查理和巧克力工厂 作者:[英]罗尔德·达尔-第4部分

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　and　start　shelling　the　wrappers　off　these　chocolate　bars　instead！〃　And　they　did。　I　had　every　worker　in　the　place　yanking　the　paper　off　those　bars　of　chocolate　full　speed　ahead　from　morning　till　night。
　　'But　three　days　went　by；　and　we　had　no　luck。　Oh；　it　was　terrible！　My　little　Veruca　got　more　and　more　upset　each　day；　and　every　time　I　went　home　she　would　scream　at　me；　〃Where's　my　Golden　Ticket！　I　want　my　Golden　Ticket！〃　And　she　would　lie　for　hours　on　the　floor；　kicking　and　yelling　in　the　most　disturbing　way。　Well；　I　just　hated　to　see　my　little　girl　feeling　unhappy　like　that；　so　I　vowed　I　would　keep　up　the　search　until　I'd　got　her　what　she　wanted。　Then　suddenly　。　。　。　on　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day；　one　of　my　women　workers　yelled；　〃I've　got　it！　A　Golden　Ticket！〃　And　I　said；　〃Give　it　to　me；　quick！〃　and　she　did；　and　I　rushed　it　home　and　gave　it　to　my　darling　Veruca；　and　now　she's　all　smiles；　and　we　have　a　happy　home　once　again。'
　　'That's　even　worse　than　the　fat　boy；'　said　Grandma　Josephine。
　　'She　needs　a　really　good　spanking；'　said　Grandma　Georgina。
　　'I　don't　think　the　girl's　father　played　it　quite　fair；　Grandpa；　do　you？'　Charlie　murmured。
　　'He　spoils　her；'　Grandpa　Joe　said。　'And　no　good　can　ever　e　from　spoiling　a　child　like　that；　Charlie；　you　mark　my　words。'
　　'e　to　bed；　my　darling；'　said　Charlie's　mother。　'Tomorrow's　your　birthday；　don't　forget　that；　so　I　expect　you'll　be　up　early　to　open　your　present。'
　　'A　Wonka　chocolate　bar！'　cried　Charlie。　'It　is　a　Wonka　bar；　isn't　it？'
　　'Yes；　my　love；'　his　mother　said。　'Of　course　it　is。'
　　'Oh；　wouldn't　it　be　wonderful　if　I　found　the　third　Golden　Ticket　inside　it？'　Charlie　said。
　　'Bring　it　in　here　when　you　get　it；'　Grandpa　Joe　said。　'Then　we　can　all　watch　you　taking　off　the　wrapper。'
　　7
　　Charlie's　Birthday
　　'Happy　birthday！'　cried　the　four　old　grandparents；　as　Charlie　came　into　their　room　early　the　next　morning。
　　Charlie　smiled　nervously　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。　He　was　holding　his　present；　his　only　present；　very　carefully　in　his　two　hands。　WONKA'S　WHIPPLE…SCRUMPTIOUS　FUDGEMALLOW　DELIGHT；　it　said　on　the　wrapper。
　　The　four　old　people；　two　at　either　end　of　the　bed；　propped　themselves　up　on　their　pillows　and　stared　with　anxious　eyes　at　the　bar　of　chocolate　in　Charlie's　hands。
　　Mr　and　Mrs　Bucket　came　in　and　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　watching　Charlie。
　　The　room　became　silent。　Everybody　was　waiting　now　for　Charlie　to　start　opening　his　present。　Charlie　looked　down　at　the　bar　of　chocolate。　He　ran　his　fingers　slowly　back　and　forth　along　the　length　of　it；　stroking　it　lovingly；　and　the　shiny　paper　wrapper　made　little　sharp　crackly　noises　in　the　quiet　room。
　　Then　Mrs　Bucket　said　gently；　'You　mustn't　be　too　disappointed；　my　darling；　if　you　don't　find　what　you're　looking　for　underneath　that　wrapper。　You　really　can't　expect　to　be　as　lucky　as　all　that。'
　　'She's　quite　right；'　Mr　Bucket　said。
　　Charlie　didn't　say　anything。
