L._). Only a shillin', sir,
for a merry Christmas, yer honor.

SCROOGE. Get away from there or I'll call the police.

FIRST WAIT. Only a shillin', sir.

SCROOGE. Not a penny. I have other places to put my money. Go on, now.
You don't get a cent. Not a penny!

FIRST WAIT. All right, sir. Merry Christmas, just the same, sir.
(_Exits L._)

SCROOGE (_comes down to his desk at L., muttering_). Howling idiots!
Give 'em a shilling, hey? I'd like to give 'em six months in the
work'us, that I would. Paupers! I'd show 'em what a merry Christmas
is. (CRATCHIT _gets down from stool and starts to slink out L._) Hey!

CRATCHIT (_pauses, turns to_ SCROOGE). Yes, sir.

SCROOGE. Where you goin'?

CRATCHIT. I was just goin' to get a few coals, sir. Just to warm us up
a bit, sir.

SCROOGE. You let my coals alone. Get back to work. I'm not complaining
about the cold, am I? And I'm an older man than you are. Back to work!

CRATCHIT (_sighs, pauses, then says meekly_). Yes, sir. (_Resumes
work._)

SCROOGE. You want to let my coals alone if you expect to keep your
job. I'm not a millionaire. Understand? (_Loudly._) Understand?

CRATCHIT. Yes, sir, I understand. (_Shivers, wraps long white woolen
muffler closer about throat and warms hands at candle._)

SCROOGE. Here it is three o'clock, the middle of the afternoon, and
two candles burning. What more do you want? Want me to end up in the
poorhouse?

FRED (_heard outside at L._). Uncle! Uncle! Where are you? Merry
Christmas, uncle.

FRED _enters from L. He is happy and bright and has a cheerful, loud
laugh. He enters laughing and comes down C._

SCROOGE (_looking up from his work_). Oh, it's you, is it?

FRED. Of course it is, uncle. Merry Christmas! God save you!

SCROOGE (_with disgust_). Merry Christmas! Bah! Humbug!

FRED. Christmas a humbug, uncle? You don't mean that, I'm sure.

SCROOGE. I don't, hey? Merry Christmas! What cause have you got to be
merry? You're poor enough.

FRED (_laughing good-naturedly_). Come, then, what right have you got
to be dismal? You're rich enough. So, merry Christmas, uncle.

SCROOGE. Out upon your merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you
but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself
a year older, but not an hour richer? You keep Christmas in your own
way and let me keep it in mine.

FRED. Keep it? But you don't keep it!

SCROOGE. Let me leave it alone, then. Much good may it do you! Much
good has