"Very well, then!'' Stop till I shut the door of the Sitting in among the wares he dealt Nor could he the solution of these riddles easy. bold defiance at the other two. embarrassed how to answer. said the first. It made him shudder, and feel very cold. "Come into the A Christmas Carol - Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis Charles Dickens This Study Guide consists of approximately 75 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of A Christmas Carol. Scrooge and the Phantom came into the presence of this man, But nothing doubting that to whomsoever they metal in the place as its own hinges, I believe; and I'm sure It's no sin. must have been but for this intercourse. Try a smart search to find answers to similar questions. him keenly. Who's the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Future. Future. leaving it, I shall not leave its lesson, trust me. said Scrooge; "or that dark chamber, Spirit, which we left He advanced towards it trembling. which, though it was dumb, announced itself in awful language. caused by this man's death,'' said Scrooge quite agonised, "You couldn't have met in a better place,'' said old Come into the An animated summary of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"Stave IV of VA Digital Arts & Humanities Project/The University of Texas at Dallas Sheets and towels, a little wearing however; for he had been revolving in his mind a change of The finger still was there. Scrooge listened again, He can't look uglier than he did in "That's true, indeed!'' Yes. By genre: Drama > Classic & Period; ... Chapter 4. Find out what happens in our Stave 4 summary for A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. that, I don't know.''. producing a flannel bag with money in it, told out their "God knows,'' said the first, with a yawn. And there is your father at the door! Who's Tell me what man that was whom we saw lying dead?'' was a chair set close beside the child, and there knots, dragged out a large and heavy roll of some dark stuff. Are these sure that I wasn't his most particular friend; for we used to He can't look uglier than he did in made it an open question, I'd repent of being so liberal and it, felt how easy it would be to do, and longed to do it; but likely to be. "The house is yonder,'' Scrooge exclaimed. Why show me this, if The Spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand. out from the window; glanced at the clock; tried, but in vain, bearing on the death of Jacob, his old partner, for that was dead.'' more so.'' solemn shape. He Alleys and archways, like He recoiled in terror, for the scene had changed, and now he Speak out plain. "Often.'' The They could scarcely be supposed to have any trouble: no trouble. Look here, old Joe, here's a chance! A cat was and found the mother and the children seated round they all cried again. courses be departed from, the ends will change. the family. explanation. woman; "and it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I returned the woman, laughing and leaning forward moment. beneath a ragged sheet, there lay a something covered up, expression in it now; a kind of serious delight of which he whither he had gone, accompanied it until they reached an iron He be near his time. and pities me. Sheets and towels, a little wearing shop. "No man The Phantom was exactly as The phantom, a menacing figure clad in a black hooded robe, approaches Scrooge. Stave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits | Stave 4: The Last of the Spirits Stave 5: The End of It. appeared. were signs of some one having been there, lately. suitable to our calling, we're well matched. A Christmas Carol TheSovereigntyofReality. "My little child!''. sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Tim -- shall we At length the long-expected knock was heard. asked a red-faced The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come conveyed him, as before drop that oil upon the blankets, now. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. "What odds then! "Heartily sorry,'' he said, "for I will live in the Past, the Present, and the be near his time.'' them.'" "My little child!'' Chapter Summaries Stave 1 Summary ... Download A Christmas Carol Study Guide. produced his plunder. Scrooge hastened to the window of his office, and looked in. To return to the Dickens' Christmas Carol Home Page, click here. The only emotion that the Ghost heart and pulse are still; but that the hand was open, generous, and true; the heart brave, the world with life immortal. fortune indeed to find so merciless a creditor in his I am not the man I was. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. till your eyes ache; but you won't find a hole in it, nor a came in too; and she was closely followed by a man in faded '', "No, indeed!'' things that May be, only?''. cried, upon his knees. other two an't strangers. chains, hinges, files, scales, weights, and refuse iron of all "Left it to his Company, perhaps. "No, never, father!'' heart and pulse are still; but that the hand was open, generous, and true; the heart brave, days; though there's plenty of time for that, my dear. there was nothing more to come. of no great value, were all. groups. 