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"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (full novel), Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 3

Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 3

Scrooge promised that he would; and they went on, invisible, as they had been before, into the suburbs of the town. It was a remarkable quality of the Ghost (which Scrooge had observed at the baker's), that notwithstanding his gigantic size, he could accommodate himself to any place with ease; and that he stood beneath a low roof quite as gracefully and like a supernatural creature, as it was possible he could have done in any lofty hall. And perhaps it was the pleasure the good Spirit had in showing off this power of his, or else it was his own kind, generous, hearty nature, and his sympathy with all poor men, that led him straight to Scrooge's clerk's; for there he went, and took Scrooge with him, holding to his robe; and on the threshold of the door the Spirit smiled, and stopped to bless Bob Cratchit's dwelling with the sprinkling of his torch. Think of that! Bob had but fifteen “Bob” a-week himself; he pocketed on Saturdays but fifteen copies of his Christian name; and yet the Ghost of Christmas Present blessed his four-roomed house!

Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit, Cratchit's wife, dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons, which are cheap and make a goodly show for sixpence; and she laid the cloth, assisted by Belinda Cratchit, second of her daughters, also brave in ribbons; while Master Peter Cratchit plunged a fork into the saucepan of potatoes, and getting the corners of his monstrous shirt collar (Bob's private property, conferred upon his son and heir in honour of the day) into his mouth, rejoiced to find himself so gallantly attired, and yearned to show his linen in the fashionable Parks. And now two smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that outside the baker's they had smelt the goose, and known it for their own; and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage and onion, these young Cratchits danced about the table, and exalted Master Peter Cratchit to the skies, while he (not proud, although his collars nearly choked him) blew the fire, until the slow potatoes bubbling up, knocked loudly at the saucepan-lid to be let out and peeled. “What has ever got your precious father then?” said Mrs. Cratchit. “And your brother, Tiny Tim! And Martha warn't as late last Christmas Day by half-an-hour?” “Here's Martha, mother!” said a girl, appearing as she spoke. “Here's Martha, mother!” cried the two young Cratchits. “Hurrah! There's such a goose, Martha!” “Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are!” said Mrs. Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times, and taking off her shawl and bonnet for her with officious zeal.

“We'd a deal of work to finish up last night,” replied the girl, “and had to clear away this morning, mother!” “Well! Never mind so long as you are come,” said Mrs. Cratchit. “Sit ye down before the fire, my dear, and have a warm, Lord bless ye!”

“No, no! There's father coming,” cried the two young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once. “Hide, Martha, hide!”

So Martha hid herself, and in came little Bob, the father, with at least three feet of comforter exclusive of the fringe, hanging down before him; and his threadbare clothes darned up and brushed, to look seasonable; and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame!

“Why, where's our Martha?” cried Bob Cratchit, looking round. “Not coming,” said Mrs. Cratchit.

“Not coming!” said Bob, with a sudden declension in his high spirits; for he had been Tim's blood horse all the way from church, and had come home rampant. “Not coming upon Christmas Day!”

Martha didn't like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so she came out prematurely from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house, that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper. “And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs. Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity, and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart's content. “As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”

Bob's voice was tremulous when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty. His active little crutch was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; and while Bob, turning up his cuffs—as if, poor fellow, they were capable of being made more shabby—compounded some hot mixture in a jug with gin and lemons, and stirred it round and round and put it on the hob to simmer; Master Peter, and the two ubiquitous young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession.

Such a bustle ensued that you might have thought a goose the rarest of all birds; a feathered phenomenon, to which a black swan was a matter of course—and in truth it was something very like it in that house. Mrs. Cratchit made the gravy (ready beforehand in a little saucepan) hissing hot; Master Peter mashed the potatoes with incredible vigour; Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple-sauce; Martha dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside him in a tiny corner at the table; the two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting themselves, and mounting guard upon their posts, crammed spoons into their mouths, lest they should shriek for goose before their turn came to be helped. At last the dishes were set on, and grace was said. It was succeeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs. Cratchit, looking slowly all along the carving-knife, prepared to plunge it in the breast; but when she did, and when the long expected gush of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight arose all round the board, and even Tiny Tim, excited by the two young Cratchits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried Hurrah!

