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  • Chapter 3

    An hour and forty minutes later, Hartley stepped off the train at Floralhurst. He walked quickly to his beautiful two-story cottage with its wide lawn.

    A woman with long black hair and a white summer dress came running to meet him. She hugged him tightly.

    When they entered the hall, she said:
    “Mamma is here. The car will come for her in half an hour. She came to dinner—but there’s no dinner.”

    “I must tell you something,” Hartley said seriously. “I wanted to say it gently, but since your mother is here, we may as well say it now.”

    He bent down and whispered in her ear.

    His wife screamed. Her mother ran into the hall. Then his wife screamed again—but this time with joy.

    “Oh, mamma!” she cried happily. “What do you think? Vivienne is coming to cook for us! She is the same girl who worked for the Montgomerys for a whole year. And now, Billy dear,” she added sweetly, “you must go right down to the kitchen and send Hloise away. She has been drunk all day again.”

  • Chapter 2

    Hartley rang the “McComus” bell. The door opened slowly, as if it wasn’t sure whether to trust him. He climbed the stairs. On the fourth floor he found Vivienne standing in the doorway. She smiled brightly and invited him inside.

    Vivienne was twenty-one. She had golden-red hair, blue eyes, and a clear white face. She looked both strong and graceful. Her simple clothes made her appear like both a country girl and a lady.

    “Vivienne,” said Hartley, “you didn’t answer my letter. I searched for a week to find you. Why did you keep me waiting?”

    The girl looked out the window.
    “Mr. Hartley, I don’t know what to say. I know life with you would have many advantages. Sometimes I think I would be happy. But other times, I am not sure. I am a city girl, and I am afraid of a quiet life in the suburbs.”

    “My dear,” Hartley said with passion, “you will have everything you want. We can go to the city for theatres, shopping, and visits whenever you like. You can trust me.”

    “Yes,” she said with a smile. “I know you are kind. Any girl will be lucky to marry you.”

    Hartley’s heart filled with hope.
    “Promise me, Vivienne. Come with me. You will never regret it.”

    Vivienne sighed and looked at her hands. Hartley suddenly became suspicious.
    “Tell me,” he asked, “is there someone else?”

    Her face turned red.
    “Yes, there is another man. But I have promised him nothing.”

    “His name?” asked Hartley sharply.

    “Townsend.”

    Hartley’s jaw tightened.
    “Rafford Townsend! After all I’ve done for him!”

    Vivienne leaned out the window.
    “His car has stopped below. He is coming now for my answer. Oh, I don’t know what to do!”

    The doorbell rang. Hartley said firmly:
    “Stay here. I will meet him.”

    Townsend came up the stairs quickly. He stopped when he saw Hartley.

    “Go back,” said Hartley, pointing to the stairs.

    Townsend tried to smile. “What’s the problem, old friend?”

    “Go back,” repeated Hartley. “The kill is mine.”

    Townsend pretended he had come to see a plumber, but finally he left, angry.

    Hartley returned to Vivienne.
    “I must have you,” he said. “No more delays.”

    “When do you want me?” she asked.

    “Now. As soon as you are ready.”

    She looked at him seriously.
    “Do you think I would come while Hloise is still in your house?”

    Hartley felt shocked.
    “She shall go,” he said. “I will send her away tonight.”

    “Then,” said Vivienne, “my answer is yes.”

  • Chapter 1

    On the glass door of Room 962 were the words: “Robbins & Hartley, Brokers.”
    It was after five o’clock. The clerks had already gone home. Cleaning women walked through the tall office building. Hot air came through the open windows, mixed with city smells.

    Robbins was about fifty. He liked theatre shows and hotel bars. He joked with his young partner.

    “Tonight will be very hot,” Robbins said. “You people who live outside the city will be lucky. You will have fresh air, insects singing, and cold drinks on the porch.”

    Hartley, twenty-nine, serious and nervous, only sighed.
    “Yes,” he said, “it is always cooler in Floralhurst at night.”

    At that moment a man entered. He looked mysterious. He walked straight to Hartley.
    “I found her address,” the man whispered dramatically.

    Hartley frowned at him to be quiet. Robbins, meanwhile, put on his hat and cane and left for his evening entertainment.

    “Here is the address,” the man said normally now, giving Hartley a piece of paper. It said:

    “Vivienne Arlington, No. 341 East – Street, care of Mrs. McComus.”

    “She moved there last week,” said the man. “Do you want me to follow her? I can do a fine job—only $7 a day plus expenses.”

    “No, that’s not necessary,” Hartley interrupted. “I only wanted the address. How much do I owe you?”

    “Ten dollars,” said the detective.

