McGraw©Hill/Focus/A Christmas Carol p. 272////R7N17/ ***** Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever

about that. The register of the burial was signed by the clergyªman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge

signed it. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change for anything

he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was dead as a doornail. Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course he did. How could it be

otherwise? Scrooge and he were partners for I don't know how

many years. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole

administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his

sole friend, his sole mourner. Scrooge never painted out old Marley's name, however. There

it yet stood, years afrerwaed, 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." He answered to both names. It was the same

to him. Oh! But he was a tightfisted hand at the grindstone, was

Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching,

covetous old sinner! External heat and cold had little influence

on him. No warmth could warm, no cold could 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 didn'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,