tave fur（第1/2页）
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THELASTOFTHESPIRITS
Thephantomslowly，gravely，silentlyapproached。Whenitcamenearhim，Scroogebentdownuponhisknee；forintheveryairthroughwhichthisspiritmoveditseemedtoscattergloomandmystery。
Itwasshroudedinadeep-blackgarment，whichconcealeditshead，itsface，itsform，andleftnothingofitvisiblesaveoneoutstretchedhand。Butforthisitwouldhavebeendifficulttodetachitsfigurefromthenight，andseparateitfromthedarknessbywhichitwassurrounded。
Hefeltthatitwastallandstatelywhenitcamebesidehim，andthatitsmysteriouspresencefilledhimwithasolemndread。Heknewnomore，forthespiritneitherspokenormoved。
“IaminthepresenceoftheGhostofChristmasYettoCome？”saidScrooge。
Thespiritanswerednot，butpointedonwardwithhishand。
“Youareabouttoshowmeshadowsofthethingsthathavenothappened，butwillhappeninthetimebeforeus，”Scroogepursued。“Isthatso，spirit？”
Theupperportionofthegarmentwascontractedforaninstantinitsfolds，asifthespirithadinclineditshead。Thatwastheonlyanswerhereceived。
Althoughwellusedtoghostlycompanybythistime，Scroogefearedthesilentshapesomuchthathislegstrembledbeneathhim，andhefoundthathecouldhardlystandwhenhepreparedtofollowit。Thespiritpausedamoment，asobservinghiscondition，andgivinghimtimetorecover。
ButScroogewasalltheworseforthis。Itthrilledhimwithavagueuncertainhorror，toknowthatbehindtheduskyshroudtherewereghostlyeyesintentlyfixeduponhim，whilehe，thoughhestretchedhisowntotheutmost，couldseenothingbutaspectralhandandonegreatheapofblack。
“Ghostofthefuture！”heexclaimed，“IfearyoumorethananyspectreIhaveseen。ButasIknowyourpurposeistodomegood，andasIhopetolivetobeanothermanfromwhatIwas，Iampreparedtobearyoucompany，anddoitwithathankfulheart。Willyounotspeaktome？”
Itgavehimnoreply。Thehandwaspointedstraightbeforethem。
“Leadon！”saidScrooge。“LeadonIThenightiswaningfast，anditisprecioustimetome，Iknow。Leadon，spirit！”
Thephantommovedawayasithadcometowardshim。Scroogefollowedintheshadowofitsdress，whichborehimup，hethought，andcarriedhimalong。
Theyscarcelyseemedtoenterthecity；forthecityratherseemedtospringupaboutthem，andencompassthemofitsownact。Buttheretheywere，intheheartofit；on’Change，amongstthemerchants；whohurriedupanddown，andchinkedthemoneyintheirpockets，andconversedingroups，andlookedattheirwatches，andtrifledthoughtfullywiththeirgreatgoldseals；andsoforth，asScroogehadseenthemoften。
Thespiritstoppedbesideonelittleknotofbusinessmen。Observingthatthehandwaspointedtothem，Scroogeadvancedtolistentotheirtalk。
“No，”saidagreatfatmanwithamonstrouschin，“Idon’tknowmuchaboutiteitherway。Ionlyknowhe’sdead。”
“Whendidhedie？”inquiredanother。
“Lastnight，Ibelieve。”
“Why，whatwasthematterwithhim？”askedathird，takingavastquantityofsnuffoutofaverylargesnuff-box。“Ithoughthe’dneverdie。”
“Godknows，”saidthefirst，withayawn。
“Whathashedonewithhismoney？”askedared-facedgentlemanwithapendulousexcrescenceontheendofhisnose，thatshooklikethegillsofaturkey-cock。
“Ihaven’theard，”saidthemanwiththelargechin，yawningagain。“Leftittohiscompany，perhaps。Hehasn’tleftittome。That’sallIknow。”
Thispleasantrywasreceivedwithagenerallaugh。
“It’slikelytobeaverycheapfuneral，”saidthesamespeaker；“foruponmylifeIdon’tknowofanybodytogotoit。Supposewemakeupapartyandvolunteer？”
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