jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第23部分

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　　　Winky　stirred　feebly。　Her　great　brown　eyes　opened　and　she　blinked　several　times　in　a　bemused　sort　of　way。　Watched　by　the　silent　wizards；　she　raised　herself　shakily　into　a　sitting　position。
　　　She　caught　sight　of　Mr。　Diggory's　feet；　and　slowly；　tremulously；　raised　her　eyes　to　stare　up　into　his　face；　then；　more　slowly　still；　she　looked　up　into　the　sky。　Harry　could　see　the　floating　skull　reflected　twice　in　her　enormous；　glassy　eyes。　She　gave　a　gasp；　looked　wildly　around　the　crowded　clearing；　and　burst　into　terrified　sobs。
　　　〃Elf！〃　said　Mr。　Diggory　sternly。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？　I'm　a　member　of　the　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control　of　Magical　Creatures！〃
　　　Winky　began　to　rock　backward　and　forward　on　the　ground；　her　breath　ing　in　sharp　bursts。　Harry　was　reminded　forcibly　of　Dobby　in　his　moments　of　terrified　disobedience。
　　　〃As　you　see；　elf；　the　Dark　Mark　was　conjured　here　a　short　while　ago；〃　said　Mr。　Diggory。　〃And　you　were　discovered　moments　later；　right　beneath　it！　An　explanation；　if　you　please！〃
　　　〃I…I…I　is　not　doing　it；　sir！〃　Winky　gasped。　〃I　is　not　knowing　how；　sir！〃
　　　〃You　were　found　with　a　wand　in　your　hand！〃　barked　Mr。　Diggory；　brandishing　it　in　front　of　her。　And　as　the　wand　caught　the　green　light　that　was　filling　the　clearing　from　the　skull　above；　Harry　recognized　it
　　　〃Hey…that's　mine！〃　he　said
　　　Everyone　in　the　clearing　looked　at　him。
　　　〃Excuse　me？〃　said　Mr。　Diggory；　incredulously。
　　　〃That's　my　wand！〃　said　Harry。　〃I　dropped　it！〃
　　　〃You　dropped　it？〃　repeated　Mr。　Diggory　in　disbelief。　〃Is　this　a　confession？　You　threw　it　aside　after　you　conjured　the　Mark？〃
　　　〃Amos；　think　who　you're　talking　to！〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　very　angrily。　〃Is　Harry　Potter　likely　to　conjure　the　Dark　Mark？〃
　　　〃Er…of　course　not；〃　mumbled　Mr。　Diggory。　〃Sorry。。。　carried　away。。
　　　〃I　didn't　drop　it　there；　anyway；〃　said　Harry；　jerking　his　thumb　toward　the　trees　beneath　the　skull。　〃I　missed　it　right　after　we　got　into　the　wood。〃
　　　〃So；〃　said　Mr。　Diggory；　his　eyes　hardening　as　he　turned　to　look　at　Winky　again；　cowering　at　his　feet。　〃You　found　this　wand；　eh；　elf？　And　you　picked　it　up　and　thought　you'd　have　some　fun　with　it；　did　you？〃
　　　〃I　is　not　doing　magic　with　it；　sir！〃　squealed　Winky；　tears　streaming　down　the　sides　of　her　squashed　and　bulbous　nose。　〃I　is。。。　I　is。。。　I　is　just　picking　it　up；　sir！　i　is　not　making　the　Dark　Mark；　sir；　i　is　not　knowing　how！〃
　　　〃It　wasn't　her！〃　said　Hermione。　She　looked　very　nervous；　speaking　up　in　front　of　all　these　Ministry　wizards；　yet　determined　all　the　same。　〃Winky's　got　a　squeaky　little　voice；　and　the　voice　we　heard　doing　the　incantation　was　much　deeper！〃　She　looked　around　at　Harry　and　Ron；　appealing　for　their　support。　〃It　didn't　sound　anything　like　Winky；　did　it？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry；　shaking　his　head。　〃It　definitely　didn't　sound　like　an　elf。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　it　was　a　human　voice；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Well；　we'll　soon　see；〃　growled　Mr。　Diggory；　looking　unimpressed。　〃There's　a　simple　way　of　discovering　the　last　spell　a　wand　performed；　elf；　did　you　know　that？〃
