哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第75部分

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e　needed　to　know　that　his　theory　was　right。　He　must　make　only　one　more　short　effort；　so　that　he　could　explain　to　Ron　and　Hermione。
〃Gregorovitch　had　the　Elder　Wand　a　long　time　ago；〃　he　said；　〃I　saw　You…Know…Who　trying　to　find　him。　When　he　tracked　him　down；　he　found　that　Gregorovitch　didn't　have　it　anymore：　It　was　stolen　from　him　by　Grindelwald。　How　Grindelwald　found　out　that　Gregorovitch　had　it；　I　don't　know　…　but　if　Gregorovitch　was　stupid　enough　to　spread　the　rumor；　it　can't　have　been　that　difficult。〃
Voldemort　was　at　the　gates　of　Hogwarts；　Harry　could　see　him　standing　there；　and　see　too　the　lamp　bobbing　in　the　pre…dawn；　coming　closer　and　closer。
〃And　Grindelwald　used　the　Elder　Wand　to　become　powerful。　And　at　the　height　of　his　power；　when　Dumbledore　knew　he　was　the　only　one　who　could　stop　him；　he　dueled　Grindelwald　and　beat　him；　and　he　took　the　Elder　Wand。〃
〃iDumbledorei　had　the　Elder　Wand？〃　said　Ron。　〃But　then　…　where　is　it　now？〃
〃At　Hogwarts；〃　said　Harry；　fighting　to　remain　with　them　in　the　cliff…top　garden。
〃But　then；　let's　go！〃　said　Ron　urgently。　〃Harry；　let's　go　and　get　it　before　he　does！〃
〃It's　too　late　for　that；〃　said　Harry。　He　could　not　help　himself；　but　clutched　his　head；　trying　to　help　it　resist。　〃He　knows　where　it　is。　He's　there　now。〃
〃Harry！〃　Ron　said　furiously。　〃How　long　have　you　known　this　…　why　have　we　been　wasting　time？　Why　did　you　talk　to　Griphook　first？　We　could　have　gone　…　we　could　still　go　…〃
〃No；〃　said　Harry；　and　he　sank　to　his　knees　in　the　grass。　〃Hermione's　right。　Dumbledore　didn't　want　me　to　have　it。　He　didn't　want　me　to　take　it。　He　wanted　me　to　get　the　Horcruxes。〃
〃The　unbeatable　wand；　Harry！〃　moaned　Ron。
〃I'm　not　supposed　to　。　。　。　I'm　supposed　to　get　the　Horcruxes。　。　。　。〃
And　now　everything　was　cool　and　dark：　The　sun　was　barely　visible　over　the　horizon　as　he　glided　alongside　Snape；　up　through　the　grounds　toward　the　lake。
〃I　shall　join　you　in　the　castle　shortly；〃　he　said　in　his　high；　cold　voice。　〃Leave　me　now。〃
Snape　bowed　and　set　off　back　up　the　path；　his　black　cloak　billowing　behind　him。　Harry　walked　slowly；　waiting　for　Snape's　figure　to　disappear。　It　would　not　do　for　Snape；　or　indeed　anyone　else；　to　see　where　he　was　going。　But　there　were　no　lights　in　the　castle　windows；　and　he　could　conceal　himself　。　。　。　and　in　a　second　he　had　cast　upon　himself　a　Disillusionment　Charm　that　hid　him　even　from　his　own　eyes。
And　he　walked　on；　around　the　edge　of　the　lake；　taking　in　the　outlines　of　the　beloved　castle；　his　first　kingdom；　his　birthright。　。　。　。
And　here　it　was；　beside　the　lake；　reflected　in　the　dark　waters。　The　white　marble　tomb；　an　unnecessary　blot　on　the　familiar　landscape。　He　felt　again　that　rush　of　controlled　euphoria；　that　heady　sense　of　purpose　in　destruction。　He　raised　the　old　yew　wand：　How　fitting　that　this　would　be　its　last　great　act。
The　tomb　split　open　from　head　to　foot。　The　shrouded　figure　was　as　long　as　thin　as　it　had　been　in　life。　He　raised　the　wand　again。
The　wrappings　fell　open。　The　face　was　translucent；　pale；　sunken；　yet　almost　perfectly　preserved。　They　had　left　his　spectacles　on　the　crooked　nose：　He　felt　amused　derision。　Dumbledore's　hands　were　folded　upon　his　chest；　and　there　it　lay；　clutched　beneath　them；　buried　with　him。
