Yes! and the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, theroom was his own. Best and happiest of all, the time beforehim was his own, to make amends in!

``I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!''Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. ``The Spiritsof all Three shall strive within me. Oh Jacob Marley! Heaven,and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on myknees, old Jacob; on my knees!''

He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions,that his broken voice would scarcely answer to his call. Hehad been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit, andhis face was wet with tears.

``They are not torn down,'' cried Scrooge, folding one ofhis bed-curtains in his arms, ``they are not torn down, ringsand all. They are here: I am here: the shadows of the thingsthat would have been, may be dispelled. They will be. I knowthey will!''

His hands were busy with his garments all this time: turningthem inside out, putting them on upside down, tearing them,mislaying them, making them parties to every kind ofextravagance.

``I don't know what to do!'' cried Scrooge, laughing andcrying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön ofhimself with his stockings. ``I am as light as a feather, Iam as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I amas giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to every-body! Ahappy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!''

He had frisked into the sitting-room, and was now standingthere: perfectly winded.

``There's the saucepan that the gruel was in!'' criedScrooge, starting off again, and going round thefire-place.``There's the door, by which the Ghost of Jacob Marleyentered! There's the corner where the Ghost of ChristmasPresent, sat! There's the window where I saw the wanderingSpirits! It's all right, it's all true, it all happened.Ha ha ha!''

Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so manyyears, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. Thefather of a long, long line of briliant laughs!

``I don't know what day of the month it is!'' saidScrooge. ``I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits.I don't know anything. I'm quite a baby. Never mind. Idon't care. I'd rather be a baby. Hallo! Whoop! Hallohere!''

He was checked in his transports by the churches ringing outthe lustiest peals he had ever heard. Clash, clang, hammer,ding, dong, bell. Bell, dong, ding, hammer, clang, clash! Oh,glorious, glorious!

Running to the window, he opened it, and put out hisstirring, coldcold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight;Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious.Glorious!

``What's to-day?'' cried Scrooge, calling downward to aboy in Sunday clothes, who perhaps had loitered in to lookabout him.

``

``What's to-day, my fine fellow?'' said Scrooge.

``To-day?'' replied the boy. ``Why,

``It's Christmas Day!'' said Scrooge to himself. ``Ihaven 't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night.They can do anything they like. Of course they can. Of coursethey can. Hallo, my fine fellow!''

``Hallo!'' returned the boy

``Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one,at the corner?'' Scrooge inquired.

``I should hope I did,'' replied the lad.

``An intelligent boy!'' said Scrooge. ``A remarkableboy! Do you know whether they've sold the prizeTurkey that was hanging up there? Not the little prize Turkey;the big one?''

``What, the one as big as me?'' returned the boy.

``What a delightful boy!'' said Scrooge. ``It's apleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck!''

``It's hanging there now,'' replied the boy.

``Is it?'' said Scrooge. ``Go and buy it.''

``Walk-

``No, no,'' said Scrooge, ``I am in earnest. Go and buyit, and tell 'em to bring it here, that I may give them theirection where to take it. Come back with the man, and I'llgive you a shilling. Come back with him in less than fiveminutes, and I'll give you half-a-crown!''

``I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's!'' whispered Scrooge,rubbing his hands, and splitting with a laugh. ``He sha'n'tknow who sends it. It's twice the size of Tiny Tim. JoeMiller never made such a joke as sending it toBob's will be!''

The hand in which he wrote the address was not a steady one,but write it he did, somehow, and went down stairs to open thestreet door, ready for the coming of the poulterer's man. Ashe stood there, waiting his arrival, the knocker caught hiseye.

``I shall love it, as long as I live!'' cried Scrooge,patting it with his hand. ``I scarcely ever looked at itbefore. What an honest expression it has in its face! It's awonderful knocker! -- Here's the Turkey. Hallo! Whoop!How are you! Merry Christmas!''

It

``Why, it's impossible to carry that to Camden Town,''said Scrooge. ``You must have a cab.''

The chuckle with which he said this, and the chuckle withwhich he paid for the Turkey, and the chuckle with which hepaid for the cab, and the chuckle with which he recompensed theboy, were only to be exceeded by the chuckle withwhich he sat down breathless in his chair again, and chuckledtill he cried.

Shaving was not an easy task, for his hand continued toshake very much; and shaving requires attention, even when youdon't dance while you are at it. But if he had cut the end ofhis nose off, he would have put a piece of sticking-plaisterover it, and been quite satisfied.

