哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第61部分

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ing　pile　of　papers　from　an　armchair　and　sat　down；　his　Wellingtoned　legs　crossed；　〃how　may　I　help　you；　Mr。　Potter？〃　〃Well；〃　said　Harry；　glancing　at　Hermione；　who　nodded　encouragingly；　〃it's　about　that　symbol　you　were　wearing　around　your　neck　at　Bill　and　Fleur's　wedding；　Mr。　Lovegood。　We　wondered　what　it　meant。〃　Xenophilius　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃Are　you　referring　to　the　sign　of　the　Deathly　Hallows？〃

pC0=〃Chapter　Twenty…One：　The　Tale　of　the　Three　Brothers〃
bChapter　Twenty…One
iThe　Tale　of　the　Three　Brothersib
Harry　turned　to　look　at　Ron　and　Hermione。　Neither　of　them　seemed　to　have　understood　what　Xenophilius　had　said　either。
〃The　Deathly　Hallows？〃
〃That's　right；〃　said　Xenophilius。　〃You　haven't　heard　of　them？　I'm　not　surprised。　Very；　very　few　wizards　believe。　Witness　that　knuckle…headed　young　man　at　your　brother's　wedding；〃　he　nodded　at　Ron；　〃who　attacked　me　for　sporting　the　symbol　of　a　well…known　Dark　wizard！　Such　ignorance。　There　is　nothing　Dark　about　the　Hallows　…　at　least　not　in　that　crude　sense。　One　simply　uses　the　symbol　to　reveal　oneself　to　other　believers；　in　the　hope　that　they　might　help　one　with　the　Quest。〃
He　stirred　several　lumps　of　sugar　into　his　Gurdyroot　infusion　and　drank　some。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Harry；　〃I　still　don't　really　understand。〃
To　be　polite；　he　took　a　sip　from　his　cup　too；　and　almost　gagged：　The　stuff　was　quite　disgusting；　as　though　someone　had　liquidized　bogey…flavored　Every　Flavor　Beans。
〃Well；　you　see；　believers　seek　the　Deathly　Hallows；〃　said　Xenophilius；　smacking　his　lips　in　apparent　appreciation　of　the　Gurdyroot　infusion。
〃But　what　iarei　the　Deathly　Hallows？〃　asked　Hermione。
Xenophilius　set　aside　his　empty　teacup。
〃I　assume　that　you　are　familiar　with　'The　Tale　of　the　Three　Brothers'？〃
Harry　said；　〃No；〃　but　Ron　and　Hermione　both　said；　〃Yes。〃　Xenophilius　nodded　gravely。
〃Well；　well；　Mr。　Potter；　the　whole　thing　starts　with　'The　Tale　of　the　Three　Brothers'　。　。　。　I　have　a　copy　somewhere　。　。　。〃
He　glanced　vaguely　around　the　room；　at　the　piles　of　parchment　and　books；　but　Hermione　said；　〃I've　got　a　copy；　Mr。　Lovegood；　I've　got　it　right　here。〃
And　she　pulled　out　iThe　Tales　of　Beedle　the　Bardi　from　the　small；　beaded　bag。
〃The　original？〃　inquired　Xenophilius　sharply；　and　when　she　nodded；　he　said；　〃Well　then；　why　don't　you　read　it　out　aloud？　Much　the　best　way　to　make　sure　we　all　understand。〃
〃Er。　。　。　all　right；〃　said　Hermione　nervously。　She　opened　the　book；　and　Harry　saw　that　the　symbol　they　were　investigating　headed　the　top　of　the　page　as　she　gave　a　little　cough；　and　began　to　read。
〃'iThere　were　once　three　brothers　who　were　traveling　along　a　lonely；　winding　road　at　twilighti　…'〃
〃Midnight；　our　mum　always　told　us；〃　said　Ron；　who　had　stretched　out；　arms　behind　his　head；　to　listen。　Hermione　shot　him　a　look　of　annoyance。
〃Sorry；　I　just　think　it's　a　bit　spookier　if　it's　midnight！〃　said　Ron。
〃Yeah；　because　we　really　need　a　bit　more　fear　in　our　lives；〃　said　Harry　before　he　could　stop　himself。　Xenophilius　did　not　seem　to　be　paying　much　attention；　but　was　staring　out　of　the　window　at　the　sky。　〃Go　on；　Hermione。〃
〃iIn　time；　the　brothers　reached　a　river　too　deep　to　wade　through　and　too　dangerous　to　swim　across。　However；　these　brothers　were　learned　in　the　magical　arts；　and　so　they　simply　waved　their　wands　and　made　a　bridge　appear　across　the　treacherous　water。　They　were　halfway　across　it　when　they　found　their　path　blocked　by　a　hooded　figure。i
