查理和巧克力工厂 作者:[英]罗尔德·达尔-第4部分

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　　'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。'
　　'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　to