There never was such a goose. Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs. Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish), they hadn't ate it all at last! Yet every one had had enough, and the youngest Cratchits in particular, were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows! But now, the plates being changed by Miss Belinda, Mrs. Cratchit left the room alone—too nervous to bear witnesses—to take the pudding up and bring it in.

Suppose it should not be done enough! Suppose it should break in turning out! Suppose somebody should have got over the wall of the back-yard, and stolen it, while they were merry with the goose—a supposition at which the two young Cratchits became livid! All sorts of horrors were supposed.

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Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 3 스테이브 3. 세 가지 정신 중 두 번째 - 파트 3

Scrooge promised that he would; and they went on, invisible, as they had been before, into the suburbs of the town. Scrooge a promis qu'il le ferait ; et ils s'en allèrent, invisibles, comme ils l'avaient été auparavant, dans les faubourgs de la ville. It was a remarkable quality of the Ghost (which Scrooge had observed at the baker's), that notwithstanding his gigantic size, he could accommodate himself to any place with ease; and that he stood beneath a low roof quite as gracefully and like a supernatural creature, as it was possible he could have done in any lofty hall. C'était une qualité remarquable du Fantôme (que Scrooge avait observée chez le boulanger), que malgré sa taille gigantesque, il pouvait s'adapter facilement à n'importe quel endroit ; et qu'il se tenait sous un toit bas tout aussi gracieusement et comme une créature surnaturelle, qu'il aurait pu le faire dans n'importe quelle grande salle. And perhaps it was the pleasure the good Spirit had in showing off this power of his, or else it was his own kind, generous, hearty nature, and his sympathy with all poor men, that led him straight to Scrooge's clerk's; for there he went, and took Scrooge with him, holding to his robe; and on the threshold of the door the Spirit smiled, and stopped to bless Bob Cratchit's dwelling with the sprinkling of his torch. Et peut-être était-ce le plaisir que le bon Esprit avait à montrer sa puissance, ou bien était-ce sa nature bienveillante, généreuse et chaleureuse, et sa sympathie pour tous les pauvres, qui le conduisirent directement chez le clerc de Scrooge ; car il y alla et emmena Scrooge avec lui, se tenant à sa robe ; et sur le seuil de la porte, l'Esprit sourit et s'arrêta pour bénir la demeure de Bob Cratchit en aspergeant sa torche. Think of that! Bob had but fifteen “Bob” a-week himself; he pocketed on Saturdays but fifteen copies of his Christian name; and yet the Ghost of Christmas Present blessed his four-roomed house! Bob n'avait lui-même que quinze « Bob » par semaine ; il n'empocha le samedi que quinze exemplaires de son prénom ; et pourtant le fantôme du cadeau de Noël a béni sa maison de quatre pièces !

Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit, Cratchit's wife, dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons, which are cheap and make a goodly show for sixpence; and she laid the cloth, assisted by Belinda Cratchit, second of her daughters, also brave in ribbons; while Master Peter Cratchit plunged a fork into the saucepan of potatoes, and getting the corners of his monstrous shirt collar (Bob's private property, conferred upon his son and heir in honour of the day) into his mouth, rejoiced to find himself so gallantly attired, and yearned to show his linen in the fashionable Parks. Alors se leva Mrs Cratchit, la femme de Cratchit, vêtue mais pauvrement dans une robe à deux tours, mais courageuse dans les rubans, qui sont bon marché et font bonne figure pour six pence ; et elle a étendu le tissu, aidée par Belinda Cratchit, deuxième de ses filles, également courageuses dans les rubans ; tandis que maître Peter Cratchit plongeait une fourchette dans la casserole de pommes de terre, et mettant les coins de son col de chemise monstrueux (propriété privée de Bob, conférée à son fils et héritier en l'honneur du jour) dans sa bouche, se réjouissait de se trouver si galamment vêtu , et aspirait à montrer son linge dans les parcs à la mode. And now two smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that outside the baker's they had smelt the goose, and known it for their own; and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage and onion, these young Cratchits danced about the table, and exalted Master Peter Cratchit to the skies, while he (not proud, although his collars nearly choked him) blew the fire, until the slow potatoes bubbling up, knocked loudly at the saucepan-lid to be let out and peeled. Et maintenant, deux Cratchits plus petits, un garçon et une fille, entrèrent en trombe, criant qu'à l'extérieur du boulanger ils avaient senti l'oie, et qu'ils le savaient eux-mêmes ; et se prélassant dans des pensées luxueuses de sauge et d'oignon, ces jeunes Cratchits dansaient autour de la table et exaltaient Maître Peter Cratchit jusqu'aux cieux, tandis qu'il (pas fier, bien que ses colliers l'étouffaient presque) soufflait le feu, jusqu'à ce que les pommes de terre lentes bouillonnent , a frappé fort au couvercle de la casserole pour être sorti et épluché. “What has ever got your precious father then?” said Mrs. Cratchit. « Qu'est-ce que votre précieux père a donc jamais ? » dit Mme Cratchit. “And your brother, Tiny Tim! And Martha warn't as late last Christmas Day by half-an-hour?” Et Martha n'a pas prévenu d'une demi-heure le jour de Noël dernier ? » “Here's Martha, mother!” said a girl, appearing as she spoke. “Here's Martha, mother!” cried the two young Cratchits. “Hurrah! There's such a goose, Martha!” Il y a une telle oie, Martha ! “Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are!” said Mrs. Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times, and taking off her shawl and bonnet for her with officious zeal. « Pourquoi, bénis ton cœur vivant, ma chère, comme tu es en retard ! » dit mistress Cratchit en l'embrassant une douzaine de fois, et en lui enlevant son châle et son bonnet avec un zèle officieux.

“We'd a deal of work to finish up last night,” replied the girl, “and had to clear away this morning, mother!” « Nous avions beaucoup de travail à terminer hier soir », répondit la fille, « et nous avons dû déblayer ce matin, mère ! » “Well! Never mind so long as you are come,” said Mrs. Cratchit. “Sit ye down before the fire, my dear, and have a warm, Lord bless ye!”

“No, no! There's father coming,” cried the two young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once. “Hide, Martha, hide!”

So Martha hid herself, and in came little Bob, the father, with at least three feet of comforter exclusive of the fringe, hanging down before him; and his threadbare clothes darned up and brushed, to look seasonable; and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder. Alors Marthe se cacha, et entra le petit Bob, le père, avec au moins trois pieds de couette à l'exclusion de la frange, qui pendait devant lui ; et ses vêtements élimés raccommodés et brossés, pour avoir l'air de saison ; et Tiny Tim sur son épaule. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame! Hélas pour Tiny Tim, il portait une petite béquille, et avait ses membres soutenus par une armature de fer !

“Why, where's our Martha?” cried Bob Cratchit, looking round. “Not coming,” said Mrs. Cratchit. — Je ne viens pas, dit Mrs Cratchit.

“Not coming!” said Bob, with a sudden declension in his high spirits; for he had been Tim's blood horse all the way from church, and had come home rampant. "Je ne viens pas!" dit Bob, avec une soudaine baisse de sa bonne humeur ; car il avait été le cheval de sang de Tim depuis l'église, et il était rentré à la maison en pagaille. “Not coming upon Christmas Day!”

Martha didn't like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so she came out prematurely from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house, that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper. “And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs. Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity, and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart's content. « Et comment s'est comporté le petit Tim ? » » a demandé Mme Cratchit, quand elle avait rallié Bob sur sa crédulité, et Bob avait étreint sa fille au contenu de son coeur. “As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.” Il m'a dit, en rentrant à la maison, qu'il espérait que les gens le verraient dans l'église, parce qu'il était infirme, et qu'il pourrait leur être agréable de se souvenir le jour de Noël, qui faisait marcher les mendiants boiteux et voir les aveugles.

Bob's voice was tremulous when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty. His active little crutch was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; and while Bob, turning up his cuffs—as if, poor fellow, they were capable of being made more shabby—compounded some hot mixture in a jug with gin and lemons, and stirred it round and round and put it on the hob to simmer; Master Peter, and the two ubiquitous young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession. On entendit sa petite béquille active sur le sol, et Tiny Tim revint avant qu'un autre mot ne soit prononcé, escorté par son frère et sa sœur jusqu'à son tabouret devant le feu ; et pendant que Bob, retroussant ses menottes - comme si, pauvre garçon, ils pouvaient être rendus plus minables - préparait un mélange chaud dans une cruche avec du gin et des citrons, et le remuait en rond et le mettait sur le feu pour laisser mijoter ; Maître Pierre et les deux jeunes Cratchits omniprésents allèrent chercher l'oie, avec laquelle ils revinrent bientôt en grande procession.

