,theotherspicessodelicious,thecandiedfruitssocakedandspottedwithmoltensugarastomakethecoldestlookers-onfeelfaintandsubsequentlybilious。Norwasitthatthefigsweremoistandpulpy,orthattheFrenchplumsblushedinmodesttartnessfromtheirhighly-decoratedboxes,orthateverythingwasgoodtoeatandinitsChristmasdress;butthecustomerswereallsohurriedandsoeagerinthehopefulpromiseoftheday,thattheytumbledupagainsteachotheratthedoor,crashingtheirwickerbasketswildly,andlefttheirpurchasesuponthecounter,andcamerunningbacktofetchthem,andcommittedhundredsofthelikemistakes,inthebesthumourpossible;whiletheGrocerandhispeopleweresofrankandfreshthatthepolishedheartswithwhichtheyfastenedtheirapronsbehindmighthavebeentheirown,wornoutsideforgeneralinspection,andforChristmasdawstopeckatiftheychose。

Butsoonthesteeplescalledgoodpeopleall,tochurchandchapel,andawaytheycame,flockingthroughthestreetsintheirbestclothes,andwiththeirgayestfaces。Andatthesametimethereemergedfromscoresofbye-streets,lanes,andnamelessturnings,innumerablepeople,carryingtheirdinnerstothebaker‘shops。ThesightofthesepoorrevellersappearedtointeresttheSpiritverymuch,forhestoodwithScroogebesidehiminabaker'sdoorway,andtakingoffthecoversastheirbearerspassed,sprinkledincenseontheirdinnersfromhistorch。Anditwasaveryuncommonkindoftorch,foronceortwicewhentherewereangrywordsbetweensomedinner-carrierswhohadjostledeachother,heshedafewdropsofwateronthemfromit,andtheirgoodhumourwasrestoreddirectly。Fortheysaid,itwasashametoquarreluponChristmasDay。Andsoitwas。Godloveit,soitwas。

Intimethebellsceased,andthebakerswereshutup;andyettherewasagenialshadowingforthofallthesedinnersandtheprogressoftheircooking,inthethawedblotchofwetaboveeachbaker'soven;wherethepavementsmokedasifitsstoneswerecookingtoo。

`Isthereapeculiarflavourinwhatyousprinklefromyourtorch?‘askedScrooge。

`Thereis。Myown。‘

`Woulditapplytoanykindofdinneronthisday?‘askedScrooge。

`Toanykindlygiven。Toapooronemost。‘

`Whytoapooronemost?‘askedScrooge。

`Becauseitneedsitmost。‘

`Spirit,‘saidScrooge,afteramoment'sthought,`Iwonderyou,ofallthebeingsinthemanyworldsaboutus,shoulddesiretocrampthesepeople'sopportunitiesofinnocentenjoyment。’

`I?‘criedtheSpirit。

`Youwoulddeprivethemoftheirmeansofdiningeveryseventhday,oftentheonlydayonwhichtheycanbesaidtodineatall,‘saidScrooge。`Wouldn'tyou?’

`I?‘criedtheSpirit。

`YouseektoclosetheseplacesontheSeventhDay,‘saidScrooge。`Anditcomestothesamething!’

`Iseek?‘exclaimedtheSpirit。

`ForgivemeifIamwrong。Ithasbeendoneinyourname,oratleastinthatofyourfamily,‘saidScrooge。

`Therearesomeuponthisearthofyours,‘returnedtheSpirit,`wholayclaimtoknowus,andwhodotheirdeedsofpassion,pride,ill-will,hatred,envy,bigotry,andselfishnessinourname,whoareasstrangetousandallourkithandkin,asiftheyhadneverlived。Rememberthat,andchargetheirdoingsonthemselves,notus。’

Scroogepromisedthathewould;andtheywenton,invisible,astheyhadbeenbefore,intothesuburbsofthetown。ItwasaremarkablequalityoftheGhost(whichScroogehadobservedatthebaker's),thatnotwithstandinghisgiganticsize,hecouldaccommodatehimselftoanyplacewithease;andthathestoodbeneathalowroofquiteasgracefullyandlikeasupernaturalcreature,asitwaspossiblehecouldhavedoneinanyloftyhall。

AndperhapsitwasthepleasurethegoodSpirithadinshowingoffthispowerofhis,orelseitwashisownkind,generous,heartynature,andhissympathywithallpoormen,thatledhimstraighttoScrooge'sclerk's;fortherehewent,andtookScroogewithhim,holdingtohisrobe;andonthethresholdofthedoortheSpiritsmiled,andstoppedtoblessBobCratchit'sdwellingwiththesprinklingofhistorch。Thinkofthat。Bobhadbutfifteenboba-weekhimself;hepocketedonSaturdaysbutfifteencopiesofhisChristianname;andyettheGhostofChristmasPresentblessedhisfour-roomedhouse。

ThenuproseMrsCratchit,Cratchit'swife,dressedoutbutpoorlyinatwice-turnedgown,butbraveinribbons,whicharecheapandmakeagoodlyshowforsixpence;andshelaidthecloth,assistedbyBelindaCratchit,secondofherdaughters,alsobraveinribbons;whileMasterPeterCratchitplungedaforkintothesaucepanofpotatoes,andgettingthecornersofhismonstrousshirtcollar(Bob'sprivateproperty,conferreduponhissonandheirinhonouroftheday)intohismouth,rejoicedtofindhimselfsogallantlyattired,andyearnedtoshowhislineninthefashionableParks。AndnowtwosmallerCratchits,boyandgirl,cametearingin,screamingthatoutsidethebaker'stheyhadsmeltthegoose,andknownitfortheirown;andbaskinginluxuriousthoughtsofsageandonion,theseyoungCratchitsdancedaboutthetable,andexaltedMasterPeterCratchittotheskies,whilehe(notproud,althoughhiscollarsnearlychokedhim)blewthefire,untiltheslowpotatoesbubblingup,knockedloudlyatthesaucepan-lidtobeletoutandpeeled。

`Whathasevergotyourpreciousfatherthen?‘saidMrsCratchit。`Andyourbrother,TinyTim。AndMarthawarn'taslatelastChristmasDaybyhalf-an-hour。’

`Here'sMartha,mother,‘saidagirl,appearingasshespoke。

`Here'sMartha,mother!‘criedthetwoyoungCratchits。`Hurrah!There'ssuchagoose,Martha!’

`Why,blessyourheartalive,mydear,howlateyouare!‘saidMrsCratchit,kissingheradozentimes,andtakingoffhershawlandbonnetforherwithofficiouszeal。

`We'dadealofworktofinishuplastnight,‘repliedthegirl,`andhadtoclearawaythismorning,mother。’

`Well!Nevermindsolongasyouarecome,‘saidMrsCratchit。`Sityedownbeforethefire,mydear,andhaveawarm,Lordblessye。’

`No,no。There'sfathercoming,‘criedthetwoyoungCratchits,whowereeverywhereatonce。`Hide,Martha,hide!’

SoMarthahidherself,andincamelittleBob,thefather,withatleastthreefeetofcomforterexclusiveofthefringe,hangingdownbeforehim;andhisthreadbareclothesdarnedupandbrushed,tolookseasonable;andTinyTimuponhisshoulder。AlasforTinyTim,heborealittlecrutch,andhadhislimbssupportedbyanironframe。

`Why,where'sourMartha?‘criedBobCratchit,lookinground。

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