Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve Sophie Becomes Howl's Old Mother

Now that the Witch was on her way, Sophie saw no need to go to the King to discredit Hal.But Hal says it's more necessary now. "I will try my best to get rid of the witch," he said, "and I will not let the king control me." So the next afternoon Sophie put on her new clothes and sat, albeit quite primly, feeling good while Mike got ready and Hal got dressed in the bathroom.While she waited, she told Calcifer about the strange country where Howl's family lived.This made her temporarily forget about the king. Calcifer was intrigued. "I know he's from a foreign land," he said, "but it sounds like another world. The witches are brilliant, casting spells from there. Clever everywhere. I just admire this kind of magic, turning things that actually exist into A spell. I suspected it the other day when you and Mike were saying it. Hal the fool told her too much."

Sophie stared at Calcifer's lean blue face.She wasn't surprised that Calcifer worshiped the spell, or that he called Hal a fool.He was always insulting Hal.But she never could figure out whether Calcifer really hated Hal.Calcifer looks so evil, it's hard to judge what he really thinks. Calcifer rolled his orange eyes to look at Sophie. "I'm afraid, too," he said. "If the Witch catches up with Howl, I'll suffer too. If you don't break the bond before she does, I can't help you at all." Before Sophie could ask, Hal rushed out of the bathroom in high spirits, and the whole room was filled with the scent of roses.He called out for Mike.Mike clattered downstairs in his new blue velvet suit.Sophie got up and took her faithful cane.Time to go.

"You look very rich and regal!" Mike said to her. "She's made me look good," said Hal, "except for that dreadful old crutch." "Some people," said Sophie, "are completely self-centered. This crutch is part of who I am. I need it, it's my anchor." Hal looked at the ceiling, but didn't argue further. They walked the streets of Kingsbury with stately splendor.Sophie naturally turned her head to see what the castle looked like.She saw a large arched entrance with a small black door inside.The rest of the castle is a blank plaster wall connecting two elaborately carved stone houses.

"No need to ask," Hal said, "it's just an abandoned stable. This way." They walked through the streets, dressed as well as passers-by.There are not many people around.It was a long way south to Kingsbury and another hot day.The sidewalks flicker brightly.Sophie discovered another downside to getting older: it was uncomfortable when it was hot.Exquisite buildings swayed before her eyes.She was annoyed because she wanted to get a good look at the place, but there was only a vague impression of a tall building with a golden roof. "By the way," said Hal, "Mrs. Pentstemton will call you Mrs. Pendragon. Pendragon is my name here."

"Why?" Sophie asked. "Pretend," Hal said, "Pendragen is a good name, much better than Jenken." "An ordinary name suits me well," said Sophie.Thankfully, they turned into a narrow, cool street. "We can't all be called Mad Hyatt," Hal said. Mrs. Pentstemmon's house stood at the end of the narrow lane, a stately and elegant house.Potted orange trees line the imposing front door.An old manservant in a black velvet suit opened the door and led them into the cool black and white checkered marble hall, where Mike wiped the sweat from his face quietly.Hal seemed to have never been afraid of the heat, joking with the footman and treating him like an old friend.

The valet handed them over to a waiter in a red velvet uniform.As the waiter led them ceremonially up the polished steps, Sophie began to understand why it was good practice before meeting the King.She felt as if she were already in a palace.When the waiter ushered them into the shaded reception room, she was even more convinced that the palace could not be more elegant than this one.The objects in the whole room are blue, white and gold, small and delicate.And the most exquisite and splendid was Mrs. Pentstemton herself.She was tall and slender, sitting upright on a blue-gold embroidered chair, wearing gold mesh gloves, and holding a gold-topped cane in one hand, firmly supporting her body.She wore an old-gold silk dress in a prim, old-fashioned style, and an old-gold tiara on her head tied in a large old-gold bow below her thin, eagle-like face.She was the most graceful and intimidating lady Sophie had ever met.

"Ah, my dear Harwell," she said, holding out a hand in a gold mesh glove. Hal bowed and kissed the gloves, obviously a necessary courtesy.His demeanor is elegant, but it's a different view from behind, his other hand waving desperately at Mike behind him.Mike, a little unresponsive, realized that he should be standing next to the waiter by the door.He stepped back hastily, secretly glad he was as far away from Mrs. Pentstemmont as possible. "Mrs. Pentstemton, please allow me to introduce my old mother." Hal said, waving to Sophie.Since Sophie and Mike feel the same way, Howl has to gesture to her too.