    Hartley paid him and left the office. He took a Broadway streetcar, then another car that brought him to an old part of town. After walking a few blocks, he arrived at a new apartment house called The Vallambrosa. Its balconies and fire escapes were full of laundry, children, and even plants trying to survive the summer heat

  • Chapter 5 – The End of It

    Scrooge woke up suddenly. His bed curtains were still there—no one had stolen them. The sunlight was bright, and the bells were ringing.

    “I’m alive!” Scrooge shouted with joy. “The spirits have done it all in one night! I can change my future!”

    He ran to the window and called to a boy in the street. “What day is it?”

    “Why, it’s Christmas Day!” the boy answered.

    Scrooge laughed. “Then I haven’t missed it!” He told the boy to go to the butcher and buy the biggest turkey. “Take it to Bob Cratchit’s house,” he said, and gave the boy money.

    Scrooge dressed in his best clothes and went into the streets, smiling at everyone. People were surprised to see him so cheerful. He walked to his nephew Fred’s house and knocked on the door.

    “May I come in?” Scrooge asked. Fred welcomed him warmly, and they all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner together.

    The next morning, Scrooge was at his office early. When Bob Cratchit came in late, Scrooge pretended to be angry. “I won’t stand for this!” he said seriously—then broke into a smile. “I’m raising your salary!”

    Bob was shocked, but Scrooge told him he would help his family and take care of Tiny Tim.

    From that day, Scrooge kept his promise. He became a good friend, a kind employer, and a generous man. Tiny Tim lived and grew strong.

    Scrooge was loved by everyone, and people said he knew how to keep Christmas better than anyone. And so, as Tiny Tim said:

    “God bless us, everyone!”

  • Chapter 4 – The Last of the Spirits

    The dark figure moved slowly towards Scrooge. It wore a long black robe that covered its whole body, and only one hand could be seen. It did not speak.

    “Are you the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?” Scrooge asked. The figure nodded.

    Scrooge felt very afraid, but he said, “I know you will show me things that will happen in the future. I am ready to learn.”

    The spirit took him to the streets of London. They stopped near some businessmen talking. Scrooge listened. They spoke about a man who had died, but they did not seem sad. They joked and said no one would go to his funeral.

    Next, the spirit took him to a dirty, dark part of the city. Inside a small shop, people were selling things they had stolen from the dead man—bed curtains, clothes, even his blankets. Scrooge was shocked.

    Then they visited a poor, messy room. On a bed lay a body covered with a sheet. The spirit pointed to it, but Scrooge could not bring himself to look under the cover. He was frightened to see the face.

    “Spirit,” he begged, “tell me—was this man liked by anyone?”

    The spirit showed him a poor family. They were happy because the dead man had been a cruel moneylender, and now they had more time to pay their debts.

    Finally, the spirit took him to a quiet churchyard. They stopped by a grave. The spirit pointed to the name on the stone. Scrooge’s hands shook as he read it: EBENEZER SCROOGE.

    “No, Spirit! This cannot be my future! Please tell me I can change it!” Scrooge cried, falling to his knees. “I will honour Christmas in my heart and live differently from now on!”

    The spirit’s black robe began to fade, and Scrooge found himself back in his own bed.

  • Chapter 3 – The Second of the Three Spirits

    When Scrooge woke up, it was very dark. He heard the church bell strike one. He remembered Marley’s warning: the second spirit would visit at this time.

    Scrooge saw a bright light coming from the next room. He got out of bed and followed it. Inside, he found a giant sitting on a throne made of food—turkeys, geese, pies, puddings, fruit, and vegetables. The giant wore a green robe with white fur, and a wreath of holly on his head. His eyes sparkled, and he had a cheerful smile.

    “I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,” said the spirit. “Come with me.”

    The spirit took Scrooge through the streets of London. It was Christmas morning, and the shops were full of food. People were busy, happy, and greeting each other with kindness.

    They visited Bob Cratchit’s small home. The Cratchits were poor, but they were preparing a special Christmas dinner. Bob’s wife, Mrs. Cratchit, cooked a goose while her children set the table. Then Bob came home with his youngest son, Tiny Tim, who walked with a small crutch.

    Scrooge noticed that Tiny Tim looked weak and ill. The family sat down to eat, and Bob made a toast: “A Merry Christmas to us all, and God bless us!”

    “God bless us, everyone!” said Tiny Tim.

    Scrooge whispered to the spirit, “Will Tiny Tim live?”

    The spirit’s smile faded. “If things do not change, the child will die.” Scrooge felt very sorry.

    Next, the spirit took Scrooge to many different places—mines, lighthouses, and ships at sea. Everywhere, people were celebrating Christmas with joy.

    Finally, they visited Scrooge’s nephew’s home. Fred and his friends were playing games and laughing. Fred spoke kindly about his uncle, saying he wished Scrooge would accept his invitations.

