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Scrooge recognized every field，post，and tree，as they walked along the road towards a little market town．All around thgm were young schoolboys on horses and in farmers’carts，laughing and wishing each other a merry Christmas，as they travelled to their homes for the Christmas holiday．
在他们去往一个小集镇的路上，斯克罗吉认出了每一片田野，每一处城堡和每一棵树木。他们周围到处都是学校的男孩子们，他们有的骑在马上，有的坐在农夫的马车里，在他们赶回家过圣诞节的路上，他们笑着并彼此祝愿圣诞快乐。
‘They are only shadows from the past，’said the spirit．‘They cannot see us．’
“他们只不过是过去的影子，”幽灵说。“他们看不见我们。”
Scrooge knew and named all of them．Why was he so delighted to see them？Why did his cold heart beat faster when they went past，shouting‘Merry Christmas！’？What was‘merry Christmas’to Scrooge？What good had it ever done to him？
斯克罗吉全都认识他们，并能叫出他们的名字。为什么他看见他们这么高兴？为什么当他们走过，高喊着“圣诞快乐”时，他冷酷的心跳得快了？“圣诞快乐”对斯克罗吉意味着什么？它给他带来了什么好处？
‘Not everyone has left the school，’said the ghost．‘There is one lonely child there still，one child whose friends have all gone．’
“不是所有的孩子们都离开了学校，”鬼魂说。“那儿还有一个孤独的孩子，他的朋友们全都走了。”
‘I know！’said Scrooge．And now he was crying openly．
“我知道！”斯克罗吉说。现在他毫不掩饰地哭了。
They turned into a smaller road，and soon came to the school．Inside，in the long，cold，silent classroom，a lonely boy sat reading near a small fire．When he saw his poor forgotten past self，Scrooge sat down at one of the desks，put his head in his hands and cried．
他们拐到了一条更小的路上，不一会儿就来到了学校。在那间狭长、寒冷、寂静的教室里，一个孤独的孩子正坐在微弱的火旁着书。当他看见自己那寒酸的、已被忘却的过去的自己时，斯克罗吉坐在一张课桌旁，双手抱头哭了。
‘Poor boy！I wish—but it's too late now．’
“可怜的孩子啊！我希望——但现在太晚了。”
‘What's the matter？’asked the spirit．
“什么事？”幽灵问。
‘There was a boy singing Christmas carols at my door yesterday．I'm sorry I didn't give him anything，that's all．’
“昨天有一个男孩子在我的门口唱圣诞颂歌，很抱歉我什么也没给他，就是这事儿。”
