Чарли и шоколадная фабрика
The Family Begins to Starve
Thenoneafternoon,walkingbackhomewiththeicywindinhisface(andincidentallyfeelinghungrierthanhehadeverfeltbefore),hiseyewascaughtsuddenlybysomethingsilverylyinginthegutter,inthesnow. Charliesteppedoffthekerbandbentdowntoexamineit.Partofitwasburiedunderthesnow,buthesawatoncewhatitwas.
Itwasafifty-pencepiece!
Quicklyhelookedaroundhim.
Hadsomebodyjustdroppedit?
No—thatwasimpossiblebecauseofthewaypartofitwasburied.
Severalpeoplewenthurryingpasthimonthepavement,theirchinssunkdeepinthecollarsoftheircoats,theirfeetcrunchinginthesnow. Noneofthemwassearchingforanymoney;noneofthemwastakingtheslightestnoticeofthesmallboycrouchinginthegutter.
Thenwasithis,thisfiftypence?
Couldhehaveit?
Carefully,Charliepulleditoutfromunderthesnow.Itwasdampanddirty,butotherwiseperfect.
AWHOLEfiftypence!
Heheldittightlybetweenhisshiveringfingers,gazingdownatit. Itmeantonethingtohimatthatmoment,onlyonething.ItmeantFOOD.
