2 ЧАСТЬ “Daddy,” she said, "do you think you could buy me a book?"
sake?! We've got a lovely telly and now you come asking for a book!
"A book?” he said. “What's wrong with the telly, for heaven's
Nearly every weekday afternoon Matilda was left alone in the
house. So on the afternoon of the day when her father had refused
“Yes, but I've read the books as well. I thought some were very
poor,” Matilda said, "but others were lovely. I liked the Secret Garden
best of all. It was full of mystery. The mystery of the room behind
“What sort of a book would you like to read next?” she asked.
Matilda said, "I would like a really good one that grown-ups read.
quite know what to bring out. How, she asked herself, does one
Mrs Phelps looked along the shelves, taking her time. She didn't
You're getting spoiled, my girl!”
to buy her a book, Matilda decided to walk to the public library in
the village all by herself. When she arrived, she introduced herself
to the librarian, Mrs Phelps (felps]. She asked if she could sit for a
while and read a book. Mrs Phelps was taken aback when she saw
that such a tiny girl had arrived at the library without a parent, but
told her she was very welcome.
"Where are the children's books, please?” Matilda asked.
“They're over there on those lower shelves,” Mrs Phelps told her.
“Would you like me to help you find a nice one with lots of pictures
in it?”
“No, thank you,” Matilda said. “I'm sure I can manage.”
From then on, every afternoon, Matilda came to the library. The
walk took her only ten minutes and this allowed her two wonderful
hours in the library where she sat quietly by herself in a cosy cor-
ner devouring one book after another. When she had read all chil-
dren's books in the place, she started searching for something else.
Mrs Phelps, who had been watching her with fascination for the
past few weeks, now got up from her desk and went over to her.
"Can I help you, Matilda?" she asked.
“I'm wondering what to read next," Matilda said. “I've finished all
the children's books."
"You mean you've looked at the pictures?”
Mrs Phelps was taken aback, but she did not show it.
A famous one. I don't know any names."​