Матильда
The Parents
"What’sthepointofthatwhenyoucanbuyacalculator?"
Mr.Wormwoodsaid.
"Agirldoesn’tgetamanbybeingbrainy,"Mrs.Wormwoodsaid."Lookatthatfilm-starforinstance,"sheadded,pointingatthesilentTVscreenwhereabosomyfemalewasbeingembracedbyacraggyactorinthemoonlight."Youdon’tthinkshegothimtodothatbymultiplyingfiguresathim,doyou?Notlikely.Andnowhe’sgoingtomarryher,youseeifhedoesn’t,andshe’sgoingtoliveinamansionwithabutlerandlotsofmaids."
MissHoneycouldhardlybelievewhatshewashearing.Shehadheardthatparentslikethisexistedallovertheplaceandthattheirchildrenturnedouttobedelinquentsanddrop-outs,butitwasstillashocktomeetapairofthemintheflesh.
"Matilda’strouble",shesaid,tryingonceagain,"isthatsheissofaraheadofeveryoneelsearoundherthatitmightbeworththinkingaboutsomeextrakindofprivatetuition.Iseriouslybelievethatshecouldbebroughtuptouniversitystandardintwoorthreeyearswiththepropercoaching."
"University?"Mr.Wormwoodshouted,bouncingupinhischair."Whowantstogotouniversityforheaven’ssake!Alltheylearnthereisbadhabits!"
"Thatisnottrue,"MissHoneysaid."Ifyouhadaheartattackthisminuteandhadtocalladoctor,thatdoctorwouldbeauniversitygraduate.Ifyougotsuedforsellingsomeonearottensecond-handcar,you’dhavetogetalawyerandhe’dbeauniversitygraduate,too.Donotdespisecleverpeople,Mr.Wormwood.ButIcanseewe’renotgoingtoagree
