4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第3部分

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。　But　quiet。。。I　think　I　hear　Nagini。。。〃
　　And　the　second　man's　voice　changed。　He　started　making　noises　such　as　Frank　had　never　heard　before；　he　was　hissing　and　spitting　without　drawing　breath。　Frank　thought　he　must　be　having　some　sort　of　fit　or　seizure。
　　And　then　Frank　heard　movement　behind　him　in　the　dark　passageway。　He　turned　to　look；　and　found　himself　paralyzed　with　fright。
　　Something　was　slithering　toward　him　along　the　dark　corridor　floor；　and　as　it　drew　nearer　to　the　sliver　of　firelight；　he　realized　with　a　thrill　of　terror　that　it　was　a　gigantic　snake；　at　least　twelve　feet　long。　Horrified；　transfixed；　Frank　stared　as　its　undulating　body　cut　a　wide；　curving　track　through　the　thick　dust　on　the　floor；　ing　closer　and　closer　　What　was　he　to　do？　The　only　means　of　escape　was　into　the　room　where　the　two　men　sat　plotting　murder；　yet　if　he　stayed　where　he　was　the　snake　would　surely　kill　him　　But　before　he　had　made　his　decision；　the　snake　was　level　with　him；　and　then；　incredibly；　miraculously；　it　was　passing；　it　was　following　the　spitting；　hissing　noises　made　by　the　cold　voice　beyond　the　door；　and　in　seconds；　the　tip　of　its　diamond…patterned　tail　had　vanished　through　the　gap。
　　There　was　sweat　on　Frank's　forehead　now；　and　the　hand　on　the　walking　stick　was　trembling。　Inside　the　room；　the　cold　voice　was　continuing　to　hiss；　and　Frank　was　visited　by　a　strange　idea；　an　impossible　idea。。。This　man　could　talk　to　snakes。
　　Frank　didn't　understand　what　was　going　on。　He　wanted　more　than　anything　to　be　back　in　his　bed　with　his　hot…water　bottle。　The　problem　was　that　his　legs　didn't　seem　to　want　to　move。　As　he　stood　there　shaking　and　trying　to　master　himself；　the　cold　voice　switched　abruptly　to　English　again。
　　〃Nagini　has　interesting　news；　Wormtail；〃　it　said。
　　〃In…indeed；　My　Lord？〃　said　Wormtail。
　　〃Indeed；　yes；〃　said　the　voice；　〃According　to　Nagini；　there　is　an　old　Muggle　standing　right　outside　this　room；　listening　to　every　word　we　say。〃
　　Frank　didn't　have　a　chance　to　hide　himself。　There　were　footsteps　and　then　the　door　of　the　room　was　flung　wide　open。
　　A　short；　balding　man　with　graying　hair；　a　pointed　nose；　and　small；　watery　eyes　stood　before　Frank；　a　mixture　of　fear　and　alarm　in　his　face。
　　〃Invite　him　inside；　Wormtail。　Where　are　your　manners？〃
　　The　cold　voice　was　ing　from　the　ancient　armchair　before　the　fire；　but　Frank　couldn't　see　the　speaker。　the　snake；　on　the　other　hand；　was　curled　up　on　the　rotting　hearth　rug；　like　some　horrible　travesty　of　a　pet　dog。
　　Wormtail　beckoned　Frank　into　the　room。　Though　still　deeply　shaken；　Frank　took　a
　　firmer　grip　on　his　walking　stick　and　limped　over　the　threshold。
　　The　fire　was　the　only　source　of　light　in　the　room；　it　cast　long；　spidery　shadows　upon　the　walls。　Frank　stared　at　the　back　of　the　armchair；　the　man　inside　it　seemed　to　be　even　smaller　than　his　servant；　for　Frank　couldn't　even　see　the　back　of　his　head。
　　〃You　heard　everything；　Muggle？〃　said　the　cold　voice。
　　〃What's　that　you're　calling　me？〃　said　Frank　defiantly；　for　now　that　he　was　inside　the　room；　now　that　the　time　had　e　for　some　sort　of　action；　he　felt　braver；　it　had　always　been　so　in　the　war。
　　〃I　am　calling　you　a　Muggle；〃　said　the　voice　coolly。　〃It　means　that　you　are　not　a　wizard。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean　by　wizard；〃　said　Frank；　his　voice　growing　steadier。
