'Mr Scrooge?' asked the gentleman, surprised.
“斯克罗吉先生吗?”绅士惊奇地问。
'Yes, that's my name. I'm very sorry for what I said to you when you visited me yesterday.
“是的,我是斯克罗吉。我为我昨天所说的话感到抱歉。
Will you please—' and he spoke very quietly in the gentleman's ear.
你可以——”他悄悄地对着绅士的耳朵说。
'Good Heavens!' cried the gentleman. 'My dear Mr Scrooge,are you serious?'
“我的天哪!”绅士大声说道,“我亲爱的斯克罗吉先生,你是当真吗?”
'I am. Not a shilling less.
“我说话算数。一先令也不会少。
I must tell you, I haven't given anything to anyone for years.'
我必须告诉你,若干年来,我从未给过任何人任何东西。”
'My dear sir!' said the gentleman, shaking hands with him.
“我亲爱的先生!”绅士说着并同他握手。
'I don't know how to thank you for—'
“这——我不知道该如何感激您。”
'Don't say anything, please,' replied Scrooge.
“请什么也不要说,”斯克罗吉回答说。
'Will you come and see me tomorrow about it?'
“你明天能就此事来见我吗?”
'I will!' cried the old gentleman happily.
“我会的。”老绅士高兴地大声说。
'Thank you, and God bless you!' said Scrooge.
“谢谢你,愿上帝保佑你!”斯克罗吉说。
He went to church, and watched the people, and gave children money for sweets, and discovered that he had never been so happy in his life.
他去做了礼拜,看着教堂里的人们,给孩子们钱去买糖果,他发现他一生中从未这样幸福过。
In the afternoon he went to his nephew's house He passed the door several times before he was brave enough to knock.
下午他去了他外甥家。他在门前走了好几趟,因为他没有勇气敲门。
But at last he did it,and was taken into the sitting-room, where Fred and his pretty wife were waiting for their friends to arrive for dinner.
但最后他还是敲了,他被带进了起居室,弗雷德和他漂亮的妻子正在这儿等着他们的朋友来吃晚饭。
'Fred!' said Scrooge. 'It's your uncle Scrooge.
“弗雷德!”斯克罗吉说。“我是你舅舅斯克罗吉,
I've come to dinner. Will you let me stay, Fred?'
我是来吃晚饭的。你会留我吗,弗雷德?”
Let him stay! Fred almost shook his uncle's arm off.
让他留下。弗雷德都快把他舅舅的胳膊摇掉了。
Scrooge felt at home in five minutes.
5分钟后斯克罗吉就不再拘束了。
Nothing could be merrier. And what a wonderful dinner they had!
没有什么比这更快乐了。他们的晚餐真是棒极了!
Wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful happiness!
绝妙的晚会,绝妙的游戏,无与伦比的幸福!
But he was early at the office next morning. Oh, he was there early.
但第二天早晨他早早地赶到了办公室。噢,他到的很早.
He wanted to catch Bob Cratchit arriving late. And he did!
他想抓住鲍勃来晚了,他确实抓到了!
The clock struck nine. No Bob. A quarter past. No Bob.
钟敲了9点,鲍勃没来。过了一刻钟,鲍勃还是没来。
He was eighteen and a half minutes late when he finally hurried in.
当他匆忙进来的时候,他迟到了18分半。
Scrooge was sitting with his office door open.
斯克罗吉坐在那儿,他办公室的门敞开着。