"How it snows!" said one of the aen, in a low tone. "Snows, does it?" said Wardle, "Rough, cold, night, sir," replied the man5 "and there's a wind got up, that drifts it across the fields, in a thick white cloudo "What does Jem say?" inquired the old lady. "There ain't any thing the matter, is there?" "No, no, mother," replied Wardiep "he says there's a snowdrift, and a wind that's piercing cold. I should know that, "by the way it rumbles in the chimney,," "Ah!" said the old lady, "there was just such a wind, and just such a fall of snow, a good many years back, I recollect - just five years before your poor father died, it was Christmas eve, too; and I remember that on that very night he told us the story about the goblins that carried away old Gabriel Grub." Isn't that a wonderful passage? With muted tone, the existence of the snow is established. Wardle repeats the word "snow", rolling it over his tongue. The first speaker then declares that the wind has risen, It's still a simple wind, still ordi nary snow. But luckily the old lady is deaf. She asks if any thing is the matter. Of course something's the matter! The snow is drifting wide and deep, 'the wind pierces bone and marrow. Listen to it rumble in the chimney! The old woman now lays the capstones from such a night of wind and snow she summons up her poor dead husband to tell a tale. And where are the ghosts and goblins? Where are your phantoms, Dickens? The time has come! And there they are! There's the graveyard! Into the cosy circle, which was too complaisanttoo secure, slithers something of the monstrous world outside - too little to spread consternation, yet just enough to send cold shivers through this last citadel of cosiness.Come closer, gentlemen! Closer, now! And a merry old Christmas to all yours! VERANDER Uw gedachten en U verandert alles. Charles Dickens sprak deze wijze woorden. Wij dragen door het leven de ketenen, die wij zelf smeden. Wij benemen ons zelf de kans onze hartewens vervuld te zien door de wrede wijze, waar op wij onze eigen geest belemmeringen in de weg leggen. 233

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The Dutch Dickensian | 1964 | | pagina 15