01c. 1974 ADHello there," Inigo hollered when he could wait no more.The man in black glanced up and grunted."I've been watching you."The man in black nodded."Slow going," Inigo said."Look, I don't mean to be rude," the man in black said finally, "but I'm rather busy just now, so try not to distract me.""I'm sorry," Inigo said.The man in black grunted again."I don't suppose you could speed things up," Inigo said."If you want to speed things up so much," the man in black said, clearly quite angry now, "you could lower a rope or a tree branch or find some other helpful thing to do.William Goldman / quote ↗
02c. 1974 ADPrincess. By S. Morgenstern. It's a kids' classic. Tell him I'll quiz him on it when I'm back next week and that he doesn't have to like it or anything, but if he doesn't, tell him I'll kill myself. Give him that message exactly please; I wouldn't want to apply any extra pressure or anything.William Goldman / quote ↗
03c. 1974 ADHe's gaining on us," the Turk said. "That is also inconceivable," the Sicilian said. "Before I stole this boat we're in, I made many inquiries as to what was the fastest ship on all of Florin Channel and everyone agreed it was this one." "You're right," the Turk agreed, staring back. "He isn't gaining on us. He's just getting closer, that's all.William Goldman / quote ↗
05c. 1974 ADI am as devoted to adventure now as then, and that’s never going to stop.William Goldman / quote ↗
06c. 1974 ADButtercup dried her tears and began to smile. She took a deep breath, heaved a sigh. It was all part of growing up. You got these little quick passions, you blinked, and they were gone. You forgave faults, found perfection, fell madly; then the next day the sun came up and it was over. Chalk it up to experience, old girl, and get on with the morning.William Goldman / quote ↗
08c. 1974 ADWho are you?""No one of consequence.""I must know.""Get used to disappointment.William Goldman / quote ↗
09c. 1974 ADYou could concentrate much more deeply when you were alone with agony.William Goldman / quote ↗
10c. 1974 ADLook. (Grown-ups skip this paragraph) I'm not about to tell you this book has a tragic ending. I already said in the very first line how it was my favorite in all the world. But there's a lot of bad stuff coming.William Goldman / quote ↗
12c. 1974 ADNo. Not yet. A craftsman only. But I dream to be an artist. I pray that someday, if I work with enough care, if I am very very lucky, I will make a weapon that is a work of art. Call me an artist then, and I will answer.William Goldman / quote ↗
13c. 1974 ADThe tears that kept Buttercup company the remainder of the day were not at all like those that had blinded her into the tree trunk. Those were noisy and hot; they pulsed. These were silent and steady and all they did was remind her that she wasn’t good enough. She was seventeen, and every male she’d ever known had crumbled at her feet and it meant nothing. The one time it really mattered, she wasn’t good enough.William Goldman / quote ↗
14c. 1974 ADIt's my letter," she began. "I cannot make it right.""Come in, come in," the Prince said gently. "Maybe we can help you." She sat down in the same chair as before. "All right, I'll close my eyes and listen; read to me."" 'Westley, my passion, my sweet, my only, my own. Come back, come back. I shall kill myself otherwise. Yours in torment, Buttercup.' " She looked at Humperdinck. "Well? Do you think I'm throwing myself at him?""It does seem a bit forward," the Prince admitted. "It doesn't leave him a great deal of room to maneuver.William Goldman / quote ↗
15c. 1974 AD[Prince Humperdinck] was seventy-five minutes away from his first female murder, and he wondered if he could get his fingers to her throat before even the start of a scream. He had been practicing on giant sausages all the afternoon and had the movements down pretty pat, but then, giant sausages weren’t necks and all the wishing in the world wouldn’t make them so.William Goldman / quote ↗
16c. 1974 ADI must be overtired', Buttercup managed. 'The excitement and all.''Rest then', her mother cautioned. 'Terrible things can happen when you're overtired. I was overtired the night your father proposed.William Goldman / quote ↗
17c. 1974 ADWho can know when his world is going to change? Who can tell before it happens, that every priorexperience, all the years, were a preparation for . . . nothing.William Goldman / quote ↗
18c. 1974 ADThat's all you need? Easy. I love you.Okay? Want it louder?I love you. Spell it out schould I l-o-v-e y-o-u. Want it backwards You love I.William Goldman / quote ↗
20c. 1974 ADI've been in the revenge buisness for so long, now that it's over I don't know what to do with the rest of my life.William Goldman / quote ↗
21c. 1974 ADGive the reader what they want, just not the way they expect it.William Goldman / quote ↗
24c. 1974 ADYou had to admire a guy who called his own new book a classic before it was published and anyone else had a chance to read it.William Goldman / quote ↗
