Матильда
The Reader of Books
Aparticularlypoisonouslittlegirlmightstingmeintosaying, "Fionahasthesameglacialbeautyasaniceberg, butunliketheicebergshehasabsolutelynothingbelowthesurface." IthinkImightenjoywritingend-of-termreportsforthestinkersinmyclass. Butenoughofthat.Wehavetogeton.
Occasionallyonecomesacrossparentswhotaketheoppositeline, whoshownointerestatallintheirchildren, andtheseofcoursearefarworsethanthedotingones.MrandMrs.Wormwoodweretwosuchparents. TheyhadasoncalledMichaelandadaughtercalledMatilda, andtheparentslookeduponMatildainparticularasnoth-ingmorethanascab. Ascabissomethingyouhavetoputupwithuntilthetimecomeswhenyoucanpickitoffandflickitaway.
MrandMrs.Wormwoodlookedforwardenormouslytothetime whentheycouldpicktheirlittledaughteroffandflickheraway, preferablyintothenextcountyorevenfurtherthanthat.
Itisbadenoughwhenparentstreatordinarychildrenasthoughtheywerescabsandbunions, butitbecomessomehowalotworsewhenthechildinquestionisextraordinary,andbythatImeansensitiveandbrilliant. Matildawasbothofthesethings,butaboveallshewasbrilliant. Hermindwassonimbleandshewassoquicktolearnthatherabilityshouldhavebeenobviouseventothemosthalf-wittedofparents. ButMrandMrs.Wormwoodwerebothsogormless andsowrappedupintheirownsillylittlelives thattheyfailedtonoticeanythingunusualabouttheirdaughter.
