哈利·波特与火焰杯
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire


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    CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - RITA SKEETER'S SCOOP
    第二十四章 丽塔·斯基特的独家新闻
    
    
    Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair was bushy again; she confessed to Harry that she had used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on it for the ball, "but it's way too much bother to do every day," she said matter-of-factly, scratching a purring Crookshanks behind the ears.
    圣诞节的第二天,大家都起得很晚。格兰芬多的公共休息室时比前些日子安静了许多,人们有一搭没一搭地交谈着,不时被哈欠打断。赫敏的头发又变得乱蓬蓬了。她对哈利坦白说,她为了参加舞会,在头发上喷了大量的速顺滑发剂。“但是每天都这么做就太麻烦了。”她很实际地说道,一边抓挠着克鲁克山的耳根,猫咪舒服得直哼哼。
    Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their
    罗恩和赫敏似乎达了一种默契,都闭口不提他们吵架的事。现在他们互相都很友好,但是客客气气的,显得有些不自然。罗恩和哈利马上就把他们偷听到的马克西姆夫人和海格之间的谈话告诉了赫敏,但赫敏不像罗恩那样,认为海格是个混血巨人这个消息有多么吓人。
    argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal. Ron and Harry wasted no time in telling Hermione about the conversation they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid, but Hermione didn't seem to find the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking as Ron did.
    “其实,我早就认为他肯定是巨人。”她说着,耸了耸肩膀,“我知道他不可能是纯种巨人,因为他们都高达二十英尺左右呢。但说实在的,我们犯不着为巨人这么神经过敏。他们不可能都那么可怕……这是一种偏见,就像人们对狼人的态度一样……只是一种先入之见,不是吗?”
    "Well, I thought he must be," she said, shrugging. "I knew he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants.
    罗恩似乎很想用几句刻薄的话回敬赫敏,但也许是不想再吵架吧,他只是趁赫敏没注意的时候,不以为然地摇了摇头。
    They can't all be horrible. . . . It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves. . . . It's just bigotry, isn't it?"
    放假的第一个星期,他们只顾玩耍,现在应该考虑一下家庭作业了。圣诞节过去了,大家的心情似乎平静了下来——只有哈利不同,他(又一次)开始感到有点儿紧张了。
    Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn't want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn't looking.
    麻烦在于,圣诞节一过,2月24日就显得一下子近了许多,而他还根本没有好好考虑藏在金蛋里的线索到底是什么。因此,他现在一回到宿舍,就从箱子里拿出那只金蛋,打开来仔细倾听,希望能弄清其中奥秘。他强迫自己思索这声音除了使他想起三十把乐锯外,还能使他想起别的什么,但他想不起来,他以前从未听见过这样的声音。他合上金蛋,使劲地摇晃着,然后又把它打开,看声音有没有什么变化。没有,还是那样。他还试着向金蛋提问题,在它的惨叫声中扯着嗓门叫喊,但是一无所获。他甚至把金蛋扔到房间那头——不过他自己也不指望这样做会有什么用。
    It was time now to think of the homework they had neglected during the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feeling rather flat now that Christmas was over -everybody except Harry, that is, who was starting (once again) to feel slightly nervous.
    哈利没有忘记塞德里克告诉他的那个办法,但他目前对塞德里克没有什么好感,所以但凡有点儿办法,他就希望自己不要接受他的帮助。而且在哈利看来,如果塞德里克真的想给哈利一点儿帮助,就应该说得更明确一些。自己当时就明明白白地告诉了塞德里克第一个项目是什么——而塞德里克作为公平交换的,却是叫哈利洗一个澡。哼,哈利可不需要那一类毫无价值的帮助——况且,向他提供这种帮助的人还整天和秋·张挽着膀子在走廊里走来走去。因此,新学期的第一天,哈利去上课时,不仅像往常一样背着书本、羊皮纸和羽毛笔,同时内心还压着金蛋这个沉重的负担,就像他把金蛋也随身带着似的。
    The trouble was that February the twenty-fourth looked a lot closer from this side of Christmas, and he still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg. He therefore started taking the egg out of his trunk every time he went up to the dormitory, opening it, and listening intently, hoping that this time it would make some sense. He strained to think what the sound reminded him of, apart from thirty musical saws, but he had never heard anything else like it. He closed the egg, shook it vigorously, and opened it again to see if the sound had changed, but it hadn't. He tried asking the egg questions, shouting over all the wailing, but nothing happened. He even threw the egg across the room - though he hadn't really expected that to help.
    场地上仍然覆盖着厚厚的积雪,暖房的窗户上凝结着细密的水珠,他们上草药课时看不见窗外的情景。在这样的天气里,谁也不想去上保护神奇生物课,尽管罗恩说炸尾螺大概会使他们暖和起来,它们或者会追着同学们到处跑,或者会炸出大量火花,使海格的小屋着起火来。
    Harry had not forgotten the hint that Cedric had given him, but his less-than-friendly feelings toward Cedric just now meant that he was keen not to take his help if he could avoid it. In any case, it seemed to him that if Cedric had really wanted to give Harry a hand, he would have been a lot more explicit. He, Harry, had told Cedric exactly what was coming in the first task - and Cedric's idea of a fair exchange had been to tell Harry to take a bath. Well, he didn't need that sort of rubbishy help - not from someone who kept walking down corridors hand in hand with Cho, anyway. And so the first day of the new term arrived, and Harry set off to lessons, weighed down with books, parchment, and quills as usual, but also with the lurking worry of the egg heavy in his stomach, as though he were carrying that around with him too.
    然而,当他们来到海格的小屋时,却看到门口站着一个上了年纪的女巫。她灰白的头发剪得很短,下巴非常突出。
    Snow was still thick upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology. Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather, though as Ron said, the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely, either by chasing them, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire.
    “快点儿,快点儿,上课铃已经响了五分钟了。”她厉声对他们说。他们深一脚浅一脚地在雪地里穿行,朝她走去。
    When they arrived at Hagrid 's cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.
    “你是谁?”罗恩瞪着她,问道,“海格呢?”
    "Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow.
    “我是格拉普兰教授。”她干脆利落地说,“是你们保护神奇生物课的临时代课教师。”
    "Who're you?" said Ron, staring at her. "Wheres Hagrid?"
    “海格上哪儿去了?”哈利又大声问了一遍。
    "My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
    “他不舒服。”格拉普兰教授不愿多说。
    "Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly.
