Christmas Carol 11 recto

11

a heavy chain [along] over the casks in the [ground?] wine merchant’s cellar. Scrooge then remembered
to have heard that ghosts in Haunted Houses were described as dragging chains. [????]
[???? ???? ???????] The cellar-door flew open with a crash booming sound, and then he heard the
[chain [????] ??? the floors below] noise much louder, on the floors below; then coming up
the stairs; [and] then coming straight towards his door.

Scrooge turned pale [?????????] “It’s humbug still!” said Scrooge. "[I ???t] I won’t believe it.”

His colour changed though, as when, without a pause, it came on through the heavy doors, and
walked [ ??? st??] passed into the room before his eyes. Upon its coming in, the
dying flame leaped up, as though it cried “I know him! Marley’s [??] Ghost!” and
fell again.

The same face; the very same. Marley in his pigtail, waistcoat
usual waistcoat, tights, and boots; the tassels on the latter, [??] bristling like his
pigtail, and his coat-skirts, and and [sic] the hairs upon [the] his head. The chain he [???? which] drew was clasped about [his waist] his middle. It was long, and
wound about him like a tail /; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, [???] keys, padlocks,
ledgers, deeds, [???] and heavy purses wrought in steel. His body was transparent,
so that Scrooge, observing him, and looking through his waistcoat, could
see the two buttons on his coat behind. nb. [[ie new para] He Scrooge had often heard it said that
Marley had no bowels, but [he] had never believed it until now.

No, nor did he [even?] believe it, even now. Though he [???] looked the [spectre?] phantom
through and through, and saw it standing [there?] before him; [though he] though he felt the chilling influence of its
death-cold eyes; and marked the very texture of the folded kerchief
bound round his about its head and and [under-jaw] chin; ( which wrapper he had
not observed before; ) he was still incredulous, and fought against his
senses.

“[???] How now!” said Scrooge; whose [momentary] fear had passed [ caustic and incredulous as he was; he was;] caustic and cold as ever: “What do you want
with me?”

“Much!”—Marley’s voice. nNo doubt about it.

“Who are you?”

“Ask me who I was.”

“Who were you then?” [said] [??????] said Scrooge, raising his voice. “You’re particular [???] —for a shade.” He was
going to say “to a shade,” but [to be] substituted this, as more appropriate.

“I In life, I was your partner; Jacob Marley.”

“Can you— "Scrooge can you sit down?” asked Scrooge, looking doubtfully at him.

“I can.”

“Do it then.”

Scrooge [?? ?????] ?? asked the question, not knowing because he didn’t know whether a ghost so