哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第29部分

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rius　to　Voldemort。
〃I've　got　a　question　for　you；〃　said　Harry；　his　heart　beating　rather　fast　as　he　looked　down　at　the　elf；　〃and　I　order　you　to　answer　it　truthfully。　Understand？〃
〃Yes；　Master；〃　said　Kreacher；　bowing　low　again。　Harry　saw　his　lips　moving　soundlessly；　undoubtedly　framing　the　insults　he　was　now　forbidden　to　utter。
〃Two　years　ago；〃　said　Harry；　his　heart　now　hammering　against　his　ribs；　〃there　was　a　big　gold　locket　in　the　drawing　room　upstairs。　We　threw　it　out。　Did　you　steal　it　back？〃
There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　Kreacher　straightened　up　to　look　Harry　full　in　the　face。　Then　he　said；　〃Yes。〃
〃Where　is　it　now？〃　asked　Harry　jubilantly　as　Ron　and　Hermione　looked　gleeful。
Kreacher　closed　his　eyes　as　though　he　could　not　bear　to　see　their　reactions　to　his　next　word。
〃Gone。〃
〃Gone？〃　echoed　Harry；　elation　floating　out　of　him；　〃What　do　you　mean；　it's　gone？〃
The　elf　shivered。　He　swayed。
〃Kreacher；〃　said　Harry　fiercely；　〃I　order　you　…〃
〃Mundungus　Fletcher；〃　croaked　the　elf；　his　eyes　still　tight　shut。　〃Mundungus　Fletcher　stole　it　all；　Miss　Bella's　and　Miss　Cissy's　pictures；　my　Mistress's　gloves；　the　Order　of　Merlin；　First　Class；　the　goblets　with　the　family　crest；　and　…　and　…　〃
Kreacher　was　gulping　for　air：　His　hollow　chest　was　rising　and　falling　rapidly；　then　his　eyes　flew　open　and　he　uttered　a　bloodcurdling　scream。
〃a151iand　the　locket；　Master　Regulus's　locket。　Kreacher　did　wrong；　Kreacher　failed　in　his　orders！i〃
Harry　reacted　instinctively：　As　Kreacher　lunged　for　the　poker　standing　in　the　grate；　he　launched　himself　upon　the　elf；　flattening　him。　Hermione's　scream　mingled　with　Kreacher's　but　Harry　bellowed　louder　than　both　of　them：　〃Kreacher；　I　order　you　to　stay　still！〃
He　felt　the　elf　freeze　and　released　him。　Kreacher　lay　flat　on　the　cold　stone　floor；　tears　gushing　from　his　sagging　eyes。
〃Harry；　let　him　up！〃　Hermione　whispered。
〃So　he　can　beat　himself　up　with　the　poker？〃　snorted　Harry；　kneeling　beside　the　elf。　〃I　don't　think　so。　Right。　Kreacher；　I　want　the　truth：　How　do　you　know　Mundungus　Fletcher　stole　the　locket？〃
〃Kreacher　saw　him！〃　gasped　the　elf　as　tears　poured　over　his　snout　and　into　his　mouth　full　of　graying　teeth。　〃Kreacher　saw　him　coming　out　of　Kreacher's　cupboard　with　his　hands　full　of　Kreacher's　treasures。　Kreacher　told　the　sneak　thief　to　stop；　but　Mundungus　Fletcher　laughed　and　r…ran　a133　〃
〃You　called　the　locket　'Master　Regulus's；'〃　said　Harry。　〃Why？　Where　did　it　come　from？　What　did　Regulus　have　to　do　with　it？　Kreacher；　sit　up　and　tell　me　everything　you　know　about　that　locket；　and　everything　Regulus　had　to　do　with　it！〃
The　elf　sat　up；　curled　into　a　ball；　placed　his　wet　face　between　his　knees；　and　began　to　rock　backward　and　forward。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　muffled　but　quite　distinct　in　the　silent；　echoing　kitchen。
〃Master　Sirius　ran　away；　good　riddance；　for　he　was　a　bad　boy　and　broke　my　Mistress's　heart　with　his　lawless　ways。　But　Master　Regulus　had　proper　order；　he　knew　what　was　due　to　the　name　of　Black　and　the　dignity　of　his　pure　blood。　For　years　he　talked　of　the　Dark　Lord；　who　was　going　to　bring　the　wizards　out　of　hiding　to　rule　the　Muggles　and　the　Muggle…borns　a133　and　when　he　was　sixteen　years　old；　Master　Regulus　joined　the　Dark　Lord。　So　proud；　so　proud；　so　happy　to　serve　a133
