That's because you're a stupid little girl her father said .He turned to his son I'm always glad to buy car with an old gearbox one that makes a terrible noise. I get it cheap. Then i mix a little sawdust with the oil in the gearbox and it goes beautifully-for a day or two
How long will it go like that before it starts making noises again asked matilda.
Long enough for the buyer to get a long way awaay her father said laughing
But that's not honest daddy said matilda
Nobody gets rich by begin honest he said . He was a small ratty-looking man with a thin moustache . He liked to wear brightly coloured jackets with yellow or green ties. For example anyone who buys a car asks " how many miles has it done ? " right , michael
Right said his son
So i buy an old car that's done a hundred and fifty thousand miles and get it cheap. Then i ask myself How can i change the clock so that it reads ten thousand? If i run the car backwards , the numbers will go backwards .But who's going to drive a car backwards for thousands and thousands of miles ?
Nobody young michael said
Right said his father " now this clock thing runs off one of the front wheels . so i use an electric drill on it and when the drill turns the colck backwards - very fast i can take fifty thousand miles off the car in few minutes And by the time i finish the car's only done ten thousand and i tell the customer It belonged to an oil person who only used it once a week for shopping He laugher loudly.
But daddy said matilda . who was listening carefully that's terrible . it's not honest and
You're just a stupid little girl he shouted.
That's right ,Harry said his wife "keep your ugly little mouth shut ,Matilda , We want to watch the tv.
Mummy said matilda can i eat my supper in the dining room so that i can read my book?
Her father looked at her Supper is a family meal he said angrily Nobody will leav the table said matilda We always eat with our plates on our knees while we watch the tv
And what's wrong with watching the tv her father said his voice was suddenly soft and dangerous
Matilda didn't answer .She was too angry
Now it was time to do something