Ходячий замок
Chapter 1
Sometimesitwasatallblacksmudgeonthemoorstothenorthwest,sometimesitrearedabovetherockstotheeast,andsometimesitcamerightdownhilltositintheheatheronlyjustbeyondthelastfarmtothenorth.Youcouldseeitactuallymovingsometimes,withsmokepouringoutfromtheturretsindirtygraygusts.Forawhileeveryonewascertainthatthecastlewouldcomerightdownintothevalleybeforelong,andtheMayortalkedofsendingtotheKingforhelp.
Butthecastlestayedrovingaboutthehills,anditwaslearnedthatitdidnotbelongtotheWitchbuttoWizardHowl.WizardHowlwasbadenough.Thoughhedidnotseemtowanttoleavethehills,hewasknowntoamusehimselfbycollectingyounggirlsandsuckingthesoulsfromthem.Orsomepeoplesaidheatetheirhearts.Hewasanutterlycold-bloodedandheartlesswizardandnoyounggirlwassafefromhimifhecaughtheronherown.Sophie,Lettie,andMartha,alongwithalltheothergirlsinMarketChipping,werewarnednevertogooutalone,whichwasagreatannoyancetothem.TheywonderedwhatuseWizardHowlfoundforallthesoulshecollected.
Theyhadotherthingsontheirmindsbeforelong,however,forMr.HatterhaddiedsuddenlyjustasSophiewasoldenoughtoleaveschoolforgood.ItthenappearedthatMr.Hatterhadbeenaltogethertooproudofhisdaughters.Theschoolfeeshehadbeenpayinghadlefttheshopwithquiteheavydebts.Whenthefuneralwasover,Fannysatdownintheparlorinthehousenextdoortotheshopandexplainedthesituation.
“You’llallhavetoleavethatschool,I’mafraid,”shesaid.
