Ходячий замок
Chapter 12
Pentstemmonstaringatherlikethat.
“Iassureyouitisso,”saidMrs.Pentstemmon.“ThisiswhyIwasanxioustoseeyou,Mrs.Pendragon.Howell,yousee,wasmylastpupilandbyfarmybest.Iwasabouttoretirewhenhecametomeoutofaforeignland.IthoughtmyworkwasdonewhenItrainedBenjaminSullivan—whomyouprobablyknowbetterasWizardSuliman,resthissoul!—andprocuredhimthepostofRoyalMagician.Oddlyenough,hecamefromthesamecountryasHowell.ThenHowellcame,andIsawataglancethathehadtwicetheimaginationandtwicethecapabilities,and,thoughIadmithehadsomefaultsofcharacter,Iknewhewasaforceforgood.Good,Mrs.Pendragon.Butwhatishenow?”
“Whatindeed?”Sophiesaid.
“Somethinghashappenedtohim,”Mrs.Pentstemmonsaid,stillstaringpiercinglyatSophie.“AndIamdeterminedtoputthatrightbeforeIdie.”
“Whatdoyouthinkhashappened?”Sophieaskeduncomfortably.
“Imustrelyonyoutotellmethat,”saidMrs.Pentstemmon.“MyfeelingisthathehasgonethesamewayastheWitchoftheWaste.Theytellmeshewasnotwickedonce—thoughIhavethisonlyonhearsay,sincesheisolderthateitherofusandkeepsherselfyoungbyherarts.Howellhasgiftsinthesameorderashers.Itseemsasifthoseofhighabilitycannotresistsomeextra,dangerousstrokeofcleverness,whichresultsinafatalflawandbeginsaslowdeclinetoevil.Doyou,byanychance,haveacluewhatitmightbe?”
Calcifer’svoicecameintoSophie’smind,saying,“Thecontractisn’tdoingeitherofusanygoodinthelongrun.