　　〃All　I　know　is　I've　heard　enough　to　interest　the　police　tonight；　I　have。　You've　done　murder　and　you're　planning　more！　And　I'll　tell　youthis　too；〃　he　added；　on　a　sudden　inspiration；　〃my　wife　knows　I'm　up　here；　and　if　I　don't　e　back　〃
　　〃You　have　no　wife；〃　said　te　cold　voice；　very　quietly。　〃Nobody　knows　you　are　here。　You　told　nobody　that　you　were　ing。　Do　not　lie　to　Lord　Voldemort；　Muggle；　for　he　knows。。。he　always　knows。。。〃
　　〃Is　that　right？〃　said　Frank　roughly。　〃Lord；　is　it？　Well；　I　don't　think　much　of　your　manners；　My　Lord。　Turn　'round　and　face　me　like　a　man；　why　don't　you？〃
　　〃But　I　am　not　a　man；　Muggle；〃　said　the　cold　voice；　barely　audible　now　over　the　crackling　of　the　flames。　〃I　am　much；　much　more　than　a　man。　However。。。why　not？　I　will　face　you。。。Wormtail；　e　turn　my　chair　around。〃
　　The　servant　gave　a　whimper。
　　〃You　heard　me；　Wormtail。〃
　　Slowly；　with　his　face　screwed　up；　as　though　he　would　rather　have　done　anything　than　approach　his　master　and　the　hearth　rug　where　the　snake　lay；　the　small　man　walked　forward　and　began　to　turn　the　chair。　The　snake　lifted　its　ugly　triangular　head　and　hissed　slightly　as　the　legs　of　the　chair　snagged　on　its　rug。
　　And　then　the　chair　was　facing　Frank；　and　he　saw　what　was　sitting　in　it。　His　walking　stick　fell　to　the　floor　with　a　clatter。　He　opened　his　mouth　and　let　out　a　scream。　He　was　screaming　so　loudly　that　he　never　heard　the　words　the　thing　in　the　chair　spoke　as　it　raised　a　wand。　There　was　a　flash　of　green　light；　a　rushing　sound；　and　Frank　Bryce　crumpled。　He　was　dead　before　he　hit　the　floor。
　　Two　hundred　miles　away；　the　boy　called　Harry　Potter　woke　with　a　start。
　　CHAPTER　TWO　…　THE　SCAR
　　Harry　lay　flat　on　his　back；　breathing　hard　as　though　he　had　been　running。　He　had　awoken　from　a　vivid　dream　with　his　hands　pressed　over　his　face。　The　old　scar　on　his　forehead；　which　was　shaped　like　a　bolt　of　lightning；　was　burning　beneath　his　fingers　as　though　someone　had　just　pressed　a　white…hot　wire　to　his　skin。
　　He　sat　up；　one　hand　still　on　his　scar；　the　other　hand　reaching　out　in　the　darkness　for　his　glasses；　which　were　on　the　bedside　table。　He　put　them　on　and　his　bedroom　came　into　clearer　focus；　lit　by　a　faint；　misty　orange　light　that　was　filtering　through　the　curtains　from　the　street　lamp　outside　the　window。
　　Harry　ran　his　fingers　over　the　scar　again。　It　was　still　painful。　He　turned　on　the　lamp　beside　him；　scrambled　out　of　bed；　crossed　the　room；　opened　his　wardrobe；　and　peered　into　the　mirror　on　the　inside　of　the　door。　A　skinny　boy　of　fourteen　looked　back　at　him；　his　bright　green　eyes　puzzled　under　his　untidy　black　hair。　He　examined　the　lightning…bolt　scar　of　his　reflection　more　closely。　It　looked　normal；　but　it　was　still　stinging。
　　harry　tried　to　recall　what　he　had　been　dreaming　about　before　he　had　awoken。　It　had　seemed　so　real。。。There　had　been　two　people　he　knew　and　one　he　didn't　。。。He　concentrated　hard；　frowning；　trying　to　remember。。。
　　The　dim　picture　of　a　darkened　room　came　to　him。。。There　had　been　a　snake　on　a　hearth　rug。。。a　small　man　called　Peter；　nicknamed　Wormtail。。。and　a　cold；　high　voice。。。the　voice　of　Lord　Voldemort。　Harry　felt　as　though　an　ice　cube　had　slipped　down　into　his　stomach　at　the　very　thought。。。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　tightly　and　tried　to　remember　what　Voldemort　had　looked　like；　but　it　was　impossible。。。All　Harry　knew　was　that　at　the　moment　when　Voldemort's　chair　had　swung　around；　and　he；　Harry；　had　seen　what　was　sitting　in　it；　he　had　felt　a　spasm　of
