the wand, WHOP-WHOP the string of flags, and then all the other things WHOP WHOP WHOP, and they were all gone too. The big box that had held the things tipped over and made a bigger WHOP. And that was gone as well, before Simon could move. After that the other prizes started to vanish, WHOP WHOP WHOP. This seemed to interest the tablecloth. It put out a long exploring corner towards the box.
At that, Simon came to his senses. He pushed the corner aside and rammed the lid on the box before the tablecloth had a chance to vanish too.
As soon as the lid was on, the box was not there any more. There was not even a whisper of a WHOP as it went. It was just gone. And the tablecloth was just a tablecloth, lying half wrapped across the few prizes left. And the table stood still and was just a table. The jelly slid back into its bowl. Its feelers were gone and it was just a jelly.
The music stopped too. Auntie Christa stopped too. Auntie Christa called out, âWell done, Philippa! Youâve won again! Come and choose a prize, dear.â
âItâs not fair!â somebody else complained. âPhilippaâs won everything !â
Marcia came racing over to Simon as he tried to straighten the tablecloth. âLook, look! You did it! Look!â
Simon turned round in a dazed way. There were still two chairs standing in the middle of the hall after the game. One of them was an old shabby striped armchair. Simon was sure that was not right. âWho putâ?â he began. Then he noticed that the chair was striped in sky-blue, orange and purple. Its stuffing was leaking in a sort of fuzz from its sideways top cushion. It had stains on both arms and on the seat. Chair Person was a chair again. The only odd thing was that the chair was wearing football socks and shiny shoes on its two front legs.
âIâm not sure if it was the wand or the box,â Simon said.
They pushed the armchair over against the wall while everyone was crowding round the food.
âI donât think I could bear to have it on our bonfire after this,â Marcia said. âIt wouldnât seem quite kind.â
âIf we take its shoes and socks off,â Simon said, âwe could leave it here. People will probably think it belongs to the hall.â
âYes, it would be quite useful here,â Marcia agreed.
Later on, after the children had gone and Auntie Christa had locked up the hall, saying over her shoulder, âTell your mother and father that Iâm not on speaking terms with either of them!â Simon and Marcia walked slowly home.
Simon asked, âDo you think he knew we were going to put him on our bonfire? Was he having his revenge on us?â
âHe may have been,â said Marcia. âHe never talked about the bonfire, did he? But what was to stop him just asking us not to when he was a person?â
âNo,â said Simon. âHe didnât have to set the house on fire. I suppose that shows the kind of Person he was.â
Copyright
First published in hardback in Great Britain
by HarperCollins Childrenâs Books in 2012
HarperCollins Childrenâs Books is a division of
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd,
77-85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB
The HarperCollins Childrenâs Books website address is:
www.harpercollins.co.uk
www.dianawynnejones.com
1
Who Got Rid of Angus Flint? © 1975 Diana Wynne Jones
Chair Person © 1989 Diana Wynne Jones
Illustrations copyright © 2012 Marion Lindsay
The author and illustrator assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work.
ISBN: 978-0-00-748942-8
EPub Edition © AUGUST 2012 ISBN: 9780007489435
EPub Version 1
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