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Diana Wynne Jones

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“More about Howl? Sophie thought desperately. I have to blacken his name! Her mind was such a blank that for a second it actually seemed to her that Howl had no faults at all. How stupid! 'Well, he's fickle, careless, selfish, and hysterical,' she said. 'Half the time I think he doesn't care what happens to anyone as long as he's alright--but then I find out how awfully kind he's been to someone. Then I think he's kind just when it suits him--only then I find out he undercharges poor people. I don't know, Your Majesty. He's a mess.”

“Howl backed into the door to shut it and leaned there in a tragic attitude. "Look at you all!" he said. "Ruin stares me in the face. I slave all day for you. And not one of you, even Calcifer, can spare time to say hello!" Calcifer said, "I never do say hello." "Is something wrong?" asked Sophie. "That's better," Howl said. "Some of you are pretending to notice me at last. Yes, something is wrong.”

“...Tüm bunlar Bahar Bayramı için son derece normaldi, ama Sophie bundan da korkmuştu. Mavi-gümüş renkte, şahane bir kostüm giymiş genç bir adam Sophie'yi görüp ona yanaşmaya kalktığında, Sophie bir dükkanın girişine çekilip saklanmaya çalıştı. Genç adam şaşkınlıkla ona baktı. "Merak etme, seni minik gri fare," sesi gülerek, yüzünde ona acıyormuş gibi bir ifade vardı. "Sadece bir içki ısmarlamak istemiştim. O kadar korkmana gerek yok." Bu acıma dolu bakış Sophie'yi utanç içinde bıraktı. Üstelik karşısındaki son derece havalı bir delikanlıydı. İnce ve zeki görünen bir yüzü vardı -aslında epey yaşlıydı, yirmilerinde görünüyordu- ayrıca sarı saçlarını özenle taramıştı. Kenarları fistolu ve sırma işlemeli manşetlerinin tülleri Meydan'daki diğerlerinden daha uzundu. "Ah, hayır, teşekkür ederim, müsaadenizle efendim," diye kekeledi Sophie. "Ben... ben kardeşimi görmeye gidiyordum." "O halde buyrun gidin," diyerek güldü olgun, genç adam. "Ben kimim ki hoş bir hanımı kardeşini görmekten alıkoyacağım? Sizinle yürümemi ister misiniz, çünkü çok korkmuş görünüyorsunuz." Bunu iyi niyetle söylemesi Sophie'yi daha da utandırmıştı. "Yok. Hayır, teşekkür ederim efendim!" dedi telaşta ve adamı hızla geçip yola koyuldu. Adam koku da sürmüştü. Koşarken sümbül kokusu onu takip ediyordu. Cesari'nin dışındaki minik masaların arasından geçmeye çalışırken, "Ne kibar biri!" diye düşündü Sophie.”

“Tell me of this wizard Howl of yours." Sophie's teeth chattered, but she said proudly, "He's the best wizard in Ingary or anywhere else. If he'd only had time, he would have defeated that djinn. And he's sly and selfish and vain as a peacock and cowardly, and you can't pin him down to do anything." "Indded?" asked Abdullah. "Strange that you should speak so proudly such a list of vices, most loving of ladies." "What do you mean, vices?" Sophie asked angrily. "I was just describing Howl!”

“I think my moment of revelation came when I saw this young man come on court in the most flamboyant clothes. He had a sweet smile and questionably blonde hair and a generally chirpy glamour that in fact concealed huge skill. When he was interviewed he confessed to hating to get angry and it was also said that he slithered out of winning when it came to the big matches. And I thought, My God! This Andre Agassi is the image of Howl in my book HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE!”

“I think we ought to live happily ever after," and she thought he meant it. Sophie knew that living happily ever after with Howl would be a good deal more hair-raising than any storybook made it sound, though she was determined to try. "It should be hair-raising," added Howl. "And you'll exploit me," Sophie said. "And then you'll cut up all my suits to teach me.”

“Tell me about this Wizard Howl of yours." "He's the best wizard in Ingary or anywhere else. If he'd only had time, he would have defeated that djinn. And he's sly and selfish and vain as a peacock and cowardly, and you can't pin him down to anything." "Indeed? Strange that you should speak so proudly such a list of vices, most loving of ladies." "What do you mean, vices? I was just describing Howl. He comes from another world entirely, you know, called Wales, and I refuse to believe he's dead!”

“Yes. I was looking for Lettie. They were both very kind to me,” Percival said, “Even though they’d never seen me before. And Wizard Howl kept visiting to court Lettie. Lettie didn’t want him, and she asked me to bite him to get rid of him, until Howl suddenly began asking her about you and—“ “what?” he said, “ I know someone called sophie who looks a little like you.. And Lettie said, that’s my sister,’ without thinking,” Percival said. “ And she got terribly worried then, particularly as Howl went on asking about her sister.”

“Howl has been very kind to me." And this was true, Sophie realized. Howl showed his kindness rather strangely, but, considering all Sophie did to annoy him, he had been very good to her indeed. "Do listen. He's not wicked at all!" There was a bit of a fizz from the grate at this, where Calcifer was watching with some interest. " He isn't!" Sophie said, to Calcifer as much as to Fanny.”

“There were horrendous, dramatic, violent quantities of green slime—oodles of it. It covered Howl completely. It draped his head and shoulders in sticky dollops, heaping on his knees and hands, trickling in glops down his legs, and dripping off the stool in sticky strands. It was in oozing ponds and crawling pools over most of the floor. Long fingers of it had crept into the hearth. It smelled vile.”

“You are a terror, aren't you? Leave this yard alone. I know just where everything is in it, and I won't be able to find the things I need for my transport spells if you tidy them up.'So there was probably a bundle of souls or a box of chewed hearts somewhere out here, Sophie thought. She felt really thwarted. 'Tidying up is what I'm here for!' she shouted at Howl. 'Then you must think of a new meaning for your life,' Howl said.”