They scarcely seemed to enter the city for the city rather seemed to spring up about them, and encompass them of its own act. Scrooge followed in the shadow of its dress, which bore him up, he thought, and carried him along. The Phantom moved away as it had come towards him. "Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. The hand was pointed straight before them. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. "I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. It thrilled him with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky shroud, there were ghostly eyes intently fixed upon him, while he, though he stretched his own to the utmost, could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of black. The Spirit paused a moment, as observing his condition, and giving him time to recover.īut Scrooge was all the worse for this. That was the only answer he received.Īlthough well used to ghostly company by this time, Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him, and he found that he could hardly stand when he prepared to follow it. The upper portion of the garment was contracted for an instant in its folds, as if the Spirit had inclined its head. "You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in the time before us?", Scrooge pursued. The Spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand. "I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?", said Scrooge. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved. He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded. 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. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached.