Матильда

           AdmittedlytheenemyonthisoccasionwasnotNapoleon.ButyouwouldneverhavegotanyoneatCrunchemHalltoadmitthattheHeadmistresswasalessformidablefoethanthefamousFrenchman.Greatskillwouldhavetobeexercised,Lavendertoldherself,andgreatsecrecyobservedifshewastocomeoutofthisexploitalive.

           TherewasamuddypondatthebottomofLavender’sgardenandthiswasthehomeofacolonyofnewts.Thenewt,althoughfairlycommoninEnglishponds,isnotoftenseenbyordinarypeoplebecauseitisashyandmurkycreature.Itisanincrediblyuglygruesome-lookinganimal,ratherlikeababycrocodilebutwithashorterhead.Itisquiteharmlessbutdoesn’tlookit.Itisaboutsixincheslongandveryslimy,withagreenish-greyskinontopandanorange-colouredbellyunderneath.Itis,infact,anamphibian,whichcanliveinoroutofwater.

           ThateveningLavenderwenttothebottomofthegardendeterminedtocatchanewt.Theyareswiftly-movinganimalsandnoteasytogetholdof.Shelayonthebankforalongtimewaitingpatientlyuntilshespottedawhopper.Then,usingherschoolhatasanet,sheswoopedandcaughtit.Shehadlinedherpencil-boxwithpond-weedreadytoreceivethecreature,butshediscoveredthatitwasnoteasytogetthenewtoutofthehatandintothepencil-box.Itwriggledandsquirmedlikequicksilverand,apartfromthat,theboxwasonlyjustlongenoughtotakeit.Whenshedidgetitinatlast,shehadtobecarefulnottotrapitstailinthelidwhenshesliditclosed.