    As the night grew older, the spirit began to change. He looked tired and older. From beneath his robe, two small, dirty children appeared. They were thin and hungry.

    “Who are they?” asked Scrooge.

    “They are Want and Ignorance,” said the spirit. “Beware of them both, but especially Ignorance, for it brings great danger.”

    The church bell struck twelve. The spirit disappeared, and Scrooge saw a dark, hooded figure coming towards him—the final spirit.

  • Chapter 2 – The First of the Three Spirits

    Scrooge woke up in the middle of the night. The church bell struck twelve. He was confused—it had been past two o’clock when he went to bed. He remembered Marley’s words about three spirits visiting him, and he began to feel nervous.

    After a while, a strange light shone in his room. Then the curtains of his bed opened, and a figure stood there.

    It was a strange-looking child, but also like an old man. Its hair was white, but its face was young and fresh. A bright light shone from the top of its head. It wore a long white robe and held a branch of holly.

    “Are you the spirit Marley told me about?” asked Scrooge.

    “Yes,” said the spirit. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. I am here for your welfare.”

    Scrooge was afraid, but the spirit told him to take its hand. Suddenly, they passed through the wall and were standing outside, on a country road. It was early morning.

    “This is where I grew up!” Scrooge said with surprise. He saw fields, hedges, and a small village in the distance. He felt happy and sad at the same time.

    They walked into the village and came to a small school. Inside, a lonely boy sat reading by the fire. Scrooge knew at once—it was himself as a child. He remembered how, during Christmas, other children went home to their families, but he stayed alone at school. Tears came to his eyes.

    The spirit showed him another Christmas. This time, a young girl—his sister, Fan—ran into the room. She was happy and told him their father had become kinder and had sent for him to come home. Scrooge remembered how much he had loved her.

    Then they saw another memory—Scrooge as a young man working for a kind boss named Mr. Fezziwig. It was Christmas Eve, and Fezziwig was giving a party with music, dancing, and food. Everyone was laughing and having fun. Scrooge smiled as he remembered the joy of that evening.

    The spirit then showed him a sad scene—Scrooge as a young man talking to a woman named Belle. She told him she could no longer marry him because he loved money more than her. Scrooge watched as Belle left him forever.

    “Please, Spirit, take me home,” Scrooge said in pain. “I can’t see any more.”

    The spirit’s light shone brighter and brighter. Scrooge tried to cover it with the spirit’s own cap. Suddenly, he was back in his bedroom. Exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep.

  • Chapter 1 – Marley’s Ghost

    Chapter 1 – Marley’s Ghost

    Marley was dead. There is no doubt about that. Everyone knew it: the priest, the clerk, the undertaker, and Ebenezer Scrooge, Marley’s old business partner. Scrooge signed the death papers. Marley had been dead for seven years.

    Scrooge was a cold, hard man. He cared only about money. He did not smile, he did not enjoy company, and he had no friends. People avoided him in the street. He liked it that way.

    It was Christmas Eve. The weather was very cold and foggy. Scrooge sat in his office, counting money. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, worked in a small, freezing room next door. Scrooge refused to give him much coal for the fire.

    Scrooge’s cheerful nephew came in to wish him a merry Christmas. Scrooge said Christmas was “Humbug!”—nonsense. The nephew invited him to Christmas dinner, but Scrooge refused. The nephew left politely, still wishing Scrooge well.

    Two men came in next, asking for charity for the poor. Scrooge refused and said poor people should go to prisons or workhouses. The men left, unhappy with his answer.

    Later, Scrooge told Bob Cratchit he could have Christmas Day off, but must come back early the next morning. Scrooge then walked home through the foggy, dark streets.

    His house was large and very quiet. It had once belonged to Marley. At the front door, Scrooge saw something strange—the door knocker looked like Marley’s face. It stared at him with ghostly eyes. Scrooge was shocked, but quickly told himself it was just his imagination.

    Inside, he locked his door. He checked all the rooms, making sure everything was normal. Then he sat down to eat his supper.

    Suddenly, he heard a strange sound—chains clinking, slowly coming from the basement. The noise grew louder, moving up the stairs. The door flew open and the ghost of Jacob Marley appeared! He wore the chain he had made in life—long and heavy, with locks, ledgers, and money boxes.

    Scrooge was terrified. Marley told him that his spirit could find no rest because, in life, he had cared only for money. He warned Scrooge that he was making the same mistake and would wear an even heavier chain in the afterlife.

    Marley said Scrooge could still escape this fate. Three spirits would visit him on three nights. Each would teach him an important lesson.

    The ghost began to leave. As he floated away, he gave one final warning: “Remember what I have told you!” Then Marley disappeared into the cold night.

    Scrooge went straight to bed without undressing and quickly fell asleep.