哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第79部分

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own　of　bushy　gray　hair　and　a　long；　sharp　nose　was　striding　toward　them。
〃It's　Travers；〃　hissed　the　goblin　into　Harry's　ear；　but　at　that　moment　Harry　could　not　think　who　Travers　was。　Hermione　had　drawn　herself　up　to　full　height　and　said　with　as　much　contempt　as　she　could　muster：
〃And　what　do　you　want？〃
Travers　stopped　in　his　tracks；　clearly　affronted。
〃He's　another　Death　Eater！〃　breathed　Griphook；　and　Harry　sidled　sideways　to　repeat　the　information　into　Hermione's　ear。
〃I　merely　sought　to　greet　you；〃　said　Travers　coolly；　〃but　if　my　presence　is　not　welcome　。　。　。〃
Harry　recognized　his　voice　now：　Travers　was　one　of　the　Death　Eaters　who　had　been　summoned　to　Xenophilius's　house。
〃No；　no；　not　at　all；　Travers；〃　said　Hermione　quickly；　trying　to　cover　up　her　mistake。　〃How　are　you？〃
〃Well；　I　confess　I　am　surprised　to　see　you　out　and　about；　Bellatrix。〃
〃Really？　Why？〃　asked　Hermione。
〃Well；〃　Travers　coughed；　〃I　heard　that　the　Inhabitants　of　Malfoy　Manor　were　confined　to　the　house；　after　the　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　escape。〃
Harry　willed　Hermione　to　keep　her　head。　If　this　was　true；　and　Bellatrix　was　not　supposed　to　be　out　in　publica150a150
〃The　Dark　Lord　forgives　those　who　have　served　him　most　faithfully　in　the　past；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　magnificent　imitation　of　Bellatrix's　most　contemptuous　manner。　〃Perhaps　your　credit　is　not　as　good　with　him　as　mine　is；　Travers。〃
Though　the　Death　Eater　looked　offended；　he　also　seemed　less　suspicious。　He　glanced　down　at　the　man　Ron　had　just　Stunned。
〃How　did　it　offend　you？〃
〃It　does　not　matter；　it　will　not　do　so　again；〃　said　Hermione　coolly。
〃Some　of　these　wandless　can　be　troublesome；〃　said　Travers。　〃While　they　do　nothing　but　beg　I　have　no　objection；　but　one　of　them　actually　asked　me　to　plead　her　case　in　the　Ministry　last　week。　'I'm　a　witch；　sir；　I'm　a　witch；　let　me　prove　it　to　you！〃　he　said　in　a　squeaky　impersonation。　〃As　if　I　was　going　to　give　her　my　wanda150a150but　whose　wand；〃　said　Travers　curiously；　〃are　you　using　at　the　moment；　Bellatrix？　I　heard　that　your　own　wasa150a150〃
〃I　have　my　wand　here；〃　said　Hermione　coldly；　holding　up　Bellatrix's　wand。　〃I　don't　know　what　rumors　you　have　been　listening　to；　Travers；　but　you　seem　sadly　misinformed。〃
Travers　seemed　a　little　taken　aback　at　that；　and　he　turned　instead　to　Ron。
〃Who　is　your　friend？　I　do　not　recognize　him。〃
〃This　is　Dragomir　Despard；〃　said　Hermione；　they　had　decided　that　a　fictional　foreigner　was　the　safest　cover　for　Ron　to　assume。　〃He　speaks　very　little　English；　but　he　is　in　sympathy　with　the　Dark　Lord's　aims。　He　has　traveled　here　from　Transylvania　to　see　our　new　regime。〃
〃Indeed？　How　do　you　do；　Dragomir？〃
〃'Ow　you？〃　said　Ron；　holding　out　his　hand。
Travers　extended　two　fingers　and　shook　Ron's　hand　as　though　frightened　of　dirtying　himself。
So　what　brings　you　and　youra150a150aha150a150sympathetic　friend　to　Diagon　Alley　this　early？〃　asked　Travers。
〃I　need　to　visit　Gringotts；〃　said　Hermione。
〃Alas；　I　also；〃　said　Travers。　〃Gold；　filthy　gold！　We　cannot　live　without　it；　yet　I　confess　I　deplore　the　necessity　of　consorting　with　our　long…fingered　friends。〃
Harry　felt　Griphook's　clasped　hands　tighten　momentarily　around　his　neck。
〃Shall　we？〃　said　Travers；　gesturing　Hermione　forward。