Such a bustle ensued that you might have thought a goose the rarest of all birds; a feathered phenomenon, to which a black swan was a matter of course—and in truth it was something very like it in that house. Une telle agitation s'ensuivit qu'on aurait pu penser qu'une oie était le plus rare de tous les oiseaux ; un phénomène à plumes, auquel un cygne noir était une évidence - et en vérité c'était quelque chose de très semblable dans cette maison. Mrs. Cratchit made the gravy (ready beforehand in a little saucepan) hissing hot; Master Peter mashed the potatoes with incredible vigour; Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple-sauce; Martha dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside him in a tiny corner at the table; the two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting themselves, and mounting guard upon their posts, crammed spoons into their mouths, lest they should shriek for goose before their turn came to be helped. Mme Cratchit a fait le jus (préparé d'avance dans une petite casserole) en sifflant chaud; Maître Peter a écrasé les pommes de terre avec une vigueur incroyable; Miss Belinda adoucit la compote de pommes ; Martha épousseta les plaques chauffantes ; Bob a pris Tiny Tim à côté de lui dans un petit coin de la table ; les deux jeunes Cratchit installaient des chaises pour tout le monde, ne s'oubliant pas, et montaient la garde à leurs postes, fourraient des cuillers dans leur bouche, de peur qu'ils ne criaient l'oie avant que leur tour ne vienne être secouru. At last the dishes were set on, and grace was said. It was succeeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs. Cratchit, looking slowly all along the carving-knife, prepared to plunge it in the breast; but when she did, and when the long expected gush of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight arose all round the board, and even Tiny Tim, excited by the two young Cratchits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried Hurrah! Elle fut suivie d'une pause haletante, tandis que Mme Cratchit, regardant lentement tout le long du couteau à découper, s'apprêtait à le plonger dans la poitrine ; mais quand elle le fit, et quand le jaillissement tant attendu de la farce sortit, un murmure de joie s'éleva tout autour du plateau, et même Tiny Tim, excité par les deux jeunes Cratchits, frappa sur la table avec le manche de son couteau, et cria faiblement Hourra !

There never was such a goose. Il n'y a jamais eu d'oie. Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Bob a dit qu'il ne croyait pas qu'il y ait jamais eu une telle oie cuite. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Sa tendresse et sa saveur, sa taille et son bon marché étaient les thèmes de l'admiration universelle. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs. Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish), they hadn't ate it all at last! Rehaussé de compote de pommes et de purée de pommes de terre, c'était un dîner suffisant pour toute la famille ; en effet, comme Mme Cratchit l'a dit avec un grand plaisir (regardant un petit atome d'os sur le plat), ils n'avaient pas tout mangé enfin ! Yet every one had had enough, and the youngest Cratchits in particular, were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows! Pourtant, tout le monde en avait assez, et les plus jeunes Cratchits en particulier, étaient trempés de sauge et d'oignon jusqu'aux sourcils ! But now, the plates being changed by Miss Belinda, Mrs. Cratchit left the room alone—too nervous to bear witnesses—to take the pudding up and bring it in. Mais maintenant, les assiettes étant changées par Mlle Belinda, Mme Cratchit a quitté la pièce seule - trop nerveuse pour témoigner - pour prendre le pudding et l'apporter.

Suppose it should not be done enough! Supposons que cela ne devrait pas être fait assez! Suppose it should break in turning out! Supposons qu'il s'effondre ! Suppose somebody should have got over the wall of the back-yard, and stolen it, while they were merry with the goose—a supposition at which the two young Cratchits became livid! Supposons que quelqu'un ait franchi le mur de l'arrière-cour et l'ait volé, pendant qu'ils s'amusaient avec l'oie, supposition dont les deux jeunes Cratchit sont devenus livides ! All sorts of horrors were supposed.