"It's an honor," said Mrs. Pentstemmon, holding out her hand in the gold mesh glove to Sophie.Sophie wasn't sure if Mrs. Pentstemton wanted her to kiss her hand too, but she didn't dare to try it herself and put her hand on the glove.The hand underneath felt like an old, cold paw.After feeling this way, Sophie was rather surprised that Mrs. Pentstemton was still alive. "I'm sorry I didn't get up, Mrs. Pendragon," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "I'm not in very good shape. So I was forced to stop teaching three years ago. Please sit down, both of you."

Sophie sat down solemnly in the embroidered chair opposite Mrs. Pentstemton, restraining herself from trembling with nervousness.She propped herself up on crutches, hoping to appear equally graceful.Hal sat down gracefully in the chair next to him.He looked right at home, and Sophie was jealous of that. "I'm eighty-six," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "You've lived a long time, dear Mrs. Pendragon?" "Ninety," Sophie replied, the first advanced number that came to her mind. "Such a long life?" Mrs. Pentstemmon's tone was slightly envious. "You are still so agile."

"Ah, yeah, she's pretty nimble," Hal agreed. "Sometimes you can't make her stop." Mrs. Pentstemmon gave him a wink, and Sophie saw at once that she had been a stern teacher, as much as Miss Angorian. "I'm talking to your mother," she said. "I'm sure she's as proud of you as I am. Both of us old women are responsible for raising you. You are, so to speak, the work of our joint efforts." "Don't you think I deserve credit?" Hal asked, "A few touches of color of my own?" "A little bit, and that's not something I admire," replied Mrs. Pentstemmon. "You wouldn't like to sit here and hear people talk about you. You can take your valet and go down and sit on the terrace, Henchy." I'll get you cold drinks. Go."

