The dog-man curled up heavily on Sophie’s toes when she went back to her sewing. Perhaps he was hoping she would manage to lift the spell if he stayed close to her. When a big, red-bearded man burst into the room, carrying a box of things, and shed his velvet¹ cloak to become Michael, still carrying a box of things, the man-dog rose up and wagged his tail. He let Michael pat him and rub his ears.
“I hope he stays,” Michael said. “I’ve always wanted a dog.”
Howl heard Michael’s voice. He arrived downstairs wrapped in the brown patchwork² cover off his bed. Sophie stopped sewing and took a careful grip on the dog. But the dog was courteous³ to Howl too. He did not object when Howl fetched a hand out of the coverlet and patted him.
“Well?” Howl croaked⁴, dispersing⁵ clouds of dust as he conjured⁶ some more tissues.
“I got everything,” said Michael. “And there’s a real piece of luck, Howl. There’s an empty hat shop for sale down in Market Chipping. It used to be a hat shop. Do you think we could move the castle there?”
Howl sat on a tall stool like a robed Roman senator and considered. “It depends on how much it costs,” he said. “I’m tempted⁷ to move the Porthaven entrance there. That won’t be easy, because it will mean moving Calcifer. Porthaven is where Calcifer actually is. What do you say, Calcifer?”
“It will take a very careful operation to move me,” Calcifer said. He had become several shades paler at the thought. “I think you should leave me where I am.”
So Fanny is selling the shop, Sophie thought as the other three went on discussing the move. And so much for the conscience Howl said he had! But the main thing on her mind was the puzzling behavior of the dog. In spite of Sophie telling him many times that she could not take the spell of him, he did not seem to want to leave. He did not want to bite Howl. He let Michael take him for a run on the Porthaven

点击收听单词发音  

1 velvet
n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的
参考例句：
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。 The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

2 patchwork
n.混杂物；拼缝物
参考例句：
That proposal is nothing else other than a patchwork.那个建议只是一个大杂烩而已。 She patched new cloth to the old coat,so It'seemed mere patchwork. 她把新布初到那件旧上衣上，所以那件衣服看上去就象拼凑起来的东西。

3 courteous
adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的
参考例句：
Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。 He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

4 croaked
v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
The crow croaked disaster. 乌鸦呱呱叫预报灾难。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 'she has a fine head for it," croaked Jacques Three. “她有一个漂亮的脑袋跟着去呢，”雅克三号低沉地说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

5 dispersing
adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式
参考例句：
Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。 Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

6 conjured
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现
参考例句：
He conjured them with his dying breath to look after his children. 他临终时恳求他们照顾他的孩子。 His very funny joke soon conjured my anger away. 他讲了个十分有趣的笑话，使得我的怒气顿消。

7 tempted
v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）
参考例句：
I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。 I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

8 marshes
n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。 We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 whitewashed
粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The wall had been whitewashed. 墙已粉过。 The towers are in the shape of bottle gourds and whitewashed. 塔呈圆形，状近葫芦，外敷白色。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文

10 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 skull
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。 He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

12 wile
v.诡计，引诱；n.欺骗，欺诈
参考例句：
The music wiled him from his study.诱人的音乐使他无心学习下去。 The sunshine wiled me from my work.阳光引诱我放下了工作。

13 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

14 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

15 winding
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。 The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

16 hacked
生气
参考例句：
I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。 I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

17 snipping
n.碎片v.剪( snip的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The crew had been snipping it for souvenirs. 舰上人员把它剪下来当作纪念品。 来自辞典例句 The gardener is snipping off the dead leaves in the garden. 花匠在花园时剪枯叶。 来自互联网

18 Flared
adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。 The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

19 snarled
v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说
参考例句：
The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。 As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

21 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

22 bulging
膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱
参考例句：
Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。 Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

23 whatsoever
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

24 wading
（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The man tucked up his trousers for wading. 那人卷起裤子，准备涉水。 The children were wading in the sea. 孩子们在海水中走着。

25 rustling
n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的
参考例句：
the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声 the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声

26 fabric
n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织
参考例句：
The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。 I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

27 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

28 earring
n.耳环，耳饰
参考例句：
How long have you worn that earring?你戴那个耳环多久了？ I have an earring but can't find its companion.我现在只有一只耳环,找不到另一只了。

29 rattled
慌乱的，恼火的
参考例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。 Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

30 beckoned
v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。 The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 dubious
adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的
参考例句：
What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。 He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

32 flicked
（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）
参考例句：
She flicked the dust off her collar. 她轻轻弹掉了衣领上的灰尘。 I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it. 我漫不经心地拿起一本杂志翻看着。

33 growled
v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说
参考例句：
\"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》 He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 growling
n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼
参考例句：
We heard thunder growling in the distance. 我们听见远处有隆隆雷声。 The lay about the deck growling together in talk. 他们在甲板上到处游荡，聚集在一起发牢骚。

35 bristling
a.竖立的
参考例句：
"Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话，你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。 You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。

36 tragically
adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地
参考例句：
Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。 Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。