And　one　day；　a　year　after　he　joined；　Master　Regulus　came　down　to　the　kitchen　to　see　Kreacher。　Master　Regulus　always　liked　Kreacher。　And　Master　Regulus　said　a133　he　said　a133〃
The　old　elf　rocked　faster　than　ever。
〃a133　he　said　that　the　Dark　Lord　required　an　elf。〃
〃Voldemort　needed　an　ielfi？〃　Harry　repeated；　looking　around　at　Ron　and　Hermione；　who　looked　just　as　puzzled　as　he　did。
〃Oh　yes；〃　moaned　Kreacher。　〃And　Master　Regulus　had　volunteered　Kreacher。　It　was　an　honor；　said　Master　Regulus；　an　honor　for　him　and　for　Kreacher；　who　must　be　sure　to　do　whatever　the　Dark　Lord　ordered　him　to　do　a133　and　then　to　c…come　home。〃
Kreacher　rocked　still　faster；　his　breath　coming　in　sobs。
〃So　Kreacher　went　to　the　Dark　Lord。　The　Dark　Lord　did　not　tell　Kreacher　what　they　were　to　do；　but　took　Kreacher　with　him　to　a　cave　beside　the　sea。　And　beyond　the　cave　was　a　cavern；　and　in　the　cavern　was　a　great　black　lake　a133　〃
The　hairs　on　the　back　of　Harry's　neck　stood　up。　Kreacher's　croaking　voice　seemed　to　come　to　him　from　across　the　dark　water。　He　saw　what　had　happened　as　clearly　as　though　he　had　been　present。
〃a133　There　was　a　boat　a133〃
Of　course　there　had　been　a　boat；　Harry　knew　the　boat；　ghostly　green　and　tiny；　bewitched　so　as　to　carry　one　wizard　and　one　victim　toward　the　island　in　the　center。　This；　then；　was　how　Voldemort　had　tested　the　defenses　surrounding　the　Horcrux；　by　borrowing　a　disposable　creature；　a　house…elfa133
〃There　was　a　b…basin　full　of　potion　on　the　island。　The　D…Dark　Lord　made　Kreacher　drink　it　a133〃
The　elf　quaked　from　head　to　foot。
〃Kreacher　drank；　and　as　he　drank　he　saw　terrible　thing　a133　Kreacher's　insides　burned　a133　Kreacher　cried　for　Master　Regulus　to　save　him；　he　cried　for　his　Mistress　Black；　but　the　Dark　Lord　only　laughed　a133　He　made　Kreacher　drink　all　the　potion　a133　He　dropped　a　locket　into　the　empty　basin　a133　He　filled　it　with　more　potion。〃
〃And　then　the　Dark　Lord　sailed　away；　leaving　Kreacher　on　the　island　a133　〃
Harry　could　see　it　happening。　He　watched　Voldemort's　white；　snakelike　face　vanishing　into　darkness；　those　red　eyes　fixed　pitilessly　on　the　thrashing　elf　whose　death　would　occur　within　minutes；　whenever　he　succumbed　to　the　desperate　thirst　that　the　burning　poison　caused　its　victim　a133　But　here；　Harry's　imagination　could　go　no　further；　for　he　could　not　see　how　Kreacher　had　escaped。
〃Kreacher　needed　water；　he　crawled　to　the　island's　edge　and　he　drank　from　the　black　lake　a133　and　hands；　dead　hands；　came　out　of　the　water　and　dragged　Kreacher　under　the　surface　a133　〃
〃How　did　you　get　away？〃　Harry　asked；　and　he　was　not　surprised　to　hear　himself　whispering。
Kreacher　raised　his　ugly　head　and　looked　Harry　with　his　great；　bloodshot　eyes。
〃Master　Regulus　told　Kreacher　to　come　back；〃　he　said。
〃I　know　…　but　how　did　you　escape　the　Inferi？〃
Kreacher　did　not　seem　to　understand。
〃Master　Regulus　told　Kreacher　to　come　back；〃　he　repeated。
〃I　know；　but　…　〃
〃Well；　it's　obvious；　isn't　it；　Harry？〃　said　Ron。　〃He　Disapparated！〃
〃But　a133　you　couldn't　Apparate　in　and　out　of　that　cave；〃　said　Harry；　〃otherwise　Dumbledore　…　〃
〃Elf　magic　isn't　like　wizard's　magic；　is　it？〃　said　Ron；　〃I　mean；　they　can　Apparate　and　Disapparate　in　and　out　of　Hogwarts　when　we　can't。〃
There　was　a　silence　as　Harry　digested　this。　How　could　Voldemort　have　made　such　a　mistake？　But　even　as　he　thought　this；　Hermione　spoke；　and　her　voice　was　icy。
〃Of　course；　Voldemort　would　have　considered　the　ways　of　house…elves　far　beneath　his　notice　a133　It　would　never　have　occurred　to　him　that　they　might　have　magic　that　he　didn't。〃
