"Charmain must come," said Aunt Sembroni. "We cannot leave Uncle William alone." "Your Uncle William?" asked Mrs. Baker. "Did he—" She cleared her throat and lowered her voice, because it didn't look like a good thing to her. "Isn't he a wizard?" "Of course," said Aunt Sembroni, "but he—" She also began to lower her voice. "He's got a tumor, it's in his stomach, and only the elves can help him. They're taking him to a cure, so, someone has to look after his house. Those spells, you know, will slip away if no one is watching Their words. And I'm too busy. My stray dog ​​house alone—"

"Me too. We've over-ordered wedding cakes this month," said Mrs. Baker hastily. "Sam just said that just this morning—" "Then there's only Charmain," decided Aunt Sembroni. "She's really old enough now." "Uh..." Mrs. Baker muttered. They all looked at the other side of the store at the same time. Mrs. Baker's daughter was sitting there, buried in her book as usual. Her slender body was bent under the sunlight through the geraniums planted by Mrs. Baker. Red hair, glasses set on the end of the nose.She held a large, juicy pie her father had made in one hand, and chewed as she watched.Crumbs kept falling on her book, onto the pages she was reading, and she brushed the crumbs away with the pie in her hand.

"Er... did you hear us, dear?" Mrs. Baker said with some trepidation. "No," Charmain said with his mouth full, "what?" "Then it's settled," said Aunt Sembroni. "It's up to you to explain to her, Berenice, dear." She stood up, shaking her stiff silk satin demurely. The ruffles of her skirt, and then her silk parasol. "I'll pick her up early tomorrow morning," she said. "Now I have to go back and tell poor Uncle William that Charmain will come and look after him." She dragged her dress out of the shop, and Mrs. Baker wished her husband's aunt hadn't been so rich and so assertive.She was still trying to figure out how to explain it to Charmain, let alone Sam.Sam never allowed Charmain to do anything unseemly.So does Mrs. Baker, unless Aunt Sembroni intervenes.

Meanwhile, Aunt Sembroni got into her pretty little carriage, and the groom drove her to the other side of town, to Uncle William's. "I've got it all done," she said aloud, walking through the enchanted passageway to Uncle William's study, where he sat moping and writing. "My grandniece Charmain is coming tomorrow. She will see you off and look after you when you come back. She will look after the house for you in the meantime." "She was very kind," said Uncle William. "I suppose she must be good at magic, isn't she?" "I don't know," said Aunt Sembroni. "All I know is that she never leaves her books and doesn't help out at home. Her parents treat her like a sacred object. It's good for her to do some ordinary things and change the environment."

"Oh, dear," said Uncle William. "Thanks for the reminder. Then I should be careful." "You should be careful," said Aunt Sembroni. "Also, you'd better make sure there's enough food in the house. I've never seen a girl eat as much as she does. And still be as skinny as a witch's broom. I'll never understand. I'll be at the elves tomorrow brought her here before." She turned and left. "Thank you," said Uncle William weakly, turning to her stiff, twisting back. "Honey, honey," he said again, hearing the front door slam shut. "Ah, well. One has to be grateful to one's relatives, I think."

Strangely, Charmain was also very grateful to Aunt Sembroni.Not that she was grateful for letting herself look after a sick old wizard she'd never known. "She can come and ask me directly!" she said to her mother as usual. "I think she thinks you're going to say no, dear," was Mrs. Baker's final response. "Perhaps," Charmain said. "Maybe," she added, with a secret smile on her face, "maybe I won't." "My dear, I don't expect you to like it," said Mrs. Baker tremblingly. "That's not fun at all. It's just that it's kinder—"

"You know I'm not kind," said Charmain, and she turned and went upstairs to her white bedroom, where she sat down at her beautiful desk and looked out the window at the roofs and towers and chimneys of Upper Norland, and up again To the distant green mountains.In fact, this was the opportunity she had been waiting for.She's tired of the decent school she went to, and even more tired of being at home with a mother who treats her like a tiger no one can tame, and who forbids her from doing bad, unsafe, unusual things. Father.It was a chance to get away from home, to do something that Charmain had always wanted to do--that thing.For that alone, it's worth putting up with a trip to the wizard's house.She wondered if she had the courage to write that letter.