If Sophie hadn't been so nervous, she would have laughed at the look on Howl's face.He obviously didn't expect this to happen.But he shrugged and got up, gave Sophie a slightly warning look, and drove Mike ahead of him, leaving the room.Mrs. Pentstemmon turned her stiff body a little and watched them go.Then she nodded to the waiter, and he quickly left the room.When they were all gone, Mrs. Pentstemton turned to Sophie, who was more nervous than ever. "I prefer him with black hair," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "The boy is learning to be bad." "Who? Mike?" Sophie was a little confused. "Not the squire," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "I don't think he's smart enough to deserve my attention. I'm talking about Harwell, Mrs. Pendragon." "Ah," echoed Sophie, surprised that Mrs. Pentstemton only said "I'm trying to be bad."Hal has obviously learned to be bad long ago. "Look at his appearance," said Mrs. Pentstemmon mercilessly. "Look at his clothes." "He's always been very concerned about his appearance," Sophie agreed, wondering how mild she was. "Always. I take care of my appearance, too, and it doesn't do any harm," said Mrs. Pentstemmon, "but he doesn't walk around in a charmed suit? It's a charmed charm, For the ladies - beautifully done, I admit, even my professional eyes are hard to spot, it seems to be sewn into the seams of the clothes - this spell makes the ladies defenseless against him This undoubtedly means that he is going downhill towards the dark arts, and as a mother, I must be a little worried about this, Mrs. Pendragon." Sophie thought uneasily of the gray-red coat.She didn't notice anything unusual as she mended the seams.But Mrs. Pentstemton was an expert in magic, and Sophie was only a good dressmaker. Mrs. Pentstemton propped her hands together on the top of her cane, and leaned forward stiffly so that her sharp old eyes met Sophie's.Sophie grew nervous and restless. "My days are numbered," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "I feel death approaching." "Oh, I don't believe so," said Sophie, trying to sound reassuring.It was hard to say anything decently under Mrs. Pentstemton's gaze. "I'm sure that's the case," said Mrs. Pentstemton. "That's why I'm so anxious to see you, Mrs. Pendragon. Harwell was my last student and my best student. He came from a foreign land. When I came to join me, I was about to retire. At that time, I thought that I would have completed my mission after teaching Benjamin Sullivan—you are probably more accustomed to calling him Wizard Suliman, may he rest in peace—I also recommended He became a royal wizard. Coincidentally, he and Harwell came from the same country. Then Harwell came, and I knew at a glance that he had double imagination and double ability, although his character He does have a weakness, and I know he can be great. Great, Mrs. Pendragon. But what about him now?" "How on earth did this happen?" Sophie asked. "Something must have happened to him," said Mrs. Pentstemmon, still looking at Sophie. "I'm going to get this sorted out before I die." "What do you think happened?" Sophie asked uneasily. "Naturally I need you to tell me," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "My feeling is that he and the Witch of the Wasteland have gone the same way. It is said that the Witch of the Wasteland was not evil at one time--of course this is only a rumor, because she is more beautiful than the Witch." We're both going to be old but have good looks. Harwell has the same talent as hers. It seems that no one with high talent can avoid some extra, dangerous cleverness, which results in a fatal mistake, and then begins to degenerate. Evil. Do you have any idea what it might be?" Calcifer's voice came to Sophie's head, the voice saying, "That pact won't do us any good in the long run." The air is hot and crisp. "Yes." She said, "What kind of contract did he make with his fire demon?" Mrs. Pentstemton trembled a little in the hand that held her cane. "That's it. You must break the contract, Mrs. Pendragon." "Of course I would, if I knew how to do it," said Sophie. "Your maternal sensitivity and powerful magical gifts will naturally tell you what to do," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "I've been watching you, Mrs. Pendragon, though you may not have noticed—" "Ah, I noticed, Mrs. Pentstemmon," said Sophie. "—I like your talent," said Mrs. Pentstemmon. "Animates things, like a crutch in your hand, and apparently you talk to it in such a way that an untrained eye would think it was a wand. I don't think it would be too hard for you to break that bond." "Yeah, but I need to know what the terms are," said Sophie. "Did Howl ever tell you I'm a witch, because if he told—" "He didn't. Don't be ashamed. I have experience enough to judge these things," said Mrs. Pentstemmon.She then closed her eyes, and Sophie breathed a sigh of relief.It's like turning off a headlight. "I don't know now, and I don't want to know what the contract is," she said.The cane began to shake again, as if she were trembling.Her mouth was drawn into a line, as if she accidentally bit into a pepper. "But at last I understand," she said, "what the witch has done. She made a pact with the Fire Demon, and for many years, the Demon possessed her. Demons do not know good from evil. But as long as human beings provide something of value, Some things that only humans have, they will be bribed to sign a contract. In this way, the lifespan of humans and devils can be extended, and humans can gain the magic power of devils." Mrs. Penztmont opened her eyes. "I can only advise you to find out what the devil has got in this matter, and that's all I can say," she said. "Now I must bid you farewell. I need a little rest." The door swung open as if by magic, and probably did, and the waiter came in to usher Sophie out of the room.Sophie couldn't wish more.She was already squirming with embarrassment.As the door closed, Sophie looked back at Mrs. Pentstemmon's stiff, erect figure, and wondered if she would feel so badly about Mrs. Pentstemton if she really was Hal's mother.Sophie thought it would. "My hat off to Hal for putting up with a teacher like her for more than a day!" she said to herself. "Ma'am?" the waiter asked, thinking Sophie was talking to him. "I said go downstairs slowly, or I won't be able to keep up," Sophie told him.Her knees trembled. "You young men are walking fast," she said. The bellboy slowed down considerately and led her down the polished stairs.Halfway down, Sophie had recovered and began to think about Mrs. Pentstemmon's words.She said Sophie was a witch.Miraculously, Sophie had no trouble accepting this statement.This, she thought, explained the popularity of certain hats.Explains the adventures of Jane Farrell and her Count So-and-so.It might also explain the badlands witch's jealousy.It seems that Sophie already knew about this.But she doesn't think she should have magical talent, because she is the eldest of three sisters.Letty is much wiser in this regard. Then she thought of the gray-red dress, and she almost fell down the stairs in a moment of panic.She's the one who sewed spells into her clothes.She seemed to hear herself murmuring to it now. "Wear clothes that attract girls!" she once told Clothes.Naturally it obeyed.It bewitched Letty that day in the orchard.It must have worked on Miss Angorian yesterday, too, after a few minutes of modification. Ah, my God!Sophie sighed secretly.I made it worse, and doubled my heart hurt by him!I must try to get him to take that dress off! Hal was in that suit, waiting with Mike in the cool black and white lobby.Sophie followed the waiter slowly down the stairs, and Mike nudged Hal worriedly.Hal looked bleak. "You seem a little worn out," he said. "I think we'd better not see the king yet. I'll explain it to you and discredit myself. I'll just say I got you sick with my wickedness. It's about the same." It's true, look at your face." Sophie naturally didn't want to see the king.But she remembered Calcifer's words.If the King ordered Howl to go into the Badlands and the Witch caught him, Sophie's own chance of rejuvenation would be ruined. She shook her head. "After seeing Mrs. Pentstemton," she said, "King Ingrid looks like a common man."