查理和巧克力工厂 作者:[英]罗尔德·达尔-第5节

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　　'Beastly　girl；'　said　Grandma　Josephine。
　　'Despicable！'　said　Grandma　Georgina。　'She'll　e　to　a　sticky　end　one　day；　chewing　all　that　gum；　you　see　if　she　doesn't。'
　　'And　who　got　the　fourth　Golden　Ticket？'　Charlie　asked。
　　'Now；　let　me　see；'　said　Mr　Bucket；　peering　at　the　newspaper　again。　'Ah　yes；　here　we　are。　The　fourth　Golden　Ticket；'　he　read；　'was　found　by　a　boy　called　Mike　Teavee。'
　　'Another　bad　lot；　I'll　be　bound；'　muttered　Grandma　Josephine。
　　'Don't　interrupt；　Grandma；'　said　Mrs　Bucket。
　　'The　Teavee　household；'　said　Mr　Bucket；　going　on　with　his　reading；　'was　crammed；　like　all　the　others；　with　excited　visitors　when　our　reporter　arrived；　but　young　Mike　Teavee；　the　lucky　winner；　seemed　extremely　annoyed　by　the　whole　business。　〃Can't　you　fools　see　I'm　watching　television？〃　he　said　angrily。　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　interrupt！〃
　　'The　nine…year…old　boy　was　seated　before　an　enormous　television　set；　with　his　eyes　glued　to　the　screen；　and　he　was　watching　a　film　in　which　one　bunch　of　gangsters　was　shooting　up　another　bunch　of　gangsters　with　machine　guns。　Mike　Teavee　himself　had　no　less　than　eighteen　toy　pistols　of　various　sizes　hanging　from　belts　around　his　body；　and　every　now　and　again　he　would　leap　up　into　the　air　and　fire　off　half　a　dozen　rounds　from　one　or　another　of　these　weapons。
　　'〃Quiet！〃　he　shouted；　when　someone　tried　to　ask　him　a　question。　〃Didn't　I　tell　you　not　to　interrupt！　This　show's　an　absolute　whiz…banger！　It's　terrific！　I　watch　it　every　day。　I　watch　all　of　them　every　day；　even　the　rotten　ones；　where　there's　no　shooting。　I　like　the　gangsters　best。　They're　terrific；　those　gangsters！　Especially　when　they　start　pumping　each　other　full　of　lead；　or　flashing　the　old　stilettos；　or　giving　each　other　the　one…two…three　with　their　knuckledusters！　Gosh；　what　wouldn't　I　give　to　be　doing　that　myself！　It's　the　life；　I　tell　you！　It's　terrific！〃'
　　'That's　quite　enough！'　snapped　Grandma　Josephine。　'I　can't　bear　to　listen　to　it！'
　　'Nor　me；'　said　Grandma　Georgina。　'Do　all　children　behave　like　this　nowadays　—　like　these　brats　we've　been　hearing　about？'
　　'Of　course　not；'　said　Mr　Bucket；　smiling　at　the　old　lady　in　the　bed。　'Some　do；　of　course。　In　fact；　quite　a　lot　of　them　do。　But　not　all。'
　　'And　now　there's　only　one　ticket　left！'　said　Grandpa　George。
　　'Quite　so；'　sniffed　Grandma　Georgina。　'And　just　as　sure　as　I'll　be　having　cabbage　soup　for　supper　tomorrow；　that　ticket'll　go　to　some　nasty　little　beast　who　doesn't　deserve　it！'
　　9
　　Grandpa　Joe　Takes　a　Gamble
　　The　next　day；　when　Charlie　came　home　from　school　and　went　in　to　see　his　grandparents；　he　found　that　only　Grandpa　Joe　was　awake。　The　other　three　were　all　snoring　loudly。
