Матильда
The Weekly Test
Thesofterhervoicebecame,thegreaterthedanger,butNigelwasn’ttoknowthis.
’Difficulty’,"Nigelsaid."Everyoneintheclasscanspell’difficulty’now."
"Whatnonsense,"theTrunchbullsaid."Youarenotsupposedtolearnlongwordslikethatuntilyouareatleasteightornine.Anddon’ttrytotellmeeverybodyintheclasscanspellthatword.Youarelyingtome,Nigel."
"Testsomeone,"Nigelsaid,takinganawfulchance."Testanyoneyoulike."
TheTrunchbull’sdangerousglitteringeyesrovedaroundtheclass-room."You,"shesaid,pointingatatinyandratherdaftlittlegirlcalledPrudence,"Spell’difficulty’."
Amazingly,Prudencespelleditcorrectlyandwithoutamoment’shesitation.
TheTrunchbullwasproperlytakenaback."Humph!"shesnorted."AndIsupposeMissHoneywastedthewholeofonelessonteachingyoutospellthatonesingleword?"
"Ohno,shedidn’t,"pipedNigel."MissHoneytaughtittousinthreeminutessowe’llneverforgetit.Sheteachesuslotsofwordsinthreeminutes."
"Andwhatexactlyisthismagicmethod,MissHoney?"askedtheHeadmistress.
"I’llshowyou,"pipedupthebraveNigelagain,comingtoMissHoney’srescue."CanIputmyotherfootdownandturnround,please,whileIshowyou?"
"Youmaydoneither!"snappedtheTrunchbull."Stayasyouareandshowmejustthesame!"
"Allright,"saidNigel,wobblingcrazilyonhisoneleg."MissHoneygivesusalittlesongabouteachwordandweallsingittogetherandwelearntospellitinnotime.
