Scrooge's Belle

First thought this morning was whatever happens to Ebenezer's squeeze, Belle?

 

I read the book so long ago it, like 1962, that I had forgotten anything from the actual story. What I had to go on was seeing her in the dozen or so versions of A Christmas Carol movies.

 

The only one that stuck in my mind was a very old movie version in which Belle, alone in the world, dies after contracting some terrible disease while working in a hospital. Poor Belle.

In my favorite version with the Muppets, she walks away after singing "when love is gone" which in most new copies of the movie has been cut though sung over the credits.

You never see her again.

He never mentions that they were affianced in most flicks.

 

So I googled Belle.

In the original film version, she is married happily to somebody else and she and her husband mention Scrooge being a bitter, lonely old man. True, true.

However, in yet another version, book or movie, Scrooge runs in to her and gives her a huge donation to her cause, whatever that may be.

 

Ah, Belle! I like the thought that you marry a good man and have a lovely life after dumping Scrooge.

 

What if, however, Belle is the spirit of Christmas yet to come? That's her behind the black robes of death...and she is the one to break Scrooge completely?

 

Wouldn't that be lovely???

Go, Belle!