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 to the expectant clerk in the tank , who instantly snuffed his candle out , and put on his hat . `` You 'll want all day to-morrow , I suppose ? '' said Scrooge . `` If quite convenient , sir . '' `` It 's not convenient , '' said Scrooge , `` and it 's not fair . If I was to stop half-a-crown for it , you 'd think yourself ill used , I 'll be bound ? '' The clerk smiled faintly . `` And yet , '' said Scrooge , `` you do n't think me ill used when I pay a day 's wages for no work . '' The clerk observed that it was only once a year . `` A poor excuse for picking a man 's pocket every twenty-fifth of December ! ''
XXXXX Scrooge , buttoning his great-coat to the chin .
believe buy gnawed pay put said searching seized think want