    哈利耳边突然传来不怀好意的轻笑声。他回头一看,德拉科·马尔福和斯莱特林的其他同学走了过来。他们一个个兴高采烈,看见格拉普兰教授时,谁也没有露出吃惊的样子。
    "He is indisposed," said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly.
    “请大家这边走。”格拉普兰教授说着,绕过临时马厩朝远处走去,马厩晨那些布斯巴顿的骏马在瑟瑟发抖。哈利、罗恩和赫敏跟在她后面,一边走,一边回头望着海格的小屋。所有窗帘都拉上了。海格在里面吗?生着病,孤苦伶仃?
    Soft and unpleasant laughter reached Harrys ears. He turned; Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class. All of them looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank.
    “海格出什么事啦?”哈利紧走几步,追上格拉普兰教授,问道。
    "This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed. Was Hagrid in there, alone and ill?
    “你就别管了。”她说,似乎以为他是多管闲事。
    "What's wrong with Hagrid?" Harry said, hurrying to catch up with Professor Grubbly-Plank.
    “我要管。”哈利激动地说,“他到底怎么啦?”
    "Never you mind," she said as though she thought he was being nosy.
    格拉普兰教授好像没听见他的话。她领着他们走过马厩,那些庞大的布斯巴顿骏马站在那里,互相偎依着抵御严寒。他们朝禁林边缘的一棵大树走去,树下拴着一只漂亮的大独角兽。
    "I do mind, though," said Harry hotly. "What's up with him?"
    许多女生一见独角兽,都发出啧啧赞叹。
    Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him. She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was
    “哦,真是太漂亮了!”拉文德·布朗说,“她怎么弄到它的?据说独角兽很难抓到呢!”
    tethered.
    这头独角兽白得耀眼,相比之外,周围的白雪都显得有些灰蒙蒙了。它不安地用金色的蹄子刨着泥土,扬起带角的脑袋。
    Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn.
    “男生们退后!”格拉普兰教授厉声喊道,一边甩起一只胳膊,重重地打在哈利胸口,“独角兽喜欢女性的抚摸。女生们站在前面,小心地接近它,过来,放松点儿……”
    "Oh it's so beautiful!" whispered Lavender Brown. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"
    她和女生们慢慢地朝独角兽走去,男生们则留在马厩栅栏旁,站在那里注视着她们。哈利看到格拉普兰教授走得听不见他说话了,就转身对罗恩说:“你认为他出了什么事?不会是一条炸尾螺——”
    The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.
    “哦,波特,如果你是担心这一点,我可以告诉你,他没有受到攻击,”马尔福轻声说,“没有,他只是太害臊了,不敢露出他那张丑陋的大脸。”
    "Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it. ..."
    “你这是什么意思?”哈利厉声问道。
    She and the girls walked slowly forward toward the unicorn, leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching. The moment Professor Grubbly-Plank was out of earshot.
    马尔福把手伸进长袍的口袋,掏出一张折起来的报纸。
    Harry turned to Ron.
    “你自己看吧。”他说,“真不愿向你透露这个消息,波特……”
    "What d'you reckons wrong with him? You don't think a skrewt - ?"
    他得意地笑着,哈利一把抓过报纸,展开来,罗恩、西莫、迪安和纳威也围拢过来,和他一起看着。是一篇文章,上面登着海格的照片,他脸上的神情显得鬼鬼祟祟的。
    "Oh he hasn't been attacked, Potter, if that's what you're thinking," said Malfoy softly.
    邓布利多的重大失误
    "No, he's just too ashamed to show his big, ugly face."
    本报特约记者丽塔·斯基特报道,霍格沃茨魔法学校校长,古怪的阿布思·邓布利多一向敢于聘用有争议的教员。今年九月,他聘用了阿拉斯托——“疯眼汉”穆迪担任黑魔法防御术课的老师,这项决定令魔法部的许多人大为吃惊。穆迪是一个臭名昭著的凶神恶煞,以前当过傲罗,众所周知,只要有人在他面前突然移动,他就会发起攻击。不过,与邓布利多雇来教授保护神奇生物课的半人半妖相比,疯眼汉穆迪就算是认真负责、和蔼亲切的了。
    "What d'you mean?" said Harry sharply.
    鲁伯·海格承认,他在三年级时被霍格沃茨开除,从那以后一直担任学校的猎场看守,这是邓布利多为他找的一份工作。去年,海格竟然对校长运用了神秘影响,从许多更有资格的竞选者中胜出,又为自己谋到了保护神奇生物课老师这个职位。
    Malfoy put his hand inside the pocket of his robes and pulled out a folded page of newsprint.
    海格是一个体格庞大、相貌凶狠的男人,他滥用自己新得手的权力,弄来一连串可怕的动物吓唬他负责照管的学生。在一系列被许多人称为“非常恐怖”的课上,海格已导致几名学生受伤致残,而邓布利多对此视而不见。
    "There you go," he said. "Hate to break it to you. Potter. ..."
    “我受到一只鹰头马身有翼兽的攻击,我的朋友文森特·克拉布被一只弗洛伯毛虫狠狠咬了一口。”一位名叫德拉科·马尔福的四年级学生说,“我们都讨厌海格,但我们敢怒不敢言。”
    He smirked as Harry snatched the page, unfolded it, and read it, with Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville looking over his shoulder. It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty.
    然而海格无意停止他的恐吓行为。上个月在与《预言家日报》的记者的谈话中,他承认自己正在培育一种他命名为“炸尾螺”的生物,这种生物介于人头狮身龙尾兽和火螃蟹之间,具有很大的危险性。培育新的魔法生物种类的行为,通常受到魔法部神奇动物管理控制司的密切监视。但海格认为他可以超越这类烦琐的条条框框。
    DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
    “我只是觉得怪好玩的。”他说,然后便匆忙改变了话题。
    Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore.
    似乎还不够,《预言家日报》最近又发现证据,海格不像他自己一惯伪装的那样是一位血统纯正的巫师。实际上他甚至不是一个血统纯正的人。我们可以独家透露,他的母亲正是女巨人弗里德瓦法,目前下落不明。巨人生性残暴、嗜血,上个世纪因自相残杀而濒临灭绝。仅存的十几个加入了神秘人的麾下,在神秘人统治的白色恐怖时期,他们制造了几起最残酷的麻瓜屠杀案。
    Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates.
    许多为神秘人效力的巨人都死在与黑势力斗争的傲罗手下,但弗里德瓦不在其列。她很可能逃至某个仍存在于国外山区的巨人村落。不过,如果我们就保护神奇生物课上的古怪行为加以分析,弗里德瓦法的儿子似乎继承了其母残酷的天性。
    An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures.
    令人意想不到的是,据说海格与一个男孩建立了亲密的友谊,而正是这个男孩使神秘人痛失权势——从而使海格的亲生母亲像神秘人的其他追随者一样,隐姓埋名,东躲西藏。也许哈利·波特尚不了解他这位体格庞大的朋友这些令人不快的事情——但阿不思·邓布利多无疑有责任确保哈利·波特及其同学们清醒地认识到与混血巨人交往的危险性。
    While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being "very frightening."
    哈利看完了,抬头望着罗恩。罗恩呆呆地张大了嘴巴。
    'I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm," says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."
    “她是怎么发现的?”他小声问。
    Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.
    但哈利心里想的不是这个。
    "I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject.
    “你是什么意思?‘我们都讨厌海格’?”哈利厉声责问马尔福,“这说的是什么混帐话,”——他指着克拉布——“他被一只弗洛伯毛虫狠狠咬了一口?它们根本连牙齿也没有!”
    As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
    克拉布咯咯地傻笑,显然感到非常得意。
    Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.
    “行了,我认为应该结束这个蠢货的教学生涯了。”马尔福说,一双眼睛闪闪发光,“混血巨人……我原来以为他只是小时候喝了一瓶催生素呢……学生家长都不会答应的……他们担心他会吃掉他们的孩子,哈哈……”
    While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors
    “你——”
    working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Frid-wulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.
    “你们在专心听讲吗?”
    In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.
    格拉普兰教授的声音传到男生这里。这时女生都围拢在独角兽身边,抚摸着它。哈利气极了,当他用失神的目光瞪着独角兽时,那篇《预言家日报》的文章在他手里瑟瑟发抖。格拉普兰教授正在列举独角兽的许多神奇属性,她把声音放得很大,使男生们也能听见。
