“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 nature.
“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 so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give? Is it not enough that you are one of those whose passions made this cap, and force me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow?”
Scrooge reverently disclaimed all intention to offend, or any knowledge of having willfully “bonneted” the Spirit at any period of his life. He then made bold to inquire what business brought him there.
“Your welfare!” said the Ghost.
Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking that 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 vain for Scrooge to plead that the weather and the hour were not adapted to pedestrian purposes; that 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 its robe in supplication.
“I am a mortal,” Scrooge remonstrated, “and liable to fall.”
“Bear but a touch of my hand THERE,” said the Spirit, laying it upon his heart, “And you shall be upheld in more than this!”
This passage holds a lot of classic lines, which does not keep filmmakers from changing them. (Amazing, for starters, how many bits were not dialogue in the original at all; Scrooge only THINKS about a night of unbroken rest, for example.) About the only thing omitted outright in most cases is the Spirit’s cap. When a ghost does carry this in the movies, the Ghost frequently is moved to explain the whole metaphor, which Dickens thought we’d be able to get on our own. Since no two Ghosts seem to agree on its significance, though, maybe he was wrong.
Hicks skips all of this. His Ghost simply tells him, “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. I am here to show you the things that have been. Look back beyond the gulf of vanished years.”
“Are you the Spirit I was told to expect?” asks Owen, “Who are you?” “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.” She approaches; Scrooge cries, “The light! It hurts my eyes!~ It blinds me!” “I’m not surprised,” is the Ghost’s calm response, “It’s the warming light of cheerfulness, the light of gratitude to others.” “I’ve never seen it before.” Again, she is unsurprised; she tells Scrooge that men of greed like him have long forgotten gratitude. “Oh. What’s your business with me?” “Your welfare, your reclamation: rise and walk with me.” Scrooge climbs wearily out of bed. The window opens; Scrooge looks around in apprehension. “We spirits have no fear,” she assures him. “But I’m not a spirit!” “Bear but a touch of my hand on your heart and you shall be safe.”
Oh, look at the expression on Sim I’s face! When told the Spirit is here for his welfare, he responds “My welfare.” The Ghost comprehends. “Your reclamation, then. Take heed, rise, and walk with me.” A lift of the ghostly hand makes the distant window slide open. Scrooge doesn’t care for the trick. “Through the window?” “Are you afraid?” Scrooge explains that he is a mortal, and liable to fall, but the way he shuffles his feet and pulls at the collar of his robe show this is merely a schoolboy excuse; he just doesn’t want to go. They complete the dialogue as written.
March asks “Are you the Spirit I was to expect?” “I am.” “Odd. Very odd. You resemble HER so very much. What Spirit are you?” “I am the Spirit of Christmas Past.” “What past?” “Your past, among others.” “What did you wish to see me about,” says the constant man of business. “Your welfare.” “I;ve had so little sleep.” “I am sent to save you from yourself. You have forgotten what the world is like for children.” She pushes the window open. “Come with me.” “as I am?” “As you are.” “Which way?” She indicates the shutters and he draws back. “No! Not that way! I shall fall!” “Not when you’re with me.”
Rathbone boils this down considerably. “Are you the Spirit whose coming was foretold to me?” “I am.” “Who and what are you?” “I am the Spirit of Christmas Past.” “And what business brings you here?” “Your welfare and your reclamation. Come with me.” At the window, Scrooge pulls back. “But I am a mortal!” Something about the Spirit’s face makes him moderate his tone and he adds, more quietly, “And liable to fall.” “Bear but a touch of my hand here and you shall be upheld in more than this.” The hand does go to Scrooge’s chest.
When told why the Ghost is there, Magoo replies, “Well, I’m much obliged, but a good night of unbroken rest is what I need, of you’re so concerned.” “Rise, and walk with me.” “Oh, humbug! Forcing a fellow to leave his bed in the middle of the night!” “Come!” He complains of being cold, and of not having a decent stitch to warm his old bones. When close enough to see the window is their destination, he whines about that as well. “Touch my hand, and you shall be upheld.”
Haddrick stammers in terror. The dialogue about “Your past” and “Your welfare” is omitted. “’Tis hardly the hour or the weather for pedestrian purposes,” he complains, “It is below freezing and I am but lightly clad.” The Ghost touches his hand to lead him out. “I’m mortal, don’t forget, and likely to fall.” (Since we have not approached a window, where he is going to fall is not immediately obvious.)
After Sim II’s frightened stammering, the scene moves quickly past a lot of unuttered dialogue.