〃'iAnd　Death　spoke　to　themi　…i'i〃
〃Sorry；〃　interjected　Harry；　〃but　iDeathi　spoke　to　them？〃
〃It's　a　fairy　tale；　Harry！〃
〃Right；　sorry。　Go　on。〃
〃'iAnd　Death　spoke　to　them。　He　was　angry　that　he　had　been　cheated　out　of　the　three　new　victims；　for　travelers　usually　drowned　in　the　river。　But　Death　was　cunning。　He　pretended　to　congratulate　the　three　brothers　upon　their　magic；　and　said　that　each　had　earned　a　prize　for　having　been　clever　enough　to　evade　him。i
〃'iSo　the　oldest　brother；　who　was　a　combative　man；　asked　for　a　wand　more　powerful　than　any　in　existence：　a　wand　that　must　always　win　duels　for　its　owner；　a　wand　worthy　of　a　wizard　who　had　conquered　Death！　So　Death　crossed　to　an　elder　tree　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　fashioned　a　wand　from　a　branch　that　hung　there；　and　gave　it　to　the　oldest　brother。i
〃'iThen　the　second　brother；　who　was　an　arrogant　man；　decided　that　he　wanted　to　humiliate　Death　still　further；　and　asked　for　the　power　to　recall　others　from　Death。　So
Death　picked　up　a　stone　from　the　riverbank　and　gave　it　to　the　second　brother；　and　told　him　that　the　stone　would　have　the　power　to　bring　back　the　dead。
〃'And　then　Death　asked　the　third　and　youngest　brother　what　he　would　like。　The　youngest　brother　was　the　humblest　and　also　the　wisest　of　the　brothers；　and　he　did　not　trust　Death。　So　he　asked　for　something　that　would　enable　him　to　go　forth　from　that　place　without　being　followed　by　Death。　And　Death；　most　unwillingly；　handed　over　his　own　Cloak　of　Invisibility。'〃i
〃Death's　got　an　Invisibility　Cloak？〃　Harry　interrupted　again。
〃So　he　can　sneak　up　on　people；〃　said　Ron。　〃Sometimes　he　gets　bored　of　running　at　them；　flapping　his　arms　and　shrieking　。　。　。　sorry；　Hermione。〃
〃'iThen　Death　stood　aside　and　allowed　the　three　brothers　to　continue　on　their　way；　and　they　did　so　talking　with　wonder　of　the　adventure　they　had　had　and　admiring　Death's　gifts。
〃'In　due　course　the　brothers　separated；　each　for　his　own　destination。
〃'The　first　brother　traveled　on　for　a　week　more；　and　reaching　a　distant　village；　sought　out　a　fellow　wizard　with　whom　he　had　a　quarrel。　Naturally；　with　the　Elder　Wand　as　his　weapon；　he　could　not　fail　to　win　the　duel　that　followed。　Leaving　his　enemy　dead　upon　the　floor　the　oldest　brother　proceeded　to　an　inn；　where　he　boasted　loudly　of　the　powerful　wand　he　had　snatched　from　Death　himself；　and　of　how　it　made　him　invincible。
〃'That　very　night；　another　wizard　crept　upon　the　oldest　brother　as　he　lay；　wine…sodden　upon　his　bed。　The　thief　took　the　wand　and　for　good　measure；　slit　the　oldest　brother's　throat。
〃'And　so　Death　took　the　first　brother　for　his　own。
〃'Meanwhile；　the　second　brother　journeyed　to　his　own　home；　where　he　lived　alone。　Here　he　took　out　the　stone　that　had　the　power　to　recall　the　dead；　and　turned　it　thrice　in　his　hand。　To　his　amazement　and　his　delight；　the　figure　of　the　girl　he　had　once　hoped　to　marry；　before　her　untimely　death；　appeared　at　once　before　him。
〃'Yet　she　was　sad　and　cold；　separated　from　him　as　by　a　veil。　Though　she　had　returned　to　the　mortal　world；　she　did　not　truly　belong　there　and　suffered。　Finally　the　second　brother；　driven　mad　with　hopeless　longing；　killed　himself　so　as　to　truly　join　her。
〃'And　so　Death　took　the　second　brother　from　his　own。
