Ходячий замок
Chapter 12
“Pendragon’salovelyname,muchbetterthanJenkins.”
“Igetbyquitewellwithaplainname,”Sophiesaidastheyturnedintoablessedlynarrow,coolstreet.
“Wecan’tallbeMadHatters,”saidHowl.
Mrs.Pentstemmon’shousewasgraciousandtall,neartheendofthenarrowstreet.Ithadorangetreesintubsoneithersideofitshandsomefrontdoor.Thisdoorwasopenedbyanelderlyfootmaninblackvelvet,wholedthemintoawonderfullycoolblack-and-whitecheckeredmarblehall,whereMichaeltriedsecretlytowipesweatoffhisface.Howl,whoalwaysseemedtobecool,treatedthefootmanasanoldfriendandmadejokestohim.
Thefootmanpassedthemontoapageboyinredvelvet.Sophie,astheboyledthemceremoniouslyuppolishedstairs,begantoseewhythismadegoodpracticeformeetingtheKing.Shefeltasifshewereinapalacealready.Whentheboyusheredthemintoashadeddrawingroom,shewassureevenapalacecouldnotbethiselegant.Everythingintheroomwasblueandgoldandwhite,andsmallandfine.Mrs.Pentstemmonwasfinestofall.Shewastallandthin,andshesatboltuprightinablue-and-goldembroideredchair,supportingherselfrigidlywithonehand,inagold-meshmitten,onagold-toppedcane.Sheworeold-goldsilk,inaverystiffandold-fashionedstyle,finishedoffwithanold-goldheaddressnotunlikeacrown,whichtiedinalargeold-goldbowbeneathhergaunteagleface.ShewasthefinestandmostfrighteningladySophiehadeverseen.
“Ah,mydearHowell,”shesaid,holdingoutagold-meshmitten.