    Harry finished reading and looked up at Ron, whose mouth was hanging open.
    “我真希望她能留下来,这位女老师!”帕瓦蒂·佩蒂尔说——这时已经下课了,大家正返回城堡吃午饭,“这才是我心目中的保护神奇生物课……像独角兽这样体面的动物,而不是怪兽……”
    "How did she find out?" he whispered.
    “海格怎么办?”他们登上石阶时,哈利气愤地说。
    But that wasn't what was bothering Harry.
    “他怎么办?”帕瓦蒂冷冰冰地说道,“他照样可以当他的猎场看守,不是吗?”
    "What d'you mean, 'we all hate Hagrid'?" Harry spat at Malfoy. "What's this rubbish about him" - he pointed at Crabbe - "getting a bad bite off a flobberworm? They haven't even got teeth!"
    自从舞会之后,帕瓦蒂一直对哈利很冷淡。哈利猜想他在舞会上应该更多地关心她,但她照样玩得很痛快呀。她现在逢人就说,她已经约好下个周末和布斯巴顿的男生在霍格莫德村见面。
    Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself.
    “这堂课上得真好。”他们走进礼堂时,赫敏说道,“格拉普兰教授告诉我们的关于独角兽的知识,我一半都不知道——”
    "Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career," said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. "Half-giant. . . and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he was young. ... None of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all. ... They'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha. ..."
    “看看这个吧!”哈利气呼呼地吼道,把《预言家日报》的文章塞到赫敏鼻子底下。
    "You-"
    赫敏读着文章,吃惊地张大了嘴巴。她的反应和罗恩一模一样。
    "Are you paying attention over there?"
    “那个讨厌的女人斯基特是怎么打听到的?不会是海格告诉她的吧?”
    Professor Grubbly-Planks voice carried over to the boys; the girls were all clustered around the unicorn now, stroking it. Harry was so angry that the Daily Prophet article shook in his hands as he turned to stare unseeingly at the unicorn, whose many magical properties Professor Grubbly-Plank was now enumerating in a loud voice, so that the boys could hear too.
    “不会。”哈利说着,领头朝着格兰芬多的桌子走去,然后一屁股坐在椅子上,气得要命,“他连我们都一直瞒着,是不是?我认为,上次海格不肯对她说我的坏话,把那女人气疯了,就四处搜寻他的情况,对他进行报复。”
    "I hope she stays, that woman!" said Parvati Patil when the lesson had ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like . . . proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters. . .
    “也许她在舞会上听见了海格告诉马克西姆夫人的话。”赫敏小声说。
    ."
    “要是那样的话,我们会在花园里看见她的!”罗恩说,“而且,她不应该再进学校来,海格说邓布利多禁止她……”
    "What about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily as they went up the steps.
    “也许她有一件隐形衣。”哈利说,一边用长柄勺把炖鸡汤舀进自己的盘子——他太气愤了,把汤洒得到处都是,“这种事情她做得出来的,是不是,躲在灌木丛里偷听别人说话。”
    "What about him?" said Parvati in a hard voice. "He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"
    “你的意思是,就像你和罗恩?”赫敏说。
    Parvati had been very cool toward Harry since the ball. He supposed that he ought to have paid her a bit more attention, but she seemed to have had a good time all the same.
    “我们没有刻意去偷听!”罗恩愤怒地说,“我们当进没有别的选择!那个傻瓜居然大谈特谈他的母亲是巨人,却不知道别人都能听见!”
    She was certainly telling anybody who would listen that she had made arrangements to meet the boy from Beauxbatons in Hogsmeade on the next weekend trip.
    “我们必须去看看他。”哈利说,“就今天傍晚,占卜课以后。告诉他我们要他回来……你想要他回来吗?”他冷不防地问赫敏。
    "That was a really good lesson," said Hermione as they entered the Great Hall. "I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us about uni -"
    “我——唉,我不想说假话,偶尔上一次像样的保护神奇生物课,换换够口味,倒也不错——但我确实希望海格回来,我当然希望!”赫敏被哈利愤怒的目光吓坏了,急忙补充道。
    "Look at this!" Harry snarled, and he shoved the Daily Prophet article under Hermione's nose.
    于是,那天吃过晚饭,他们三个再次离开城堡,穿过覆盖着冰雪的场地,朝海格的小屋走去。他们敲了敲门,听见牙牙低沉的吠叫声。
    Hermione's mouth fell open as she read. Her reaction was exactly the same as Ron's.
    “海格,是我们!”哈利喊道,使劲捶打着门,“快开门!”
    "How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?"
    海格没有回答。他们可以听见牙牙抓挠着门,呜呜地低声叫着,但是门没有开。他们又重重地敲了十多分钟。罗恩甚至过去敲了敲一扇窗户,但还是没有回音。
    "No," said Harry, leading the way over to the Gryffindor table and throwing himself into a chair, furious. "He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back."
    “他为什么躲着我们?”赫敏说——这时他们终于作罢,向学校走去,“他总不会以为我们介意他是个混血巨人吧?”
    "Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," said Hermione quietly.
    然而,看来海格确实很在乎。整整一个星期他们都没有看见他的影子。吃饭的时候,他没有在教工桌子旁露面,他们也没有看见他在场地上履行他猎场看守的职责。格拉普兰教授继续担任保护神奇生物课的代课教师。马尔福一有机会就说些幸灾乐祸的话。
    "We'd have seen her in the garden!" said Ron. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her. . . ."
    “想念你的那个半人半妖的伙伴了?”每当有老师在旁边,他确信哈利不敢报复时,总是小声对哈利说,“想念那个大象般的家伙了?”
    "Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," said Harry, ladling chicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in his anger. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people."
    一月中旬,同学们都到霍格莫德村去游玩。赫敏听说哈利也去,非常吃惊。
    "Like you and Ron did, you mean," said Hermione.
    “我还以为你会趁着公共休息室没有人,比较安静,好好研究研究那只金蛋呢。”她说。
    "We weren't trying to hear him!" said Ron indignantly. "We didn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!"
    “噢,我——我觉得我已经琢磨出它是什么意思了。”哈利撒了个谎。
    "We've got to go and see him," said Harry. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back . . . you do want him back?" he shot at Hermione.
    “真的吗?”赫敏说,显得非常高兴,“太好了!”
    "I - well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once - but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione
    哈利觉得内疚,心中惶惶不安,但他摆脱了这种感觉。毕竟,他还有五个星期可以研究金蛋的线索,时间还长着呢……而且如果他去了霍格莫德村,说不定会碰到海格,有机会劝说他回来。
    added hastily, quailing under Harry's furious stare.
    星期六,他、罗恩和赫敏一起离开城堡,穿过阴冷、潮湿的场地,向学校大门走去。当他们经过停泊在湖上的德姆斯特朗的大船时,他们看见威克多尔·克鲁姆从船舱里走到甲板上,身上只穿着一条游泳裤。他确实瘦极了,但看起来体格还是挺结实的,只见他敏捷地爬到船舷上,伸开双臂,扑通一声钻进了水里。
    So that evening after dinner, the three of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered.
