The Inventing Room — Everlasting Gobstoppers and Hair Toffee

           WhenMrWonkashouted’Stoptheboat!’theOompa-Loompasjammedtheiroarsintotheriverandbackedwaterfuriously.Theboatstopped. 

           TheOompa-Loompasguidedtheboatalongsidethereddoor. Onthedooritsaid,INVENTINGROOM—PRIVATE—KEEPOUT. MrWonkatookakeyfromhispocket,leanedoverthesideoftheboat,andputthekeyinthekeyhole. 

           ’Thisisthemostimportantroomintheentirefactory!’hesaid. ’Allmymostsecretnewinventionsarecookingandsimmeringinhere! OldFickelgruberwouldgivehisfrontteethtobeallowedinsidejustforthreeminutes!SowouldProdnoseandSlugworthandalltheotherrottenchocolatemakers! Butnow,listentome! Iwantnomessingaboutwhenyougoin! Notouching,nomeddling,andnotasting!Isthatagreed?’ 

           Yes,yes!’thechildrencried.’Wewon’ttouchathing!’ 

           ’Uptonow,’MrWonkasaid,’nobodyelse,notevenanOompa-Loompa,haseverbeenallowedinhere!’ Heopenedthedoorandsteppedoutoftheboatintotheroom. Thefourchildrenandtheirparentsallscrambledafterhim. 

           ’Don’ttouch!’shoutedMrWonka.’Anddon’tknockanythingover!’ 

           CharlieBucketstaredaroundthegiganticroominwhichhenowfoundhimself.Theplacewaslikeawitch’skitchen! Allabouthimblackmetalpotswereboilingandbubblingonhugestoves,andkettleswerehissingandpansweresizzling,andstrangeironmachineswereclankingandspluttering, andtherewerepipesrunningallovertheceilingandwalls,andthewholeplacewasfilledwithsmokeandsteamanddeliciousrichsmells.