1983 Philipp Reclam jun. GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart

Bibliographisch aktualisierte Ausgabe 2010

Made in Germany 2017

RECLAM ist eine eingetragene Marke der Philipp Reclam jun. GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart

ISBN 978-3-15-960482-4

ISBN der Buchausgabe 978-3-15-009150-0

www.reclam.de

Inhalt

Author’s Preface

Preface

Characters

A Christmas Carol

Stave I: Marley’s Ghost

Stave II: The First of the Three Spirits

Stave III: The Second of the Three Spirits

Stave IV: The Last of the Spirits

Stave V: The End of It

Editorische Notiz

Literaturhinweise

Nachwort

Hinweise zur E-Book-Ausgabe

[3] Author’s Preface

The narrow space within which it was necessary to confine these Christmas Stories, when they were originally published, rendered their construction a matter of some difficulty, and almost necessitated what is peculiar in their machinery. I never attempted great elaboration of detail in the working out of character within such limits, believing that it could not succeed. My purpose was, in a whimsical kind of masque which the goodhumour of the season justified, to awaken some loving and forbearing thoughts, never out of season in a Christian land.

[4] Preface

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book to raise the Ghost of an Idea which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,

C. D.

December 1843.

Characters

BOB CRATCHIT, clerk to Ebenezer Scrooge

PETER CRATCHIT, a son of the preceding

TIM CRATCHIT (‘Tiny Tim’), a cripple, youngest son of Bob Cratchit

MR. FEZZIWIG, a kind-hearted, jovial old merchant

FRED, Scrooge’s nephew

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, a phantom showing things past

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT, a spirit of a kind, generous, and hearty nature

[5] GHOST OF CHRISTMAS YET YO COME, an apparition showing the shadows of things which yet may happen

GHOST OF JACOB MARLEY, a spectre of Scrooge’s former partner in business

JOE, a marine-store dealer and receiver of stolen goods

EBENEZER SCROOGE, a grasping, covetous old man, the surviving partner of the firm of Scrooge and Marley

MR. TOPPER, a bachelor

DICK WILKINS, a fellow-apprentice of Scrooge’s

BELLE, a comely matron, an old sweetheart of Scrooge’s

CAROLINE, wife of one of Scrooge’s debtors

MRS. CRATCHIT, wife of Bob Cratchit

BELINDA and MARTHA CRATCHIT, daughters of the preceding

MRS. DILBER, a laundress

FAN, the sister of Scrooge

MRS. FEZZIWIG, the worthy partner of Mr. Fezziwig