Desmond Barrit credited as playing...
The Ghost of Christmas Present
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: [about Tiny Tim] Is there no chance that boy will be spared?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: Not if the future remains unaltered. But so what if he dies? If he's going to do it, he'd better do it quick and decrease the surplus population. If you be a man in your heart, forbear that wicked cant until you've discovered what the surplus really is and where it is. Will you decided what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions, like this poor man's child. Oh God, to hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing there is too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: You should have accepted Fred's invitation to dine.
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: What?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: For Fran's sake, if not for yours.
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: [notices the ghost's hair and beard turning white] You've grown old, spirit. Are spirits' lives so short?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: My life on this globe is very brief. It ends tonight.
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: Tonight?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: Tonight, at midnight.
- [wheezes heavily]
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: The time is drawing near.
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: Spirit, forgive me, but I... I see something strange but not belonging to you.
- [points down]
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: [stammers] There, beneath your robe. Is it a foot... or a claw?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: It might be a claw for all the flesh there is on it. Look... Look down here.
- [the ghost reveals two gaunt children in rags, one boy and one girl, the boy hisses and the girl cowers, the boy tries to approach Scrooge but the ghost restrains him]
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: Spirit, are they yours?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: No, they are man's. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware of both of them, but most of all, beware the boy, for on his forehead, I see that written which is doom, unless the writing's erased.
- [the ghost holds both Ignorance and Want close to him]
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: If you deny him, slander those who tell others about him, admit he exists but do nothing about...
- [his appearance gets decrepit and his voice weakens]
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: [hoarsely] ... then doom will engulf you all!
- Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge: Are there no shelters? No charities to help them?
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: Are there no prisons?
- [wheezes heavily]
- The Ghost of Christmas Present: Are there no workhouses?
- [suddenly a church bell tolls getting Scrooge's attention until Scrooge sees that the ghost is gone]
