".
Scrooge was, eventually, polite to Marley, and it almost looked as though he had undergone a transformation, but of course, that was only because he was afraid. The fear may have slightly reformed him for a few minutes, but fear, alone, was not enough to completely reform him. The thing that daunted Scrooge most of all, was the lumbering, oppressive chain, that the ghost bore around him. "It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel." The thought of he, himself, having the burden of a "ponderous" chain, which would make Marley's look like a bracelet or necklace, inflicted upon him, alarmed him considerably. "Scrooge glanced about him on the floor, in the expectation of finding himself surrounded by some fifty or sixty fathoms of iron cable". Dismayed, horrified, startled, panicked, distressed, unnerved; he was all of those things at once, and seeked reassurance. "Speak comfort to me, Jacob.".
When Marley informs Scrooge about the three spirits, who, one by one, would visit him, he is reluctant and unwilling. "Scrooge's countenance fell almost as low as the ghost's had done." "I - I think I'd rather not," said Scrooge". Marley convinces him, by referring to the spirits as his only hope to "shun the path" he treads. He is very insistent, and Scrooge dares not argue too much. Besides, it was obvious that the chain was a great affliction to the ghost; "it held up it's chain at arm's length, as if that were the cause of all it's unavailing grief". Scrooge was ready to do anything to escape such a fate, but was still dubious. "Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?".
Marley's purpose was to convince Scrooge that ghosts do exist, and warn him of the chain he bore, and he half-succeeded, but, it took the first spirit's visit to clarify everything.
When he wakes up, Scrooge is very confused.
