3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第4部分

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　　〃I　need　you　to　sign　the　permission　form；〃　said　Harry　in　a　rush。
　　〃And　why　should　I　do　that？〃　sneered　Uncle　Vernon。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Harry；　choosing　his　words　carefully；　〃it'll　be　hard　work；　pretending　to　Aunt　Marge　I　go　to　that　St。　Whatsits　〃
　　〃St。　Brutus's　Secure　Center　for　Incurably　Criminal　Boys！〃　bellowed　Uncle　Vernon；　and　Harry　was　pleased　to　hear　a　definite　note　of　panic　in　Uncle　Vernon's　voice。
　　〃Exactly；〃　said　Harry；　looking　calmly　up　into　Uncle　Vernon's　large；　purple　face。　〃It's　a　lot　to　remember。　I'll　have　to　make　it　sound　convincing；　won't　I？　What　if　I　accidentally　let　something　slip？〃
　　〃You'll　get　the　stuffing　knocked　out　of　you；　won't　you？〃　roared　Uncle　Vernon；　advancing　on　Harry　with　his　fist　raised。　But　Harry　stood　his　ground。
　　〃Knocking　the　stuffing　out　of　me　won't　make　Aunt　Marge　forget　what　I　could　tell　her；〃　he　said　grimly。
　　Uncle　Vernon　stopped；　his　fist　still　raised；　his　face　an　ugly　puce。
　　〃But　if　you　sign　my　permission　form；〃　Harry　went　on　quickly；　〃I　swear　I'll　remember　where　I'm　supposed　to　go　to　school；　and　I'll　act　like　a　Mug　　like　I'm　normal　and　everything。〃
　　Harry　could　tell　that　Uncle　Vernon　was　thinking　it　over；　even　if　his　teeth　were　bared　and　a　vein　was　throbbing　in　his　temple。
　　〃Right；〃　he　snapped　finally。　〃I　shall　monitor　your　behavior　carefully　during　Marge's　visit。　If；　at　the　end　of　it；　you've　toed　the　line　and　kept　to　the　story；　I'll　sign　your　ruddy　form。〃
　　He　wheeled　around；　pulled　open　the　front　door；　and　slammed　it　so　hard　that　one　of　the　little　panes　of　glass　at　the　top　fell　out。
　　Harry　didn't　return　to　the　kitchen。　He　went　back　upstairs　to　his　bedroom。　If　he　was　going　to　act　like　a　real　Muggle；　he'd　better　start　now。　Slowly　and　sadly　he　gathered　up　all　his　presents　and　his　birthday　cards　and　hid　them　under　the　loose　floorboard　with　his　homework。　Then　he　went　to　Hedwig's　cage。　Errol　seemed　to　have　recovered；　he　and　Hedwig　were　both　asleep；　heads　under　their　wings。　Harry　sighed；　then　poked　them　both　awake。
　　〃Hedwig；〃　he　said　gloomily；　〃you're　going　to　have　to　clear　off　for　a　week。　Go　with　Errol。　Ron'll　look　after　you。　I'll　write　him　a　note；　explaining。　And　don't　look　at　me　like　that〃　　Hedwig's　large　amber　eyes　were　reproachful　　〃it's　not　my　fault。　It's　the　only　way　I'll　be　allowed　to　visit　Hogsmeade　with　Ron　and　Hermione。〃
　　Ten　minutes　later；　Errol　and　Hedwig　（who　had　a　note　to　Ron　bound　to　her　leg）　soared　out　of　the　window　and　out　of　sight。　Harry；　now　feeling　thoroughly　miserable；　put　the　empty　cage　away　inside　the　wardrobe。
　　But　Harry　didn't　have　long　to　brood。　In　next　to　no　time；　Aunt　Petunia　was　shrieking　up　the　stairs　for　Harry　to　e　down　and　get　ready　to　wele　their　guest。
　　〃Do　something　about　your　hair！〃　Aunt　Petunia　snapped　as　he　reached　the　hall。
　　Harry　couldn't　see　the　point　of　trying　to　make　his　hair　lie　flat。　Aunt　Marge　loved　criticizing　him；　so　the　untidier　he　looked；　the　happier　she　would　be。
　　All　too　soon；　there　was　a　crunch　of　gravel　outside　as　Uncle　Vernon's　car　pulled　back　into　the　driveway；　then　the　clunk　of　the　car　doors　and　footsteps　on　the　garden　path。