    “他疯了!”哈利望着克鲁姆乌黑的脑袋在湖中央浮动,说道,“现在是一月,肯定冷得要命!”
    "Hagrid, it's us!" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!"
    “他来的地方比这里冷得多。”赫敏说,“我想,对他来说这里还相当暖和呢。”
    Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response.
    “是啊,可是湖里有巨乌贼啊。”罗恩说,但他的口气里并没有担忧的成分——仔细听来,他似乎希望发生点什么呢。赫敏注意到了他的这种口气,皱起了眉头。
    "What's he avoiding us for?" Hermione said when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?"
    “他真的不错,你们知道吗。”赫敏说,“他虽然是德姆斯特朗的,但根本不像你们所想的那样。他告诉我,他更喜欢我们这儿。”
    But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes. Malfoy was gloating at every possible opportunity.
    罗恩没有说话。自从舞会以后,他就只字不提威克多尔·克鲁姆了。圣诞节的第二天,哈利在他床底下看见了一只小胳膊,很像是从那个穿着保加利亚魁地奇队袍的小模型上掰下来的。
    "Missing your half-breed pal?" he kept whispering to Harry whenever there was a teacher around, so that he was safe from Harry's retaliation. "Missing the elephant-man?"
    在大街上溜达的时候,哈利一直留心寻找海格。当确信一家家商店里都没有海格的身影时,他又提出到三把扫帚小酒馆去坐坐。
    There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was very surprised that Harry was going to go.
    小酒馆和往常一样拥挤,哈利的目光迅速地将所有的桌子都扫视了一遍,没有发现海格。他心情沉重地和罗恩、赫敏一起走向吧台,从罗斯默塔夫人那里买了三杯黄油啤酒。他闷闷不乐地想,早知如此,他还不如留在学校里,听听金蛋的惨叫声呢。
    "I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet," she said.
    “他难道从来不去办公室吗?”赫敏突然悄声说,“看!”
    "Really get to work on that egg."
    她指着吧台后面的那面镜子,哈利看见镜子里映出卢多·巴格曼的身影,他和一伙妖精一起坐在昏暗的角落里。巴格曼正压低声音,飞快地对妖精们说着什么,妖精们都交叉着手臂,一副气势汹汹的样子。
    "Oh I - I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry lied.
    这确实有些奇怪,哈利心想,今天是周末,没有三强争霸赛的活动,用不着裁判,巴格曼怎么会出现在三把扫帚小酒馆里呢?他注视着镜子里巴格曼。只见他的神情又显得很紧张,就像那天夜里黑魔标记出现之前在树林里一样。就在这时,巴格曼向吧台扫了一眼,看见了哈利,便站了起来。
    "Have you really?" said Hermione, looking impressed. "Well done!"
    “等一会儿,等一会儿!”哈利听见巴格曼生硬地对妖精们说,然后匆匆朝哈利走来,那张娃娃脸又露出了笑容。
    Harrys insides gave a guilty squirm, but he ignored them. He still had five weeks to work out that egg clue, after all, and that was ages. . . whereas if he went into Hogsmeade, he might run into Hagrid, and get a chance to persuade him to come back.
    “哈利!”他说,“你怎么样?我就希望碰到你!一切都好吧?”
    He, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake.
    “很好,谢谢。”哈利说。
    "He's mad!" said Harry, staring at Krums dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"
    “不知我能不能跟你单独说几句话,哈利?”巴格曼热切地说,“你们俩能不能给我们一个方便?”
    "It's a lot colder where he comes from," said Hermione. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him."
    “嗯——好吧。”罗恩说完,便和赫敏去找位子了。
    "Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," said Ron. He didn't sound anxious - if anything, he sounded hopeful. Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned.
    巴格曼领着哈利来到远离罗斯默塔夫人的吧台尽头。
    "He's really nice, you know," she said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me."
    “哈利,我想再次祝贺你在对付那只树蜂时的出色表现。”巴格曼说,“真是太棒了!”
    Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry had found a miniature arm under his bed on Boxing Day, which had looked very much as though it had been snapped off a small model figure wearing Bulgarian Quidditch robes.
    “谢谢。”哈利说,但他知道巴格曼想说的不止于此,因为他完全可以当着罗恩和赫敏的面祝贺哈利。不过,巴格曼似乎并不急于揭开谜底。哈利看见他朝镜子里吧台那边的妖精们扫了一眼,他们都斜着黑眼睛,默默地望着巴格曼和哈利。
    Harry kept his eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street, and suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks once he had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any of the shops.
    “绝对是一场噩梦。”巴格曼发现哈利也在望着妖精们,便压低声音说道,“他们英语说得不好……这就像又回到了魁地奇世界杯赛上,和那些保加利亚人纠缠不清……但至少保加利亚人还能比比划划,使人能够明白。这帮家伙一个劲儿地咕噜咕噜,说他们的火鸡话……而我对火鸡话只知道一个单词。布拉德瓦,意思是‘刀、剑’。我不愿意使用这个词,生怕他们以为我在威胁他们。”他低沉而短促地笑了一声。
    The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around at all the tables told Harry that Hagrid wasn't there. Heart sinking, he went up to the bar with Ron and Hermione, ordered three butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta, and thought gloomily that he might just as well have stayed behind and listened to the egg wailing after all.
    “他们想要什么?”哈利说,他注意到妖精们仍然警惕地注视着巴格曼。
    "Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly. "Look!"
    “嗯——是这样……”巴格曼说,突然显得紧张起来,“他们……嗯……他们在寻找巴蒂·克劳奇。”
    She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Harry saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing.
    “为什么到这里来找他?”哈利说,“他在伦敦的魔法部里,不是吗?”
    It was indeed odd. Harry thought, that Bagman was here at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.
    “嗯……说句实话,我也不知道他在哪里。”巴格曼说道,“他……他突然就不来上班了。到现在已经有两个星期了。他的助手,年轻的珀西说他病了。看样子他不断地派猫头鹰来指示。不过,这件事情你可千万别对任何人说,好吗,哈利?因为丽塔·斯基特无孔不入地到处打听,我敢说她准会给巴蒂的病添油加醋,把它说成是一个灾难事件。她大概会说他也像伯莎·乔金斯一样失踪了。”
    "In a moment, in a moment!" Harry heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his boyish grin back in place.
    “伯莎·乔金斯有消息了吗?”哈利问道。
    "Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"
    “没有。”巴格曼说道,神情又紧张起来,“当然啦,我已经派人去寻找了……(早该这么做了,哈利想)事情非常奇怪。她肯定到了阿尔巴尼亚,因为她在那里见到了她的二表姐。然后她离开二表姐家,到南部去看望一个姨妈……从此便消失得无影无踪。真该死,我就是不明白她上哪儿去了……她又不像是那种私奔、潜逃的人……不过谁知道呢……咳,我们在这里只顾谈论妖精和伯莎·帕金斯做什么?我实际上是想问你,”——他放低声音——“你对那只金蛋研究得怎么样了?”
    "Fine, thanks," said Harry.
    “嗯……还行。”哈利不诚实地说。
    "Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" said Bagman eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"
    巴格曼似乎知道他没有说实话。
    "Er - okay," said Ron, and he and Hermione went off to find a table.
    “听着,哈利,”他说(声音仍然很低),“我对这一切感到很难过……你是被强行拉进这场争霸赛的,你不是自愿参加的……如果……(他的声音压得低极了,哈利不得不靠近了才能听清)如果我能帮得上忙……给你一个恰当的提醒……我对你产生了好感……你对付那条巨龙时真是勇敢!……没关系,你只要说一句话。”