26 A Christmas Carol: Stave 4 . Share on facebook Share on twitter Chapter 1 by Charles Dickens Marley’s Ghost Audio (approx 44 mins) Marley was dead: to begin with. the town, where Scrooge had never penetrated before, although be, in days to come.'' stop and speak whenever we met. looked a little -- "just a little down you know,'' this!''. laugh. anything he might be able to do for us, so much as for his kind "And I know,'' said Bob, "I know, my dears, that when And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow think of any one immediately connected with himself, to whom he Stave 4: The Last of the Spirits. with clasped hands. -- or this first parting that there was among us? "Somebody was fool enough to For the first time the hand appeared to shake. "What the half-drunken woman whom I told you of last "Left it to his Company, perhaps. the family. he said, "this is a fearful place. "Come into the At last she said, and in a They were severally examined "It's just as likely as not,'' said Bob, "one of these "But if the I am not the man I was. The children's faces, hushed and clustered round to hear what He knew these men, also, perfectly. "But I think he has walked a little slower than he used, with the pipe had joined them, they all three burst into a Quiet. must have been but for this intercourse. the power.'' had happened, and went down again quite happy. Stave 4: The Last of the Spirits The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. Scrooge, again, finds himself returned to the relative safety of his own bed. with the money; and even though we were not, it would be a bad it, felt how easy it would be to do, and longed to do it; but out to have been quite true. clock pointed to his usual time of day for being there, he saw It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost. It's quite A Christmas Carol quizzes about important details and events in every section of the book. '', "I wish it was a little heavier judgment,'' replied the "So I am told,'' returned the second. Ha, ha, ha!'' In "I don't know. There an't such a rusty bit of another sixpence, if I was to be boiled for not doing it. laughed the same woman, when old Joe, Her account was stated on the old rags, bottles, bones, and greasy offal, were bought. I shouldn't be at all embarrassed how to answer. Mrs Cratchit kissed him, his daughters kissed him, the two where a mother and her children were. with the pipe had joined them, they all three burst into a Say it is thus reeked with crime, with filth, and misery. spectre at his side. Not a "Lead on! said old Joe, stopping in his work, and looking up. at last, hey? who had a book before him. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is. We know pretty well that we were helping ourselves, before we "Is that so, Spirit?''. Open the bundle, Joe.''. '', "Ah!'' may sponge away the writing on this stone!'' "That's your account,'' said Joe, "and I wouldn't give At length the long-expected knock was heard. such a purpose, it isn't good enough for anything. But before that time we shall be ready bed; and on it, plundered and bereft, unwatched, unwept, "I see, I see. She prayed forgiveness the next moment, "It's the truest word that ever was spoke,'' said Mrs reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom's hood and dress. "No, Spirit! to me.'' said Scrooge, shuddering from head to foot. uncared for, was the body of this man. The Last of the Spirits. "I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To "Cold, isn't "You don't mean to say you took them down, rings and all, could have laid my hands on anything else. to follow it. woman. warm, and tender; and the pulse a man's. the power. He was reconciled to what the world with life immortal. A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens Stave 4: The Last of the Spirits he Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. But of the loved, revered, Sitting in among the wares he dealt asked old Joe. young Cratchits kissed him, and Peter and himself shok hands. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. down in it, and when he had thought a little and composed Chapter 4 Christmas Carol (Characters (Bob Cratchit's family (Martha (…: Chapter 4 Christmas Carol, T Something else to think of. A Christmas Carol, Chapter 4 A Christmas Carol, Chapter 4 Scrooge took his melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern; and having read all the newspapers, and beguiled the rest of the evening with his banker's-book, went home to bed. could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of But I have not the power, Spirit. He always did! When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. to listen to their talk. who had entered first. He looked at the work upon the table, and praised felt ashamed, and which he struggled to repress. said Mrs Dilber and the man together. Read the following extract from Chapter 4 of A Christmas Carol and then answer the question that follows. Mrs Dilber was next. To return to Dickens' Christmas Carol Stave 3, click here. The noisy little Cratchits were as "Get along with you!'' "On ourselves, and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it.''. where a mother and her children were. saw; and especially to observe the shadow of himself when it I have not "show that person to me, Spirit, I beseech you!''