Ходячий замок
Chapter 1
Lettiewasbynomeansresignedtobeingtheonewho,nexttoSophie,wasboundtobetheleastsuccessful.
“It’snotfair!”Lettiewouldshout.“WhyshouldMarthahavethebestofitjustbecauseshewasborntheyoungest?Ishallmarryaprince,sothere!”
TowhichMarthaalwaysretortedthatshewouldendupdisgustinglyrichwithouthavingtomarryanybody.
ThenSophiewouldhavetodragthemapartandmendtheirclothes.Shewasverydeftwithherneedle.Astimewenton,shemadeclothesforhersisterstoo.TherewasonedeeproseoutfitshemadeforLettie,theMayDaybeforethisstoryreallystarts,whichFannysaidlookedasifithadcomefromthemostexpensiveshopinKingsbury.
AboutthistimeeveryonebegantalkingoftheWitchoftheWasteagain.ItwassaidthattheWitchhadthreatenedthelifeoftheKing’sdaughterandthattheKinghadcommandedhispersonalmagician,WizardSuliman,togointotheWasteanddealwiththeWitch.AnditseemedthatWizardSulimanhadnotonlyfailedtodealwiththeWitch:hehadgothimselfkilledbyher.
Sowhen,afewmonthsafterthat,atallblackcastlesuddenlyappearedonthehillsaboveMarketChipping,blowingcloudsofblacksmokefromitsfourtall,thinturrets,everybodywasfairlysurethattheWitchhadmovedoutoftheWasteagainandwasabouttoterrorizethecountrythewaysheusedtofiftyyearsago.Peoplegotveryscaredindeed.Nobodywentoutalone,particularly,atnight.Whatmadeitallthescarierwasthatthecastledidnotstayinthesameplace.
