title: a-christmas-carol.txt.
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Title: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

Illustrator: Arthur Rackham

Release date: December 24, 2007 [eBook #24022]

Language: English

Original publication: Philadelphia and New York: J. B. Lippincott Company,, 1915

Credits: Produced by Suzanne Shell, Janet Blenkinship and the Online
        Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHRISTMAS CAROL ***




Produced by Suzanne Shell, Janet Blenkinship and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net











  A CHRISTMAS CAROL

  [Illustration: _"How now?" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.
  "What do you want with me?"_]


  A CHRISTMAS CAROL

  [Illustration]

  BY

  CHARLES DICKENS

  [Illustration]

  ILLUSTRATED BY ARTHUR RACKHAM

  [Illustration]

  J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK

  FIRST PUBLISHED 1915

  REPRINTED 1923, 1927, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1958,
  1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973

  ISBN: 0-397-00033-2

  PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN




  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 house
  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.
  Ghost of Christmas Yet to 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.




  CONTENTS

  STAVE ONE--MARLEY'S GHOST                                             3
  STAVE TWO--THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS                            37
  STAVE THREE--THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS                         69
  STAVE FOUR--THE LAST OF THE SPIRITS                                 111
  STAVE FIVE--THE END OF IT                                           137


  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  _IN COLOUR_


  "How now?" said Scrooge, caustic
    and cold as ever. "What do you
    want with me?"                                           _Frontispiece_

  Bob Cratchit went down a slide on
    Cornhill, at the end of a lane of
    boys, twenty times, in honour of
    its being Christmas Eve                                           16

  Nobody under the bed; nobody in
    the closet; nobody in his dressing-gown,
    which was hanging up
    in a suspicious attitude against
    the wall                                                          20

  The air was filled with phantoms,
   wandering hither and thither in
    restless haste and moaning as
    they went                                                         32

  Then old Fezziwig stood out to
    dance with Mrs. Fezziwig                                          54

  A flushed and boisterous group                                      62

  Laden with Christmas toys and
    presents                                                          64

  The way he went after that plump
    sister in the lace tucker!                                       100

  "How are you?" said one.
    "How are you?"