Ходячий замок

           Thescarecrowflewlumpishlyawaybackward,tolandwithalightrustleintheheathersomeyardsoff.Itsprangupinstantlyandcamehoppingtowardsthecastleagain.Howlhurriedlylaidtheguitaronthedoorstepandjumpeddowntomeetit.“Noyoudon’t,myfriend,”hesaidwithonehandout.“Gobackwhereyoucamefrom.”Hewalkedforwardslowly,stillwithhishandout.Thescarecrowretreatedalittle,hoppingslowlyandwarilybackward.WhenHowlstopped,thescarecrowstoppedtoo,withitsonelegplantedintheheatheranditsraggedarmstiltingthiswayandthatlikeapersonsparringforanopening.TheragsflutteringonitsarmsseemedamadimitationofHowl’ssleeves.

           “Soyouwon’tgo?”Howlsaid.Andtheturnipheadslowlymovedfromsidetoside.No.“I’mafraidyou’llhaveto,”Howlsaid.“YouscareSophie,andthere’snoknowingwhatshe’lldowhenshe’sscared.Cometothinkofit,youscaremetoo.”Howl’sarmsmoved,heavily,asifhewasliftingalargeweight,untiltheywereraisedhighabovehishead.Heshoutedoutastrangeword,whichwashalfhiddeninacrackofsuddenthunder.Andthescarecrowwentsoaringaway.Upandbackwarditwent,ragsfluttering,armswheelinginprotest,upandout,andonandon,untilitwasasoaringspeckinthesky,thenavanishingpointintheclouds,andthennottobeseenatall.

           Howlloweredhisarmsandcamebacktothedoorway,moppinghisfaceonthebackofhishand.“Itakebackmyhardwords,Sophie,”hesaid,panting.“Thatthingwasalarming.Itmayhavebeendraggingthecastlebackallyesterday.