〃'But　though　Death　searched　for　the　third　brother　for　many　years；　he　was　never　able　to　find　him。　It　was　only　when　he　had　attained　a　great　age　that　the　youngest　brother　finally　took　off　the　Cloak　of　Invisibility　and　gave　it　to　his　son。　And　the　he　greeted　Death　as　an　old　friend；　and　went　with　him　gladly；　and；　equals；　they　departed　this　life。'〃i
Hermione　closed　the　book。　It　was　a　moment　or　two　before　Xenophilius　seemed　to　realize　that　she　had　stopped　reading；　then　he　withdrew　his　gaze　from　the　window　and　said：　〃Well；　there　you　are。〃
〃Sorry？〃　said　Hermione；　sounding　confused。
〃Those　are　the　Deathly　Hallows；〃　said　Xenophilius。
He　picked　up　a　quill　from　a　packed　table　at　his　elbow；　and　pulled　a　torn　piece　of　parchment　from　between　more　books。
〃The　Elder　Wand；〃　he　said；　and　drew　a　straight　vertical　line　upon　the　parchment。　〃The　Resurrection　Stone；〃　he　said；　and　added　a　circle　on　top　of　the　line。　〃The　Cloak　of　Invisibility；〃　he　finished；　enclosing　both　line　and　circle　in　a　triangle；　to　make　the　symbols　that　so　intrigued　Hermione。　〃Together；〃　he　said；　〃the　Deathly　Hallows。〃
〃But　there's　no　mention　of　the　words　'Deathly　Hallows'　in　the　story；〃　said　Hermione。
〃Well；　of　course　not；〃　said　Xenophilius；　maddeningly　smug。　〃That　is　a　children's　tale；　told　to　amuse　rather　than　to　instruct。　Those　of　us　who　understand　these　matters；　however；　recognize　that　the　ancient　story　refers　to　three　objects；　or　Hallows；　which；　if　united；　will　make　the　possessor　master　of　Death。〃
There　was　a　short　silence　in　which　Xenophilius　glanced　out　of　the　window。　Already　the　sun　was　low　in　the　sky。
〃Luna　ought　to　have　enough　Plimpies　soon；〃　he　said　quietly。
〃When　you　say　'master　of　Death'　…〃said　Ron。
〃Master；〃　said　Xenophilius；　waving　an　airy　hand。　〃Conqueror。　Vanquisher。　Whichever　term　you　prefer。〃
〃But　then　。　。　。　do　you　mean　。　。　。〃　said　Hermione　slowly；　and　Harry　could　tell　that　she　was　trying　to　keep　any　trace　of　skepticism　out　of　her　voice；　〃that　you　believe　these　objects　…　these　Hallows　…　really　exist？〃
Xenophilius　raised　his　eyebrows　again。
〃Well；　of　course。〃
〃But；〃　said　Hermione；　and　Harry　could　hear　her　restraint　starting　to　crack；　〃Mr。　Lovegood；　how　can　you　possibly　believe　…　？〃
〃Luna　has　told　me　all　about　you；　young　lady；〃　said　Xenophilius。　〃You　are；　I　gather；　not　unintelligent；　but　painfully　limited。　Narrow。　Close…minded。〃
〃Perhaps　you　ought　to　try　on　the　hat；　Hermione；〃　said　Ron；　nodding　toward　the　ludicrous　headdress。　His　voice　shook　with　the　strain　of　not　laughing。
〃Mr。　Lovegood；〃　Hermione　began　again；　〃We　all　know　that　there　are　such　things　as　Invisibility　Cloaks。　They　are　rare；　but　they　exist。　But　…〃
〃Ah；　but　the　Third　Hallow　is　a　itruei　Cloak　of　Invisibility；　Miss　Granger！　I　mean　to　say；　it　is　not　a　traveling　cloak　imbued　with　a　Disillusionment　Charm；　or　carrying　a　Bedazzling　Hex；　or　else　woven　from　Demiguise　hair；　which　will　hide　one　initially　but　fade　with　the　years　until　it　turns　opaque。　We　are　talking　about　a　cloak　that　really　and　truly　renders　the　wearer　completely　invisible；　and　endures　eternally；　giving　constant　and　impenetrable　concealment；　no　matter　what　spells　are　cast　at　it。　How　many　cloaks　have　you　ever　seen　like　ithati；　Miss　Granger？〃
Hermione　opened　her　mouth　to　answer；　then　closed　it　again；　looking　more　confused　than　ever。　She；　Harry　and　Ron　glanced　at　one　another；　and　Harry　knew　that　they　were　all　thinking　the　same　thing。　It　so　happened　that　a　cloak　exactly　like　the　one　Xenophilius　had　just　described　was　in　the　room　with　them　at　that　very　moment。
〃Exactly；〃　said　Xenophilius；　as　if　he　had　defeated　them　all　in　reasoned　argument。　〃None　of　you　have　ever　seen　suc