Chapter 11
The Miracle
Charlie entered the shop and laid the damp fifty pence on the counter.
'One Wonka's Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight,' he said, remembering how much he had loved the one he had on his birthday.
The man behind the counter looked fat and well-fed. He had big lips and fat cheeks and a very fat neck. The fat around his neck bulged out all around the top of his collar like a rubber ring. He turned and reached behind him for the chocolate bar, then he turned back again and handed it to Charlie. Charlie grabbed it and quickly tore off the wrapper and took an enormous bite. Then he took another . . . and another . . . and oh, the joy of being able to cram large pieces of something sweet and solid into one's mouth! The sheer blissful joy of being able to fill one's mouth with rich solid food!
'You look like you wanted that one, sonny,' the shopkeeper said pleasantly.
Charlie nodded, his mouth bulging with chocolate.
The shopkeeper put Charlie's change on the counter. 'Take it easy,' he said. 'It'll give you a tummy-ache if you swallow it like that without chewing.'
Charlie went on wolfing the chocolate. He couldn't stop. And in less than half a minute, the whole thing had disappeared down his throat. He was quite out of breath, but he felt marvellously, extraordinarily happy. He reached out a hand to take the change. Then he paused. His eyes were just above the level of the counter. They were staring at the silver coins lying there. The coins were all five-penny pieces. There were nine of them altogether. Surely it wouldn't matter if he spent just one more . . . 'I think,' he said quietly, 'I think . . . I'll have just one more of those chocolate bars. The same kind as before, please.'
'Why not?' the fat shopkeeper said, reaching behind him again and taking another Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight from the shelf. He laid it on the counter.
Charlie picked it up and tore off the wrapper . . . and suddenly . . . from underneath the wrapper . . . there came a brilliant flash of gold.
Charlie's heart stood still.
'It's a Golden Ticket!' screamed the shopkeeper, leaping about a foot in the air. 'You've got a Golden Ticket! You've found the last Golden Ticket! Hey, would you believe it! Come and look at this, everybody! The kid's found Wonka's last Golden Ticket! There it is! It's right here in his hands!'
It seemed as though the shopkeeper might be going to have a fit. 'In my shop, too!' he yelled. 'He found it right here in my own little shop! Somebody call the newspapers quick and let them know! Watch out now, sonny! Don't tear it as you unwrap it! That thing's precious!'
中文翻译
查理走进那家商店，把那枚湿漉漉的五十便士硬币放到柜台上。
“拿一块旺卡高级惠普尔奶油巧克力软糖。”他说，他又记起了生日那天得到的那块可爱的巧克力。
柜台后的男人十分肥壮，看来吃得很好。他的嘴唇很厚，胖胖脸颊，脖子非常粗壮，上面的肥肉肥都堆在了领口，就象套了个橡皮圈。他转过身取了一块那种巧克力，又转身把它递给查理。查理抓住巧克力三两下撕去包装纸，狠狠咬了一大口。然后又是一口……再一口……啊，往嘴里赛进大块大块香甜而硬实的东西那滋味真是美极了！嘴里塞满可口硬实的食物真令人浑身舒适，妙不可言啊！
“看来你想把一整块全吃下去吧，小伙子。”店主愉快地说道。
查理点点头，他的嘴里塞满了巧克力。
店主把查理的找头放在柜台上。“慢慢吃，”他说，“你这样囫囵吞会闹肚子痛的。”
查理仍热狼吞虎咽地吃着那块巧克力。他根本停不下来。不到半分钟，整块巧克力就进了肚。他几乎连气都透不过来了，可他觉得舒服极了，愉快极了。他正伸手去取找头，却又停住了。他眼睛的高度刚好超过柜台，他睁大眼睛看着放在柜台上的银币，都是些五便土的硬币，一共有九枚。这么说他再花去一枚肯定不会有什么关系的……
“我想，”他不动声色地说：“我想……再要一块那种巧克力。请再给我一块同样牌子的巧克力。”
“当然罗！“肥胖的店主说，又从身后架子上拿出了一块高级惠普尔奶油巧克力软糖，把它放在柜台上。
查理拿起它，撕去了包装纸……突然……就在那层包装纸底下……发出了一道炫目的金子的闪光。
查理的心停止了跳动。
“这是一张金票！”店主尖叫着，跳了起来。“你得到一张金票了！你发现了最后一张金票！嘿，你相信吗？大家来看看！这小孩儿找到了旺卡工厂的最后一张金票！在这儿！就在他的手里！”
店主非常激动，他叫道：“是在我店里发现的！就在我的这个小店里发现的！快叫新闻记者来，让他们知道！小孩儿，注意！在你打开它的时候，不要撕坏了！这东西很珍贵呀！”
