6.The Platinum-Blond Man

The Platinum¹-Blond Man
There was no doubt in Matilda's mind that this latest display of foulness² by her father deserved
severe punishment, and as she sat eating her awful fried fish and fried chips and ignoring the
television, her brain went to work on various possibilities. By the time she went up to bed her
mind was made up.
The next morning she got up early and went into the bathroom and locked the door. As we already
know, Mrs Wormwood's hair was dyed a brilliant platinum blonde, very much the same glistening³
silvery colour as a female tightrope-walker's tights in a circus. The big dyeing job was done twice
a year at the hairdresser's, but every month or so in between, Mrs Wormwood used to freshen it up
by giving it a rinse⁴ in the washbasin with something called platinum blonde hair-dye extra strong.
This also served to dye the nasty brown hairs that kept growing from the roots underneath⁵. The
bottle of PLATINUM BLONDE HAIR-DYE EXTRA STRONG was kept in the cupboard in the
bathroom, and underneath the title on the label were written the words Caution, this is peroxide.
Keep away from children. Matilda had read it many times with fascination⁶. Matilda's father had a
fine crop of black hair which he parted in the middle and of which he was exceedingly proud.
"Good strong hair," he was fond of saying, "means there's a good strong brain underneath."
"Like Shakespeare," Matilda had once said to him.
"Like who?"
"Shakespeare, daddy."
"Was he brainy?"
"Very, daddy."
"He had masses of hair, did he?"
"He was bald, daddy."
To which the father had snapped, "If you can't talk sense then shut up."
Anyway, Mr Wormwood kept his hair looking bright and strong, or so he thought, by rubbing into
it every morning large quantities of a lotion⁷ called oil of violets hair tonic⁸. A bottle of this smelly
purple mixture always stood on the shelf above the sink in the bathroom alongside all the
toothbrushes, and a very vigorous scalp massage⁹ with oil of violets took place daily after shaving
was completed. This hair and scalp massage was always, accompanied by loud masculine grunts¹⁰
and heavy breathing and gasps¹¹ of "Ahhh, that's better! That's the stuff! Rub it right into the roots!"
which could be clearly heard by Matilda in her bedroom across the corridor.
Now, in the early morning privacy of the bathroom, Matilda unscrewed the cap of her father's oil
of violets and tipped three-quarters of the contents down the drain. Then she filled the bottle up
with her mother's platinum blonde hair-dye extra strong. She carefully left enough of her father's
original hair tonic in the bottle so that when she gave it a good shake the whole thing still looked
reasonably purple. She then replaced the bottle on the shelf above the sink, taking care to put her
mother's bottle back in the cupboard. So far so good.
At breakfast time Matilda sat quietly at the dining-room table eating her cornflakes. Her brother
sat opposite her with his back to the door devouring¹² hunks of bread smothered¹³ with a mixture of
peanut-butter and strawberry jam. The mother was just out of sight around the corner in the
kitchen making Mr Wormwood's breakfast which always had to be two fried eggs on fried bread
with three pork sausages and three strips of bacon and some fried tomatoes.
At this point Mr Wormwood came noisily into the room. He was incapable¹⁴ of entering any room
quietly, especially at breakfast time. He always had to make his appearance felt immediately by
creating a lot of noise and clatter¹⁵. One could almost hear him saying, "It's me! Here I come, the
great man himself, the master of the house, the wage-earner, the one who makes it possible for all
the rest of you to live so well! Notice me and pay your respects!"
On this occasion he strode in and slapped his son on the back and shouted, "Well my boy, your
father feels he's in for another great money-making day today at the garage! I've got a few little
beauties I'm going to flog to the idiots this morning. Where's my breakfast?"
"It's coming, treasure," Mrs Wormwood called from the kitchen.
Matilda kept her face bent¹⁶ low over her cornflakes. She didn't dare look up. In the first place she
wasn't at all sure what she was going to see. And secondly¹⁷, if she did see what she thought she was
going to see, she wouldn't trust herself to keep a straight face. The son was looking directly ahead
out of the window stuffing himself with bread and peanut-butter and strawberry jam.
The father was just moving round to sit at the head of the table when the mother came sweeping¹⁸
out from the kitchen carrying a huge plate piled high with eggs and sausages and bacon and
tomatoes. She looked up. She caught sight of her husband. She stopped dead. Then she let out a
scream that seemed to lift her right up into the air and she dropped the plate with a crash and a
splash on to the floor. Everyone jumped, including Mr Wormwood.
"What the heck's the matter with you, woman?" he shouted. "Look at the mess you've made on the
carpet!"
"Your hair!" the mother was shrieking¹⁹, pointing a quivering finger at her husband. "Look at your
hair! What've you done to your hair?"
"What's wrong with my hair for heaven's sake?" he said.
"Oh my gawd dad, what've you done to your hair?" the son shouted.
A splendid noisy scene was building up nicely in the breakfast room.
Matilda said nothing. She simply sat there admiring the wonderful effect of her own handiwork.
Mr Wormwood's fine crop of black hair was now a dirty silver, the colour this time of a tightrope-
walker's tights that had not been washed for the entire circus season.
"You've . . . you've . . . you've dyed it!" shrieked²⁰ the mother. "Why did you do it, you fool! It looks
absolutely frightful²¹! It looks horrendous²²! You look like a freak!"
"What the blazes are you all talking about?" the father yelled, putting both hands to his hair. "I
most certainly have not dyed it! What d'you mean I've dyed it? What's happened to it? Or is this
some sort of a stupid joke?" His face was turning pale green, the colour of sour apples.
"You must have dyed it, dad," the son said. "It's the same colour as mum's only much dirtier
looking."
"Of course he's dyed it!" the mother cried. "It can't change colour all by itself! What on earth were
you trying to do, make yourself look handsome or something? You look like someone's
grandmother gone wrong!"
"Get me a mirror!" the father yelled. "Don't just stand there shrieking at me! Get me a mirror!"
The mother's handbag lay on a chair at the other end of the table. She opened the bag and got out a
powder compact that had a small round mirror on the inside of the lid. She opened the compact
and handed it to her husband. He grabbed it and held it before his face and in doing so spilled most
of
the powder all over the front of his fancy tweed jacket.
"Be careful!" shrieked the mother. "Now look what you've done! That's my best Elizabeth Arden
face powder!"
"Oh my gawd!" yelled the father, staring into the little mirror. "What's happened to me! I look
terrible! I look just like you gone wrong! I can't go down to the garage and sell cars like this! How
did it happen?" He stared round the room, first at the mother, then at the son, then at Matilda.
"How could it have happened?" he yelled.
"I imagine, daddy," Matilda said quietly, "that you weren't looking very hard and you simply took
mummy's bottle of hair stuff off the shelf instead of your own."
"Of course that's what happened!" the mother cried. "Well really Harry²³, how stupid can you get?
Why didn't you read the label before you started splashing the stuff all over you! Mine's terribly
strong. I'm only meant to use one tablespoon of it in a whole basin of water and you've gone and
put it all over your head neat! It'll probably take all your hair off in the end! Is your scalp
beginning to burn, dear?"
"You mean I'm going to lose all my hair?" the husband yelled.
"I think you will," the mother said. "Peroxide is a very powerful chemical. It's what they put down
the lavatory²⁴ to disinfect the pan only they give it another name."
"What are you saying!" the husband cried. "I'm not a lavatory pan! I don't want to be disinfected!"
"Even diluted²⁵ like I use it," the mother told him, "it makes a good deal of my hair fall out, so
goodness knows what's going to happen to you. I'm surprised it didn't take the whole of the top of
your head off!"
"What shall I do?" wailed²⁶ the father. "Tell me quick what to do before it starts falling out!"
Matilda said, "I'd give it a good wash, dad, if I were you, with soap and water. But you'll have to
hurry."
"Will that change the colour back?" the father asked anxiously.
"Of course it won't, you twit," the mother said.
"Then what do I do? I can't go around looking like this for ever?"
"You'll have to have it dyed black," the mother said. "But wash it first or there won't be any there
to dye."
"Right!" the father shouted, springing into action. "Get me an appointment with your hairdresser
this instant for a hair-dyeing job! Tell them it's an emergency! They've got to boot someone else
off their list! I'm going upstairs to wash it now!" With that the man dashed out of the room and
Mrs Wormwood, sighing deeply, went to the telephone to call the beauty parlour.
"He does do some pretty silly things now and again, doesn't he, mummy?" Matilda said.
The mother, dialling the number on the phone, said, "I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever
as they think they are. You will learn that when you get a bit older, my girl."

