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One Christmas Eve，old Scrooge was working busily in his office．It was cold，frosty，foggy weather．Outside it was already dark，although it was only three o'clock in the afternoon，and there were candles in all the office windows The fog covered everything，like a thick grey blanket．
在一个圣诞前夜，老斯克罗吉正在办公室忙碌着。天气寒冷，还有霜冻，雾蒙蒙的。虽然才下午3点，但外面天已经黑了，办公室窗子里都亮起了蜡烛。雾就像一条厚厚的毯子笼罩了一切。
Scrooge kept his office door open，in order to check that his clerk，Bob Cratchit，was working．Bob spent his days in a dark little room，a kind of cupboard，next to his employer's office．Scrooge had a very small fire，but Bob's fire was much smaller．It was very cold in the cupboard，and Bob had to wear his long white scarf to try to keep warm．
斯克罗吉办公室的门总是敞开着，目的是监督他的雇员，鲍勃·克拉奇蒂有没有怠工。鲍勃整天呆在老板隔壁的一间小黑屋里，它实际是一个壁橱。斯克罗吉房间的火很小，鲍勃的火更小。壁橱里冷极了，鲍勃不得不戴着他那条白色的长围巾取暖。
‘Merry Christmas，uncle！God bless you！’cried a happy voice．Scrooge's nephew had arrived．
“舅舅，圣诞快乐！上帝保佑你！”一个声音高兴地说。斯克罗吉的外甥已经到了。
‘Bah！’said Scrooge crossly．‘Humbug！’
“呸！”斯克罗吉恼怒地说。“骗人的东西！”
‘Christmas is humbug！Surely you don't mean that， uncle？’said his nephew．
“圣诞节是骗人的东西！舅舅，当然你不是这个意思？”他外甥说。
‘I do，’said scrooge．‘Why do you call it“merry”Christmas？You're too poor to be merry．’
“我就是这个意思，”斯克罗吉说。“你为什么管它叫‘快乐’的圣诞节？你太穷了，根本快乐不起来。”
‘Well，’replied the nephew，smiling，‘why are you so cross？You're too rich to be unhappy．’
“哎，”外甥笑着回答说，“你为什么这么生气？你很有钱不该不高兴啊。”
‘of course I'm cross，’answered the uncle，‘when I live in a world full of stupid people like you！You say“Merry Christmas”！But what is Christmas？Just a time when you spend too much，when you find yourself a year older and not an hour richer，when you have to pay your bills．Everyone who goes around saying“Merry Christmas”should have his tongue cut out．Yes，he should！’
“我当然生气，”舅舅回答说，“当我生活在一个满是像你这种蠢人的世界里！你说‘圣诞快乐’！但圣诞节是什么？不过是一个让你大把大把花钱的日子，这时你会发现你老了一岁可财富却没有增加半点，而且你还得去付所有的账单。所有到处游逛说‘圣诞快乐’的人的舌头都应被割掉。是的，他会的！”
