Ходячий замок
Chapter 10
Soyou’llbequiteusedtothatkindofthingbythetimeyougettothePalace.”
BythistimeSophiewaswishingshehadneveragreed.ShewasheartilyrelievedwhenHowlatlastturnedtoMichael.
“Right,Michael.Yourturnnow.Whatisit?”
Michaelwavedtheshinygraypaperandexplainedinanunhappyrushhowimpossiblethespellseemedtodo.
Howlseemedfaintlyastonishedtohearthis,buthetookthepaper,saying,“Nowwherewasyourproblem?”andspreaditout.Hestaredatit.Oneofhiseyebrowsshotup.
“ItrieditasapuzzleandItrieddoingjustwhatitsays,”Michaelexplained.“ButSophieandIcouldn’tcatchthefallingstar—”
“Greatgodsabove!”Howlexclaimed.Hestartedtolaugh,andbithisliptostophimself.“But,Michael,thisisn’tthespellIleftyou.Wheredidyoufindit?”
“Onthebench,inthatheapofthingsSophiepiledroundtheskull,”saidMichael.“Itwastheonlynewspellthere,soIthought—”
Howlleapedupandsortedamongthethingsonthebench.“Sophiestrikesagain,”hesaid.Thingsskiddedrightandleftashesearched.“Imighthaveknown!No,theproperspell’snothere.”Hetappedtheskullthoughtfullyonitsbrown,shinydome.“Yourdoing,friend?Ihaveanotionyoucomefromthere.I’msuretheguitardoes.Er—Sophiedear—”
“What?”saidSophie.
“Busyoldfool,unrulySophie,”saidHowl.“AmIrightinthinkingthatyouturnedmydoorknobblack-side-downandstuckyourlongnoseoutthroughit?”
“Justmyfinger,”Sophiesaidwithdignity.