Had　the　old　fool　imagined　that　marble　or　death　would　protect　the　wand？　Had　he　thought　that　the　Dark　Lord　would　be　scared　to　violate　his　tomb？　The　spiderlike　hand　swooped　and　pulled　the　wand　from　Dumbledore's　grasp；　and　as　he　took　it；　a　shower　of　sparks　flew　from　its　tip；　sparkling　over　the　corpse　of　its　last　owner；　ready　to　serve　a　new　master　at　last。

pC0=〃Chapter　Twenty…Five：　Shell　Cottage〃
bChapter　Twenty…Five
iShell　Cottageib
Bill　and　Fleur's　cottage　stood　alone　on　a　cliff　overlooking　the　sea；　its　walls　embedded　with　shells　and　whitewashed。　It　was　a　lonely　and　beautiful　place。　Wherever　Harry　went　inside　the　tiny　cottage　or　its　garden；　he　could　hear　the　constant　ebb　and　flow　of　the　sea；　like　the　breathing　of　some　great；　slumbering　creature。　He　spent　much　of　the　next　few　days　making　excuses　to　escape　the　crowded　cottage；　craving　the　cliff…top　view　of　open　sky　and　wide；　empty　sea；　and　the　feel　of　cold；　salty　wind　on　his　face。
The　enormity　of　his　decision　not　to　race　Voldemort　to　the　wand　still　scared　Harry。　He　could　not　remember；　ever　before；　choosing　/not/　to　act。　He　was　full　of　doubts；　doubts　that　Ron　could　not　help　voicing　whenever　they　were　together。
〃What　if　Dumbledore　wanted　us　to　work　out　the　symbol　in　time　to　get　the　wand？〃　〃What　if　working　out　what　the　symbol　meant　made　you　'worthy'　to　get　the　Hallows？〃　〃Harry；　if　that　really　is　the　Elder　Wand；　how　the　hell　are　we　supposed　to　finish　off　You…Know…Who？〃
Harry　had　no　answers：　There　were　moments　when　he　wondered　whether　it　had　been　outright　madness　not　to　try　to　prevent　Voldemort　breaking　open　the　tomb。　He　could　not　even　explain　satisfactorily　why　he　had　decided　against　it：　Every　time　he　tried　to　reconstruct　the　internal　arguments　that　had　led　to　his　decision；　they　sounded　feebler　to　him。
The　odd　thing　was　that　Hermione's　support　made　him　feel　just　as　confused　as　Ron's　doubts。　Now　forced　to　accept　that　the　Elder　Wand　was　real；　she　maintained　that　it　was　an　evil　object；　and　that　the　way　Voldemort　had　taken　possession　of　it　was　repellent；　not　to　be　considered。
〃You　could　never　have　done　that；　Harry；〃　she　said　again　and　again。　〃You　couldn't　have　broken　into　Dumbledore's　grave。〃
But　the　idea　of　Dumbledore's　corpse　frightened　Harry　much　less　than　the　possibility　that　he　might　have　misunderstood　the　living　Dumbledore's　intentions。　He　felt　that　he　was　still　groping　in　the　dark；　he　had　chosen　his　path　but　kept　looking　back；　wondering　whether　he　had　misread　the　signs；　whether　he　should　not　have　taken　the　other　way。　From　time　to　time；　anger　at　Dumbledore　crashed　over　him　again；　powerful　as　the　waves　slamming　themselves　against　the　cliff　beneath　the　cottage；　anger　that　Dumbledore　had　not　explained　before　he　died。
〃But　/is/　he　dead？〃　said　Ron；　three　days　after　they　had　arrived　at　the　cottage。　Harry　had　been　staring　out　over　the　wall　that　separated　the　cottage　garden　from　the　cliff　when　Ron　and　Hermione　had　found　him；　he　wished　they　had　not；　having　no　wish　to　join　in　with　their　argument。
〃Yes；　he　is。　Ron；　/please〃　don't　start　that　again！〃
〃Look　at　the　facts；　Hermione；〃　said　Ron；　speaking　across　Harry；　who　continued　to　gaze　at　the　horizon。　〃The　solve　doe。　The　sword。　The　eye　Harry　saw　in　the　mirror　a150a150〃
〃Harry　admits　he　could　have　imagined　the　eye！　Don't　you；　Harry？〃
〃I　could　have；〃　said　Harry　without　looking　at　her。
〃But　you　don't　thing　you　did；　do　you？〃　asked　Ron。
〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　Harry。
〃There　you　go！〃　said　Ron　quickly；　before　Hermione　could　carry　on。　〃If　it　wasn't　Dumbledore；　explain　how　Dobby　knew　we　were　in　the　cellar；　Hermione？〃
