Scrooge is visited, on Christmas Eve, by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley who died seven Christmas Eves ago. Marley, a miser from the same mould as Scrooge, is suffering the consequences in the afterlife and hopes to help Scrooge avoid his fate. It beckoned Scrooge to approach, which he did. When they were within two paces of each other, Marley's Ghost held up its hand, warning him to come no nearer. Scrooge stopped.