　　horror；　which　had　awoken　him。。。or　had　that　been　the　pain　in　his　scar？
　　And　who　had　the　old　man　been？　For　there　had　definitely　been　an　old　man；　Harry　had　watched　him　fall　to　the　ground。　It　was　all　being　confused。　Harry　put　his　face　into　his　hands；　blocking　out　his　bedroom；　trying　to　hold　on　to　the　picture　of　that　dimly　lit　room；　but　it　was　like　trying　to　keep　water　in　his　cupped　hands；　the　details　were　now　trickling　away　as　fast　as　he　tried　to　hold　on　to　them。。。Voldemort　and　Wormtail　had　been　talking　about　someone　they　had　killed；　though　Harry　could　not　remember　the　name。。。and　they　had　been　plotting　to　kill　someone　else。。。him！
　　Harry　took　his　face　out　of　his　hands；　opened　his　eyes；　and　stared　around　his　bedroom　as　though　expecting　to　see　something　unusual　there。　As　it　happened；　there　was　an　extraordinary　number　of　unusual　things　in　this　room。　A　large　wooden　trunk　stood　open　at　the　foot　of　his　bed；　revealing　a　cauldron；　broomstick；　black　robes；　and　assorted　spellbooks。　Rolls　of　parchment　littered　that　part　of　his　desk　that　was　not　taken　up　by　the　large；　empty　cage　in　which　his　snowy　owl；　Hedwig；　usually　perched。　On　the　floor　beside　his　bed　a　book　lay　open；　Harry　had　been　reading　it　before　he　fell　asleep　last　night。　The　pictures　in　this　book　were　all　moving。　Men　in　bright　orange　robes　were　zooming　in　and　out　of　sight　on　broomsticks；　throwing　a　red　ball　to　one　another。
　　Harry　walked　over　to　the　book；　picked　it　up；　and　watched　on　of　the　wizards　score　a　spectacular　goal　by　putting　the　ball　through　a　fifty…foot…high　hoop。　Then　he　snapped　the　book　shut。　Even　Quidditch　　in　Harry's　opinion；　the　best　sport　in　the　world　　couldn't　distract　him　at　the　moment。　He　placed　Flying　with　the　Cannons　on　his　bedside　table；　crossed　to　the　window；　and　drew　back　the　curtains　to　survey　the　street　below。
　　Privet　Drive　looked　exactly　as　a　respectable　suburban　street　would　be　expected　to　look　inthe　early　hours　of　Saturday　morning。　All　the　curtains　were　closed。　As　far　as　Harry　could　see　through　the　darkness；　there　wasn't　a　living　creature　in　sight；　not　even　a　cat。
　　And　yet。。。and　yet。。。Harry　went　restlessly　back　to　the　bed　and　sat　down　on　it；　running　a　finger　over　his　scar　again。　It　wasn't　the　pain　that　bothered　him；　Harry　was　no　stranger　to　pain　and　injury。　He　had　lost　all　the　bones　from　his　right　arm　once　and　had　them　painfully　regrown　in　a　night。　The　same　arm　had　been　pierced　by　a　venemous　foot…long　fang　not　long　afterward。　Only　last　year　Harry　had　fallen　fifty　feet　from　an　airborn　broomstick。　He　was　used　to　bizarre　accidents　and　injuries；　they　were　unavoidable　if　you　attended　Hogwarts　School　of　Witchcraft　and　Wizardry　and　had　a　knack　for　attracting　a　lot　of　trouble。
　　No；　the　thing　that　was　bothering　Harry　was　the　last　time　his　scar　had　hurt　him；　it　had　been　because　Voldemort　had　been　close　by。。。But　Voldemort　couldn't　be　here；　now。。。The　idea　of　Voldemort　lurking　in　Privet　Drive　was　absurd；　impossible。。。
　　Harry　listened　closely　to　the　silence　around　him。　Was　he　half　expecting　to　hear　the　creak　of　a　stair　or　the　swish　of　a　cloak？　And　then　he　jumped　slightly　as　he　heard　his　cousin　Dudley　give　a　tremendous　grunting　snore　from　the　next　room。
　　Harry　shook　himself　mentally；　he　was　being　stupid。　There　was　no　one　in　the　house　with　him　except　Uncle　Vernon；　Aunt　Petunia；　and　Dudley；　and　they　were　plainly　still　asleep；　their　dreams　untroubled　and　painless。
　　Asleep　was　the　way　Harry　liked　the　Dursley