A Christmas Carol（chapter 2 ）

Narrator
Let's continue the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the selfish manwho didn't like Christmas. Last time, the ghost of his dead partner, Marley,told Scrooge he would be visited by three spirits. They would give him a chanceof escaping Marley's fate. Scrooge was in bed when the curtains were opened andhe saw a face...

Spirit of Christmas Past
I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past - your past. Come with me.

Narrator
The Spirit took Scrooge through a wall and suddenly they foundthemselves on an open country road. The city had disappeared. Scrooge was veryexcited.

IN SCROOGE'S OLD NEIGHBOURHOOD

Scrooge
Good heavens! I grew up in this place. That's the river! And...Oh, and I used to climb that tree…

Narrator
He remembered everybody's names. He could see them, but theycouldn't see him or the Spirit. Then the Spirit invited Scrooge to go to thelocal school.

Spirit of Christmas Past
The school is not quite empty. There's still a child there...

Scrooge
I know! And I know who it is!

Narrator
There he was, young Scrooge, alone in a room, sad and lonely.But one Christmas, his young sister came to the school with good news.

AT SCROOGE'S OLD SCHOOL

Scrooge's little sister
Hello, my dear brother! I've come to take you home! Home foreverand ever. Father is much kinder than he used to be and he sent me in a carriageto bring you. And we'll be together all Christmas, and have the merriest timein all the world!

Spirit of Christmas Past
Your sister... She had a big heart! She died when she was anadult and had, I think, children. Your nephew!

Scrooge
Yes. She was so kind...

Narrator
Do I sense regret in Scrooge's voice? He behaved so badlytowards his nephew... But time was running out and the Spirit of Christmas Pasthad another place to take Scrooge to: a big warehouse.

AT SCROOGE'S OLD WORKPLACE

Spirit of Christmas Past
So, do you recognise this place?

Scrooge
Yes! I was an apprentice here. Oh! Old Mr Fezziwig! That's myold boss!

Mr Fezziwig
Yo ho ho boys, no more work tonight. It's Christmas Eve! Clearaway my lads, and let's have lots of room here!

Narrator
The warehouse was transformed into a bright ballroom in no timeat all. In came a musician, Mrs Fezziwig and her three daughters, and all theyoung men and women employed in the business. It got old Scrooge thinking. Hetold the Spirit...

Scrooge
Mr Fezziwig had the power to make us happy or unhappy; to makeour work easy or hard; pleasure or pain. The happiness he gave us is as greatas if it had cost a huge pile of gold. I should like to be able to say a wordor two to my clerk Bob Cratchit just now.

Narrator
Is there a change in old Scrooge? Mmmm... Maybe... Well, themood was darker when the Spirit took Scrooge to see another Christmas a fewyears later. Then, the young Scrooge was starting to look obsessed with money.He wasn't alone. There was a young woman by his side. Oh, she was crying...

IN THE PAST

Scrooge's girlfriend
Something else has taken my place; if it can cheer and comfortyou as I wanted to do, I have no reason to cry. May you be happy in the lifeyou have chosen!

Scrooge
Spirit, show me no more. Take me home. Why do you torture me?

Narrator
It was hard for Scrooge to see how his girlfriend left him whenhe started to fall in love with money. But the Spirit's work wasn't done yet.He took Scrooge to yet another Christmas a few years from then. And the greedy,old man saw her happy with a husband and children - children who he almostwished were his own. Scrooge was very depressed when he got back home: the kindsister whose son he rejected, the generous employer, the lost girlfriend –that's a lot to take in! But there were still two spirits left. What would theSpirit of Christmas Present show Scrooge? Let's see it tomorrow. I can't wait!