〃I　can't　a150a150　but　can　you　explain　how　Dumbledore　sent　him　to　us　if　he's　lying　in　a　tomb　at　Hogwarts？〃
〃I　dunno；　it　could've　been　his　ghost！〃
〃Dumbledore　wouldn't　come　back　as　a　ghost；〃　said　Harry。　There　was　little　about　Dumbledore　he　was　sure　of　now；　but　he　knew　that　much。　〃He　would　have　gone　on。〃
〃What　d'you　mean；　'gone　on'？〃　asked　Ron；　but　before　Harry　could　say　any　more；　a　voice　behind　them　said；　〃'Arry？〃
Fleur　had　come　out　of　the　cottage；　her　long　silver　hair　flying　in　the　breeze。
〃'Arry；　Grip'ook　would　like　to　speak　to　you。　'E　eez　in　ze　smallest　bedroom；　'e　says　'e　does　not　want　to　be　over'eard。〃
Her　dislike　of　the　goblin　sending　her　to　deliver　messages　was　clear；　she　looked　irritable　as　she　walked　back　around　the　house。
Griphook　was　waiting　for　them；　as　Fleur　had　said；　in　the　tiniest　of　the　cottage's　three　bedrooms；　in　which　Hermione　and　Luna　slept　by　night。　He　had　drawn　the　red　cotton　curtains　against　the　bright；　cloudy　sky；　which　gave　the　room　a　fiery　glow　at　odds　with　the　rest　of　the　airy；　light　cottage。
〃I　have　reached　my　decision；　Harry　Potter；〃　said　the　goblin；　who　was　sitting　cross…legged　in　a　low　chair；　drumming　its　arms　with　his　spindly　fingers。　〃Though　the　goblins　of　Gringotts　will　consider　it　base　treachery；　I　have　decided　to　help　you　a150a150〃
〃That's　great！〃　said　Harry；　relief　surging　through　him。　〃Griphook；　thank　you；　we're　really　a150a150〃
〃a150a150　in　return；〃　said　the　goblin　firmly；　〃for　payment。〃
Slightly　taken　aback；　Harry　hesitated。
〃How　much　do　you　want？　I've　got　gold。〃
〃Not　gold；〃　said　Griphook。　〃I　have　gold。〃
His　black　eyes　glittered；　there　were　no　whites　to　his　eyes。
〃I　want　the　sword。　The　sword　of　Godric　Gryffindor。〃
Harry's　spirits　plummeted。
〃You　can't　have　that；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
〃Then；〃　said　the　goblin　softly；　〃we　have　a　problem。〃
〃We　can　give　you　something　else；〃　said　Ron　eagerly。　〃I'll　bet　the　Lestranges　have　got　loads　of　stuff；　you　can　take　your　pick　once　we　get　into　the　vault。〃
He　had　said　the　wrong　thing。　Griphook　flushed　angrily。
〃I　am　not　a　thief；　boy！　I　am　not　trying　to　procure　treasures　to　which　I　have　no　right！〃
〃The　sword's　ours　a150a150〃
〃it　is　not；〃　said　the　goblin。
〃We're　Gryffindors；　and　it　was　Godric　Gryffindor's　a150a150〃
〃And　before　it　was　Gryffindor's；　whose　was　it？〃　demanded　the　goblin；　sitting　up　straight。
〃No　one's；〃　said　Ron。　〃It　was　made　for　him；　wasn't　it？〃
〃No！〃　cried　the　goblin；　bristling　with　anger　as　he　pointed　a　long　finger　at　Ron。　〃Wizarding　arrogance　again！　That　sword　was　Ragnuk　the　First's；　taken　from　him　by　Godric　Gryffindor！　It　is　a　_____　_________；　a　masterpiece　of　goblinwork！　It　belongs　with　the　gobl___。　The　sword　is　the　price　of　my　hire；　take　it　or　leave　it！〃
Griphook　glared　at　them。　Harry　glanced　at　the　other　____；　then　said；　〃We　need　to　discuss　this；　Griphook；　if　that's　all　right。　Could　you　give　us　a　few　minutes？〃
The　goblin　nodded；　looking　sour。
Downstairs　in　the　empty　sitting　room；　Harry　walked　to　the　fireplace；　brow　furrowed；　trying　to　think　what　to　do。　Behind　him；　Ron　said；　〃He's　having　a　laugh。　We　can't　let　him　have　that　sword。〃
〃It　is　true？〃　Harry　asked　Hermione。　〃Was　the　sword　stolen　by　Gryffindor？〃
〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said　hopelessly。　〃Wizarding　history　often　skates　over　what　the　wizards　have　done　to　other　magical　races；　but　there's　no　account　that　I　know　of　that　says　Gryffindor　stole　the　sword。〃
〃It'll　be　one　of　those　goblin　stories；〃　said　Ron；　〃about　how　the　wizards　are　always　trying　to　get　one　over　on　them。　I　suppose　w