The Family Begins to Starve

           Duringthenexttwoweeks,theweatherturnedverycold. Firstcamethesnow. ItbeganverysuddenlyonemorningjustasCharlieBucketwasgettingdressedforschool. Standingbythewindow,hesawthehugeflakesdriftingslowlydownoutofanicyskythatwasthecolourofsteel. 

           Byevening,itlayfourfeetdeeparoundthetinyhouse,andMrBuckethadtodigapathfromthefrontdoortotheroad. 

           Afterthesnow,therecameafreezinggalethatblewfordaysanddayswithoutstopping. Andoh,howbittercolditwas! EverythingthatCharlietouchedseemedtobemadeofice,andeachtimehesteppedoutsidethedoor,thewindwaslikeaknifeonhischeek. 

           Insidethehouse,littlejetsoffreezingaircamerushinginthroughthesidesofthewindowsandunderthedoors,andtherewasnoplacetogotoescapethem. Thefouroldoneslaysilentandhuddledintheirbed,tryingtokeepthecoldoutoftheirbones. TheexcitementovertheGoldenTicketshadlongsincebeenforgotten. Nobodyinthefamilygaveathoughtnowtoanythingexceptthetwovitalproblemsoftryingtokeepwarmandtryingtogetenoughtoeat. 

           Thereissomethingaboutverycoldweatherthatgivesoneanenormousappetite. Mostofusfindourselvesbeginningtocraverichsteamingstewsandhotapplepiesandallkindsofdeliciouswarmingdishes; andbecauseweareallagreatdealluckierthanwerealize,weusuallygetwhatwewant—ornearenough.