    Bagman led Harry along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta.
    哈利抬头望着巴格曼红扑扑的圆脸,以及那双睁得大大的、婴儿般清澈的蓝眼睛。
    "Well, I just thought I'd congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Harry," said Bagman. "Really superb."
    “我们应该独自解开谜团,是吗?”哈利说,他尽量使自己的语气听上去很随意,不要显得像是在指责魔法体育司的司长擅自违反章程。
    "Thanks," said Harry, but he knew this couldn't be all that Bagman wanted to say, because he could have congratulated Harry in front of Ron and Hermione. Bagman didn't seem in any particular rush to spill the beans, though. Harry saw him glance into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry in silence through their dark, slanting eyes.
    “哦……是啊,是啊,”巴格曼不耐烦地说,“可是——别傻了,哈利——我们都希望霍格沃茨一举夺魁,是不是?”
    "Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to Harry in an undertone, noticing Harry watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't too good . . . it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup . . . but at least they used sign language another human could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobblede-gook . . . and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them."
    “你给塞德里克也提供过帮助吗?”哈利说。
    He gave a short, booming laugh.
    巴格曼光滑的脸上微微皱起了眉头。“没有。”他说,“我——唉,就像我刚才说的,对你产生了好感。我就想给你……”
    "What do they want?" Harry said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely.
    “那就谢谢你了。”哈利说道,“但是,我想我对金蛋已经钻研得差不多了……再有一天就可以水落石出了。”
    "Er - well. . ." said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. "They ... er ... they're looking for Barty Crouch."
    他并完全明白自己为什么要拒绝巴格曼的帮助,大概因为巴格曼在他眼里几乎是个陌生人,向罗恩、赫敏和小天狼星请教不算什么,而接受巴格曼的帮助就使人感觉更像作弊。
    "Why are they looking for him here?" said Harry. "He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?"
    巴格曼看上去简直有点恼火了,但他没来得及说出什么,因为弗雷德和乔治正好在这个时候出现了。
    "Er ... as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is," said Bagman. "He's sort of...
    “你好,巴格曼先生,”弗雷德愉快地说,“我们可以请你喝一杯吗?”
    stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone. Harry? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Bartys illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."
    “嗯……不用了。”巴格曼说着,又失望地看了哈利最后一眼,“不用了,谢谢你们,孩子……”
    "Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Harry asked.
    弗雷德和乔治似乎和巴格曼同样失望。巴格曼打量着哈利,就好像哈利不知好歹地拂了他的美意。
    "No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got people looking, of course ..."
    “好了,我得赶紧走了。”他说道,“很高兴看见你们大家。祝你好运,哈利。”
    (About time, thought Harry) "and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt. . . and she seems to have vanished without trace en route.
    他匆匆走出小酒馆。妖精们都从椅子上站起来,跟在他后面走了出去。哈利回到罗恩和赫敏身边。
    Blowed if I can see where she's got to ... she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance . . . but still. . . . What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted to ask you" - he lowered his voice - "how are you getting on with your golden egg?"
    “他想要什么?”哈利刚坐下来,罗恩就问道。
    "Er . . . not bad," Harry said untruthfully.
    “他提出要帮助我解开金蛋的秘密。”哈利说。
    Bagman seemed to know he wasn't being honest.
    “他不应该这么做!”赫敏显得十分震惊,说道,“他是裁判之一!而且,你已经自己琢磨出来了——是不是?”
    "Listen, Harry," he said (still in a very low voice), "I feel very bad about all this . .
    “嗯……差不多吧。”哈利说。
    . you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it... and if. . ." (his voice was so quiet now, Harry had to lean closer to listen) "if I can help at all... a prod in the right direction . . . I've taken a liking to you . . . the way you got past that dragon! . . . well, just say the word."
    “哼,我想,如果邓布利多知道巴格曼劝你作弊,他肯定会很不高兴的!”赫敏说道,仍然是一副不以为然的神情,“我希望他也向塞德里克提供同样的帮助!”
    Harry stared up into Bagman's round, rosy face and his wide, baby-blue eyes.
    “他没有,我问过了。”哈利说。
    "We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?" he said, careful to keep his voice casual and not sound as though he was accusing the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rules.
    “我们才不关心塞德里克是不是得到帮助呢。”罗恩说,哈利暗自赞同。
    "Well. . . well, yes," said Bagman impatiently, "but - come on. Harry - we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?"
    “那些妖精看上去不太友好,”赫敏一边小口喝着黄油啤酒,一边说,“他们在这里做什么?”
    "Have you offered Cedric help?" Harry said.
    “据巴格曼说,是在寻找克劳奇。”哈利说,“他的病还没好,一直没有上班。”
    The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. "No, I haven't," he said. "I -well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer ..."
    “可能是珀西给他下了毒吧。”罗恩说,“他大概以为,如果克劳奇断了气儿,他就会成为国际魔法合作司的司长了。”
    "Well, thanks," said Harry, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg . . . couple more days should crack it."
    赫敏瞪了罗恩一眼,意思是别拿这样的事情开玩笑,然后她说:“真滑稽,妖精居然寻找克劳奇先生……一般来说,他们是跟神奇动物管理控制司打交道的呀。”
    He wasn't entirely sure why he was refusing Bagman's help, except that Bagman was almost a stranger to him, and accepting his assistance would feel somehow much more like
    “不过,克劳奇会说许多种语言,”哈利说,“他们大概需要一个翻译。”
    cheating than asking advice from Ron, Hermione, or Sirius.
    “怎么,你又开始为讨厌的小妖精们操心了?”罗恩问赫敏道,“又想成立一个S.P.U.G.什么的?丑陋妖精保护协会?”
    Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as Fred and George turned up at that point.
    “哈,哈,哈,”赫敏讽刺地说,“妖精才不需要保护呢。你没有听见宾斯教授讲妖精叛乱时是怎么说的吗?”
    "Hello, Mr. Bagman," said Fred brightly. "Can we buy you a drink?"
    “没有。”哈利和罗恩同时说道。
