Ходячий замок

           “Bytheway,youwon’tbeabletotellanyoneyou’reunderaspell,”shesaid.Theshopdoortolledlikeafuneralbellassheleft.

           Sophieputherhandstoherface,wonderingwhatthemanhadstaredat.Shefeltsoft,leatherywrinkles.Shelookedatherhands.Theywerewrinkledtoo,andskinny,withlargeveinsinthebackandknuckleslikeknobs.Shepulledhergrayskirtagainstherlegsandlookeddownatskinny,decrepitanklesandfeetwhichhadmadehershoesallknobbly.Theywerethelegsofsomeoneaboutninetyandtheyseemedtobereal.

           Sophiegotherselftothemirror,andfoundshehadtohobble.Thefaceinthemirrorwasquitecalm,becauseitwaswhatsheexpectedtosee.Itwasthefaceofagauntoldwoman,witheredandbrownish,surroundedbywispywhitehair.Herowneyes,yellowandwatery,staredoutather,lookingrathertragic.

           “Don’tworry,oldthing,”Sophiesaidtotheface.“Youlookquitehealthy.Besides,thisismuchmorelikeyoureallyare.”

           Shethoughtabouthersituation,quitecalmly.Everythingseemedtohavegonecalmandremote.ShewasnotevenparticularlyangrywiththeWitchoftheWaste.

           “Well,ofcourseIshallhavetodoforherwhenIgetthechance,”shetoldherself,“butmeanwhile,ifLettieandMarthacanstandbeingoneanother,Icanstandbeinglikethis.ButIcan’tstayhere.Fannywouldhaveafit.Let’ssee.Thisgraydressisquitesuitable,butIshallneedmyshawlandsomefood.”

           ShehobbledovertotheshopdoorandcarefullyputuptheCLOSEDnotice.Herjointscreakedasshemoved.Shehadtowalkbowedandslow.