Hermione　had　no　choice　but　to　fall　into　step　beside　him　and　head　along　the　crooked；　cobbled　street　toward　the　place　where　the　snowy…white　Gringotts　stood　towering　over　the　other　little　shops。　Ron　sloped　along　beside　them；　and　Harry　and　Griphook　followed。
A　watchful　Death　Eater　was　the　very　last　thing　they　needed；　and　the　worst　of　it　was；　with　Travers　matching　at　what　he　believed　to　be　Bellatrix's　side；　there　was　no　means　for　Harry　to　communicate　with　Hermione　or　Ron。　All　too　soon　they　arrived　at　the　foot　of　the　marble　steps　leading　up　to　the　great　bronze　doors。　As　Griphook　had　already　warned　them；　the　liveried　goblins　who　usually　flanked　the　entrance　had　been　replaced　by　two　wizards；　both　of　whom　were　clutching　long　thin　golden　rods。
〃Ah；　Probity　Probes；〃　signed　Travers　theatrically；　〃so　crudea150a150but　so　effective！〃
And　he　set　off　up　the　steps；　nodding　left　and　right　to　the　wizards；　who　raised　the　golden　rods　and　passed　them　up　and　down　his　body。　The　Probes；　Harry　knew；　detected　spells　of　concealment　and　hidden　magical　objects。　Knowing　that　he　had　only　seconds；　Harry　pointed　Draco's　wand　at　each　of　the　guards　in　turn　and　murmured；　〃Confundo〃　twice。　Unnoticed　by　Travers；　who　was　looking　through　the　bronze　doors　at　the　inner　hall；　each　of　the　guards　gave　a　little　start　as　the　spells　hit　them。
Hermione's　long　black　hair　rippled　behind　her　as　she　climbed　the　steps。
〃One　moment；　madam；〃　said　the　guard；　raising　his　Probe。
〃But　you've　just　done　that！〃　said　Hermione　in　Bellatrix's　commanding；　arrogant　voice。　Travers　looked　around；　eyebrows　raised。　The　guard　was　confused。　He　stared　down　at　the　thin　golden　Probe　and　then　at　his　companion；　who　said　in　a　slightly　dazed　voice；
〃Yeah；　you've　just　checked　them；　Marius。〃
Hermione　swept　forward。　Ron　by　her　side；　Harry　and　Griphook　trotting　invisibly　behind　them。　Harry　glanced　back　as　they　crossed　the　threshold。　The　wizards　were　both　scratching　their　heads。
Two　goblins　stood　before　the　inner　doors；　which　were　made　of　silver　and　which　carried　the　poem　warning　of　dire　retribution　to　potential　thieves。　Harry　looked　up　at　it；　and　all　of　a　sudden　a　knife…sharp　memory　came　to　him：　standing　on　this　very　spot　on　the　day　that　he　had　turned　eleven；　the　most　wonderful　birthday　of　his　life；　and　Hagrid　standing　beside　him　saying；　〃Like　I　said；　yeh'd　be　mad　ter　try　an'　rob　it。〃　Gringotts　had　seemed　a　place　of　wonder　that　day；　the　enchanted　repository　of　a　trove　of　gold　he　had　never　known　he　possessed；　and　never　for　an　instant　could　he　have　dreamed　that　he　would　return　to　steal　。　。　。　But　within　seconds　they　were　standing　in　the　vast　marble　hall　of　the　bank。
The　long　counter　was　manned　by　goblins　sitting　on　high　stools　serving　the　first　customers　of　the　day。　Hermione；　Ron；　and　Travers　headed　toward　an　old　goblin　who　was　examining　a　thick　gold　coin　through　an　eyeglass。　Hermione　allowed　Travers　to　step　ahead　of　her　on　the　pretext　of　explaining　features　of　the　hall　to　Ron。
The　goblin　tossed　the　coin　he　was　holding　aside；　said　to　nobody　in　particular；　〃Leprechaun；〃　and　then　greeted　Travers；　who　passed　over　a　tiny　golden　key；　which　was　examined　and　given　back　to　him。
Hermione　stepped　forward。
〃Madam　Lestrange！〃　said　the　goblin；　evidently　startled。　〃Dear　me！〃　Howa150a150how　may　I　help　you　today？〃
〃I　wish　to　enter　my　vault；〃　said　Hermione。
The　old　goblin　seemed　to　recoil　a　little。　Harry　glanced　around。　Not　only　was　Travers　hanging　back；　watching；　but　several　other　goblins　had　looked　up　from　their　work　to　stare　at　Hermione。
〃You　have　。　。　。　identification？〃　asked　the　goblin。
