Various- A Budget of Christmas Tales by Charles Dickens and Others

An Excerpt from the book-Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, theundertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge’s namewas good upon ‘Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to.Old Marley was dead as a door-nail.Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course he did. How could it be otherwise?Scrooge and he were partners for I don’t know how many years. Scroogewas his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his soleresiduary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner. And even Scroogewas not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was anexcellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnizedit with an undoubted bargain.The mention of Marley’s funeral brings me back to the point I startedfrom. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctlyunderstood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am go (more…)