Матильда
The Parents
ButIexpectyouknewthatalready."
"OfcourseIknewshecouldread,"themothersaid."Shespendsherlifeupinherroomburiedinsomesillybook."
"Butdoesitnotintrigueyou",MissHoneysaid,"thatalittlefive-year-oldchildisreadinglongadultnovelsbyDickensandHemingway?Doesn’tthatmakeyoujumpupanddownwithexcitement?"
"Notparticularly,"themothersaid."I’mnotinfavourofblue-stockinggirls.Agirlshouldthinkaboutmakingherselflookattractivesoshecangetagoodhusbandlateron.Looksismoreimportantthanbooks,MissHunky..."
"ThenameisHoney,"MissHoneysaid.
"Nowlookatme,"Mrs.Wormwoodsaid."Thenlookatyou.
Youchosebooks.Ichoselooks."
MissHoneylookedattheplainplumppersonwiththesmugsuet-puddingfacewhowassittingacrosstheroom."Whatdidyousay?"sheasked.
"IsaidyouchosebooksandIchoselooks,"Mrs.Wormwoodsaid."Andwho’sfinishedupthebetteroff?Me,ofcourse.I’msittingprettyinanicehousewithasuccessfulbusinessmanandyou’releftslavingawayteachingalotofnastylittlechildrentheABC."
"Quiteright,sugar-plum,"Mr.Wormwoodsaid,castingalookofsuchsimperingsloppinessathiswifeitwouldhavemadeacatsick.
MissHoneydecidedthatifshewasgoingtogetanywherewiththesepeopleshemustnotlosehertemper."Ihaven’ttoldyouallofityet,"shesaid."Matilda,sofarasIcangatheratthisearlystage,isalsoakindofmathematicalgenius.Shecanmultiplycomplicatedfiguresinherheadlikelightning.