Finney demands, “Who are you?” “I am the Spirit whose coming was foretold to you.” “You don’t look like a Ghost.” “Thank you.” “May I inquire more precisely who or what you are?” The dialogue follows much as Dickens wrote it, without any of the cap business. When his welfare comes up, Scrooge points out, “To be awakened by a ghost at one o’clock in the morning is hardly conducive to my welfare.” “Your redemption, then. Rise! And walk with me.” “Where are we going?” “We are going to look at your childhood.”
Matthau is informed, “I am the Ghost of Christmas past.” “Long past?” “Your past. Here. Hold my hand.”
The Ghost has to bang on the alarm clock bell to wake McDuck. “Well?” he demands, when Scrooge does wake up, “About time! Haven’t got all night, y’know.” Startled, Scrooge asks, “Who are you?” “Why, I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past.” “Oh.” Scrooge rolls over to go back to sleep, adding, “I thought you’d be taller.” The Ghost snaps that if men were measured by kindness, Scrooge himself would be no bigger than a speck of dust. “Kindness is of little use in this world,” Says Scrooge, sleepily. “You didn’t always think so. Come on, Scrooge: it’s time to go.” “Then go!” The Ghost opens a window, allowing a gust of cold wind to startle Scrooge. “What are you going?” “We’re going to visit your past.” “I’m not going out there. I’ll fall!” “Just hold on.” Scrooge clutches the miniature ghost.
Scott’s ghost is stern. She explains that HER light is the light of truth. When he makes a crack about a night of unbroken sleep, she warns him severely, “Be careful, Ebenezer Scrooge. I speak of your reclamation.” Scrooge’s expressions shows he never really thought she’d listen to reason. “Ah. Well, if tit’s reclamation, then let’s get on with it.” They do not bother with the window; mist surrounds them. “Come. We shall be invisible, and silent as the grave. You will see a child, a youth; you will see yourself, Ebenezer.”
Caine asks “Are you the Spirit whose coming was foretold to me?” “I am.” “But you’re just a child.” “I can remember nearly 1900 years.” A little later, he objects that a night of unbroken rest might be better for his welfare, she replies, “Your salvation, then.” They head for the window; when he shows apprehension, she assures him, “A touch of my hand, and you shall fly.”
Curry is so startled he bangs his head on the headboard of the bed. When he inquires whether this is the first Spirit Jacob talked about, the Ghost tells him, “Spot on, Guvnor. I’m the Ghost of Christmas past.” The reclamation/welfare bit is reduced to “It’s for your own good.” At the window, the Ghost calls, “Shuffle your stumps, Scrooge!” Scrooge, having some spirit left of his own, snaps, “I’m not made of mist and moonlight, like you.” The Ghost takes his wrist and pulls him out. Debit, chomping tight to the hem of the dressing gown, tries to hold Scrooge back, and winds up being towed through the air as well.
Stewart shields his eyes against the light of the Spirit, and begs the Ghost to don that cap. “Be covered.” The ghost becomes fierce in reply but, when Scrooge apologizes, does tone down his light just a touch. When told to rise, Scrooge overflows with excuses. “Some other time, perhaps. I’m not dressed. I have a weak chest, monstrous head cold….” The Ghost insists, and Scrooge, shaking his head, puts out a hand. He is genuinely frightened as they near the window. “All I have to do is touch you…there.” The Ghost lays a hand on Scrooge’s chest.
FUSS FUSS FUSS #8: How Do You Feel About This?
The Ghost of Christmas Past is here to point out inconsistencies in Ebenezer Scrooge’s past and, as hinted at the very end of the passage, try to touch his heart. Dicken sketches the lessons for us, but does not tell us what the teacher thinks of the pupil. Was the Ghost supposed to be neutral? Gently persuasive? Ironic? Downright nasty? All these angles can be seen in various versions, though the preference seems to be for an otherworldly serenity. I read the different Pasts as
VOICE OF DOOM: Hicks
CALM DETACHMENT: Owen, Sim I, March, Rathbone, Magoo, Sim II, Matthau, Caine, Stewart
DISAPPOINTMENT: Haddrick
AMUSED CONTEMPT: McDuck, Scott, Curry
LOFTY CONTEMPT: Finney
Some Ghosts show a change of heart as they move through the scenes of Scrooge’s past. Magoo’s Ghost becomes suddenly sardonic at the end, apparently disgusted with her charge. Curry’s Ghost, who gets a great deal of joy out of tormenting Scrooge, begins to show sympathy as the young Scrooge and Belle break their engagement, as does Finney’s Ghost. Scott’s, however, does not soften in the slightest, becoming, if anything, even stonier as they move along.
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