Merry Christmas, uncle! God save you.

It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he sign

had of his approach.

Merry Christmas.
Bah, humbug.
Christmas a humbug, uncle? You don't mean that, I am sure.
Ido. Merry Christmas... What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're
poor enough.
0h. come then, what right have you to be dismat? What reason have you to be morose? You are rich knorrig

enough.
Bah. humbug.
Don't be cross, uncle.
What etse can I be when I [ive in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Aut on a Merry weg met

Christmas! Whafs Christmas time to you, but a time for paying bilts without money, a time for finding
yoursetf a year otder, but not an hour richer. If I coutd work my wi[[, every idiot who goes about with
'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be bojled with his own pudding 1r1 and buried with a stake of [1] i.e. the Christmas puddirg,

holly 121 through his heart. He shoutdl [2] een staak van huLst

Unc[el
Nephew. keep Christmas in your ov.ln way and let me keep it in mjne...
Keep it, but you don't keep itl
Let me Leave it alone then. Much good may it do youl lvluch good has jt e'rer cone '.,0,1
There are many things from which I might have derived good, by v,ihich i have no: proitec. I care sa;.
Christmas among the rest. I say, God bless it.
(Bob Cratchit) Hear, hear...
Let me hear another sound from you. Mr. Cratchjt and you'tl keep your Christmas by tosing your situotion. job

(To his nephew:)

I wonder you don't get into Parljament.
You are a powerful speaker, Sir.
0h, don't be angry uncle. Come. Dine with us tomorrow.
Bah.
But why, why?
Why did you get married?
Because I
fet[ in [ove.
Because you fell jn [ove. Good afternoon.
I want nothing from you, I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?
Good afternoon.
I am sorry with aLl my heart to find you so resotute, but I have made tÉe trial lll in homoge to lzl [1] the attempt, [2] ter ere van

Christmas and i't[ keep my Christmas humour to the [ast. So, a Merry Christmas uncle...
Good afternoon.
And a Happy New Year.
Good afternoon.

His nephew stopped at the outer door to bestow the greetings of the season on the cterk, who, cold as to give
he was, was warmer than Scrooge.

Happy Christmas, Sir.

There is another fettow: Cratchit with fifteen shittings a week. a wife and family, tatking about a Merry
Christmas. I'll retire to Bedlam. i.e. ik laat me opsluiten
A gentteman to see you, Sir.
Come in, come in.
Scrooge and Martey's, I betieve. Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?
Mr. Martey has been dead these seven years. He died seven years ago, this very night.
We have no doubt his liberality is wetl represented by his surviving partner. At this festive season of vríjgevigheid

the year, Mr Scrooge, jt is more than usuatty des'irabte that we shoutd make some stight provision for

*lllEl gtnntomcnf