　　〃Get　the　door！〃　Aunt　Petunia　hissed　at　Harry。
　　A　feeling　of　great　gloom　in　his　stomach；　Harry　pulled　the　door　open。
　　On　the　threshold　stood　Aunt　Marge。　She　was　very　like　Uncle　Vernon：　large；　beefy；　and　purple…　faced；　she　even　had　a　mustache；　though　not　as　bushy　as　his。　In　one　hand　she　held　an　enormous　suitcase；　and　tucked　under　the　other　was　an　old　and　evil…tempered　bulldog。
　　〃Where's　my　Dudders？〃　roared　Aunt　Marge。　〃Where's　my　neffy…poo？〃
　　Dudley　came　waddling　down　the　hall；　his　blond　hair　plastered　flat　to　his　fat　head；　a　bow　tie　just　visible　under　his　many　chins。　Aunt　Marge　thrust　the　suitcase　into　Harry's　stomach；　knocking　the　wind　out　of　him；　seized　Dudley　in　a　tight　one…armed　hug；　and　planted　a　large　kiss　on　his　cheek。
　　Harry　knew　perfectly　well　that　Dudley　only　put　up　with　Aunt　Marge's　hugs　because　he　was　well　paid　for　it；　and　sure　enough；　when　they　broke　apart；　Dudley　had　a　crisp　twenty…pound　note　clutched　in　his　fat　fist。
　　〃Petunia！〃　shouted　Aunt　Marge；　striding　past　Harry　as　though　he　was　a　hat　stand。　Aunt　Marge　and　Aunt　Petunia　kissed；　or　rather；　Aunt　Marge　bumped　her　large　jaw　against　Aunt　Petunia's　bony　cheekbone。
　　Uncle　Vernon　now　came　in；　smiling　jovially　as　he　shut　the　door。
　　〃Tea；　Marge？〃　he　said。　〃And　what　will　Ripper　take？〃
　　〃Ripper　can　have　some　tea　out　of　my　saucer；〃　said　Aunt　Marge　as　they　all　proceeded　into　the　kitchen；　leaving　Harry　alone　in　the　hall　with　the　suitcase。　But　Harry　wasn't　plaining；　any　excuse　not　to　be　with　Aunt　Marge　was　fine　by　him；　so　he　began　to　heave　the　case　upstairs　into　the　spare　bedroom；　taking　as　long　as　he　could。
　　By　the　time　he　got　back　to　the　kitchen；　Aunt　Marge　had　been　supplied　with　tea　and　fruitcake；　and　Ripper　was　lapping　noisily　in　the　corner。　Harry　saw　Aunt　Petunia　wince　slightly　as　specks　of　tea　and　drool　flecked　her　clean　floor。　Aunt　Petunia　hated　animals。
　　〃Who's　looking　after　the　other　dogs；　Marge？〃　Uncle　Vernon　asked。
　　〃Oh；　I've　got　Colonel　Fubster　managing　them；〃　boomed　Aunt　Marge。　〃He's　retired　now；　good　for　him　to　have　something　to　do。　But　I　couldn't　leave　poor　old　Ripper。　He　pines　if　he's　away　from　me。〃
　　Ripper　began　to　growl　again　as　Harry　sat　down。　This　directed　Aunt　Marge's　attention　to　Harry　for　the　first　time。
　　〃So！〃　she　barked。　〃Still　here；　are　you？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Don't　you　say　yes'　in　that　ungrateful　tone；〃　Aunt　Marge　growled。　〃It's　damn　good　of　Vernon　and　Petunia　to　keep　you。　Wouldn't　have　done　it　myself。　You'd　have　gone　straight　to　an　orphanage　if　you'd　been　dumped　on　my　doorstep。〃
　　Harry　was　bursting　to　say　that　he'd　rather　live　in　an　orphanage　than　with　the　Dursleys；　but　the　thought　of　the　Hogsmeade　form　stopped　him。　He　forced　his　face　into　a　painful　smile。
　　〃Don't　you　smirk　at　me！〃　boomed　Aunt　Marge。　〃I　can　see　you　haven't　improved　since　I　last　saw　you。　I　hoped　school　would　knock　some　manners　into　you。〃　She　took　a　large　gulp　of　tea；　wiped　her　mustache；　and　said；　〃Where　is　it　that　you　send　him；　again；　Vernon？〃
