The Trunchbull

           Intheinterval,MissHoneylefttheclassroomandheadedstraightfortheHeadmistress’sstudy.Shefeltwildlyexcited.Shehadjustmetasmallgirlwhopossessed,orsoitseemedtoher,quiteextraordinaryqualitiesofbrilliance.Therehadnotbeentimeyettofindoutexactlyhowbrilliantthechildwas,butMissHoneyhadlearnedenoughtorealisethatsomethinghadtobedoneaboutitassoonaspossible.Itwouldberidiculoustoleaveachildlikethatstuckinthebottomform.

           NormallyMissHoneywasterrifiedoftheHeadmistressandkeptwellawayfromher,butatthismomentshefeltreadytotakeonanybody.Sheknockedonthedoorofthedreadedprivatestudy."Enter!"boomedthedeepanddangerousvoiceofMissTrunchbull.MissHoneywentin.

           Nowmostheadteachersarechosenbecausetheypossessanumberoffinequalities.Theyunderstandchildrenandtheyhavethechildren’sbestinterestsatheart.Theyaresympathetic.Theyarefairandtheyaredeeplyinterestedineducation.MissTrunchbullpossessednoneofthesequalitiesandhowsheevergotherpresentjobwasamystery.

           Shewasaboveallamostformidablefemale.Shehadoncebeenafamousathlete,andevennowthemuscleswerestillclearlyinevidence.Youcouldseetheminthebull-neck,inthebigshoulders,inthethickarms,inthesinewywristsandinthepowerfullegs.Lookingather,yougotthefeelingthatthiswassomeonewhocouldbendironbarsandteartelephonedirectoriesinhalf.Herface,I’mafraid,wasneitherathingofbeautynorajoyforever.