'Cripes！' he cried。 'What's going on in here？'
It didn't take them long to tell him what had happened。
'I don't believe it！' he said。 'It's not possible。'
'Show him the ticket； Charlie！' shouted Grandpa Joe； who was still dancing around the floor like a dervish in his striped pyjamas。 'Show your father the fifth and last Golden Ticket in the world！'
'Let me see it； Charlie；' Mr Bucket said； collapsing into a chair and holding out his hand。 Charlie came forward with the precious document。
It was a very beautiful thing； this Golden Ticket； having been made； so it seemed； from a sheet of pure gold hammered out almost to the thinness of paper。 On one side of it； printed by some clever method in jet…black letters； was the invitation itself — from Mr Wonka。
'Read it aloud；' said Grandpa Joe； climbing back into bed again at last。 'Let's all hear exactly what it says。'
Mr Bucket held the lovely Golden Ticket up close to his eyes。 His hands were trembling slightly； and he seemed to be overe by the whole business。 He took several deep breaths。 Then he cleared his throat； and said； 'All right； I'll read it。 Here we go：
'Greetings to you； the lucky finder of this Golden Ticket； from Mr Willy Wonka！ I shake you warmly by the hand！ Tremendous things are in store for you！ Many wonderful surprises await you！ For now； I do invite you to e to my factory and be my guest for one whole day — you and all others who are lucky enough to find my Golden Tickets。 I； Willy Wonka； will conduct you around the factory myself； showing you everything that there is to see； and afterwards； when it is time to leave； you will be escorted home by a procession of large trucks。 These trucks； I can promise you； will be loaded with enough delicious eatables to last you and your entire household for many years。 If； at any time thereafter； you should run out of supplies； you have only to e back to the factory and show this Golden Ticket； and I shall be happy to refill your cupboard with whatever you want。 In this way； you will be able to keep yourself supplied with tasty morsels for the rest of your life。 But this is by no means the most exciting thing that will happen on the day of your visit。 I am preparing other surprises that are even more marvellous and more fantastic for you and for all my beloved Golden Ticket holders — mystic and marvellous surprises that will entrance； delight； intrigue； astonish； and perplex you beyond measure。 In your wildest dreams you could not imagine that such things could happen to you！ Just wait and see！ And now； here are your instructions： the day I have chosen for the visit is the first day in the month of February。 On this day； and on no other； you must e to the factory gates at ten o'clock sharp in the morning。 Don't be late！ And you are allowed to bring with you either one or two members of your own family to look after you and to ensure that you don't get into mischief。 One more thing — be certain to have this ticket with you； otherwise you will not be admitted。
（Signed） Willy Wonka。'
'The first day of February！' cried Mrs Bucket。 'But that's tomorrow！ Today is the last day of January。 I know it is！'
'Cripes！' said Mr Bucket。 'I think you're right！'
'You're just in time！' shouted Grandpa Joe。 'There's not a moment to lose。 You must start making preparations at once！ Wash your face； b your hair； scrub your hands； brush your teeth； blow your nose； cut your nails； polish your shoes； iron your shirt； and for heaven's sake； get all that mud off your pants！ You must get ready； my boy！ You must get ready for the biggest day of your life！'
'Now don't over…excite yourself； Grandpa；' Mrs Bucket said。 'And don't fluster poor Charlie。 We must all try to keep very calm。 Now the first thing to decide is this — who is going to go with Charlie to the factory？'
'I will！' shouted Grandpa Joe； leaping out of bed once again。 'I'll take him！ I'll look after him！ You leave it to me！'
Mrs Bucket smiled at the old man； then she turned to her husband and said； 'How about you； dear？ Don't you think you ought to go？'
'Well 。 。 。' Mr Bucket said； pausing to think about it； 'no 。 。 。 I'm not so sure that I should。'
'But you must。'
'There's no must about it； my dear；' Mr Bucket said gently。 'Mind you； I'd love to go。 It'll be tremendously exciting。 But on the other hand 。 。 。 I believe that the person who really deserves to go most of all is Grandpa Joe himself。 He seems to know more about it than we do。 Provided； of course； that he feels well enough 。 。 。'
'Yippeeeeee！' shouted Grandpa Joe； seizing Charlie by the hands and dancing round the room。
'He certainly seems well enough；' Mrs Bucket said； laughing。 'Yes 。 。 。 perhaps you're right after all。 Perhaps Grandpa Joe should be the one to go with him。 I certainly can't go myself and leave the other three old people all alone in bed for a whole day。'
'Hallelujah！' yelled Grandpa Joe。 'Praise the Lord！'
At that point； there came a loud knock on the front door。 Mr Bucket went to open it； and the next moment； swarms of newspapermen and photographers were pouring into the house。 They had tracked down the finder of the fifth Golden Ticket； and now they all wanted to get the full story for the front pages of the morning papers。 For several hours； there was plete pandemonium in the little house； and it must have been nearly midnight before Mr Bucket was able to get rid of them so that Charlie could go to bed。
13
The Big Day Arrives
