Deceptive age

'But . . . but . . . why should you want to give your factory to little Charlie?'

'Listen,' Mr Wonka said, 'I'm an old man. I'm much older than you think. I can't go on for ever. I've got no children of my own, no family at all. So who is going to run the factory when I get too old to do it myself? Someone's got to keep it going — if only for the sake of the Oompa-Loompas.'

***

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chapter 30