But he was early at the office next morning. Oh, he was early there. If he could only be there first, and catch Bob Cratchit coming late! That was the thing he had set his heart upon.<\/p>\n
And he did it; yes, he did! The clock struck nine. No Bob. A quarter past. No Bob. He was full eighteen minutes and a half behind his time. Scrooge sat with his door wide open, that he might see him come into the Tank.<\/p>\n
His hat was off, before he opened the door; his comforter too. He was on his stool in a jiffy; driving away with his pen, as if he were trying to overtake nine o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n
\u201cHallo!\u201d growled Scrooge, in his accustomed voice, as near as he could feign it. \u201cWhat do you mean by coming here at this time of day?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very sorry, sir,\u201d said Bob. \u201cI am behind my time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are?\u201d repeated Scrooge. \u201cYes. I think you are. Step this way, sir, if you please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only once a year, sir,\u201d pleaded Bob, appearing from the Tank. \u201cIt shall not be repeated. I was making rather merry yesterday, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, I\u2019ll tell you what, my friend,\u201d said Scrooge, \u201cI am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore,\u201d he continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into the Tank again; \u201cand therefore I am about to raise your salary!\u201d<\/p>\n
Bob trembled, and got a little nearer to the ruler. He had a momentary idea of knocking Scrooge down with it, holding him, and calling to the people in the court for help and a strait-waistcoat.<\/p>\n
\u201cA merry Christmas, Bob!\u201d said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him on the back. \u201cA merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you, for many a year! I\u2019ll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs this very afternoon, over a Christmas bowl of smoking bishop, Bob! Make up the fires, and buy another coal-scuttle before you dot another i, Bob Cratchit!\u201d<\/p>\n Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.<\/p>\n He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!<\/p>\n Charles Dickens<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n