　　'After　all；'　Grandma　Josephine　said；　'in　the　whole　wide　world　there　are　only　three　tickets　left　to　be　found。'
　　'The　thing　to　remember；'　Grandma　Georgina　said；　'is　that　whatever　happens；　you'll　still　have　the　bar　of　chocolate。'
　　'Wonka's　Whipple…Scrumptious　Fudgemallow　Delight！'　cried　Grandpa　George。　'It's　the　best　of　them　all！　You'll　just　love　it！'
　　'Yes；'　Charlie　whispered。　'I　know。'
　　'Just　forget　all　about　those　Golden　Tickets　and　enjoy　the　chocolate；'　Grandpa　Joe　said。　'Why　don't　you　do　that？'
　　They　all　knew　it　was　ridiculous　to　expect　this　one　poor　little　bar　of　chocolate　to　have　a　magic　ticket　inside　it；　and　they　were　trying　as　gently　and　as　kindly　as　they　could　to　prepare　Charlie　for　the　disappointment。　But　there　was　one　other　thing　that　the　grown…ups　also　knew；　and　it　was　this：　that　however　small　the　chance　might　be　of　striking　lucky；　the　chance　was　there。
　　The　chance　had　to　be　there。
　　This　particular　bar　of　chocolate　had　as　much　chance　as　any　other　of　having　a　Golden　Ticket。
　　And　that　was　why　all　the　grandparents　and　parents　in　the　room　were　actually　just　as　tense　and　excited　as　Charlie　was；　although　they　were　pretending　to　be　very　calm。
　　'You'd　better　go　ahead　and　open　it　up；　or　you'll　be　late　for　school；'　Grandpa　Joe　said。
　　'You　might　as　well　get　it　over　with；'　Grandpa　George　said。
　　'Open　it；　my　dear；'　Grandma　Georgina　said。　'Please　open　it。　You're　making　me　jumpy。'
　　Very　slowly；　Charlie's　fingers　began　to　tear　open　one　small　corner　of　the　wrapping　paper。
　　The　old　people　in　the　bed　all　leaned　forward；　craning　their　scraggy　necks。
　　Then　suddenly；　as　though　he　couldn't　bear　the　suspense　any　longer；　Charlie　tore　the　wrapper　right　down　the　middle　。　。　。　and　on　to　his　lap；　there　fell　。　。　。　a　light…brown　creamy…coloured　bar　of　chocolate。
　　There　was　no　sign　of　a　Golden　Ticket　anywhere。
　　'Well　—　that's　that！'　said　Grandpa　Joe　brightly。　'It's　just　what　we　expected。'
　　Charlie　looked　up。　Four　kind　old　faces　were　watching　him　intently　from　the　bed。　He　smiled　at　them；　a　small　sad　smile；　and　then　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　picked　up　the　chocolate　bar　and　held　it　out　to　his　mother；　and　said；　'Here；　Mother；　have　a　bit。　We'll　share　it。　I　want　everybody　to　taste　it。'
　　'Certainly　not！'　his　mother　said。
　　And　the　others　all　cried；　'No；　no！　We　wouldn't　dream　of　it！　It's　all　yours！'
　　'Please；'　begged　Charlie；　turning　round　and　offering　it　to　Grandpa　Joe。
　　But　neither　he　nor　anyone　else　would　take　even　a　tiny　bit。
　　'It's　time　to　go　to　school；　my　darling；'　Mrs　Bucket　said；　putting　an　arm　around　Charlie's　skinny　shoulders。　'e　on；　or　you'll　be　late。'
　　8
　　Two　More　Golden　Tickets　Found
　　That　evening；　Mr　Bucket's　newspaper　announced　the　finding　of　not　only　the　third　Golden　Ticket；　but　the　fourth　as　well。　TWO　GOLDEN　TICKETS　FOUND　TODAY；　screamed　the　headlines。　ONLY　ONE　MORE　LEFT。
　　'All　right；'　said　Grandpa　Joe；　when　the　whole　family　was　gathered　in　the　old　people's　room　after　supper；　'let's　hear　who　found　them。'
