Матильда
Miss Honey
"That’sallacalculatoris."
"Howrightyouare,"MissHoneysaid."Pocketcalculatorsarenotallowedinthisschoolanyway."MissHoneywasfeelingquitequivery.Therewasnodoubtinhermindthatshehadmetatrulyextraordinarymathematicalbrain,andwordslikechild-geniusandprodigywentflittingthroughherhead.Sheknewthatthesesortofwondersdopopupintheworldfromtimetotime,butonlyonceortwiceinahundredyears.Afterall,Mozartwasonlyfivewhenhestartedcomposingforthepianoandlookwhathappenedtohim.
"It’snotfair,"Lavendersaid."Howcanshedoitandwecan’t?"
"Don’tworry,Lavender,you’llsooncatchup,"MissHoneysaid,lyingthroughherteeth.
AtthispointMissHoneycouldnotresistthetemptationofexploringstillfurtherthemindofthisastonishingchild.Sheknewthatsheoughttobepayingsomeattentiontotherestoftheclassbutshewasaltogethertooexcitedtoletthematterrest.
"Well,"shesaid,pretendingtoaddressthewholeclass,"letusleavesumsforthemomentandseeifanyofyouhavebeguntolearntospell.Handsupanyonewhocanspellcat."
Threehandswentup.TheybelongedtoLavender,asmallboycalledNigelandtoMatilda.
"Spellcat,Nigel."
Nigelspelledit.
MissHoneynowdecidedtoaskaquestionthatnormallyshewouldnothavedreamedofaskingtheclassonitsfirstday."Iwonder",shesaid,"whetheranyofyouthreewhoknowhowtospellcathavelearnedhowtoreadawholegroupofwordswhentheyarestrungtogetherinasentence?"
"Ihave,"Nigelsaid.