For a long time, she had absolutely no courage like that.She sat and looked at the layers of clouds piled up on the top of the mountain, some were white, some were purple, like chubby animals, and like slender dragons.She watched until the clouds were reduced to a pervasive mist against the blue sky.Then she said, "Do it now or never." Then she sighed, put on her glasses dangling from her neck, and pulled out her fine fountain pen and top-quality writing paper.She wrote in her most beautiful handwriting: Charmain leaned back in his chair and read her letter again.It was, she thought, quite impudent to write such a letter to the old King, but she thought it well written.The only thing she wasn't sure about was the phrase "I'm old enough".She knew it meant that one was over twenty-one—or at least eighteen—but she didn't think it was strictly a lie.She didn't say what age she was, after all.Also, she didn't say she was knowledgeable or competent, because she knew that wasn't true.She didn't even say that she loved books more than anything else in the world, though that was quite true.She just has to believe that her love of books is different.

I am quite sure that the king would have crumpled up the letter and thrown it into the fire.she thinks.But at least I tried. She went out to post the letter feeling brave and proud. The next morning, Aunt Sembroni came to fetch Charmain in her carriage; Mrs. Baker filled Charmain with a whole handbag of clothes, and a larger bag full of meat pies, delicacies , bread, tarts and pies.The second bag was so large and full of all kinds of strong smells of herbs, gravy, cheese, fruit, jam, and spices that the groom turned around as he drove the wagon, sniffing so much that even Sembu Aunt Ronnie's noble nostrils were opening and closing.

"Well, you won't be hungry, child," she said. "Let's go." But the coachman had to wait for Mrs. Baker to finish embracing Charmain, and to say to her: "I know I can trust you, my dear, you must be nice and tidy and considerate." Nonsense, Charmain thought.She doesn't believe me one iota. Then Charmain's father rushed out and kissed Charmain lightly on the cheek. "We know you won't let us down, Charmain," he said. Nonsense again, Charmain thought.You know I will. "We'll miss you, honey," her mother said, on the verge of tears.