He dressed himself

He had not gone far, when coming on towards him he beheldthe portly gentleman, who had walked into hiscounting-house the day before, and said, ``Scrooge andMarley's, I believe?'' It sent a pang across his heart tothink how this old gentleman would look upon him when they met;but he knew what path lay straight before him, and he took it.

``My dear sir,'' said Scrooge, quickening his pace, andtaking the old gentleman by both his hands. ``How do you do? I hope you succeeded yesterday. It was very kind of you. Amerry Christmas to you, sir!''

``Mr Scrooge?''

``Yes,'' said Scrooge. ``That is my name, and I fear itmay not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. Andwill you have the goodness --'' here Scrooge whisperedin his ear.

``Lord bless me!'' cried the gentleman, as if his breathwere gone. ``My dear Mr Scrooge, are you serious?''

``If you please,'' said Scrooge. ``Not a farthing less.A great many back-payments are included in it, I assure you.Will you do me that favour?''

``My dear sir,'' said the other, shaking hands

``don't say anything, please,'' retorted Scrooge. ``Come and see me. Will you come and see me?''

``I will!'' cried the old gentleman. And it was clear hemeant to do it.

``Thank 'ee,'' said Scrooge. ``I am much obliged toyou. I thank you fifty times. Bless you!''

He went to church, and walked about the streets, and watchedthe people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on thehead, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchensof houses, and up to the windows: and found that everythingcould yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk-- that anything -- could give him so much happiness.In the afternoon he turned his steps towards his nephew'shouse.

He passed the door a dozen times, before he had the courageto go up and knock. But he made a dash, and did it:

``Is your master at home, my dear?'' said Scrooge to thegirl. Nice girl! Very.

``Yes, sir.''

``Where is he, my love?'' said Scrooge.

``He's in the dining-room, sir, along with mistress. I'llshow you up-stairs, if you please.''

``Thank 'ee. He knows me,'' said Scrooge, with his handalready on the dining-room lock. ``I'll go in here, mydear.''

He turned it gently, and sidled his face in, round the door.They were looking at the table (which was spread out in greatarray); for these young housekeepers are always nervous on suchpoints, and like to see that everything is right.

``Fred!'' said Scrooge.

Dear heart alive, how his niece by marriage started! Scroogehad forgotten, for the moment, about her sitting in the cornerwith the footstool, or he wouldn't have done it, on anyaccount.

``Why bless my soul!'' cried Fred, ``who's that?''

``It's I. Your uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Willyou let me in, Fred?''

Let him in! It is a mercy he didn't shake his arm off. He was at home in five minutes. Nothing could beheartier. His niece looked just the same. So did Topper when

But he was early at the office next morning. Oh, he wasearly there. If he could only be there first, and catch BobCratchit coming late! That was the thing he had set his heartupon.

And he did it; yes he did! The clock struck nine. No Bob. A quarter past. No Bob. He was full eighteen minutes and ahalf, behind his time. Scrooge sat with his door wide open,that he might see him come into the Tank.

His hat was off, before he opened the door; his comfortertoo. He was on his stool in a jiffy; driving away with hispen, as if he were trying to overtake nine o'clock.

``Hallo!'' growled Scrooge, in his accustomed voice, asnear as he could feign it. ``What do you mean by coming hereat this time of day.''

``I am very sorry, sir,'' said Bob. ``I

``You are?'' repeated Scrooge. ``Yes. I think you are.Step this way, if you please.''

``It's only once a year, sir,'' pleaded Bob, appearingfrom the Tank. ``It shall not be repeated. I was makingrather merry yesterday, sir.''

``Now, I'll tell you what, my friend,'' said Scrooge,``I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. Andtherefore,'' he continued, leaping from his stool, and givingBob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into theTank again: ``and therefore I am about to raise yoursalary!''

Bob trembled, and got a little nearer to the ruler. He hada momentary idea of knocking Scrooge down with it; holding him,and calling to the people in the court for help and astrait-waistcoat.

``A merry Christmas, Bob!'' said Scrooge, with anearnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him onthe back. ``A merrier Christmas, Bob, my goodfellow, than I have given you for many a year! I'll raise yoursalary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and wewill discuss your affairs this very afternoon, over a Christmasbowl of smoking bishop, Bob!

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, andinfinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did

He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but