Матильда

           Whatabouttheothermultiplicationtables?Doyouknowanyofthose?"

           "Ithinkso,MissHoney.IthinkIdo."

           "Whichones,Matilda?Howfarhaveyougot?"

           "I...Idon’tquiteknow,"Matildasaid."Idon’tknowwhatyoumean."

           "WhatImeanisdoyouforinstanceknowthethree-timestable?"

           "Yes,MissHoney."

           "Andthefour-times?"

           "Yes,MissHoney."

           "Well,howmanydoyouknow,Matilda?Doyouknowallthewayuptothetwelve-timestable?"

           "Yes,MissHoney."

           "Whataretwelvesevens?"

           "Eighty-four,"Matildasaid.

           MissHoneypausedandleanedbackinherchairbehindtheplaintablethatstoodinthemiddleofthefloorinfrontoftheclass.Shewasconsiderablyshakenbythisexchangebuttookcarenottoshowit.Shehadnevercomeacrossafive-year-oldbefore,orindeedaten-year-old,whocouldmultiplywithsuchfacility.

           "Ihopetherestofyouarelisteningtothis,"shesaidtotheclass."Matildaisaveryluckygirl.Shehaswonderfulparentswhohavealreadytaughthertomultiplylotsofnumbers.Wasityourmother,Matilda,whotaughtyou?"

           "No,MissHoney,itwasn’t."

           "Youmusthaveagreatfatherthen.Hemustbeabrilliantteacher."

           "No,MissHoney,"Matildasaidquietly."Myfatherdidnotteachme."

           "Youmeanyoutaughtyourself?"

           "Idon’tquiteknow,"Matildasaidtruthfully."It’sjustthatIdon’tfinditverydifficulttomultiplyonenumberbyanother."

           MissHoneytookadeepbreathandletitoutslowly.Shelookedagainatthesmallgirlwithbrighteyesstandingbesideherdesksosensibleandsolemn.