INT. BELLE’S PARLOR - DAY

1. SCROOGE: (in awe) Ah, Belle! As beautiful as ever...

2. FIRST SPIRIT: A penniless girl... who loved you, Scrooge.

3. SCROOGE: And I, her. It didn’t matter that she had no dowry. We were so happy together...

4. FIRST SPIRIT: Until your career with Jacob Marley came between you. As you gained, so you lost. Do you see yourself? You’re older now--a man in the prime of life. Your eyes are greedy—the eager, restless eyes of a miser!

5. SCROOGE: (shaken) No! No! No! Spare me this! Not this, Spirit. (pleads) No!

6. BELLE: (tearful) This music box is a beautiful gift, Ebenezer, but I realize I matter little to you, very little. To protect yourself from a hard and cruel world, you have become hard and

cruel in response. I have tried to cheer and comfort you, but another idol has displaced me.

7. (OLD) SCROOGE: What idol could ever displace you, Belle?

8. BELLE: You now worship a golden idol. (sighs) Oh, Ebenezer, you’ve become another man.

9. (OLD) SCROOGE: I wanted security, success--for you. Belle!

10. BELLE: I seek tenderness, not riches. I release you from our engagement.

11. (OLD) SCROOGE: (pleading) No. No! Belle! Don’t. Don’t!

1. BELLE: (weeps) Dear Ebenezer, may you be happy in the life you have chosen... (sobs)

4. SCROOGE: (pleads) Belle. Belle! No! Spirit! Show me no more! Why do you torture me? (sobs) Remove me! I cannot bear it!

SCENE 13

SECOND SPIRIT: Scrooge! I am the Spirit of Christmas present! I’ll show you something!

SCROOGE: Ah! This is BOB CRATCHIT’S HOME!

MRS. CRATCHIT, BELINDA, PETER, HARRIET, and FREDERICK busy themselves with

preparations at the table.

2. SOUND: PLATES RATTLING.WALLA--KID LAUGHTER. CONTINUE UNDER.

3. MRS. CRATCHIT: Where is your precious father? And your brother, Tiny Tim.

MARTHA CRATCHIT ENTERS in the functional door.

4. BELINDA CRATCHIT: Oh, but here's Martha, Mother. Hurrah!

5. MARTHA CRATCHIT: Sorry, I’m late, Mother. We’d had a deal of work to finish up

last night--and to clear away--this morning.

6. MRS. CRATCHIT: Well, never mind--so long as you are come. Sit ye down by

the fire, my dear, and have a warm, Lord bless ye!

7. BELINDA CRATCHIT: No! Father’s coming! Hide, Martha, hide! Father! Father!

MARTHA hides as BOB CRATCHIT and TINY TIM, hobbling with his single crutch,

ENTER in the functional door.

8. BOB CRATCHIT: Ah! Peter, Belinda, Frederick, Harriet! Why, where's our Martha?

9. MRS. CRATCHIT: Not coming.

1. BOB CRATCHIT: (shocked) Not coming? Not coming upon Christmas Day?

2. MARTHA CRATCHIT: (coming out of hiding) Here I am, Father! (laughs) Merry

Christmas!

3. MRS. CRATCHIT: How did little Tim behave at church, Bob?

4. BOB CRATCHIT: As good as gold, Mother, and better, eh, Tim?

5. TINY TIM CRATCHIT: (coughs) They sang ever so nice, Mother. I hoped the people

saw me in the church, (coughs) because I’m a cripple And it might be pleasant for them to remember--on Christmas-- who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.

6. BOB CRATCHIT: Bless you, my son. See Mother, his heart is strong and he will

get better. I know it.

7. BELINDA CRATCHIT: Oh, Let’s play a game! Father! Play “the memory game” with us! Please! Please!

MRS. CRATCHIT carries a small cooked goose to the table.

10. TINY TIM CRATCHIT: Oh, smell that Gooooooooooose! Hurrah! Look! Look! There

was never such a goose! Never!

11. SOUND: WALLA-”OOOOH”. PLATES. FORKS. SPOON SERVINGS--

UNDER.

12. MRS. CRATCHIT: All right! Be seated. Here you go. Take your turn, now.

There’s plenty of stuffing, potatoes, and plum pudding for all of you.

13. BOB CRATCHIT: Toast! To Mr Scrooge! The founder of our feast!

14. MRS. CRATCHIT: The founder of our feast! Scrooge is disgusting! Nobody knows it better than you!

15. BOB CRATCHIT: My dear! Christmas time!

SCENE 14

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 722