Excerpt from Charles Dickens' \"A Christmas Carol\"
Description
Vocal Characteristics
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EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General) North American (US General American - GenAM)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
even this, though, when scrooge looked at it with increasing steadiness, was not its strangest quality, for as its belt sparkled and glittered now in one part and now in another, And what was light! one instant at another time was dark, so the figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness. Being now a thing with one arm, Now with one leg, Now with 20 legs, now a pair of legs without ahead, now a head without a body of which dissolving parts no outline, would be visible in the dense gloom wherein they melted away. And in the very wonder of this it would be itself again distinct and clear as ever. Are you the Spirit, sir, whose coming was foretold to me? Asked Scrooge. I am! The voice was soft and gentle, singularly low, as if instead of being so close beside him, it were at a distance. Who, and what are you? Scrooge? Demanded. I am the Ghost of christmas past! Long past! Inquired Scrooge. Observant of its dwarfish stature. No! Your past! Perhaps! Scrooge could not have told anybody. Why, if anybody could have asked him, but he had a special desire to see the Spirit in his cap, and begged him to be covered. What! Exclaimed the Ghost. Would you soon put out with worldly hands, the light I give! It is not enough that you are one of those whole passions made this cap, and forced me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow, scrooge reverently disclaim all intention to offend, or any knowledge of having wilfully bon it'd the Spirit at any period of his life! He then made bold to inquire what business brought him there. Mhm. You're welfare, said the Ghost Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking at a night of unbroken rest would have been more conducive to that end. The Spirit must have heard him thinking, for it said immediately. Your reclamation, then! Take heed! It! Put out its strong hand as it spoke, and clasped him gently by the arm. Rise and walk with me! It would have been in vain for scrooge to plead that the weather in the hour were not adapted for pedestrian purposes. The bed was warm, and the thermometer a long way below freezing that he was clad but lightly in his slippers, dressing gown, and nightcap, and that he had a cold upon him at that time. The grasp, though gentle as a woman's hand, was not to be resisted. He rose. But, finding that the Spirit made towards the window, clasped his robe in supplication, I am immortal! Scrooge remonstrated, and liable to fall. Bear! But the touch of my hand there, said the Spirit, laying it upon his heart, and you shall be upheld in more than this! As the words were spoken. They passed through the wall and stood upon an open country road with fields on either hand. The city had entirely vanished. Not at the stage of it was to be seen. The darkness and the mist had vanished with it, for it was a clear, cold winter day with snow upon the ground.