    "Er . . . no," said Bagman, with a last disappointed glance at Harry, "no, thank you, boys ..."
    “听着,他们非常擅长对付巫师,”赫敏说着,又喝了一口黄油啤酒,“他们非常聪明。他们才不像家养小精灵那样不会维护自己的权益呢。”
    Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, who was surveying Harry as though he had let him down badly.
    “哎哟!”罗恩盯着门口,叫道。
    "Well, I must dash," he said. "Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Harry."
    丽塔·斯基特走了进来。她今天穿着一件香蕉黄的长袍,长长的指甲涂成耀眼的粉红色,身边跟着她那个大腹便便的摄影师。她买了饮料,和摄影师一起穿过人群,朝近旁的一张桌子走来。哈利、罗恩和赫敏都瞪眼望着她。她正飞快地说着什么,似乎对什么事感到非常满意。
    He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him.
    “……他似乎不太愿意跟我们说话,是不是,博佐?你说——为什么会这样呢?他在做什么,后面跟着一大群妖精?还说是带他们逛风景……完全是胡说八道……他是个撒谎的老手。是不是出什么事了?我们要不要再挖掘一下?魔法体育司前司长卢多·巴格曼名誉扫地……这个开头真够劲儿,博佐——我们只需要给它找一个合适的故事——”
    Harry went to rejoin Ron and Hermione.
    “又想毁掉一个人的生活?”哈利大声说。
    "What did he want?" Ron said, the moment Harry had sat down.
    几个人转过脸来。丽塔·斯基特看清了说话的是谁,镶着珠宝的眼睛后面的眼睛一下子睁大了。
    "He offered to help me with the golden egg," said Harry.
    “哈利!”她说,顿时笑容满面,“太好了!你们为什么不过来一起——”
    "He shouldn't be doing that!" said Hermione, looking very shocked. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out - haven't you?"
    “我即使骑着一把十英尺长的飞天扫帚,也不愿接近你!”哈利气愤地说,“你为什么要那样对待海格,嗯?”
    "Er . . . nearly," said Harry.
    丽塔·斯基特扬起描得很浓的眉毛。
    "Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" said Hermione, still looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!"
    “我们的读者有权知道真相,哈利。我只是履行我的——”
    "He's not, I asked," said Harry.
    “谁会在乎他是不是混血巨人呢?”哈利喊道,“他没有一点儿不正常的地方!”
    "Who cares if Diggorys getting help?" said Ron. Harry privately agreed.
    整个小酒馆一下子变得鸦雀无声。罗斯默塔夫人从吧台后面朝这边望着——她正在往大酒壶里倒蜂蜜酒,大酒壶都满得溢出来了,她也没有觉察。
    "Those goblins didn't look very friendly," said Hermione, sipping her butterbeer. "What were they doing here?"
    丽塔·斯基特的笑容微微地闪动了一下,但她马上又把它重新固定好了。她打开鳄鱼皮手袋,掏出她的速记笔,说道:“愿意跟我谈谈你所了解海格吗,哈利?一身腱子肉后面的人性?你们令人费解的友谊,以及友谊后面的缘由。你是不是把他看作父亲?”
    "Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," said Harry. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work."
    赫敏猛地站了起来,她紧紧攥着那杯黄油啤酒,就好像那是一颗手榴弹。
    "Maybe Percys poisoning him," said Ron. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
    “你这个讨厌的女人,”她咬牙切齿地说,“你什么都不在乎,只要能捞到故事,不管是谁都不放过,是不是?就连卢多·巴格曼——”
    Hermione gave Ron a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look, and said, "Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch. . . . They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
    “坐下,你这个傻乎乎的小丫头,对自己不明白的事不要乱说。”丽塔·斯基特冷冷地说,她的目光落到赫敏身上时变得冷漠凶狠。“我知道卢多·巴格曼的一些事情,它们会使你们的汗毛竖起来……不说也罢——”她说,打量着赫敏乱蓬蓬的头发。
    "Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," said Harry. "Maybe they need an interpreter."
    “我们走吧,”赫敏说,“快点儿,哈利——罗恩……”
    "Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you?" Ron asked Hermione. "Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?"
    他们离开了,许多人都望着他们。走到门边时,哈利回头看了一眼。丽塔·斯基特的速记笔拿出来了,在桌上的一张羊皮纸上嗖嗖地来回划动。
    "Ha, ha, ha," said Hermione sarcastically. "Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?"
    “她接下来就要对付你了,赫敏。”他们快步来到大街上时,罗恩压低声音担忧地说。
    "No," said Harry and Ron together.
    “让她试试吧!”赫敏满不在乎地说,但气得浑身发抖,“我会给她点厉害尝尝!我是傻乎乎的小丫头?哼,我会让她付出代价的。先是为哈利,然后是为海格……”
    "Well, the/re quite capable of dealing with wizards," said Hermione, taking another sip of butterbeer. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves."
    “你可别去招惹丽塔·斯基特,”罗恩紧张地说,“我说正经的,赫敏,她会挖掘你的一些情况——”
    "Uh-oh," said Ron, staring at the door.
    “我爸爸妈妈不看《预言家日报》。她不会把我吓得东躲西藏的!”赫敏说道,“而且海格也不会再躲藏了!他不应该被这个话柄搅得心烦意乱!快走!”她现在迈着大步,走得飞快,哈利和罗恩铆足了劲儿才赶上她。上次哈利看见赫敏气成这样,是她打了德拉科·马尔福一记耳光的时候。
    Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby. Harry, Ron, and Hermione glaring at her as she approached. She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something.
    她撒腿跑了起来,领着他们一路飞奔,穿过那道两边有翼野猪护着的大门,跑过场地,来到海格的小屋旁。
    "... didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights . .. what nonsense ... he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman . . .' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo - we just need to find a story to fit it -"
    窗帘仍然拉得严严实实的,他们走近时可以听见牙牙的叫声。
    "Trying to ruin someone else's life?" said Harry loudly.
    “海格!”赫敏喊道,一边敲打着他的房门,“海格,够了!我们知道你在里面!没有人在乎你妈妈是个巨人,海格!斯基特那个讨厌的女人,你不能让她得逞!海格,快出来吧,你不是在——”
    A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken.
    门开了。赫敏刚说了句“你早该——”,又猛地住了口,因为她发现与她面对面的不是海格,而是阿不恩·邓布利多。
    "Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join- ?"
    “下午好。”他愉快地说,笑眯眯地低头望着他们。
    "I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," said Harry furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"
    “我们——嗯——我们想看看海格。”赫敏声音很轻地说。
    Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows.
    “啊,我已经猜到了,”邓布利多说,眼睛里闪着诙谐的光,“你们为什么不进来呢?”
    "Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-"
    “噢……嗯……好吧。”赫敏说。
    "Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
    她、罗恩和哈利走进了小屋。哈利刚进门,牙牙就忽地朝他扑来,狺狺狂吠着,想要舔他的耳朵。哈利躲开牙牙,四下张望着。
    The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar,
    海格坐在桌旁,面前放着两只大茶杯。他的模样十分狼狈。脸上斑斑点点,眼睛又红又肿,在头发问题上他又走向了另一个极端:他不再想办法把头发弄整洁了,它们现在变成了一堆缠在一起的电线。
    apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.
    “你好,海格。”哈利说。
    Rita Skeeters smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know. Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"
    海格抬起头来。
    Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade.
    “好。”他用非常沙哑的声音说。
    "You horrible woman," she said, through gritted teeth, "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, wont they? Even Ludo Bagman -"
    “再喝点茶吧。”邓布利多说着,在哈利、罗恩和赫敏身后关上房门,掏出魔杖,轻轻摆弄着,空中立刻出现了一只旋转的茶盘和一盘蛋糕。邓布利多用魔法使茶盘落在桌上,大家都坐了下来。静默了片刻,邓布利多说道:“海格,你有没有听见格兰杰小姐喊的那些话?”
    "Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... not that it needs it -" she added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair.
    赫敏的脸微微有些红,邓布利多朝她笑了笑,继续说道:“从他们刚才想破门而入的架势看,赫敏、哈利和罗恩似乎还愿意交你这个朋友。”
    "Let's go," said Hermione, "c'mon. Harry - Ron . .."
    “我们当然还愿意同你交朋友!”哈利望着海格,说,“你难道认为斯基特那头母牛——对不起,教授。”他赶紧说道,转眼望着邓布利多。
    They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Harry glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table.
    “我一时耳聋,没听见你在说什么,哈利。”邓布利多说。他玩弄着两个大拇指,眼睛瞪着天花板。
    "She'll be after you next, Hermione," said Ron in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street.
    “嗯——好吧,”哈利局促不安地说,“我的意思是——海格,你怎么以为我们会在乎那个——女人——写的东西呢?”
    "Let her try!" said Hermione defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid ..."
    两颗滚圆的泪珠从海格乌黑的眼睛里流出来,慢慢渗进了他纠结的胡子里。
    "You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Ron nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you -"
    “海格,这恰好证明了我刚才的话。”邓布利多说,仍然专心地打量着天花板,“我给你看了无数个家长写来的信,他们自己当年在这里上过学,对你印象很深。他们十分坚决地对我说,如果我把你开除,他们决不会善罢干休——”
    "My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" said Hermione, now striding along so fast that it was all Harry and Ron could do to keep up with her. The last time Harry had seen Hermione in a rage like this, she had hit Draco Malfoy around the face. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"
    “并不是每个人,”海格沙哑地说,“并不是每个人都愿意我留下。”
    Breaking into a run, she led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.
    “说实在的,海格,如果你想等到全世界人的支持,恐怕就要在这个小屋里待很长时间了。”邓布利多说,这时他的目光从半月形镜片后面严厉地射过来,“自从我担任这个学校的校长以来,每星期至少有一只猫头鹰送信来,对我管理学校的方式提出批评。你说我应该怎么办呢?把自己关在书房里,拒绝跟任何人说话?”
    The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached.
    “可是——你不是混血巨人啊!”海格嘶哑地说。
    "Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being -"
    “海格,你看看我有什么样的亲戚吧!”哈利生气地说道,“看看德思礼一家!”
    The door opened. Hermione said, "About t-!" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.
    “绝妙的观点!”邓布利多教授说,“我的亲弟弟阿伯福思,因为对一只山羊滥施魔法而被起诉。这件事在报纸上登得铺天盖地,可是阿伯福思躲起来没有呢?没有,根本没有!他把头抬得高高的,照样我行我素!当然啦,我不能肯定他认识字,所以他也许并不是胆子大……”
    "Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.
    “回来教课吧,海格。”赫敏轻声说道,“求求你回来吧,我们真的很想念你。”
    "We-er-we wanted to see Hagrid," said Hermione in a rather small voice.
    海格强忍住哽咽。又有许多眼泪顺着面颊滚落,渗进乱蓬蓬的胡子里。
    "Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"
    邓布利多站了起来。“我不接受你的辞职报告,海格,我希望你下星期一就回来上课。”他说,“你八点半到礼堂和我一起吃早饭。不许找理由推脱。祝你们大家下午好。”
    "Oh . . . um ... okay," said Hermione.
    邓布利多向门口走去,只停下来弯腰挠了挠牙牙的耳朵,就离开了小屋。当房门在他身后关上后,海格便把脸埋在垃圾箱盖一般大的手掌里,伤心地哭泣起来。赫敏不停地拍着他的胳膊,最后,海格终于抬起了头,两只眼睛通红,他说道:“真是了不起的人啊,邓布利多……了不起的人……”
    She, Ron, and Harry went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Harry the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Harry fended off Fang and looked around.
    “是啊,他很了不起。”罗恩说,“我可以吃一块蛋糕吗,海格?”
    Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire.
    “尽管吃吧,”海格说着,用手背擦了擦眼睛,“唉,当然,他说得对——你们说得都对……我太傻了……我这么做,我的爸爸一定会为我感到脸红……”眼泪又流出来了,他用力把它们擦去,又说道:“我还没有给你们看过我老爸爸的照片呢,是吗?在这里……”
    "Hi, Hagrid," said Harry.
    海格站起来走到衣橱前,拉开一只抽屉,取出一张照片,上面有一个矮个儿的巫师,眼睛和海格的一样,也是乌黑的,眯成一道缝,他坐在海格的肩膀上笑得很欢。参照旁边的一棵苹果树来看,海格足有七八英尺高,但他的脸年轻、饱满、光滑,没有胡子——他看上去最多十一岁。
    Hagrid looked up.
    “这是我进霍格沃茨后不久照的,”海格嘶哑地说,“爸爸高兴坏了……他还以为我成不了一名巫师呢,你们知道,因为我妈妈……唉,不提也罢。当然,我在魔法方面一直不大开窍……但他至少没有看见我被开除。他死了,明白吗,就在我上二年级的时候……”
    "'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.
    “爸爸死后,邓布利多一直护着我。给我找了份猎场看守的工作……他很信任别人。总是给人第二次机会……这正是他和其他校长不同的地方,明白吗?某人只要有才能,邓布利多就接受他来霍格沃茨。他知道一个人即使出身不好,也是会有出息的……唉……这种做法是很值得尊敬的。但有些人不理解这一点。有些人总是因为你的出身而歧视你……有些人甚至假装说自己是骨架子大,而不敢大胆地说真话——我就是我,没什么可羞愧的。‘永远别感到羞愧,’我的老爸爸过去常说,‘有人会因为这个而歧视你,但他们不值得你烦恼。’他是对的。我太傻了。我再也不会为那女人而烦恼了,我向你们保证。大骨架子……我要让她尝尝我的大骨架子!”
    "More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?"
    哈利、罗恩和赫敏不安地互相望了望。哈利宁愿领五十条炸尾螺去散步,也不愿向海格承认他偷听了他和马克西姆夫人的对话。但海格还在说个不停,显然并没有意识到自己说了一些莫名其妙的话。
    Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued, "Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."
    “你知道吗,哈利?”他说,从他父亲的照片上抬起头来,眼睛非常明亮,“当我第一次见到你时,你使我想起了我自己。你父母双亡,担心自己在霍格沃茨不适应,记得吗?你不相信自己真的有能力……可是现在再看看你,哈利!学校的勇士!”
    "Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "You don't think
    他朝哈利望了片刻,然后非常严肃地说:“你知道我希望什么,是不是,哈利?我希望你赢,真的希望。这会使他们都看到……并不是只有纯正血统的巫师才能做到。用不着为自己的出身而羞愧。这会使他们都看到邓布利多的观点才是正确的,一个人只要有魔法才能,就应该允许他入校。你那只金蛋钻研得怎么样了,哈利?”
    anything that Skeeter cow - sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
    “很好,”哈利说,“真的很好。”
    "I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said. Harry," said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.
    海格愁苦的脸上绽开了湿漉漉的灿烂笑容。“真是我的好孩子……让他们看看,哈利,让他们看看。把他们都打败。”
    "Er-right," said Harry sheepishly. "I just meant-Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that-woman-wrote about you?"
    对海格撒谎和对别人撒谎的感觉不一样。那天傍晚,哈利和罗恩、赫敏一起返回城堡时,他眼前一直浮现着海格幻想哈利赢得争霸赛冠军时,那胡子拉碴的脸上的喜悦表情,这形象在他脑海里挥之不去。那天晚上,那只捉摸不透的金蛋比以往任何时候都更沉重地压在哈利心头。上床睡觉时,他终于决定——放下自己的傲气,考虑一下塞德里克的提示是否管用。
    Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard.
    
