Матильда
Miss Honey’s Story
"Ican’tthinkwhyIamtellingyouallthis,"shesaid,embarrassed.
"Goon,"Matildasaid."Please."
"Well,"MissHoneysaid,"thencamethesecondtragedy.WhenIwasfive,myfatherdiedverysuddenly.Onedayhewasthereandthenextdayhewasgone.AndsoIwaslefttolivealonewithmyaunt.Shebecamemylegalguardian.Shehadallthepowersofaparentoverme.Andinsomewayoranother,shebecametheactualownerofthehouse."
"Howdidyourfatherdie?"Matildaasked.
"Itisinterestingyoushouldaskthat,"MissHoneysaid."Imyselfwasmuchtooyoungtoquestionitatthetime,butIfoundoutlaterthattherewasagooddealofmysterysurroundinghisdeath."
"Didn’ttheyknowhowhedied?"Matildaasked.
"Well,notexactly,"MissHoneysaid,hesitating,"Yousee,noonecouldbelievethathewouldeverhavedoneit.Hewassuchaverysaneandsensibleman."
"Donewhat?"Matildaasked.
"Killedhimself."
Matildawasstunned."Didhe?"shegasped.
"That’swhatitlookedlike,"MissHoneysaid."Butwhoknows?"Sheshruggedandturnedawayandstaredoutofthetinywindow.
"Iknowwhatyou’rethinking,"Matildasaid."You’rethinkingthattheauntkilledhimandmadeitlookasthoughhe’ddoneithimself."
"Iamnotthinkinganything,"MissHoneysaid."Onemustneverthinkthingslikethatwithoutproof."
Thelittleroombecamequiet.Matildanoticedthatthehandsclaspingthemugweretremblingslightly."Whathappenedafterthat?"sheasked.
