Christmas Carol 05 recto

5

“But why,” said cried Scrooge’s nephew. “Why?”

“Why did you get married [??] ?” said Scrooge.

“Because I fell in love.”

“Because you fell in love!” repeated growled Scrooge, as if that were the only
one thing in the world more [gid???] [ridiculous? and?] ridiculous than a merry Christmas. In ?? "Good day!" “Good afternoon!”

“Nay, uncle, but you never [caused?] [deliberately?] came to see me before that happened. [and] wWhy
assign give it as a reason for not coming now?”

“Good afternoon,” said Scrooge.

“I want nothing from you; as you know [I ?n ??? ???] [???????????] responded his nephew I ask nothing of you; why can't cannot we
be friends?” [returned?] his nephew

“Good afternoon,” said Scrooge.

“I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. [especially?] as wWe
have never [been] had a any quarrel since I left [y??? a????] to which I have been a party. But I have made the
trial in homage to Christmas, and I’ll keep my Christmas humour to the
last. So a merry Christmas, uncle!”

“Good afternoon!” said Scrooge.

“And a happy new Year!”

“Good afternoon!” said Scrooge.

His nephewwent out [gaily], left the room without an angry word, notwithstanding. He stopped [in] at the
back outer door to say [???] the [same] greetings of the season [to?]on the clerk, who, cold
as he was, was warmer than Scrooge: for he returned them cordially

“There’s a another fellow,” muttered Scrooge, [with?] who [heard] overheard him, "A
[fellow] “My [desk?] clerk, with fifteen shillings a week, and a wife and family, [and not a ?? the ???] talking about
a merry Christmas. I’ll retire to Bedlam from [his ????] to Bedlam.”

This lunatic in the [task?] letting Scrooge’s nephew out, had left let
two other people in. They were portly gentlemen, [?n blac?] pleasant to behold, and [presented]
now stood, bare-headed [????????] with their hats off, in Scrooge’s office. They had books and papers in
their hands, and bowed to him.

“Scrooge and Marley’s, I believe,” said one of the gentlemen, referring to his
list. “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge, or Mr. Marley?”

["Ye?] “Mr. Marley has been dead these ten seven years,” Scrooge [responded] replied. “He
died ten seven years ago, this very day." night.”

“The compliments We have no doubt his liberality is well represented by his surviving
partner,” said the gentleman, at [????] presenting his credentials.

It certainly was, for they were had [???] been two kindred spirits. At the ominous word liberality
Scrooge [???? ??????] frowned, and shook his head, and handed the credentials back.