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tave fur（第2页）

“Idon’tmindgoingifalunchisprovided，”

observedthegentlemanwiththeexcrescenceonhisnose.“ButImustbefed，ifImakeone.”

Anotherlaugh.

“Well，Iamthemostdisinterestedamongyou，afterall，”

saidthefirstspeaker，“forIneverwearblackgloves，andInevereatlunch.ButI’lloffertogo，ifanybodyelsewill.WhenIcometothinkofit，I’mnotatallsurethatIwasn’thismostparticularfriend；forweusedtostopandspeakwheneverwemet.Bye，bye！”

Speakersandlistenersstrolledaway，andmixedwithothergroups.Scroogeknewthemen，andlookedtowardsthespiritforanexplanation.

Thephantomglidedonintoastreet.Itsfingerpointedtotwopersonsmeeting.Scroogelistenedagain，thinkingthattheexplanationmightliehere.

Heknewthesemen，also，perfectly.Theyweremenofbusiness，verywealthy，andofgreatimportance.Hehadmadeapointofalwaysstandingwellintheiresteem—inabusinesspointofview，thatis；strictlyinabusinesspointofview.

“Howareyou？”

saidone.

“Howareyou？”

returnedtheother.

“Well！”

saidthefirst.“OldScratchhasgothisownatlast，hey？”

“SoIamtold，”

returnedthesecond.“Cold，isn’tit？”

“SeasonableforChristmastime.You’renotaskater，Isuppose？”

“No.No.Somethingelsetothinkof.Good-morning！”

Notanotherword.Thatwastheirmeeting，theirconversation，andtheirparting.

Scroogewasatfirstinclinedtobesurprisedthatthespiritshouldattachimportancetoconversationsapparentlysotrivial；butfeelingassuredthattheymusthavesomehiddenpurpose，hesethimselftoconsiderwhatitwaslikelytobe.TheycouldscarcelybesupposedtohaveanybearingonthedeathofJacob，hisoldpartner，forthatwaspast，andthisghost’sprovincewasthefuture.Norcouldhethinkofanyoneimmediatelyconnectedwithhimselftowhomhecouldapplythem.Butnothingdoubtingthattowhomsoevertheyappliedtheyhadsomelatentmoralforhisownimprovement，heresolvedtotreasureupeverywordheheard，andeverythinghesaw；andespeciallytoobservetheshadowofhimselfwhenitappeared.Forhehadanexpectationthattheconductofhisfutureselfwouldgivehimthecluehemissed，andwouldrenderthesolutionoftheseriddleseasy.

Helookedaboutinthatveryplaceforhisownimage；butanothermanstoodinhisaccustomedcorner，andthoughtheclockpointedtohisusualtimeofdayforbeingthere，hesawnolikenessofhimselfamongthemultitudesthatpouredinthroughtheporch.Itgavehimlittlesurprise，however；forhehadbeenrevolvinginhismindachangeoflife，andthoughtandhopedhesawhisnew-bornresolutionscarriedoutinthis.

Quietanddark，besidehimstoodthephantom，withitsoutstretchedhand.Whenherousedhimselffromhisthoughfulquest，hefanciedfromtheturnofthehand，anditssituationinreferencetohimself，thattheunseeneyeswerelookingathimkeenly.Itmadehimshudder，andfeelverycold.

Theyleftthebusyscene，andwentintoanobscurepartofthetown，whereScroogehadneverpenetratedbefore，althoughherecogniseditssituation，anditsbadrepute.Thewayswerefoulandnarrow；theshopsandhouseswretched；thepeoplehalf-naked，drunken，slipshod，ugly.Alleysandarchways，likesomanycesspools，disgorgedtheiroffencesofsmell，anddirt，andlife，uponthestragglingstreets；andthewholequarterreekedwithcrime，withfilth，andmisery.

Farinthisdenofinfamousresort，therewasalow-browed，beetlingshop，belowapent-houseroof，whereiron，oldrags，bottles，bones，andgreasyoffal，werebought.Uponthefloorwithin，werepiledupheapsofrustykeys，nails，chains，hinges，files，scales，weights，andrefuseironofallkinds.Secretsthatfewwouldliketoscrutinisewerebredandhiddeninmountainsofunseemlyrags，massesofcorruptedfat，andsepulchresofbones.Sittinginamongthewareshedealtin，byacharcoalstove，madeofoldbricks，wasagrayhairedrascal，nearlyseventyyearsofage；whohadscreenedhimselffromthecoldairwithout，byafrowsycurtainingofmiscellaneoustatters，hunguponaline；andsmokedhispipeinalltheluxuryofcalmretirement.

Scroogeandthephantomcameintothepresenceofthisman，justasawomanwithaheavybundleslunkintotheshop.Butshehadscarcelyentered，whenanotherwoman，similarlyladen，cameintoo；andshewascloselyfollowedbyamaninfadedblack，whowasnolessstartledbythesightofthemthantheyhadbeenupontherecognitionofeachother.Afterashortperiodofblankastonishment，inwhichtheoldmanwiththepipehadjoinedthem，theyallthreeburstintoalaugh.

“Letthecharwomanalonetobethefirst！”

criedshewhohadenteredfirst.“Letthelaundressalonetobethesecond；andlettheundertakersmanalonetobethethird.Lookhere，oldJoe，here’sachance！

Ifwehaven’tallthreemetherewithoutmeaningit！”

“Youcouldn’thavemetinabetterplace，”

saidoldJoe，removinghispipefromhismouth.“Comeintotheparlour.Youweremadefreeofitlongago，youknow；andtheothertwoain’tstrangers.StoptillIshutthedooroftheshop.Ah！

Howitscreaks！

Thereain’tsucharustybitofmetalintheplaceasitsownhinges，Ibelieve；andI’msurethere’snosucholdboneshere，asmine.Ha，ha！

We’reallsuitabletoourcalling；werewellmatched.Comeintotheparlour.Comeintotheparlour.”

Theparlourwasthespacebehindthescreenofrags；theoldmanrakedthefiretogetherwithanoldstair-rod，andhavingtrimmedhissmokylamp（foritwasnight）withthestemofhispipe，putitintohismouthagain.

Whilehedidthis，thewomanwhohadalreadyspokenthrewherbundleonthefloorandsatdowninaflauntingmanneronastool；crossingherelbowsonherknees，andlookingwithabolddefianceattheothertwo.