Матильда
The Parents
"Isthatallyoucametotellus?"
MissHoneystaredhardintotheotherwoman’swetgreyeyes,andsheallowedthesilencetohangintheairuntilMrs.Wormwoodbecameuncomfortable."DoyouwishmetoexplainwhyIcame?"shesaid.
"Getonwithitthen,"Mrs.Wormwoodsaid.
"I’msureyouknow",MissHoneysaid,"thatchildreninthebottomclassatschoolarenotexpectedtobeabletoreadorspellorjugglewithnumberswhentheyfirstarrive.Five-year-oldscannotdothat.ButMatildacandoitall.AndifIamtobelieveher..."
"Iwouldn’t,"Mrs.Wormwoodsaid.ShewasstillrattyatlosingthesoundontheTV.
"Wasshelying,then,"MissHoneysaid,"whenshetoldmethatnobodytaughthertomultiplyortoread?Dideitherofyouteachher?"
"Teachherwhat?"Mr.Wormwoodsaid.
"Toread.Toreadbooks,"MissHoneysaid."Perhapsyoudidteachher.Perhapsshewaslying.Perhapsyouhaveshelvesfullofbooksalloverthehouse.Iwouldn’tknow.Perhapsyouarebothgreatreaders."
"Ofcourseweread,"Mr.Wormwoodsaid."Don’tbesodaft.IreadtheAutocarandtheMotorfromcovertocovereveryweek."
"Thischildhasalreadyreadanastonishingnumberofbooks,"MissHoneysaid."Iwassimplytryingtofindoutifshecamefromafamilythatlovedgoodliterature."
"Wedon’tholdwithbook-reading,"Mr.Wormwoodsaid."Youcan’tmakealivingfromsittingonyourfannyandreadingstory-books.Wedon’tkeeptheminthehouse."
"Isee,"MissHoneysaid."Well,allIcametotellyouwasthatMatildahasabrilliantmind."