　　'The　third　ticket；'　read　Mr　Bucket；　holding　the　newspaper　up　close　to　his　face　because　his　eyes　were　bad　and　he　couldn't　afford　glasses；　'the　third　ticket　was　found　by　a　Miss　Violet　Beauregarde。　There　was　great　excitement　in　the　Beauregarde　household　when　our　reporter　arrived　to　interview　the　lucky　young　lady　—　cameras　were　clicking　and　flashbulbs　were　flashing　and　people　were　pushing　and　jostling　and　trying　to　get　a　bit　closer　to　the　famous　girl。　And　the　famous　girl　was　standing　on　a　chair　in　the　living　room　waving　the　Golden　Ticket　madly　at　arm's　length　as　though　she　were　flagging　a　taxi。　She　was　talking　very　fast　and　very　loudly　to　everyone；　but　it　was　not　easy　to　hear　all　that　she　said　because　she　was　chewing　so　ferociously　upon　a　piece　of　gum　at　the　same　time。
　　'〃I'm　a　gum　chewer；　normally；〃　she　shouted；　〃but　when　I　heard　about　these　ticket　things　of　Mr　Wonka's；　I　gave　up　gum　and　started　on　chocolate　bars　in　the　hope　of　striking　lucky。　Now；　of　course；　I'm　back　on　gum。　I　just　adore　gum。　I　can't　do　without　it。　I　munch　it　all　day　long　except　for　a　few　minutes　at　mealtimes　when　I　take　it　out　and　stick　it　behind　my　ear　for　safekeeping。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　simply　wouldn't　feel　fortable　if　I　didn't　have　that　little　wedge　of　gum　to　chew　on　every　moment　of　the　day；　I　really　wouldn't。　My　mother　says　it's　not　ladylike　and　it　looks　ugly　to　see　a　girl's　jaws　going　up　and　down　like　mine　do　all　the　time；　but　I　don't　agree。　And　who's　she　to　criticize；　anyway；　because　if　you　ask　me；　I'd　say　that　her　jaws　are　going　up　and　down　almost　as　much　as　mine　are　just　from　yelling　at　me　every　minute　of　the　day。〃
　　'〃Now；　Violet；〃　Mrs　Beauregarde　said　from　a　far　corner　of　the　room　where　she　was　standing　on　the　piano　to　avoid　being　trampled　by　the　mob。
　　'〃All　right；　Mother；　keep　your　hair　on！〃　Miss　Beauregarde　shouted。　〃And　now；〃　she　went　on；　turning　to　the　reporters　again；　〃it　may　interest　you　to　know　that　this　piece　of　gum　I'm　chewing　right　at　this　moment　is　one　I've　been　working　on　for　over　three　months　solid。　That's　a　record；　that　is。　It's　beaten　the　record　held　by　my　best　friend；　Miss　Cornelia　Prinzmetel。　And　was　she　furious！　It's　my　most　treasured　possession　now；　this　piece　of　gum　is。　At　night…time；　I　just　stick　it　on　the　end　of　the　bedpost；　and　it's　as　good　as　ever　in　the　mornings　—　a　bit　hard　at　first；　maybe；　but　it　soon　softens　up　again　after　I've　given　it　a　few　good　chews。　Before　I　started　chewing　for　the　world　record；　I　used　to　change　my　piece　of　gum　once　a　day。　I　used　to　do　it　in　our　lift　on　the　way　home　from　school。　Why　the　lift？　Because　I　liked　sticking　the　gooey　piece　that　I'd　just　finished　with　on　to　one　of　the　control　buttons。　Then　the　next　person　who　came　along　and　pressed　the　button　got　my　old　gum　on　the　end　of　his　or　her　finger。　Ha…ha！　And　what　a　racket　they　kicked　up；　some　of　them。　You　get　the　best　results　with　women　who　have　expensive　gloves　on。　Oh　yes；　I'm　thrilled　to　be　going　to　Mr　Wonka's　factory。　And　I　understand　that　afterwards　he's　going　to　give　me　enough　gum　to　last　me　for　the　rest　of　my　whole　life。　Whoopee！　Hooray！〃'
　　'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。'