I'm Keith Morrison, and this is episode 4 of Charles Dickens, a Christmas Carol.

These days we'd probably call Ebenezer Scrooge a hater?

What else do you call a man who doesn't like babies or Christmas or people, really?

That is until the ghost of Christmas passed, and the ghost of Christmas present got their

hands on Scrooge.

Got him thinking about charity and kindness, and what it means to be happy, and to make others happy.

But as we rejoin our story, Scrooge doesn't have time to think too hard about any of that,

because heading his way is something dark, and Scrooge is seized by a cold fear.

The phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached.

When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee, or in the very air through which this spirit moved,

it seemed to scatter glue and mystery.

It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form,

and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand.

But for this, it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night,

and separated from the darkness by which it was surrounded.

He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him,

and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread.

He knew no more, for the spirit neither spoke or moved.

The mind and the presence of the ghost of Christmas yet to come, said Scrooge.

The spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand.

You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened,

but will happen in the time before us, Scrooge pursued.

...