This must be distinctly understood , or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate . If we were not perfectly convinced that Hamlet 's Father died before the play began , there would be nothing more remarkable in his taking a stroll at night , in an easterly wind , upon his own ramparts , than there would be in any other middle-aged gentleman rashly turning out after dark in a breezy spot -- say St. Paul 's Church-yard , for instance -- literally to astonish his son 's weak mind . Scrooge never painted out Old Marley 's name . There it stood , years afterwards , above the warehouse door : Scrooge and Marley . The firm was known as Scrooge and Marley . Sometimes people new to the business called Scrooge Scrooge , and sometimes Marley , but he answered to both names . It was all the same to him . Oh ! but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone , Scrooge ! a squeezing , wrenching , grasping , scraping , clutching , covetous , old sinner ! Hard and sharp as flint , from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire ; secret , and self-contained , and solitary as an oyster . The cold within him froze his old features , nipped his pointed nose , shrivelled his cheek , stiffened his gait ; made his eyes red , his thin lips blue ; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice . A frosty rime was on his head , and on his eyebrows , and his wiry chin . He carried his own low temperature always about with him ; he iced his office in the dog-days ; and did n't thaw it one degree at Christmas . External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge . No warmth could warm , no wintry weather chill him . No wind that blew was bitterer than he , no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose , no pelting rain less open to entreaty . Foul weather did n't know where to have him . The heaviest rain , and snow , and hail , and sleet could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect . They often `` came down '' handsomely and Scrooge never did .
Nobody ever stopped him in the street XXXXX say , with gladsome looks , `` My dear Scrooge , how are you ?
If above after as of on than that to upon