Ходячий замок
Chapter 21
Therocksandbusheswerethesame,butthesandwasgrayer,andthemountainsseemedtohavesunkdownthesky.Sophiepeeredintothequiveringgrayglareahead,whereshethoughtshecouldseesomethingratherhigherthanrock.Shetookonemorestride.
Nowitwaslikeanoven.Buttherewasapeculiar-shapedpileaboutaquarterofamileoff,standingonaslightriseintherock-litteredland.Itwasafantasticalshapeoftwistedtowers,risingtoonemaintowerthatpointedslightlyaskew,likeaknottyoldfinger.Sophieclimbedoutoftheboots.Itwastoohottocarryanythingsoheavy,soshetrudgedofftoinvestigatewithonlyherstick.
Thethingseemedtobemadeofyellow-graygritoftheWaste.AtfirstSophiewonderedifitmightbesomestrangekindofants’nest.Butasshegotneared,shecouldseethatitwasasifsomethinghadfusedtogetherthousandsofgrainyyellowflowerpotsintoataperingheap.Shegrinned.Themovingcastlehadoftenstruckherasbeingremarkablyliketheinsideofachimney.Thisbuildingwasreallyacollectionofchimneypots.Ithadtobeafiredemon’swork.
AsSophiepanteduptherise,therewassuddenlynodoubtthatthiswastheWitch’sfortress.Twosmallorangefigurescameoutofthedarkspaceatthebottomandstoodwaitingforher.SherecognizedtheWitch’stwopageboys.Hotandbreathlessasshewas,shetriedtospeaktothempolitely,toshowshehadnoquarrelwiththem.“Goodafternoon,”shesaid.
Theyjustgavehersulkylooks.
