What can the reader conclude about scrooge from this excerpt from charles dickens's a christmas carol? now, being prepared for almost anything, he was not by any means prepared for nothing; and, consequently, when the bell struck one, and no shape appeared, he was taken with a violent fit of trembling. five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. all this time, he lay upon his bed, the very core and centre of a blaze of ruddy light, which streamed upon it when the clock proclaimed the hour; and which, being only light, was more alarming than a dozen ghosts, as he was powerless to make out what it meant, or would be at; and was sometimes apprehensive that he might be at that very moment an interesting case of spontaneous combustion, without having the consolation of knowing it. at last, however, he began to think—as you or i would have thought at first; for it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it, and would unquestionably have done it too—at last, i say, he began to think that the source and secret of this ghostly light might be in the adjoining room, from whence, on further tracing it, it seemed to shine. this idea taking full possession of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door. a) scrooge is excited about what will happen next, so he feels angry when the ghost appears to be late. b)  scrooge is disturbed by the ghost's presence, so he’s unable to sleep for more than a couple of minutes. c) scrooge is very particular about time, so he starts getting restless when the ghost doesn’t arrive at its appointed time. d) scrooge is alert even in his old age, so he’s prepared for anything the ghost will throw at him. e) scrooge is fearful but curious about the ghost, so he puts his slippers on and goes to the room where the light is shining.