〃The　house…elf's　highest　law　is　his　Master's　bidding；〃　intoned　Kreacher。　〃Kreacher　was　told　to　come　home；　so　Kreacher　came　home　a133　〃
〃Well；　then；　you　did　what　you　were　told；　didn't　you？〃　said　Hermione　kindly。　〃You　didn't　disobey　orders　at　all！〃
Kreacher　shook　his　head；　rocking　as　fast　as　ever。
〃So　what　happened　when　you　got　back？〃　Harry　asked。　〃What　did　Regulus　say　when　you　told　him　what　happened？〃
〃Master　Regulus　was　very　worried；　very　worried；〃　croaked　Kreacher。　〃Master　Regulus　told　Kreacher　to　stay　hidden　and　not　to　leave　the　house。　And　then　a133　it　was　a　little　while　later　a133　Master　Regulus　came　to　find　Kreacher　in　his　cupboard　one　night；　and　Master　Regulus　was　strange；　not　as　he　usually　was；　disturbed　in　his　mind；　Kreacher　could　tell　a133　and　he　asked　Kreacher　to　take　him　to　the　cave；　the　cave　where　Kreacher　had　gone　with　the　Dark　Lord　a133　〃
And　so　they　had　set　off。　Harry　could　visualize　them　quite　clearly；　the　frightened　old　elf　and　the　thin；　dark　Seeker　who　had　so　resembled　Sirius　a133　Kreacher　knew　how　to　open　the　concealed　entrance　to　the　underground　cavern；　knew　how　to　raise　the　tiny　boat：　this　time　it　was　his　beloved　Regulus　who　sailed　with　him　to　the　island　with　its　basin　of　poison　a133
〃And　he　made　you　drink　the　poison？〃　said　Harry；　disgusted。
But　Kreacher　shook　his　head　and　wept。　Hermione's　hands　leapt　to　her　mouth：　She　seemed　to　have　understood　something。
〃M…Master　Regulus　took　from　his　pocket　a　locket　like　the　one　the　Dark　Lord　had；〃　said　Kreacher；　tears　pouring　down　either　side　of　his　snoutlike　nose。　〃And　he　told　Kreacher　to　take　it　and；　when　the　basin　was　empty；　to　switch　the　lockets　a133〃
Kreacher's　sobs　came　in　great　rasps　now；　Harry　had　to　concentrate　hard　to　understand　him。
〃And　he　order　…　Kreacher　to　leave　…　without　him。　And　he　told　Kreacher　…　to　go　home　…　and　never　to　tell　my　Mistress　…　what　he　had　done　…　but　to　destroy　…　the　first　locket。　And　he　drank　…　all　the　potion　…　and　Kreacher　swapped　the　lockets　…　and　watched　a133　as　Master　Regulus　a133　was　dragged　beneath　the　water　a133　and　a133　〃
〃Oh；　Kreacher！〃　wailed　Hermione；　who　was　crying。　She　dropped　to　her　knees　beside　the　elf　and　tried　to　hug　him。　At　once　he　was　on　his　feet；　cringing　away　from　her；　quite　obviously　repulsed。
〃The　Mudblood　touched　Kreacher；　he　will　not　allow　it；　what　would　his　Mistress　say？〃
〃I　told　you　not　to　call　her　'Mudblood'！〃　snarled　Harry；　but　the　elf　was　already　punishing　himself。　He　fell　to　the　ground　and　banged　his　forehead　on　the　floor。
〃Stop　him　…　stop　him！〃　Hermione　cried。　〃Oh；　don't　you　see　now　how　sick　it　is；　the　way　they've　got　to　obey？〃
〃Kreacher　…　stop；　stop！〃　shouted　Harry。
The　elf　lay　on　the　floor；　panting　and　shivering；　green　mucus　glistening　around　his　snot；　a　bruise　already　blooming　on　his　pallid　forehead　where　he　had　struck　himself；　his　eyes　swollen　and　bloodshot　and　swimming　in　tears。　Harry　had　never　seen　anything　so　pitiful。
〃So　you　brought　the　locket　home；〃　he　said　relentlessly；　for　he　was　determined　to　know　the　full　story。　〃And　you　tried　to　destroy　it？〃
〃Nothing　Kreacher　did　made　any　mark　upon　it；〃　moaned　the　elf。　〃Kreacher　tried　everything；　everything　he　knew；　but　nothing；　nothing　would　work　a133　So　many　powerful　spells　upon　the　casing；　Kreacher　was　sure　the　way　to　destroy　it　was　to　get　inside　it；　but　it　would　not　open　a133　Kreacher　punished　himself；　he　tried　again；　he　punished　himself；　he　tried　again。　Kreacher　failed　to　obey　orders；　Krea