The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole , and was so dense without , that , although the court was of the narrowest , the houses opposite were mere phantoms . To see the dingy cloud come drooping down , obscuring everything , one might have thought that nature lived hard by and was brewing on a large scale . The door of Scrooge 's counting-house was open , that he might keep his eye upon his clerk , who in a dismal little cell beyond , a sort of tank , was copying letters . Scrooge had a very small fire , but the clerk 's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal . But he could n't replenish it , for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room ; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel , the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part . Wherefore the clerk put on his white comforter , and tried to warm himself at the candle ; in which effort , not being a man of strong imagination , he failed . `` A merry Christmas , uncle ! God save you ! '' cried a cheerful voice . It was the voice of Scrooge 's nephew , who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach . `` Bah ! '' said Scrooge . `` Humbug ! '' He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost , this nephew of Scrooge 's , that he was all in a glow ; his face was ruddy and handsome ; his eyes sparkled , and his breath smoked again . `` Christmas a humbug , uncle ! '' said Scrooge 's nephew . `` You do n't mean that , I am sure ? '' `` I do , '' said Scrooge . `` Merry Christmas ! What right have you to be merry ?
What reason have you XXXXX be merry ?
at beyond by in like of that to upon with