The Chimes. The Cricket on the Hearth (English Library)

“The Chimes” and “The Cricket on the Hearth” by Charles Dickens (1812—1870) belong to his well-known cycle “Christmas Stories”. The events of the first one develop on the New Year’s Eve when the casual messenger Toby after his talk with the alderman begins to believe that all the poor people are bad ones already by birth and therefore his daughter does not deserve happiness as well. However, the spirits of the bells do not agree with him — the fairy-tale charms change the chain of events, and To