　　　Winky　trembled　and　shook　her　head　frantically；　her　ears　flapping；　as　Mr。　Diggory　raised　his　own　wand　again　and　placed　it　tip　to　tip　with　Harry's。
　　　〃Prior　Incantato！〃　roared　Mr。　Diggory。
　　　Harry　heard　Hermione　gasp；　horrified；　as　a　gigantic　serpent…tongued　skull　erupted　from　the　point　where　the　two　wands　met；　but　it　was　a　mere　shadow　of　the　green　skull　high　above　them；　it　looked　as　though　it　were　made　of　thick　gray　smoke：　the　ghost　of　a　spell。
　　　〃Deletrius！〃　Mr。　Diggory　shouted；　and　the　smoky　skull　vanished　in　a　wisp　of　smoke。
　　　〃So；〃　said　Mr。　Diggory　with　a　kind　of　savage　triumph；　looking　down　upon　Winky；　who　was　still　shaking　convulsively。
　　　〃I　is　not　doing　it！〃　she　squealed；　her　eyes　rolling　in　terror。　〃I　is　not；　I　is　not；　I　is　not　knowing　how！　I　is　a　good　elf；　I　isn't　using　wands；　I　isn't　knowing　how！〃
　　　〃You've　been　caught　red…handed；　elf！〃　Mr。　Diggory　roared。　〃Caught　with　the　guilty　wand　in　your　hand！〃
　　　〃Amos；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　loudly；　〃think　about　it。。。　precious　few　wizards　know　how　to　do　that　spell。。。　Where　would　she　have　learned　it？〃
　　　〃Perhaps　Amos　is　suggesting；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch；　cold　anger　in　every　syllable；　〃that　I　routinely　teach　my　servants　to　conjure　the　Dark　Mark？〃
　　　There　was　a　deeply　unpleasant　silence。　Amos　Diggory　looked　horrified。　〃Mr。　Crouch。。。　not。。。　not　at　all。
　　　〃You　have　now　e　very　close　to　accusing　the　two　people　in　this　clearing　who　are　least　likely　to　conjure　that　Mark！〃　barked　Mr。　Crouch。　〃Harry　Potter…and　myself。　I　suppose　you　are　familiar　with　the　boy's　story；　Amos？〃
　　　〃Of　course…everyone　knows…〃　muttered　Mr。　Diggory；　looking　highly　disforted。
　　　〃And　I　trust　you　remember　the　many　proofs　I　have　given；　over　a　long　career；　that　I　despise　and　detest　the　Dark　Arts　and　those　who　practice　them？〃　Mr。　Crouch　shouted；　his　eyes　bulging　again。
　　　〃Mr。　Crouch；　I…I　never　suggested　you　had　anything　to　do　with　it！〃　Amos　Diggory　muttered　again；　now　reddening　behind　his　scrubby　brown　beard。
　　　〃If　you　accuse　my　elf；　you　accuse　me；　Diggory！〃　shouted　Mr。　Crouch。　〃Where　else　would　she　have　learned　to　conjure　it？〃
　　　〃She…she　might've　picked　it　up　anywhere…〃
　　　〃Precisely；　Amos；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃She　might　have　picked　it　up　anywhere。。。　Winky？〃　he　said　kindly；　turning　to　the　elf；　but　she　flinched　as　though　he　too　was　shouting　at　her。　〃Where　exactly　did　you　find　Harry's　wand？〃
　　　Winky　was　twisting　the　hem　of　her　tea　towel　so　violently　that　it　was　fraying　beneath　her　fingers。
　　　〃I…I　is　finding　it。。。　finding　it　there；　sir。。。〃　she　whispered；　〃there。。。　in　the　trees；　sir。
　　　〃You　see；　Amos？〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Whoever　conjured　the　Mark　could　have　Disapparated　right　after　they'd　done　it；　leaving　Harry's　wand　behind。　A　clever　thing　to　do；　not　using　their　own　wand；　which　could　have　betrayed　them。　And　Winky　here　had　the　misfortune　to　e　across　the　wand　moments　later　and　pick　it　up。〃
　　　〃But　then；　she'd　have　been　only　a　few　feet　away　from　the　real　culprit！〃　said　Mr。　Diggory　impatiently。　〃Elf？　Did　you　see　anyone？〃
　　　Winky　began　to　tremble　worse　than　ever。　Her　giant　eyes　flickered　from　Mr。　Diggory；　to　Ludo　Bagman；　and　onto　Mr。　Crouch。　Then　she　gulped　and　said；　〃I　is　seeing　no　one；　sir。。。　no　one。。