　　'Ssshh！'　whispered　Grandpa　Joe；　and　he　beckoned　Charlie　to　e　closer。　Charlie　tiptoed　over　and　stood　beside　the　bed。　The　old　man　gave　Charlie　a　sly　grin；　and　then　he　started　rummaging　under　his　pillow　with　one　hand；　and　when　the　hand　came　out　again；　there　was　an　ancient　leather　purse　clutched　in　the　fingers。　Under　cover　of　the　bedclothes；　the　old　man　opened　the　purse　and　tipped　it　upside　down。　Out　fell　a　single　silver　sixpence。　'It's　my　secret　hoard；'　he　whispered。　'The　others　don't　know　I've　got　it。　And　now；　you　and　I　are　going　to　have　one　more　fling　at　finding　that　last　ticket。　How　about　it；　eh？　But　you'll　have　to　help　me。'
　　'Are　you　sure　you　want　to　spend　your　money　on　that；　Grandpa？'　Charlie　whispered。
　　'Of　course　I'm　sure！'　spluttered　the　old　man　excitedly。　'Don't　stand　there　arguing！　I'm　as　keen　as　you　are　to　find　that　ticket！　Here　—　take　the　money　and　run　down　the　street　to　the　nearest　shop　and　buy　the　first　Wonka　bar　you　see　and　bring　it　straight　back　to　me；　and　we'll　open　it　together。'
　　Charlie　took　the　little　silver　coin；　and　slipped　quickly　out　of　the　room。　In　five　minutes；　he　was　back。
　　'Have　you　got　it？'　whispered　Grandpa　Joe；　his　eyes　shining　with　excitement。
　　Charlie　nodded　and　held　out　the　bar　of　chocolate。　WONKA'S　NUTTY　CRUNCH　SURPRISE；　it　said　on　the　wrapper。
　　'Good！'　the　old　man　whispered；　sitting　up　in　the　bed　and　rubbing　his　hands。　'Now　—　e　over　here　and　sit　close　to　me　and　we'll　open　it　together。　Are　you　ready？'
　　'Yes；'　Charlie　said。　'I'm　ready。'
　　'All　right。　You　tear　off　the　first　bit。'
　　'No；'　Charlie　said；　'you　paid　for　it。　You　do　it　all。'
　　The　old　man's　fingers　were　trembling　most　terribly　as　they　fumbled　with　the　wrapper。　'We　don't　have　a　hope；　really；'　he　whispered；　giggling　a　bit。　'You　do　know　we　don't　have　a　hope；　don't　you？'
　　'Yes；'　Charlie　said。　'I　know　that。'
　　They　looked　at　each　other；　and　both　started　giggling　nervously。
　　'Mind　you；'　said　Grandpa　Joe；　'there　is　just　that　tiny　chance　that　it　might　be　the　one；　don't　you　agree？'
　　'Yes；'　Charlie　said。　'Of　course。　Why　don't　you　open　it；　Grandpa？'
　　'All　in　good　time；　my　boy；　all　in　good　time。　Which　end　do　you　think　I　ought　to　open　first？'
　　'That　corner。　The　one　furthest　from　you。　Just　tear　off　a　tiny　bit；　but　not　quite　enough　for　us　to　see　anything。'
　　'Like　that？'　said　the　old　man。
　　'Yes。　Now　a　little　bit　more。'
　　'You　finish　it；'　said　Grandpa　Joe。　'I'm　too　nervous。'
　　'No；　Grandpa。　You　must　do　it　yourself。'
　　'Very　well；　then。　Here　goes。'　He　tore　off　the　wrapper。
　　They　both　stared　at　what　lay　underneath。　It　was　a　bar　of　chocolate　—　nothing　more。
　　All　at　once；　they　both　saw　the　funny　side　of　the　whole　thing；　and　they　burst　into　peals　of　laughter。
　　'What　on　earth's　going　on！'　cried　Grandma　Josephine；　waking　up　suddenly。
　　'Nothing；'　said　Grandpa　Joe。　'You　go　on　back　to　sleep。'
　　10
　　The　Family　Begins　to　Starve
　　During　the　next　two　weeks；　the　weather　turned　very　cold。　First　came　the　snow。　It　began　very　suddenly　one　morning　just　as　Charlie　Bucket　was　getting　dressed　for　school。　Standing　by　the　window；　he　saw　the　huge　flakes　drifting　slowly　down　out　of　an　icy　sky　that　was　the　colour　of　steel。
　　By　evening；　it　lay　four　feet　deep　around　the　tiny　house；　and　Mr　Bucket　had　to　dig　a　path　from　the　front　door　to　the　road。
