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Charles Dickens: A Christmas CarolStave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits (continued)`Here's Martha, mother.' said a girl, appearing as she spoke. `Here's Martha, mother.' cried the two young Cratchits. `Hurrah. There's such a goose, Martha.' `Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are.' said Mrs Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times, and taking off her shawl and bonnet for her with officious zeal. `We'd a deal of work to finish up last night,' replied the girl,' and had to clear away this morning, mother.' `Well. Never mind so long as you are come,' said Mrs Cratchit. `Sit ye down before the fire, my dear, and have a warm, Lord bless ye.' `No, no. There's father coming,' cried the two young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once. `Hide, Martha, hide.' So Martha hid herself, and in came little Bob, the father, with at least three feet of comforter exclusive of the fringe, hanging down before him; and his threadbare clothes darned up and brushed, to look seasonable; and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame. `Why, where's our Martha.' cried Bob Cratchit, looking round. `Not coming,' said Mrs Cratchit. `Not coming.' said Bob, with a sudden declension in his high spirits; for he had been Tim's blood horse all the way from church, and had come home rampant. `Not coming upon Christmas Day.' Martha didn't like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so she came out prematurely from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house, that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper. `And how did little Tim behave. asked Mrs Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity, and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart's content. This is page 46 of 86. [Mark this Page] Mark any page to add this title to Your Bookshelf. (0 / 10 books on shelf) Buy a copy of A Christmas Carol at Amazon.com
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