`` It 's not my business , '' Scrooge returned . `` It 's enough for a man to understand his own business , and not to interfere with other people 's . Mine occupies me constantly . Good afternoon , gentlemen ! '' Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue their point , the gentlemen withdrew . Scrooge resumed his labours with an improved opinion of himself , and in a more facetious temper than was usual with him . Meanwhile the fog and darkness thickened so , that people ran about with flaring links , proffering their services to go before horses in carriages , and conduct them on their way . The ancient tower of a church , whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge out of a Gothic window in the wall , became invisible , and struck the hours and quarters in the clouds , with tremulous vibrations afterwards , as if its teeth were chattering in its frozen head up there . The cold became intense . In the main street , at the corner of the court , some labourers were repairing the gas-pipes , and had lighted a great fire in a brazier , round which a party of ragged men and boys were gathered : warming their hands and winking their eyes before the blaze in rapture . The water-plug being left in solitude , its overflowings suddenly congealed , and turned to misanthropic ice . The brightness of the shops , where holly sprigs and berries crackled in the lamp heat of the windows , made pale faces ruddy as they passed . Poulterers ' and grocers ' trades became a splendid joke : a glorious pageant , with which it was next to impossible to believe that such dull principles as bargain and sale had anything to do . The Lord Mayor , in the stronghold of the mighty Mansion House , gave orders to his fifty cooks and butlers to keep Christmas as a Lord Mayor 's household should ; and even the little tailor , whom he had fined five shillings on the previous Monday for being drunk and blood-thirsty in the streets , stirred up to-morrow 's pudding in his garret , while his lean wife and the baby sallied out to buy the beef . Foggier yet , and colder ! Piercing , searching , biting cold . If the good St. Dunstan had but nipped the Evil Spirit 's nose with a touch of such weather as that , instead of using his familiar weapons , then indeed he would have roared to lusty purpose . The owner of one scant young nose , gnawed and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed by dogs , stooped down at Scrooge 's keyhole to regale him with a Christmas carol ; but , at the first sound of `` God bless you , merry gentleman , May nothing you dismay ! '' Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action , that the singer fled in terror , leaving the keyhole to the fog , and even more congenial frost . At length the hour of shutting up the counting-house arrived .
With an ill-will Scrooge dismounted from his stool , and tacitly admitted the fact XXXXX the expectant clerk in the tank , who instantly snuffed his candle out , and put on his hat .
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