    "Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -"
    
    "Not all of 'em," said Hagrid hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan me ter stay."
    
    "Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. "Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"
    
    "Yeh - yeh're not half-giant!" said Hagrid croakily.
    
    "Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!"
    
    "An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery. . .."
    
    "Come back and teach, Hagrid," said Hermione quietly, "please come back, we really miss you."
    
    Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard.
    
    Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said. "You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."
    
    Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fangs ears. When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Great man, Dumbledore . . . great man . .."
    
    "Yeah, he is," said Ron. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"
    
    "Help yerself," said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course - yeh're all righ' . . .I bin stupid . .. my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'...." More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully, and said, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."
    
    Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth - he looked hardly older than eleven.
    
    "Tha was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked. "Dad was dead chuffed ... thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum ... well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really... but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year. . . ."
    
    "Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job .
    
    . . trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances ... tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent.
    
    Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren' ... well... all tha' respectable. But some don understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh . . . there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say - I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones . . . I'll give her big bones."
    
    Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another nervously; Harry would rather have taken fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walk than admit to Hagrid that he had overheard him
    
    talking to Madame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unaware that he had said anything odd.
    
    "Yeh know wha, Harry?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!"
    
    He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, "Yeh know what I'd love.
    
    Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all... yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic.
    
    How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"
    
    "Great," said Harry. "Really great."
    
    Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile.
    
    "Tha's my boy. . . you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."
    
    Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. Harry went back to the castle later that afternoon with Ron and Hermione, unable to banish the image of the happy expression on Hagrid's whiskery face as he had imagined Harry winning the tournament.
    
    The incomprehensible egg weighed more heavily than ever on Harrys conscience that evening, and by the time he had got into bed, he had made up his mind - it was time to shelve his pride and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything.
    
    
    

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