The sun was shining brightly on the morning of the big day； but the ground was still white with snow and the air was very cold。
Outside the gates of Wonka's factory； enormous crowds of people had gathered to watch the five lucky ticket holders going in。 The excitement was tremendous。 It was just before ten o'clock。 The crowds were pushing and shouting； and policemen with arms linked were trying to hold them back from the gates。
Right beside the gates； in a small group that was carefully shielded from the crowds by the police； stood the five famous children； together with the grown…ups who had e with them。
The tall bony figure of Grandpa Joe could be seen standing quietly among them； and beside him； holding tightly on to his hand； was little Charlie Bucket himself。
All the children； except Charlie； had both their mothers and fathers with them； and it was a good thing that they had； otherwise the whole party might have got out of hand。 They were so eager to get going that their parents were having to hold them back by force to prevent them from climbing over the gates。 'Be patient！' cried the fathers。 'Be still！ It's not time yet！ It's not ten o'clock！'
Behind him； Charlie Bucket could hear the shouts of the people in the crowd as they pushed and fought to get a glimpse of the famous children。
'There's Violet Beauregarde！' he heard someone shouting。 'That's her all right！ I can remember her face from the newspapers！'
'And you know what？' somebody else shouted back。 'She's still chewing that dreadful old piece of gum she's had for three months！ You look at her jaws！ They're still working on it！'
'Who's the big fat boy？'
'That's Augustus Gloop！'
'So it is！'
'Enormous； isn't he！'
'Fantastic！'
'Who's the kid with a picture of The Lone Ranger stencilled on his windcheater？'
'That's Mike Teavee！ He's the television fiend！'
'He must be crazy！ Look at all those toy pistols he's got hanging all over him！'
'The one I want to see is Veruca Salt！' shouted another voice in the crowd。 'She's the girl whose father bought up half a million chocolate bars and then made the workers in his peanut factory unwrap every one of them until they found a Golden Ticket！ He gives her anything she wants！ Absolutely anything！ She only has to start screaming for it and she gets it！'
'Dreadful； isn't it？'
'Shocking； I call it！'
'Which do you think is her？'
'That one！ Over there on the left！ The little girl in the silver mink coat！'
'Which one is Charlie Bucket？'
'Charlie Bucket？ He must be that skinny little shrimp standing beside the old fellow who looks like a skeleton。 Very close to us。 Just there！ See him？'
'Why hasn't he got a coat on in this cold weather？'
'Don't ask me。 Maybe he can't afford to buy one。'
'Goodness me！ He must be freezing！'
Charlie； standing only a few paces away from the speaker； gave Grandpa Joe's hand a squeeze； and the old man looked down at Charlie and smiled。
Somewhere in the distance； a church clock began striking ten。
Very slowly； with a loud creaking of rusty hinges； the great iron gates of the factory began to swing open。
The crowd became suddenly silent。 The children stopped jumping about。 All eyes were fixed upon the gates。
'There he is！' somebody shouted； 'That's him！'
And so it was！
14
Mr Willy Wonka
Mr Wonka was standing all alone just inside the open gates of the factory。
And what an extraordinary little man he was！
He had a black top hat on his head。
He wore a tail coat made of a beautiful plum…coloured velvet。
His trousers were bottle green。
His gloves were pearly grey。
And in one hand he carried a fine gold…topped walking cane。
Covering his chin； there was a small； neat； pointed black beard — a goatee。 And his eyes — his eyes were most marvellously bright。 They seemed to be sparkling and twinkling at you all the time。 The whole face； in fact； was alight with fun and laughter。
And oh； how clever he looked！ How quick and sharp and full of life！ He kept making quick jerky little movements with his head； cocking it this way and that； and taking everything in with those bright twinkling eyes。 He was like a squirrel in the quickness of his movements； like a quick clever old squirrel from the park。
Suddenly； he did a funny little skipping dance in the snow； and he spread his arms wide； and he smiled at the five children who were clustered near the gates； and he called out； 'Wele； my little friends！ Wele to the factory！'
His voice was high and flutey。 'Will you e forward one at a time； please；' he called out； 'and bring your parents。 Then show me your Golden Ticket and give me your name。 Who's first？'
The big fat boy stepped up。 'I'm Augustus Gloop；' he said。
'Augustus！' cried Mr Wonka； seizing his hand and pumping it up and down with terrific force。 'My dear boy； how good to see you！ Delighted！ Charmed！ Overjoyed to have you with us！ And these are your parents？ How nice！ e in！ e in！ That's right！ Step through the gates！'
Mr Wonka was clearly just as excited as everybody else。
'My name；' said the next child to go forward； 'is Veruca Salt。'
'My dear Veruca！ How do you do？ What a pleasure this is！ You do have an interesting name； don't you？ I always thought that a veruca was a sort of wart that you got on the sole of your foot！ But I must be wrong； mustn't I？ How pretty you look in that lovely mink coat！ I'm so glad you could e！ Dear me； this is going to be such an exciting day！ I do hope you enjoy it！ I'm sure you will！ I know you will！ Your father？ How are you； Mr Salt？ And Mrs Salt？ Overjoyed to see you！ Yes； the ticket is quite in or