〃Identification？　Ia150a150I　have　never　been　asked　for　identification　before！〃　said　Hermione。
〃They　know！〃　whispered　Griphook　in　Harry's　ear；　〃They　must　have　been　warned　there　might　be　an　imposter！〃
〃Your　wand　will　do；　madam；〃　said　the　goblin。　He　held　out　a　slightly　trembling　hand；　and　in　a　dreadful　blast　of　realization　Harry　knew　that　the　goblins　of　Gringotts　were　aware　that　Bellatrix's　wand　had　been　stolen。
〃Act　now；　act　now；〃　whispered　Griphook　in　Harry's　ear；　〃the　Imperious　Curse！〃
Harry　raised　the　hawthorn　wand　beneath　the　cloak；　pointed　it　at　the　old　goblin；　and　whispered；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　〃Imperio！〃
A　curious　sensation　shot　down　Harry's　arm；　a　feeling　of　tingling；　warmth　that　seemed　to　flow　from　his　mind；　down　the　sinews　and　veins　connecting　him　to　the　wand　and　the　curse　it　had　just　cast。　The　goblin　took　Bellatrix's　wand；　examined　it　closely；　and　then　said；　〃Ah；　you　have　had　a　new　wand　made；　Madam　Lestrange！〃
〃What？〃　said　Hermione；　〃No；　no；　that's　minea150a150〃
〃A　new　wand？〃　said　Travers；　approaching　the　counter　again；　still　the　goblins　all　around　were　watching。　〃But　how　could　you　have　done；　which　wandmaker　did　you　use？〃
Harry　acted　without　thinking。　Pointing　his　wand　at　Travers；　he　muttered；　〃Imperio！〃　once　more。
〃Oh　yes；　I　see；〃　said　Travers；　looking　down　at　Bellatrix's　wand；　〃yes；　very　handsome。　and　is　it　working　well？　I　always　think　wands　require　a　little　breaking　in；　don't　you？〃
Hermione　looked　utterly　bewildered；　but　to　Harry's　enormous　relief　she　accepted　the　bizarre　turn　of　events　without　comment。
The　old　goblin　behind　the　counter　clapped　his　hands　and　a　younger　goblin　approached。
〃I　shall　need　the　Clankers；〃　he　told　the　goblin；　who　dashed　away　and　returned　a　moment　later　with　a　leather　bag　that　seemed　to　be　full　of　jangling　metal；　which　he　handed　to　his　senior。　〃Good；　good！　S；　if　you　will　follow　me；　Madam　Lestrange；〃　said　the　old　goblin；　hopping　down　off　his　stool　and　vanishing　from　sight。　〃I　shall　take　you　to　your　vault。〃
He　appeared　around　the　end　of　the　counter；　jogging　happily　toward　them；　the　contents　of　the　leather　bag　still　jingling。　Travers　was　now　standing　quite　still　with　his　mouth　hanging　wide　open。　Ron　was　drawing　attention　to　this　odd　phenomenon　by　regarding　Travers　with　confusion。
〃Wait　…　Bogrod！〃
Another　goblin　came　scurrying　around　the　counter。
〃We　have　instructions；〃　he　said　with　a　bow　to　Hermione。　〃Forgive　me；　Madam；　but　there　have　been　special　orders　regarding　the　vault　of　Lestrange。〃
He　whispered　urgently　in　Bogrod's　ear；　but　the　Imperiused　goblin　shook　him　off。
〃I　am　aware　of　the　instructions；　Madam　Lestrange　wishes　to　visit　her　vault　a133　Very　old　family　a133　old　clients　a133　This　way；　please　a133　〃
And；　still　clanking；　he　hurried　toward　one　of　the　many　doors　leading　off　the　hall。　Harry　looked　back　at　Travers　；　who　was　still　rooted　to　the　spot　looking　abnormally　vacant；　and　made　his　decision。　With　a　flick　of　his　wand　he　made　Travers　come　with　them；　walking　meekly　in　their　wake　as　they　reached　the　door　and　passed　into　the　rough　stone　passageway　beyond；　which　was　lit　with　flaming　torches。
〃We're　in　trouble；　they　suspect；〃　said　Harry　as　the　door　slammed　behind　them　and　he　pulled　off　the　Invisibility　Cloak。　Griphook　jumped　down　from　his　shoulders：　neither　Travers　nor　Bogrod　showed　the　slightest　surprise　at　the　sudden　appearance　of　Harry　Potter　in　their　midst。　〃They're　Imperiused；〃　he　added；　in　response　to　Hermione　and　Ron's　confused　queries　about　Travers　and　Bogrod；　who　were　both　now　standing