　　〃St。　Brutus's；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon　promptly。　〃It's　a　first…rate　institution　for　hopeless　cases。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Aunt　Marge。　〃Do　they　use　the　cane　at　St。　Brutus's；　boy？〃　she　barked　across　the　table。
　　〃Er　〃
　　Uncle　Vernon　nodded　curtly　behind　Aunt　Marge's　back。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry。　Then；　feeling　he　might　as　well　do　the　thing　properly；　he　added；　〃all　the　time。〃
　　〃Excellent；〃　said　Aunt　Marge。　〃I　won't　have　this　namby…pamby；　wishy…washy　nonsense　about　not　hitting　people　who　deserve　it。　A　good　thrashing　is　what's　needed　in　ninety…nine　cases　out　of　a　hundred。　Have　you　been　beaten　often？〃
　　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　said　Harry；　〃loads　of　times。〃
　　Aunt　Marge　narrowed　her　eyes。
　　〃I　still　don't　like　your　tone；　boy；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　can　speak　of　your　beatings　in　that　casual　way；　they　clearly　aren't　hitting　you　hard　enough。　Petunia；　I'd　write　if　I　were　you。　Make　it　clear　that　you　approve　the　use　of　extreme　force　in　this　boy's　case。〃
　　Perhaps　Uncle　Vernon　was　worried　that　Harry　might　forget　their　bargain；　in　any　case；　he　changed　the　subject　abruptly。
　　〃Heard　the　news　this　morning；　Marge？　What　about　that　escaped　prisoner；　eh？〃
　　As　Aunt　Marge　started　to　make　herself　at　home；　Harry　caught　himself　thinking　almost　longingly　of　life　at　number　four　without　her。　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia　usually　encouraged　Harry　to　stay　out　of　their　way；　which　Harry　was　only　too　happy　to　do。　Aunt　Marge；　on　the　other　hand；　wanted　Harry　under　her　eye　at　all　times；　so　that　she　could　boom　out　suggestions　for　his　improvement。　She　delighted　in　paring　Harry　with　Dudley；　and　took　huge　pleasure　in　buying　Dudley　expensive　presents　while　glaring　at　Harry；　as　though　daring　him　to　ask　why　he　hadn't　got　a　present　too。　She　also　kept　throwing　out　dark　hints　about　what　made　Harry　such　an　unsatisfactory　person。
　　〃You　mustn't　blame　yourself　for　the　way　the　boy's　turned　out；　Vernon；〃　she　said　over　lunch　on　the　third　day。　〃If　there's　something　rotten　on　the　inside；　there's　nothing　anyone　can　do　about　it。〃
　　Harry　tried　to　concentrate　on　his　food；　but　his　hands　shook　and　his　face　was　starting　to　burn　with　anger。　Remember　the　form；　he　told　himself　Think　about　Hogsmeade。　Don't　say　anything。　Don't　rise
　　Aunt　Marge　reached　for　her　glass　of　wine。
　　〃It's　one　of　the　basic　rules　of　breeding；〃　she　said。　〃You　see　it　all　the　time　with　dogs。　If　there's　something　wrong　with　the　bitch；　there'll　be　something　wrong　with　the　pup　〃
　　At　that　moment；　the　wineglass　Aunt　Marge　was　holding　exploded　in　her　hand。　Shards　of　glass　flew　in　every　direction　and　Aunt　Marge　sputtered　and　blinked；　her　great　ruddy　face　dripping。
　　〃Marge！〃　squealed　Aunt　Petunia。　〃Marge；　are　you　all　right？〃
　　〃Not　to　worry；〃　grunted　Aunt　Marge；　mopping　her　face　with　her　napkin。　〃Must　have　squeezed　it　too　hard。　Did　the　same　thing　at　Colonel　Fubster's　the　other　day。　No　need　to　fuss；　Petunia；　I　have　a　very　firm　grip。。。〃
　　But　Aunt　Petunia　and　Uncle　Vernon　were　both　looking　at　Harry　suspiciously；　so　he　decided　he'd　better　skip　dessert　and　escape　from　the　table　as　soon　as　he　could。
　　Outside　in　the　hall；　he　leaned　against　the　wall；　breathing　d