Читать книгу The Marble Crusher - Michael Morpurgo - Страница 9

CHAPTER THREE

BACK AT SCHOOL SID CREEDY TOLD ALBERT more and more of his secrets. Every teacher at school it seemed had a deep, dark secret – even the Headmaster, Mr Manners.

‘He’s got six wives,’ said Sid one day, ‘like Henry the Eighth.’

‘He hasn’t!’ said Albert.

‘Oh yes he has,’ said Sid. ‘And that Mrs Manners that teaches the Infants, she’s just one out of the six. And he’s got twenty-two children.’

‘He hasn’t!’ said Albert.

‘Oh yes he has,’ said Sid, ‘and there’s two more on the way.’

Back in the classroom, as Sid told his friends, he was triumphant. Albert had swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

At home, Albert tried to tell his mother about Mr Manners. ‘Honest, Mum, he’s got six wives,’ he said with his mouth full of toast.

‘What’s that dear?’

‘Mr Manners, Mum. He’s got twenty-two children as well,’ said Albert, ‘like Henry the Eighth. And he was away from school today.’

‘Well, I hope it gets better,’ said his mother. And that was that.