My life tends that way now . Merciful Heaven , what is this ? '' He recoiled in terror , for the scene had changed , and now he almost touched a bed : a bare , uncurtained bed : on which , beneath a ragged sheet , there lay a something covered up , which , though it was dumb , announced itself in awful language . The room was very dark , too dark to be observed with any accuracy , though Scrooge glanced round it in obedience to a secret impulse , anxious to know what kind of room it was . A pale light , rising in the outer air , fell straight upon the bed : and on it , plundered and bereft , unwatched , unwept , uncared for , was the body of this man . Scrooge glanced towards the Phantom . Its steady hand was pointed to the head . The cover was so carelessly adjusted that the slightest raising of it , the motion of a finger upon Scrooge 's part , would have disclosed the face . He thought of it , felt how easy it would be to do , and longed to do it ; but had no more power to withdraw the veil than to dismiss the spectre at his side . Oh , cold , cold , rigid , dreadful Death , set up thine altar here , and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command : for this is thy dominion ! But of the loved , revered , and honoured head thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread purposes , or make one feature odious . It is not that the hand is heavy , and will fall down when released ; it is not that the heart and pulse are still ; but that the hand WAS open , generous , and true ; the heart brave , warm , and tender ; and the pulse a man 's . Strike , Shadow , strike ! And see his good deeds springing from the wound , to sow the world with life immortal ! No voice pronounced these words in Scrooge 's ears , and yet he heard them when he looked upon the bed . He thought , if this man could be raised up now , what would be his foremost thoughts ? Avarice , hard dealing , griping cares ? They have brought him to a rich end , truly ! He lay , in the dark , empty house , with not a man , a woman , or a child to say he was kind to me in this or that , and for the memory of one kind word I will be kind to him . A cat was tearing at the door , and there was a sound of gnawing rats beneath the hearth-stone .
What they wanted in the room of death , and why they were so restless and disturbed , Scrooge did not dare XXXXX think .
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