Матильда

           "Youwantmetodosomemoreofitthen,MissHoney?""ThatiswhatIamtemptedtosuggest,"MissHoneysaidcautiously.

           "Goody-good,"Matildasaid.

           "Imyself,"MissHoneysaid,"amprobablyfarmorebowledoverbywhatyoudidthanyouare,andIamtryingtofindsomereasonableexplanation."

           "Suchaswhat?"Matildaasked.

           "Suchaswhetherornotit’sgotsomethingtodowiththefactthatyouarequiteexceptionallyprecocious."

           "Whatexactlydoesthatwordmean?"Matildasaid.

           "Aprecociouschild",MissHoneysaid,"isonethatshowsamazingintelligenceearlyon.Youareanunbelievablyprecociouschild."

           "AmIreally?"Matildaasked.

           "Ofcourseyouare.Youmustbeawareofthat.Lookatyourreading.Lookatyourmathematics."

           "Isupposeyou’reright,"Matildasaid.

           MissHoneymarvelledatthechild’slackofconceitandself-consciousness.

           "Ican’thelpwondering",shesaid,"whetherthissuddenabilitythathascometoyou,ofbeingabletomoveanobjectwithouttouchingit,whetheritmightnothavesomethingtodowithyourbrainpower."

           "Youmeantheremightnotberoominmyheadforallthosebrainssosomethinghastopushout?"

           "That’snotquitewhatImean,"MissHoneysaid,smiling."Butwhateverhappens,andIsayitagain,wemusttreadcarefullyfromnowon.Ihavenotforgottenthatstrangeanddistantglimmeronyourfaceafteryoutippedoverthelastglass."

           "Doyouthinkdoingitcouldactuallyhurtme?Isthatwhatyou’rethinking,MissHoney?"

           "Itmadeyoufeelprettypeculiar,didn’tit?"

           "Itmademefeellovely,"Matildasaid.