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A Christmas Carolby Charles Dickens

Retold by Kieran McGovern

The Ghost of Christmas Past

3.3 Young Love

The spirit (ghost) now takes Scrooge forward in

time to see to when he was ‘a man in the prime

of life ... [his] face had not the harsh and rigid

lines of later years; but it had begun to wear the

signs of care and avarice.'

Scrooge's is 'sat by the side of a fair young

girl: in whose eyes there were tears.' This is his

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fiancée, Belle. She has told Scrooge that he loves

money too much to love her.

'I am not changed towards you.' said Scrooge

She shook her head.

`Our engagement was made when we were

both poor and content to be so. You are

changed. When it was made, you were another

man.'

`I was a boy,' he said.

`You were not what you are,' she said sadly.

`I am. I must let you go.'

`Have I ever tried to end our engagement?'

`In words. No. Never.'

`In what, then?' said Scrooge

`In everything that made my love of any

value to you. If this had never been between

us,' said the girl, looking at him steadily. 'Would

you seek me out and try to win me now?'

'You think not?'

`I would gladly think otherwise if I could,'

she answered. 'My heart is full with the love of

the person you once were. But I must let you

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go. May you be happy in the life you have

chosen.'

She left him, and they parted.

`Spirit.' said Scrooge, 'Show me no more.

Take me home.'

‘One shadow more,' said the Ghost.

The daughter Scrooge never had

It is now many years later. 'A beautiful young

girl' is sitting next to winter fire with her mother.

At first Scrooge mistakes the girl for Belle - then

he realises that she is her daughter.

The room was not very large or handsome, but

full of comfort. Noise filled it, for there were now

more children there than Scrooge could count.

A knocking at the door was heard. The

children ran to the door to greet their father,

who came home weighed down with Christmas

toys and presents.

The children climbed all over him with

shouts of wonder and delight, using chairs for

ladders to dive into his pockets and grab

brown-paper parcels.

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Later when most of the children were in bed

the master of the house, sat down by the

fireside. Leaning against him was a daughter

was the daughter Scrooge never had.

`Belle,' said the husband, turning to his

wife with a smile,' I saw an old friend of yours

this afternoon.'

Alone

`Who was it?'

`Guess.'

`How can I? Oh I know.' she added in the

same breath, laughing as he laughed. `Mr

Scrooge.'

`Mr Scrooge it was. I passed his office and

he was sitting by the window.’

‘Oh.’

‘His partner lies close to death, I hear; but

he sat alone. Quite alone in the world.'

`Spirit.' said Scrooge in a broken voice,

'remove me from this place.'

`I told you these were shadows of the things

that have been,' said the Ghost. `They are what

they are. Do not blame me.'

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`Leave me. Take me back!' said Scrooge.

'Haunt me no longer. I cannot bear it.'

Reaching out, Scrooge put out the ghost's

candle. In the darkness he suddenly felt an

irresistible drowsiness.

Soon his eyes were closing and he was

drifting back to his bedroom into heavy sleep.

End of Stave 2

Ghost of Christmas Present

Glossary/Vocabulary

Bear - tolerate

Blame - accuse somebody of something

Drowsiness - feeling sleepy

Engagement - promise to marry

Fiancée - person you are engaged to marry

Irresistible - compels you to do something

A glossary, comprehension exercises, key quotes and other learning activities related to this text are here:

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