Ходячий замок
Chapter 19
Sincethescarecrowwasoutontheroad,shedidnotdareleavenow.Shepickedupthewateringcanandstumpedbacktothemansion.Aflutteringcaughthereyeasshewent.Shelookedupatthebuilding.TheflutterwasfromlongwhitecurtainsblowingfromanopenFrenchwindowbeyondthestatuesoftheterrace.Thestatueswerenowcleanwhitestone,andshecouldseecurtainsatmostofthewindows,andglasstoo.Theshutterswerenowfoldedproperlybesidethem,newlypaintedwhite.Notagreenstainnorablistermarkedthenewcreamyplasterofthehousefront.Thefrontdoorwasamasterpieceofblackpaintandgoldscrollwork,centeringonagildedlionwitharinginitsmouthforadoorknocker.
“Huh!”saidSophie.
Sheresistedthetemptationtogointhroughtheopenwindowandexplore.ThatwaswhatHowlwantedhertodo.Shemarchedstraighttothefrontdoor,seizedthegoldendoorknob,andthrewthedooropenwithacrash.HowlandMichaelwereatthebenchhastilydismantlingaspell.Partofitmusthavebeentochangethemansion,buttherest,asSophiewellknew,hadtobealistening-inspellofsomekind.AsSophiestormedin,boththeirfacesshotnervouslyroundtowardher.Calciferinstantlyplungeddownunderhislogs.
“Keepbehindme,Michael,”saidHowl.
“Eavesdropper!”Sophieshouted.“Snooper!”
“What’swrong?”Howlsaid.“Doyouwanttheshuttersblackandgoldtoo?”
“Youbarefaced—”Sophiestuttered.“Thatwasn’ttheonlythingyouheard!You—you—HowlonghaveyouknownIwas—Iam—?”
“Underaspell?”saidHowl.
