Ходячий замок
Chapter 3
“Butdoyouwanttostaylikethattillyoudie?Thatspellhadshortenedyourlifebyaboutsixtyyears,ifIamanyjudgeofsuchthings.”
Thiswasanastythought,andonewhichSophiehadtriednottothinkaboutuptonow.Itmadequiteadifference.“Thiscontractyou’reunder,”shesaid.“It’swithWizardHowl,isit?”
“Ofcourse,”saidthedemon.Itsvoicetookonabitofawhineagain.“I’mfastenedtothishearthandIcan’tstirsomuchasafootaway.I’mforcedtodomostofthemagicaroundhere.Ihavetomaintainthecastleandkeepitmovinganddoallthespecialeffectsthatscarepeopleoff,aswellasanythingelseHowlwants.Howl’squiteheartless,youknow.”
SophiedidnotneedtellingthatHowlwasheartless.Ontheotherhand,thedemonwasprobablyquiteaswicked.“Don’tyougetanythingoutofthiscontractatall?”shesaid.
“Iwouldn’thaveenteredintoitifIdidn’t,”saidthedemon,flickeringsadly.“ButIwouldn’thavedoneifI’dknownwhatitwouldbelike.I’mbeingexploited.”
Inspiteofhercaution,Sophiefeltagooddealofsympathyforthedemon.ShethoughtofherselfmakinghatsforFannywhileFannywentgadding.“Allright,”shesaid.“Whatarethetermsofthecontract?HowdoIbreakit?”
Aneagerpurplegrinspreadacrossthedemon’sblueface.“Youagreetoabargain?”
“Ifyouagreetobreakthespellonme,”Sophiesaid,withabravesenseofsayingsomethingfatal.
“Done!”criedthedemon,hislongfaceleapinggleefullyupthechimney.
