Матильда
The Reader of Books
"Didyouknow",Mrs.Phelpssaid,"thatpubliclibrarieslikethisallowyoutoborrowbooksandtakethemhome?"
"Ididn’tknowthat,"Matildasaid. "CouldIdoit?"
"Ofcourse,"Mrs.Phelpssaid. "Whenyouhavechosenthebookyouwant,bringittomesoIcanmakeanoteofitandit’syoursfortwoweeks. Youcantakemorethanoneifyouwish."
Fromthenon,Matildawouldvisitthelibraryonlyonceaweekinordertotakeoutnewbooksandreturntheoldones. Herownsmallbedroomnowbecameherreading-roomandthereshewouldsitandreadmostafternoons,oftenwithamugofhotchocolatebesideher. Shewasnotquitetallenoughtoreachthingsaroundthekitchen,butshekeptasmallboxintheouthousewhichshebroughtinandstoodoninordertogetwhatevershewanted. Mostlyitwashotchocolateshemade,warmingthemilkinasaucepanonthestovebeforemixingit.OccasionallyshemadeBovrilorOvaltine.Itwaspleasanttotakeahotdrinkuptoherroomandhaveitbesideherasshesatinhersilentroomreadingintheemptyhouseintheafternoons. Thebookstransportedherintonewworldsandintroducedhertoamazingpeoplewholivedexcitinglives. Shewentonolden-daysailingshipswithJosephConrad. ShewenttoAfricawithErnestHemingwayandtoIndiawithRudyardKipling. ShetravelledallovertheworldwhilesittinginherlittleroominanEnglishvillage.
