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"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (full novel), Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 1

Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 1

STAVE THREE.

THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS.

Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told that the bell was again upon the stroke of One. He felt that he was restored to consciousness in the right nick of time, for the especial purpose of holding a conference with the second messenger despatched to him through Jacob Marley's intervention. But finding that he turned uncomfortably cold when he began to wonder which of his curtains this new spectre would draw back, he put them every one aside with his own hands; and lying down again, established a sharp look-out all round the bed. For he wished to challenge the Spirit on the moment of its appearance, and did not wish to be taken by surprise, and made nervous.

Gentlemen of the free-and-easy sort, who plume themselves on being acquainted with a move or two, and being usually equal to the time-of-day, express the wide range of their capacity for adventure by observing that they are good for anything from pitch-and-toss to manslaughter; between which opposite extremes, no doubt, there lies a tolerably wide and comprehensive range of subjects. Without venturing for Scrooge quite as hardily as this, I don't mind calling on you to believe that he was ready for a good broad field of strange appearances, and that nothing between a baby and rhinoceros would have astonished him very much. Now, being prepared for almost anything, he was not by any means prepared for nothing; and, consequently, when the Bell struck One, and no shape appeared, he was taken with a violent fit of trembling. Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. All this time, he lay upon his bed, the very core and centre of a blaze of ruddy light, which streamed upon it when the clock proclaimed the hour; and which, being only light, was more alarming than a dozen ghosts, as he was powerless to make out what it meant, or would be at; and was sometimes apprehensive that he might be at that very moment an interesting case of spontaneous combustion, without having the consolation of knowing it. At last, however, he began to think—as you or I would have thought at first; for it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it, and would unquestionably have done it too—at last, I say, he began to think that the source and secret of this ghostly light might be in the adjoining room, from whence, on further tracing it, it seemed to shine. This idea taking full possession of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door.

The moment Scrooge's hand was on the lock, a strange voice called him by his name, and bade him enter. He obeyed.

It was his own room. There was no doubt about that. But it had undergone a surprising transformation. The walls and ceiling were so hung with living green, that it looked a perfect grove; from every part of which, bright gleaming berries glistened. The crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there; and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney, as that dull petrification of a hearth had never known in Scrooge's time, or Marley's, or for many and many a winter season gone. Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim with their delicious steam. In easy state upon this couch, there sat a jolly Giant, glorious to see; who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty's horn, and held it up, high up, to shed its light on Scrooge, as he came peeping round the door. “Come in!” exclaimed the Ghost. “Come in! and know me better, man!”

Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his head before this Spirit. He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been; and though the Spirit's eyes were clear and kind, he did not like to meet them. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,” said the Spirit. “Look upon me!”

Scrooge reverently did so. It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur. This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. Its feet, observable beneath the ample folds of the garment, were also bare; and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath, set here and there with shining icicles. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. Girded round its middle was an antique scabbard; but no sword was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust.

“You have never seen the like of me before!” exclaimed the Spirit.

“Never,” Scrooge made answer to it.

“Have never walked forth with the younger members of my family; meaning (for I am very young) my elder brothers born in these later years?” pursued the Phantom.

“I don't think I have,” said Scrooge. “I am afraid I have not. Have you had many brothers, Spirit?”

“More than eighteen hundred,” said the Ghost.

“A tremendous family to provide for!” muttered Scrooge.

The Ghost of Christmas Present rose.

“Spirit,” said Scrooge submissively, “conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion, and I learnt a lesson which is working now. To-night, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.”

“Touch my robe!”

Scrooge did as he was told, and held it fast.

Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit, and punch, all vanished instantly. So did the room, the fire, the ruddy glow, the hour of night, and they stood in the city streets on Christmas morning, where (for the weather was severe) the people made a rough, but brisk and not unpleasant kind of music, in scraping the snow from the pavement in front of their dwellings, and from the tops of their houses, whence it was mad delight to the boys to see it come plumping down into the road below, and splitting into artificial little snow-storms.


Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits - Part 1 Pieśń trzecia. Drugi z trzech duchów – część 1 板条三。三灵中的第二个 - 第 1 部分

STAVE  THREE. KLEJ TRZECI. ÜÇ SÜRDÜR.

THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS.

Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told that the bell was again upon the stroke of One. Se réveillant au milieu d'un ronflement prodigieusement dur, et s'asseyant dans son lit pour rassembler ses pensées, Scrooge n'eut pas l'occasion de se faire dire que la cloche était de nouveau sur le coup de One. Budząc się w środku niezwykle mocnego chrapania i siadając na łóżku, aby zebrać myśli, Scrooge nie miał okazji usłyszeć, że dzwon znów wybił pierwszą. He felt that he was restored to consciousness in the right nick of time, for the especial purpose of holding a conference with the second messenger despatched to him through Jacob Marley's intervention. Il sentit qu'il avait repris connaissance à temps, dans le but particulier de tenir une conférence avec le deuxième messager qui lui avait été envoyé grâce à l'intervention de Jacob Marley. But finding that he turned uncomfortably cold when he began to wonder which of his curtains this new spectre would draw back, he put them every one aside with his own hands; and lying down again, established a sharp look-out all round the bed. Mais voyant qu'il devenait inconfortablement froid lorsqu'il commençait à se demander lequel de ses rideaux ce nouveau spectre tirerait, il les écarta tous de ses propres mains ; et, se recouchant, il établit un guet-apens tout autour du lit. For he wished to challenge the Spirit on the moment of its appearance, and did not wish to be taken by surprise, and made nervous. Car il voulait défier l'Esprit au moment de son apparition, et ne voulait pas être pris par surprise, et rendu nerveux.

Gentlemen of the free-and-easy sort, who plume themselves on being acquainted with a move or two, and being usually equal to the time-of-day, express the wide range of their capacity for adventure by observing that they are good for anything from pitch-and-toss to manslaughter; between which opposite extremes, no doubt, there lies a tolerably wide and comprehensive range of subjects. Les messieurs du genre libre et facile, qui se vantent d'être familiers avec un mouvement ou deux, et étant généralement égaux à l'heure du jour, expriment le large éventail de leur capacité d'aventure en observant qu'ils sont bons pour tout, du lancer et lancer à l'homicide involontaire coupable ; entre quels extrêmes opposés, sans doute, s'étend un éventail assez large et complet de sujets. Without venturing for Scrooge quite as hardily as this, I don't mind calling on you to believe that he was ready for a good broad field of strange appearances, and that nothing between a baby and rhinoceros would have astonished him very much. Sans m'aventurer aussi hardiment pour Scrooge, je veux bien vous inviter à croire qu'il était prêt pour un bon large champ d'apparences étranges, et que rien entre un bébé et un rhinocéros ne l'aurait beaucoup étonné. Now, being prepared for almost anything, he was not by any means prepared for nothing; and, consequently, when the Bell struck One, and no shape appeared, he was taken with a violent fit of trembling. Maintenant, étant préparé à presque tout, il n'était en aucun cas préparé à rien ; et, par conséquent, lorsque la Cloche a frappé One, et qu'aucune forme n'est apparue, il a été pris d'un violent accès de tremblement. Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. All this time, he lay upon his bed, the very core and centre of a blaze of ruddy light, which streamed upon it when the clock proclaimed the hour; and which, being only light, was more alarming than a dozen ghosts, as he was powerless to make out what it meant, or would be at; and was sometimes apprehensive that he might be at that very moment an interesting case of spontaneous combustion, without having the consolation of knowing it. Pendant tout ce temps, il gisait sur son lit, le cœur et le centre même d'un flamboiement de lumière rougeâtre, qui ruisselait sur lui lorsque l'horloge proclamait l'heure ; et qui, n'étant que de la lumière, était plus effrayante qu'une douzaine de fantômes, car il était impuissant à deviner ce que cela signifiait ou ce qu'il en serait ; et craignait parfois qu'il ne fût à ce moment précis un cas intéressant de combustion spontanée, sans avoir la consolation de le savoir. At last, however, he began to think—as you or I would have thought at first; for it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it, and would unquestionably have done it too—at last, I say, he began to think that the source and secret of this ghostly light might be in the adjoining room, from whence, on further tracing it, it seemed to shine. Enfin, cependant, il se mit à penser — comme vous ou moi l'aurions pensé au début ; car c'est toujours la personne qui n'est pas dans la situation qui sait ce qu'il aurait dû y faire, et l'aurait sans aucun doute fait aussi - enfin, dis-je, il a commencé à penser que la source et le secret de cette lumière fantomatique pourraient être dans la pièce voisine, d'où, en la traçant davantage, elle semblait briller. This idea taking full possession of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door.

The moment Scrooge's hand was on the lock, a strange voice called him by his name, and bade him enter. Au moment où la main de Scrooge était sur la serrure, une voix étrange l'appela par son nom et lui fit entrer. He obeyed.