1 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

2 foulness   

n. 纠缠, 卑鄙

参考例句：

• The meeting is delayed by the foulness of the weather. 会议被恶劣的天气耽搁了。
• In his book, he lay bare the foulness of man. 在他的著作中，他揭露人类的卑鄙。

3 glistening   

adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》

4 rinse   

v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗

参考例句：

• Give the cup a rinse.冲洗一下杯子。
• Don't just rinse the bottles. Wash them out carefully.别只涮涮瓶子，要仔细地洗洗里面。

5 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

6 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

7 lotion   

n.洗剂

参考例句：

• The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
• She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。

8 tonic   

n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的

参考例句：

• It will be marketed as a tonic for the elderly.这将作为老年人滋补品在市场上销售。
• Sea air is Nature's best tonic for mind and body.海上的空气是大自然赋予的对人们身心的最佳补品。

9 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

10 grunts   

（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈

参考例句：

• With grunts of anguish Ogilvie eased his bulk to a sitting position. 奥格尔维苦恼地哼着，伸个懒腰坐了起来。
• Linda fired twice A trio of Grunts assembling one mortar fell. 琳达击发两次。三个正在组装迫击炮的咕噜人倒下了。

11 gasps   

v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• He leant against the railing, his breath coming in short gasps. 他倚着栏杆，急促地喘气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• My breaths were coming in gasps. 我急促地喘起气来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 devouring   

吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• The hungry boy was devouring his dinner. 那饥饿的孩子狼吞虎咽地吃饭。
• He is devouring novel after novel. 他一味贪看小说。

13 smothered   

（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制

参考例句：

• He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
• The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

14 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

15 clatter   

v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声

参考例句：

• The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。
• Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。

16 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

17 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

18 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

19 shrieking   

v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

21 frightful   

adj.可怕的；讨厌的

参考例句：

• How frightful to have a husband who snores!有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊！
• We're having frightful weather these days.这几天天气坏极了。

22 horrendous   

adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的

参考例句：

• He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
• The mining industry in China has a horrendous safety record.中国的煤矿工业具有令人不安的安全记录。

23 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

24 lavatory   

n.盥洗室，厕所

参考例句：

• Is there any lavatory in this building?这座楼里有厕所吗？
• The use of the lavatory has been suspended during take-off.在飞机起飞期间，盥洗室暂停使用。

25 diluted   

无力的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The paint can be diluted with water to make a lighter shade. 这颜料可用水稀释以使色度淡一些。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields. 这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

26 wailed   

v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句