Матильда
Miss Honey’s Story
Therefollowedaratherlongandembarrassingsilence.Inthespaceofthirtysecondstheatmosphereinthetinyroomhadchangedcompletelyandnowitwasvibratingwithawkwardnessandsecrets.Matildasaid,"IamverysorryIaskedyouthosequestions,MissHoney.Itisnotanyofmybusiness."
Atthis,MissHoneyseemedtorouseherself.Shegaveashakeofhershouldersandthenverycarefullysheplacedhermugonthetray.
"Whyshouldn’tyouask?"shesaid."Youwereboundtoaskintheend.Youaremuchtoobrightnottohavewondered.PerhapsIevenwantedyoutoask.MaybethatiswhyIinvitedyouhereafterall.AsamatteroffactyouarethefirstvisitortocometothecottagesinceImovedintwoyearsago."
Matildasaidnothing.Shecouldfeelthetensiongrowingandgrowingintheroom.
"Youaresomuchwiserthanyouryears,mydear,"MissHoneywenton,"thatitquitestaggersme.Althoughyoulooklikeachild,youarenotreallyachildatallbecauseyourmindandyourpowersofreasoningseemtobefullygrown-up.SoIsupposewemightcallyouagrown-upchild,ifyouseewhatImean."
Matildastilldidnotsayanything.Shewaswaitingforwhatwascomingnext.
"Uptonow",MissHoneywenton,"Ihavefounditimpossibletotalktoanyoneaboutmyproblems.Icouldn’tfacetheembarrassment,andanywayIlackthecourage.AnycourageIhadwasknockedoutofmewhenIwasyoung.Butnow,allofasuddenIhaveasortofdesperatewishtotelleverythingtosomebody.