　　　〃Amos；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch　curtly；　〃I　am　fully　aware　that；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　events；　you　would　want　to　take　Winky　into　your　department　for　questioning。　I　ask　you；　however；　to　allow　me　to　deal　with　her。〃
　　　Mr。　Diggory　looked　as　though　he　didn't　think　much　of　this　suggestion　at　all；　but　it　was　clear　to　Harry　that　Mr。　Crouch　was　such　an　important　member　of　the　Ministry　that　he　did　not　dare　refuse　him。
　　　〃You　may　rest　assured　that　she　will　be　punished；〃　Mr。　Crouch　added　coldly。
　　　〃M…m…master。。。〃　Winky　stammered；　looking　up　at　Mr。　Crouch；　her　eyes　brimming　with　tears。　〃M…m…master；　p…p…please。。。〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　stared　back；　his　face　somehow　sharpened；　each　line　upon　it　more　deeply　etched。　There　was　no　pity　in　his　gaze。
　　　〃Winky　has　behaved　tonight　in　a　manner　I　would　not　have　believed　possible；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃I　told　her　to　remain　in　the　tent。　I　told　her　to　stay　there　while　I　went　to　sort　out　the　trouble。　And　I　find　that　she　disobeyed　me。　This　means　clothes。〃
　　　〃No！〃　shrieked　Winky；　prostrating　herself　at　Mr。　Crouch's　feet。　〃No；　master！　Not　clothes；　not　clothes！〃
　　　Harry　knew　that　the　only　way　to　turn　a　house…elf　free　was　to　present　it　with　proper　garments。　It　was　pitiful　to　see　the　way　Winky　clutched　at　her　tea　towel　as　she　sobbed　over　Mr。　Crouch's　feet。
　　　〃But　she　was　frightened！〃　Hermione　burst　out　angrily；　glaring　at　Mr。　Crouch。　〃Your　elf's　scared　of　heights；　and　those　wizards　in　masks　were　levitating　people！　You　can't　blame　her　for　wanting　to　get　out　of　their　way！〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　took　a　step　backward；　freeing　himself　from　contact　with　the　elf；　whom　he　was　surveying　as　though　she　were　something　filthy　and　rotten　that　was　contaminating　his　over…shined　shoes。
　　　〃I　have　no　use　for　a　house…elf　who　disobeys　me；〃　he　said　coldly；　looking　over　at　Hermione。　〃I　have　no　use　for　a　servant　who　forgets　what　is　due　to　her　master；　and　to　her　master's　reputation。〃
　　　Winky　was　crying　so　hard　that　her　sobs　echoed　around　the　clearing。　There　was　a　very　nasty　silence；　which　was　ended　by　Mr。　Weasley；　who　said　quietly；　〃Well；　I　think　I'll　take　my　lot　back　to　the　tent；　if　nobody's　got　any　objections。　Amos；　that　wand's　told　us　all　it　can…if　Harry　could　have　it　back；　please…〃
　　　Mr。　Diggory　handed　Harry　his　wand　and　Harry　pocketed　it。
　　　〃e　on；　you　three；〃　Mr。　Weasley　said　quietly。　But　Hermione　didn't　seem　to　want　to　move；　her　eyes　were　still　upon　the　sobbing　elf。　〃Hermione！〃　Mr。　Weasley　said；　more　urgently。　She　turned　and　followed　Harry　and　Ron　out　of　the　clearing　and　off　through　the　trees。
　　　〃What's　going　to　happen　to　Winky？〃　said　Hermione；　the　moment　they　had　left　the　clearing。
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。
　　　〃The　way　they　were　treating　her！〃　said　Hermione　furiously。　〃Mr。　Diggory；　calling　her　'elf'　all　the　time。。。　and　Mr。　Crouch！　He　knows　she　didn't　do　it　and　he's　still　going　to　sack　her！　He　didn't　care　how　frightened　she'd　been；　or　how　upset　she　was…it　was　like　she　wasn't　even　human！〃
　　　〃Well；　she's　not；〃　said　Ron。
　　　Hermione　rounded　on　him。
　　　〃That　doesn't　mean　she　hasn't　got　feelings；　Ron。　It's　d