Ходячий замок
Chapter 19
“Well,now—”
“Itoldhim,”Michaelsaid,lookingnervouslyroundHowl.“MyLettie—”
“You!”Sophieshrieked.
“TheotherLettieletthecatoutofthebagtoo,”Howlsaidquickly.“Youknowshedid.AndMrs.Fairfaxtalkedagreatdealthatday.Therewasatimewheneveryoneseemedtobetellingme.EvenCalciferdid—whenIaskedhim.ButdidyouhonestlythinkIdon’tknowmyownbusinesswellenoughnottospotastrongspelllikethatwhenIseeit?Ihadseveralgoesattakingitoffyouwhenyouweren’tlooking.Butnothingseemstowork.ItookyoutoMrs.Pentstemmon,hopingshecoulddosomething,butsheevidentlycouldn’t.Icametotheconclusionthatyoulikedbeingindisguise.”
“Disguise!”Sophieyelled.
Howllaughedather.“Itmustbe,sinceyou’redoingityourself,”hesaid.“Whatastrangefamilyyouare!IsyournamereallyLettietoo?”
ThiswastoomuchforSophie.Percivaledgednervouslyinjustthen,carryingthehalf-fullbucketofweed-killer.Sophiedroppedhercan,seizedthebucketfromhim,andthrewitatHowl.Howlducked.Michaeldodgedthebucket.Theweed-killerwentupinasheetofsizzlinggreenflamefromfloortoceiling.Thebucketclangedintothesink,wherealltheremainingflowersdiedinstantly.
“Ow!”saidCalciferfromunderhislogs.“Thatwasstrong.”
Howlcarefullypickedtheskulloutfromunderthesmokingbrownremainsoftheflowersanddrieditononeofhissleeves.“Ofcourseitwasstrong,”hesaid.“Sophieneverdoesthingsbyhalves.
