Матильда
Miss Honey
Shewastheonlyone.
MissHoneylookedcarefullyatthetinygirlwithdarkhairandaroundseriousfacesittinginthesecondrow."Wonderful,"shesaid."Pleasestandupandreciteasmuchofitasyoucan."
Matildastoodupandbegantosaythetwo-timestable.
Whenshegottotwicetwelveistwenty-fourshedidn’tstop.
Shewentrightonwithtwicethirteenistwenty-six,twicefourteenistwenty-eight,twicefifteenisthirty,twicesixteenis..."
"Stop!"MissHoneysaid.Shehadbeenlisteningslightlyspellboundtothissmoothrecital,andnowshesaid,"Howfarcanyougo?"
"Howfar?"Matildasaid."Well,Idon’treallyknow,MissHoney.Forquitealongway,Ithink."
MissHoneytookafewmomentstoletthiscuriousstatementsinkin."Youmean",shesaid,"thatyoucouldtellmewhattwotimestwenty-eightis?"
"Yes,MissHoney."
"Whatisit?"
"Fifty-six,MissHoney."
"Whataboutsomethingmuchharder,liketwotimesfourhundredandeighty-seven?Couldyoutellmethat?"
"Ithinkso,yes,"Matildasaid.
"Areyousure?"
"Whyyes,MissHoney,I’mfairlysure."
"Whatisitthen,twotimesfourhundredandeighty-seven?"
"Ninehundredandseventy-four,"Matildasaidimmediately.Shespokequietlyandpolitelyandwithoutanysignofshowingoff.
MissHoneygazedatMatildawithabsoluteamazement,butwhennextshespokeshekepthervoicelevel."Thatisreallysplendid,"shesaid."Butofcoursemultiplyingbytwoisaloteasierthansomeofthebiggernumbers.