This may not be nonsense!Charmain thought, somewhat surprised.Although I'm surprised why they like me. "Let's go!" snapped Aunt Sembroni, and the groom drove the carriage.As the foal paced peacefully down the street, she said, "So, Charmain, I know your parents gave you the best, and you never had to do anything yourself. You're ready for a change, Have you started taking care of yourself?" "Oh, yes," said Charmain sincerely. "What about the house and the poor old man?" asked Aunt Sembroni. "I'll do my best," Charmain said.She was afraid that Aunt Sembroni would turn around and take her home if she didn't answer. "You're well educated, aren't you?" said Aunt Sembroni. "Even the music," Charmain admitted, a little offended.She added hastily, "But I'm not good at it at all. So don't expect me to play soft melodies to Uncle William." "I won't," Aunt Sembroni responded. "He's a wizard, and he can make his own soft melodies. I just wanted to know if you have a good background in magic. Have you?" Charmain's heart seemed to have sunk somewhere, and she felt as if the blood on her face was also taken away.She dared not admit that she did not understand even the most basic of magic.Her parents - especially Mrs. Baker - thought magic was bad.And they were in a very respectable part of town, and Charmain's school never taught any magic at all.If anyone wanted to learn anything so vulgar, he had to go to a private tutor.And Charmain knew her parents would never be able to pay her for such a class. "Uh...," she began. Fortunately, Aunt Sembroni just kept talking. "Living in a house full of magic is no joke, you know." "Oh, I don't take this as a joke at all," Charmain said earnestly. "Very well," said Aunt Sembroni, sitting back in her chair. The foal stomped and trotted forward.They crossed the Place des Royales, ran past the looming royal mansion at the other end of the square, saw the roofs gleaming golden in the sun, and crossed the Market Square, where Charmain was rarely allowed to go.She looked longingly at the line of stalls and the stream of shoppers, and as they entered the old town, she glanced back at the place.The houses in the old town were tall and colorful, and each one had a different style-each roof seemed to be steeper than the previous one, and the windows were placed in weirder positions-Charmain began to look forward to, living in Uncle William's house. It might be fun in your house too.But the colt ran on, passing through poorer and poorer urban areas, through stretches of farmhouses, and then through fields and hedges, with a cliff in front of it leaning against the road, only a few scattered huts, and bushes behind it , the towering mountains are getting closer and closer overhead.Charmain began to feel that they were going out of Upper Norland, into another country together.Where are you going?Stranchia?Montalbino?She wished she had paid more attention in geography class. Just as she was thinking so, the groom stopped the car in front of a small dark gray house.The house is tucked into the rear of a long front garden.Charmain glanced through the small iron gate, feeling terribly disappointed.It was the most boring house she had ever seen.There were windows on either side of the brown door, and the dark gray roof drooped like a frown.It looks like there is no second floor at all. "Here we are," said Aunt Sembroni excitedly.She got out of the car, pushed open the small iron gate with a creak, and walked straight to the front door.Charmain followed in frustration, and the groom followed them with Charmain's two bags.The gardens on either side of the road seemed to be full of hydrangea bushes, some blue, some green, some lilac. "I don't think you need to tend the garden," said Aunt Sembroni casually.I hope not!Charmain thought. "I'm pretty sure William hired a gardener," said Aunt Sembroni. "I wish he had," Charmain said.The garden she knew best was the Bakers' backyard, where there was a big mulberry tree and a rosebush, plus her mother's string beans in a pot box.She knew that there was soil under the plants, and there were worms in the soil.She shuddered. Aunt Sembroni knocked nimbly on the knocker on the brown door, pushed it open, and entered, exclaiming, "Oh! I've got Charmain for you!" "Thank you very much," said Uncle William. The front door opened into an old drawing room, where Uncle William was sitting in an old dark gray armchair.Next to him was a large suitcase, which seemed to be ready to go. "Nice to meet you, my dear," he said to Charmain. "Hello, sir," Charmain replied politely. Before the two of them had time to say anything else, Aunt Sembroni said, "Well, then, I'll miss you and go. Leave her bag there," she said to the groom.The groom obediently left the bag at the door and walked away.Aunt Sembroni followed, her expensive satin dress chattering, calling, "Goodbye, you two!" The door slammed shut, leaving Charmain and Uncle William looking at each other. Uncle William was short, almost bald, with only a few elegant locks of silver hair remaining on his round head.He sat hunched over and stiffly, and it seemed to Charmain that he was in pain.She found herself feeling sympathy for him, oddly enough, but she wished he'd stopped staring at her so intently.It made her uneasy.His lower eyelids drooped under his tired blue eyes, revealing bright red insides, like blood.Charmain hated blood as much as she hated earthworms. "Oh, you look tall, like a capable girl," said Uncle William.His voice was tired and gentle. "Red hair is a good sign, in my opinion. Very good. Do you think you can handle while I'm away? The place is a bit of a mess, I'm worried." "I suppose so," Charmain said.The old house seemed neat to her. "Can you tell me something I should do?" Though I hope I won't be here too long, she thought.Once the king writes back to me... "As for this," said Uncle William, "it's the usual household chores, of course, but with magic. Usually, most of them are magical. Since I don't know the level of magic you've reached, I've gone through a few steps—" horrible!Charmain thought.He thinks I can do magic! She wanted to interrupt Uncle William to explain to him, but at this point they were all interrupted.The front door swung open, and a line of tall elves filed in silently.They were all wearing doctors' white coats, and their beautiful faces were expressionless.Charmain gazed at them, and her heart shuddered at their beauty, their height, their impartiality, and above all their utter silence.One of them gently moved her aside, and she stood there, feeling awkward and bewildered; the other elves gathered around Uncle William, bending their brilliant heads in front of him.Charmain didn't know what they were doing, but then Uncle William put on his white robes, and they lifted him out of his chair, and what looked like three red apples stuck to his head.Charmain saw that he had fallen asleep. "Er...you didn't forget his suitcase?" she said, watching them lead him to the door. "No need," said one of the elves, and opened the door for the other elves to take Uncle William out. Then they walked together through the garden path.Charmain rushed to the open door, calling after them, "How long is he going?" It seemed suddenly urgent to know how long she would have to stay and tend the place. "As long as it takes," answered the other Elf. Then they all disappeared before reaching the garden gate.