It was his own room. C'était sa propre chambre. There was no doubt about that. But it had undergone a surprising transformation. Mais il avait subi une transformation surprenante. The walls and ceiling were so hung with living green, that it looked a perfect grove; from every part of which, bright gleaming berries glistened. Les murs et le plafond étaient tellement recouverts de vert vivant qu'il ressemblait à un bosquet parfait ; de chaque partie de laquelle brillaient des baies brillantes et brillantes. The crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there; and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney, as that dull petrification of a hearth had never known in Scrooge's time, or Marley's, or for many and many a winter season gone. Les feuilles croustillantes de houx, de gui et de lierre reflétaient la lumière, comme si tant de petits miroirs y avaient été dispersés ; et un incendie si puissant monta dans la cheminée, comme cette morne pétrification d'un foyer n'avait jamais connu à l'époque de Scrooge, ou de Marley, ou pendant de nombreuses et nombreuses saisons d'hiver passées. Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made the chamber dim with their delicious steam. S'entassaient sur le sol, pour former une sorte de trône, des dindes, des oies, du gibier, des volailles, du muscle, de gros morceaux de viande, des cochons de lait, de longues couronnes de saucisses, des hachis, des plum-puddings, des barils d'huîtres, châtaignes brûlantes, pommes cerises, oranges juteuses, poires succulentes, immenses douzième gâteaux et bols bouillonnants de punch, qui obscurcissaient la chambre de leur délicieuse vapeur. In easy state upon this couch, there sat a jolly Giant, glorious to see; who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty's horn, and held it up, high up, to shed its light on Scrooge, as he came peeping round the door. A l'aise sur cette couche, il y avait un joyeux Géant, glorieux à voir ; qui portait une torche rougeoyante, dont la forme n'était pas différente de celle de la corne de Plenty, et la leva, très haut, pour éclairer Scrooge, alors qu'il venait jeter un coup d'œil autour de la porte. “Come in!” exclaimed the Ghost. “Come in! and know me better, man!”

Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his head before this Spirit. Scrooge entra timidement et baissa la tête devant cet Esprit. He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been; and though the Spirit's eyes were clear and kind, he did not like to meet them. Il n'était pas le Scrooge obstiné qu'il avait été ; et bien que les yeux de l'Esprit fussent clairs et bons, il n'aimait pas les rencontrer. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,” said the Spirit. “Look upon me!”

Scrooge reverently did so. It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur. Il était vêtu d'une simple robe verte, ou manteau, bordée de fourrure blanche. This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. Ce vêtement pendait si lâchement sur la figure, que sa poitrine volumineuse était nue, comme si elle dédaignait d'être protégée ou cachée par un artifice. Its feet, observable beneath the ample folds of the garment, were also bare; and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath, set here and there with shining icicles. Ses pieds, observables sous les larges plis du vêtement, étaient également nus ; et sur sa tête il n'avait d'autre couverture qu'une couronne de houx, sertie çà et là de glaçons brillants. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. Ses boucles brun foncé étaient longues et libres ; libre comme son visage sympathique, son œil pétillant, sa main ouverte, sa voix gaie, son attitude sans contrainte et son air joyeux. Girded round its middle was an antique scabbard; but no sword was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust. Ceint à son milieu était un fourreau antique ; mais il n'y avait pas d'épée dedans, et l'antique fourreau était rongé par la rouille.

“You have never seen the like of me before!” exclaimed the Spirit. « Vous n'avez jamais vu comme moi auparavant ! » s'écria l'Esprit.

“Never,” Scrooge made answer to it. "Jamais," lui répondit Scrooge.

“Have never walked forth with the younger members of my family; meaning (for I am very young) my elder brothers born in these later years?” pursued the Phantom. « Je n'ai jamais marché avec les plus jeunes membres de ma famille ; signifiant (car je suis très jeune) mes frères aînés nés dans ces dernières années ? poursuivit le Fantôme.

“I don't think I have,” said Scrooge. "Je ne pense pas que j'aie", a déclaré Scrooge. “I am afraid I have not. « Je crains que non. Have you had many brothers, Spirit?”

“More than eighteen hundred,” said the Ghost.

“A tremendous family to provide for!” muttered Scrooge. « Une famille formidable à nourrir ! murmura Scrooge.

The Ghost of Christmas Present rose.

“Spirit,” said Scrooge submissively, “conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion, and I learnt a lesson which is working now. Je suis parti hier soir par contrainte et j'ai appris une leçon qui fonctionne maintenant. To-night, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.” Ce soir, si vous avez quelque chose à m'apprendre, laissez-moi en profiter.

“Touch my robe!”

Scrooge did as he was told, and held it fast. Scrooge fit ce qu'on lui avait dit et tint bon.

Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit, and punch, all vanished instantly. So did the room, the fire, the ruddy glow, the hour of night, and they stood in the city streets on Christmas morning, where (for the weather was severe) the people made a rough, but brisk and not unpleasant kind of music, in scraping the snow from the pavement in front of their dwellings, and from the tops of their houses, whence it was mad delight to the boys to see it come plumping down into the road below, and splitting into artificial little snow-storms. La pièce aussi, le feu, la lueur rougeâtre, l'heure de la nuit, et ils se tenaient dans les rues de la ville le matin de Noël, où (car le temps était rigoureux) les gens faisaient une musique rude, mais vive et pas désagréable. , en raclant la neige du trottoir devant leurs habitations et du haut de leurs maisons, d'où les garçons étaient ravis de la voir descendre dans la route en contrebas et se fendre en petites tempêtes de neige artificielles.