　　After　the　snow；　there　came　a　freezing　gale　that　blew　for　days　and　days　without　stopping。　And　oh；　how　bitter　cold　it　was！　Everything　that　Charlie　touched　seemed　to　be　made　of　ice；　and　each　time　he　stepped　outside　the　door；　the　wind　was　like　a　knife　on　his　cheek。
　　Inside　the　house；　little　jets　of　freezing　air　came　rushing　in　through　the　sides　of　the　windows　and　under　the　doors；　and　there　was　no　place　to　go　to　escape　them。　The　four　old　ones　lay　silent　and　huddled　in　their　bed；　trying　to　keep　the　cold　out　of　their　bones。　The　excitement　over　the　Golden　Tickets　had　long　since　been　forgotten。　Nobody　in　the　family　gave　a　thought　now　to　anything　except　the　two　vital　problems　of　trying　to　keep　warm　and　trying　to　get　enough　to　eat。
　　There　is　something　about　very　cold　weather　that　gives　one　an　enormous　appetite。　Most　of　us　find　ourselves　beginning　to　crave　rich　steaming　stews　and　hot　apple　pies　and　all　kinds　of　delicious　warming　dishes；　and　because　we　are　all　a　great　deal　luckier　than　we　realize；　we　usually　get　what　we　want　—　or　near　enough。　But　Charlie　Bucket　never　got　what　he　wanted　because　the　family　couldn't　afford　it；　and　as　the　cold　weather　went　on　and　on；　he　became　ravenously　and　desperately　hungry。　Both　bars　of　chocolate；　the　birthday　one　and　the　one　Grandpa　Joe　had　bought；　had　long　since　been　nibbled　away；　and　all　he　got　now　were　those　thin；　cabbagy　meals　three　times　a　day。
　　Then　all　at　once；　the　meals　became　even　thinner。
　　The　reason　for　this　was　that　the　toothpaste　factory；　the　place　where　Mr　Bucket　worked；　suddenly　went　bust　and　had　to　close　down。　Quickly；　Mr　Bucket　tried　to　get　another　job。　But　he　had　no　luck。　In　the　end；　the　only　way　in　which　he　managed　to　earn　a　few　pennies　was　by　shovelling　snow　in　the　streets。　But　it　wasn't　enough　to　buy　even　a　quarter　of　the　food　that　seven　people　needed。　The　situation　became　desperate。　Breakfast　was　a　single　slice　of　bread　for　each　person　now；　and　lunch　was　maybe　half　a　boiled　potato。
　　Slowly　but　surely；　everybody　in　the　house　began　to　starve。
　　And　every　day；　little　Charlie　Bucket；　trudging　through　the　snow　on　his　way　to　school；　would　have　to　pass　Mr　Willy　Wonka's　giant　chocolate　factory。　And　every　day；　as　he　came　near　to　it；　he　would　lift　his　small　pointed　nose　high　in　the　air　and　sniff　the　wonderful　sweet　smell　of　melting　chocolate。　Sometimes；　he　would　stand　motionless　outside　the　gates　for　several　minutes　on　end；　taking　deep　swallowing　breaths　as　though　he　were　trying　to　eat　the　smell　itself。
　　'That　child；'　said　Grandpa　Joe；　poking　his　head　up　from　under　the　blanket　one　icy　morning；　'that　child　has　got　to　have　more　food。　It　doesn't　matter　about　us。　We're　too　old　to　bother　with。　But　a　growing　boy！　He　can't　go　on　like　this！　He's　beginning　to　look　like　a　skeleton！'
　　'What　can　one　do？'　murmured　Grandma　Josephine　miserably。　'He　refuses　to　take　any　of　ours。　I　hear　his　mother　tried　to　slip　her　own　piece　of　bread　on　to　his　plate　at　breakfast　this　morning；　but　he　wouldn't　touch　it。　He　made　her　take　it　back。'
　　'He's　a　fine　little　fellow；'　said　Grandpa　George。　'He　deserves　better　than　this。'
　　The　cruel　weather　went　on　and　on。
　　And　every　day；　Charlie　Bucket　grew　thinner　and　thinner。　His　face　bec