Ходячий замок
Chapter 21
Sophiehadbriefglimpsesbetweenlongdoublestrides:ofthemansiondownattheendofthevalley,gleamingbetweentrees,withFanny’scarriageatthedoor;ofbrackenonahillside;ofasmallriverracingdownintoagreenvalley;ofthesameriverslidinginamuchbroadervalley;ofthesamevalleyturnedsowideitseemedendlessandblueinthedistance,andatowerypilefar,faroffthatmighthavebeenKingsbury;oftheplainnarrowingtowardmountainsagain;ofamountainwhichslantedsodeeplyunderherbootthatshestumbledinspiteofherstick,whichstumblebroughthertotheedgeofadeep,blue-mistedgorge,withthetopsoftreesfarbelow,whereshehadtotakeanotherstrideorfallin.
Andshelandedincrumblyyellowsand.Shedugherstickinandlookedcarefullyround.Behindherrightshoulder,somemilesoff,awhite,steamymistalmosthidthemountainsshehadjustzippedthrough.Belowthemistwasabandofdarkgreen.Sophienodded.Thoughshecouldnotseethemovingcastlethisfaraway,shewassurethatmistmarkedtheplaceofflowers.Shetookanothercarefulstride.Zip.Itwasafearsomelyhotday.Theclay-yellowsandstretchedinalldirectionsnow,shimmeringintheheat.Rockslayaboutinamessyway.Theonlygrowingthingswereoccasionaldismalgraybushes.Themountainslookedlikecloudscominguponthehorizon.
“IfthisistheWaste,”Sophiesaid,withsweatrunninginallherwrinkles,“thenIfeelsorryfortheWitchhavingtolivehere.”
Shetookanotherstride.Thewindofitdidnotcoolherdown.