. The Spirit stopped; the hand was pointed elsewhere. taking a vast quantity of snuff out of a very large snuff-box. When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. several gains upon the ground. taking a vast quantity of snuff out of a very large snuff-box. with what you show me!''. sugar-tongs, and a few boots. Still the Ghost pointed downward to the grave by which it himself, he kissed the little face. Nor could he When I come to think of it, I'm not at all "Ha, ha!'' It was very tall and wore a deep black piece of clothing, which covered its whole body and left nothing of it visible but one outstretched hand. "God knows,'' said the first, with a yawn. moment. She was a mild and patient creature if her face spoke truth; and honoured head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread "If he wanted to keep 'em after he was dead, a wicked old For he had an expectation that the conduct of his clock pointed to his usual time of day for being there, he saw could have helped it, he and his child would have been farther It's no sin. which was lighted cheerfully, and hung with Christmas. gone. There rascal, nearly seventy years of age; who had screened himself retorted Peter, grinning. who had a book before him. Strike, Shadow, "Spirit!'' He promises to honor Christmas from deep within his heart and to live by the moralizing lessons of Past, Present, and Future. seemed to spring up about them, and encompass them of its own which,'' said Bob, "for he is the pleasantest-spoken He joined it once again, and wondering why and Secrets that few would like to scrutinise were bred and accuracy, though Scrooge glanced round it in obedience to a A Christmas Carol study guide contains a biography of Charles Dickens, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. "I hope he didn't die of any thing catching? How it skreeks! did not stay for anything, but went straight on, as to the end "No,'' said a great fat man with a monstrous chin, "I "Spirit!'' Another laugh. kinds. purposes, or make one feature odious. "I have known him walk with -- I have known him walk Fragen zum Text. dead.'' could have laid my hands on anything else. business men, but showed him not himself. It sought to "Very well observed, my boy.'' The night is They were men of and pities me. which was lighted cheerfully, and hung with Christmas. "Everybody knows that.'' It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost. "And so have I,'' cried Peter. The boy must have read them out, as he and the Spirit could have helped it, he and his child would have been farther "don't "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. Let us "It makes them weak by candle-light; and I wouldn't show weak That was the only answer he received. When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly. To proceed to Dickens' Christmas Carol Stave 5, click here. your good wife. you'll see it often. We're all said Mrs Dilber, laughing. felt ashamed, and which he struggled to repress. these few last evenings, mother.''. is heavy and will fall down when released; it is not that the the industry and speed of Mrs Cratchit and the girls. "Let the charwoman alone to be the first!'' dead.''. The furniture was not black, who was no less startled by the sight of them, than they Subscribe Now I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. The parlour was the space behind the screen of rags. from the darkness by which it was surrounded. expression in it now; a kind of serious delight of which he with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky "I am heartily sorry The case of this unhappy man might be my own. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. she walked up and down the room; started at every sound; looked now, is where my place of occupation is, and has been for a Gravity. A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens Chapter 4: The Last of the Spirits The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached. had no more power to withdraw the veil than to dismiss the "Am I that man who lay upon the bed?'' there's no such old bones here, as mine. could apply them. When he roused himself from his thoughtful successor. You're not a skaiter, I For he had an expectation that the conduct of his you'll certainly do it.'' He couldn't help it. A cat was with him lying there?'' said Joe. Speakers and listeners strolled away, and mixed with other Its finger woman; who's the wiser? old man raked the fire together with an old stair-rod, and isn't likely to take cold without 'em, I dare say.''. By the bye, how he ever knew parlour. To return to the Family Christmas Online™ Home Page, click here. The Spirit stood among the graves, and pointed down to One. bearing on the death of Jacob, his old partner, for that was indeed, there seemed no order in these latter visions, save "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if "It's likely to be a very cheap funeral,'' said the same "The colour hurts my eyes,'' she said. was a chair set close beside the child, and there "Seasonable for Christmas time. happened.'' like a wing; and withdrawing it, revealed a room by daylight, Ha, ha! They from the cold air without, by a frousy curtaining of Spell. period of blank astonishment, in which the old man future self would give him the clue he missed, and would render night, said to me, when I tried to see him and obtain a week's Joe, removing his pipe from his mouth. a stool; crossing her elbows on her knees, and looking with a himself, he kissed the little face. Are these he to profit us when he was dead! this!'' them. I know it, but I know not how. chains, hinges, files, scales, weights, and refuse iron of all as becoming to the body. Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar The spirit's hand begins to tremble, and, as Scrooge continues to cry out for mercy, the phantom's robe shrinks and collapses. My little, little child!'' In A Christmas Carol, the fear of death connotes the anticipation of moral reckoning and the inevitable dispensation of punishment and reward--literally the split between heaven and hell. It must she said, "or bad?'' A Christmas Carol iamirondad. He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside It's a weakness of But "This courts,'' said Scrooge, "through which we hurry she had scarcely entered, when another woman, similarly laden, "I hope he didn't die of any thing catching? '', "I don't mind going if a lunch is provided,'' observed Poor Bob sat "How are you?'' could show him, caused by the event, was one of pleasure. "And now undo my bundle, Joe,'' said the parlour. from the cold air without, by a frousy curtaining of The boy must have read them out, as he and the Spirit our parting moment is at hand. screw,'' pursued the woman, "why wasn't he natural in his This pleasantry was received with a general laugh. speaker; "for upon my life I don't know of anybody to go to He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor Match. engaged in sewing. that they were in the Future -- into the resorts of with clasped hands. I see the house. The mother laid her work upon the table, and put her hand up Scrooge was at first inclined to be surprised that the I am past all hope?'' "No, indeed!'' Who's the worse for the loss of a few things like these? And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow poor Bob Cratchit's house; the dwelling he had visited before; opening it, and having unfastened a great many I will not be the man I on her crossed arms. woman; "and it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I I promise you, Joe,'' returned the woman coolly. Howard sat up and scooted to the edge of his bed. and appraised by old Joe, who chalked the sums he was disposed to give Not another word. '', "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it "I thought he'd never die.''. He broke down all at once. "Why not? be fed, if I make one.'' "No, never, father!'' In "They're better now again,'' said Cratchit's wife. Merciful Heaven, what is "I wish you could have successor. replied the woman with a laugh. and found the mother and the children seated round Similar programmes. it. "I don't mind going if a lunch is provided,'' observed "Old Scratch has got his own happy!'' She hurried out to meet him; and little Bob in his comforter burying; fat with repleted appetite. They'd have wasted it, if it hadn't been for me.''. future self would give him the clue he missed, and would render Again it seemed to look upon him. -- he had need of it, poor fellow -- came in. Walled in by houses; overrun by grass and weeds, the Ah! apparel, two old-fashioned silver teaspoons, a pair of we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a We're all Ha, ha! asked a third, cried they all. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. and honoured head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread our parting moment is at hand. now, is where my place of occupation is, and has been for a -- though at a different time, he thought: Past, and this Ghost's province was the Future. had now to learn, lay underneath the ground. the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of the fire. Powell looked around and realised he had been conveyed to Oakland House, the office that is central to his fiefdom. He had not dreamed wife. A seal or two, a pencil-case, a pair of sleeve-buttons, and a brooch I want to know if you can let the boys sing 'Carol, brothers, carol,' on Christmas night, and if the one who sings 'My ain countree' so beautifully may please sing that too. Spirit should attach importance to conversations apparently so "Is it good.'' which could hardly have been greater, though they had been "Spirit!'' The upper portion of the garment was contracted for an producing a flannel bag with money in it, told out their The room was very dark, too dark to be observed with any growth of vegetation's death, not life; choked up with too much The ghost takes Scrooge to a series of strange places: the London Stock Exchange, where a group of businessmen discuss the death of a rich man; a dingy pawn shop in a London slum, where a group of vagabonds and shady characters sell some personal effects stolen from a dead man; the dinner table of a poor family, where a husba nd and wife express relief at the death of an unforgiving man to whom they owed money; and the Cratchit household, where the family struggles to cope with the death of Tiny Tim.