Матильда

           "Butwhenyou’reinbigbusinesslikeIam,you’vegottobehotstuffatarithmetic.I’vepracticallygotacomputerinsidemyhead.Ittookmelessthantenminutestoworkthewholethingout."

           "Youmeanyoudiditinyourhead,dad?"thesonasked,goggling.

           "Well,notexactly,"thefathersaid."Nobodycoulddothat.Butitdidn’ttakemelong.Whenyou’refinished,tellmewhatyouthinkmyprofitwasfortheday.I’vegotthefinaltotalwrittendownhereandI’lltellyouifyou’reright."

           Matildasaidquietly,"Dad,youmadeexactlyfourthousandthreehundredandthreepoundsandfiftypencealtogether."

           "Don’tbuttin,"thefathersaid."YourbrotherandIarebusywithhighfinance."

           "Butdad..."

           "Shutup,"thefathersaid."Stopguessingandtryingtobeclever."

           "Lookatyouranswer,dad,"Matildasaidgently."Ifyou’vedoneitrightitoughttobefourthousandthreehundredandthreepoundsandfiftypence.Isthatwhatyou’vegot,dad?"

           Thefatherglanceddownatthepaperinhishand.Heseemedtostiffen.Hebecameveryquiet.Therewasasilence.Thenhesaid,"Saythatagain."

           "Fourthousandthreehundredandthreepoundsfifty,"

           Matildasaid.

           Therewasanothersilence.Thefather’sfacewasbeginningtogodarkred.

           "I’msureit’sright,"Matildasaid.

           "You...youlittlecheat!"thefathersuddenlyshouted,pointingatherwithhisfinger."Youlookedatmybitofpaper!YoureaditofffromwhatI’vegotwrittenhere!"

           "Daddy,I’mtheothersideoftheroom,"Matildasaid