oes out R._)

SCROOGE. I'll stay here a bit and finish up the work.

_Enter_ CRATCHIT _from R. with hat. He turns up his coat collar, wraps
the long white woolen muffler around chin and pulls hat down over his
face._

CRATCHIT (_crosses to door L._). I'm going, sir.

SCROOGE. All right.

CRATCHIT (_shields face with arm as though he were afraid Scrooge
might throw something at him_). Merry Christmas, sir! (_Runs out L._)

SCROOGE. Bah! Humbug! (_He works at ledger. Finally drops his head on
his arms and sleeps. The light of his candle goes out. Note: Scrooge
might blow it out unseen by audience._)

_The stage is now in darkness. A musical bell tolls off L. After a
pause another bell tolls off R. The clinking of chains is heard. When
the stage is completely darkened the_ GHOST OF MARLEY _slips in and
sits at R. He is entirely covered with black, face and all, as he
slips in, so as to be quite invisible._

_Mysterious music. Sudden clap of thunder heard. An auto light from
the wings at R. is thrown on the_ GHOST'S _face. This light should be
green. The thunder dies away. Clanking of chains heard._

GHOST (_groans_).

SCROOGE (_starts up, looks at Ghost, pauses_). How now! What do you
want with me?

GHOST. Much.

SCROOGE. Who are you?

GHOST. Ask me who I was.

SCROOGE. Well, who were you, then?

GHOST. In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley. It is required of
every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his
fellow-men, and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned
to do so after death.

SCROOGE. You are fettered. Tell me why.

GHOST. I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link, yard
by yard, the heavy chain of avarice. Now I must make amends for the
opportunities I neglected in life.

SCROOGE. But you were always a good man of business, Jacob.

GHOST. Business? Mankind should have been my business. Kind actions,
charity, mercy, benevolence, love--all should have been my business. I
am here tonight to warn you, to warn you, Ebenezer Scrooge, that you
have yet a chance of escaping my fate.

SCROOGE. You were always a good friend to me.

GHOST. You will be haunted by Three Spirits.

SCROOGE. If it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather not.

GHOST. Without their visits, you cannot hope to escape my fate. Expect
the first when the bell tolls one.

SCROOGE. Couldn't I take it all at once and have it over, Jacob?

GHOST. Remember my warning, heed