迪文小说

tave fur（第1页）

THELASTOFTHESPIRITS

Thephantomslowly，gravely，silentlyapproached。Whenitcamenearhim，Scroogebentdownuponhisknee；forintheveryairthroughwhichthisspiritmoveditseemedtoscattergloomandmystery。

Itwasshroudedinadeep-blackgarment，whichconcealeditshead，itsface，itsform，andleftnothingofitvisiblesaveoneoutstretchedhand。Butforthisitwouldhavebeendifficulttodetachitsfigurefromthenight，andseparateitfromthedarknessbywhichitwassurrounded。

Hefeltthatitwastallandstatelywhenitcamebesidehim，andthatitsmysteriouspresencefilledhimwithasolemndread。Heknewnomore，forthespiritneitherspokenormoved。

“IaminthepresenceoftheGhostofChristmasYettoCome？”saidScrooge。

Thespiritanswerednot，butpointedonwardwithhishand。

“Youareabouttoshowmeshadowsofthethingsthathavenothappened，butwillhappeninthetimebeforeus，”Scroogepursued。“Isthatso，spirit？”

Theupperportionofthegarmentwascontractedforaninstantinitsfolds，asifthespirithadinclineditshead。Thatwastheonlyanswerhereceived。

Althoughwellusedtoghostlycompanybythistime，Scroogefearedthesilentshapesomuchthathislegstrembledbeneathhim，andhefoundthathecouldhardlystandwhenhepreparedtofollowit。Thespiritpausedamoment，asobservinghiscondition，andgivinghimtimetorecover。

ButScroogewasalltheworseforthis。Itthrilledhimwithavagueuncertainhorror，toknowthatbehindtheduskyshroudtherewereghostlyeyesintentlyfixeduponhim，whilehe，thoughhestretchedhisowntotheutmost，couldseenothingbutaspectralhandandonegreatheapofblack。

“Ghostofthefuture！”heexclaimed，“IfearyoumorethananyspectreIhaveseen。ButasIknowyourpurposeistodomegood，andasIhopetolivetobeanothermanfromwhatIwas，Iampreparedtobearyoucompany，anddoitwithathankfulheart。Willyounotspeaktome？”

Itgavehimnoreply。Thehandwaspointedstraightbeforethem。

“Leadon！”saidScrooge。“LeadonIThenightiswaningfast，anditisprecioustimetome，Iknow。Leadon，spirit！”

Thephantommovedawayasithadcometowardshim。Scroogefollowedintheshadowofitsdress，whichborehimup，hethought，andcarriedhimalong。

Theyscarcelyseemedtoenterthecity；forthecityratherseemedtospringupaboutthem，andencompassthemofitsownact。Buttheretheywere，intheheartofit；on’Change，amongstthemerchants；whohurriedupanddown，andchinkedthemoneyintheirpockets，andconversedingroups，andlookedattheirwatches，andtrifledthoughtfullywiththeirgreatgoldseals；andsoforth，asScroogehadseenthemoften。

Thespiritstoppedbesideonelittleknotofbusinessmen。Observingthatthehandwaspointedtothem，Scroogeadvancedtolistentotheirtalk。

“No，”saidagreatfatmanwithamonstrouschin，“Idon’tknowmuchaboutiteitherway。Ionlyknowhe’sdead。”

“Whendidhedie？”inquiredanother。

“Lastnight，Ibelieve。”

“Why，whatwasthematterwithhim？”askedathird，takingavastquantityofsnuffoutofaverylargesnuff-box。“Ithoughthe’dneverdie。”

“Godknows，”saidthefirst，withayawn。

“Whathashedonewithhismoney？”askedared-facedgentlemanwithapendulousexcrescenceontheendofhisnose，thatshooklikethegillsofaturkey-cock。

“Ihaven’theard，”saidthemanwiththelargechin，yawningagain。“Leftittohiscompany，perhaps。Hehasn’tleftittome。That’sallIknow。”

Thispleasantrywasreceivedwithagenerallaugh。