jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第77部分

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　　　〃Myrtle！〃　Harry　said　in　outrage；　〃I'm…I'm　not　wearing　anything！〃
　　　The　foam　was　so　dense　that　this　hardly　mattered；　but　he　had　a　nasty　feeling　that　Myrtle　had　been　spying　on　him　from　out　of　one　of　the　taps　ever　since　he　had　arrived。
　　　〃I　closed　my　eyes　when　you　got　in；〃　she　said；　blinking　at　him　through　her　thick　spectacles。　〃You　haven't　been　to　see　me　for　ages。〃
　　　〃Yeah。。。　well。。。〃　said　Harry；　bending　his　knees　slightly；　just　to　make　absolutely　sure　Myrtle　couldn't　see　anything　but　his　head；　〃I'm　not　supposed　to　e　into　your　bathroom；　am　I？　It's　a　girls'　one。〃
　　　〃You　didn't　used　to　care；〃　said　Myrtle　miserably。　〃You　used　to　be　in　there　all　the　time。〃
　　　This　was　true；　though　only　because　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　had　found　Myrtle's　out…of…order　toilets　a　convenient　place　to　brew　Polyjuice　Potion　in　secret…a　forbidden　potion　that　had　turned　him　and　Ron　into　living　replicas　of　Crabbe　and　Goyle　for　an　hour；　so　that　they　could　sneak　into　the　Slytherin　mon　room。
　　　〃I　got　told　off　for　going　in　there。〃　said　Harry；　which　was　half…true；　Percy　had　once　caught　him　ing　out　of　Myrtles　bathroom。　〃I　thought　I'd　better　not　e　back　after　that。〃
　　　〃Oh　。。。I　see　。。。〃　said　Myrtle；　picking　at　a　spot　on　her　chin　in　a　morose　sort　of　way。　〃Well。。。　anyway。。。　I'd　try　the　egg　in　the　water。　That's　what　Cedric　Diggory　did。〃
　　　〃Have　you　been　spying　on　him　too？〃　said　Harry　indignantly。　〃What　d'you　do；　sneak　up　here　in　the　evenings　to　watch　the　prefects　take　baths？〃
　　　〃Sometimes；〃　said　Myrtle；　rather　slyly；　〃but　I've　never　e　out　to　speak　to　anyone　before。〃
　　　〃I'm　honored；〃　said　Harry　darkly。　〃You　keep　your　eyes　shut！〃
　　　He　made　sure　Myrtle　had　her　glasses　well　covered　before　hoisting　himself　out　of　the　bath；　wrapping　the　towel　firmly　around　his　waist；　and　going　to　retrieve　the　egg。　Once　he　was　back　in　the　water；　Myrtle　peered　through　her　fingers　and　said；　〃Go　on；　then。。。　open　it　under　the　water！〃
　　　Harry　lowered　the　egg　beneath　the　foamy　surface　and　opened　it。。。　and　this　time；　it　did　not　wail。　A　gurgling　song　was　ing　out　of　it；　a　song　whose　words　he　couldnt　distinguish　through　the　water。
　　　〃You　need　to　put　your　head　under　too；〃　said　Myrtle；　who　seemed　to　be　thoroughly　enjoying　bossing　him　around。　〃Go　on！〃
　　　Harry　took　a　great　breath　and　slid　under　the　surface…and　now；　sitting　on　the　marble　bottom　of　the　bubble…filled　bath；　he　heard　a　chorus　of　eerie　voices　singing　to　him　from　the　open　egg　in　his　hands：
　　　
　　　〃e　seek　us　where　our　voices　sound；
　　　We　cannot　sing　above　the　ground；
　　　And　while　you　re　searching；　ponder　this：
　　　Wove　taken　what　you'll　sorely　miss；
　　　An　hour　long　you'll　have　to　look；
　　　And　to　recover　what　we　took；
　　　But　past　an　hourthe　prospect's　black；
　　　Too　late；　it's　gone；　it　wont　e　back〃
　　　
　　　Harry　let　himself　float　back　upward　and　broke　the　bubbly　surface；　shaking　his　hair　out　of　his　eyes。
　　　〃Hear　it？〃　said　Myrtle。
　　　〃Yeah　。。。'e　seek　us　where　our　voices　sound。。。　'　and　if　I　need　persuading　。。。hang　on；　I　need　to　listen　again。。。〃
　　　He　sank　back　beneath　the　water。　It　took　three　more　underwater　renditions　of　the　egg's　song　before　Harry　had　it　memorized；　then　he　trod　water　for　a　while；　thinking　hard；　while　Myrtle　sat　and　watched　him。
　　　〃I've　got　to　go　and　look　for　people　who　can't　use　their　voices　above　the　ground。。。〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Er。。。　who　could　that　be？〃
　　　〃Slow；　aren't　you？〃
　　　He　had　never　seen　Moaning　Myrtle　so　cheerful；　apart　from　the　day　when　a　dose　of　PolyJuice　Potion　had　given　Hermione　the　hairy　face　and　tail　of　a　cat。　Harry　stared　around　the　bathroom；　thinking　。。。if　the　voices　could　only　be　heard　underwater；　then　it　made　sense　for　them　to　belong　to　underwater　creatures。　He　ran　this　theory　past　Myrtle；　who　smirked　at　him。
　　　〃Well；　thats　what　Diggory　thought；〃　she　said。　〃He　lay　there　talking　to　himself　for　ages　about　it。　Ages　and　ages。。。　nearly　all　the　bubbles　had　gone。。。〃
　　　〃Underwater　。。。〃　Harry　said　slowly。　〃Myrtle。。。　what　lives　in　the　lake；　apart　from　the　giant　squid？〃
　　　〃Oh　all　sorts；〃　she　said。　〃I　sometimes　go　down　there。。。　sometimes　don't　have　any　choice；　if　someone　flushes　my　toilet　when　I'm　not　expecting　it。。。〃
　　　Trying　not　to　think　about　Moaning　Myrtle　zooming　down　a　pipe　to　the　lake　with　the　contents　of　a　toilet。　Harry　said；　〃Well；　does　anything　in　there　have　a　human　voice？　Hang　on…〃
　　　Harry's　eyes　had　fallen　on　the　picture　of　the　snoozing　mermaid　on　the　wall。
　　　〃Myrtle；　there　aren't　merpeople　in　there；　are　there？〃
　　　〃Oooh；　very　good；〃　she　said；　her　thick　glasses　twinkling；　〃it　took　Diggory　much　longer　than　that！　And　that　was　with　her　awake　too〃…Myrtle　jerked　her　head　toward　the　mermaid　with　an　expression　of　great　dislike　on　her　glum　face…〃giggling　and　showing　off　and　flashing　her　fins。。。〃
　　　〃Thats　it；　isn't　it？〃　said　Harry　excitedly。　〃The　second　tasks　to　go　and　find　the　merpeople　in　the　lake　and　。。。and　。。。〃
　　　But　he　suddenly　realized　what　he　was　saying；　and　he　felt　the　excitement　drain　out　of　him　as　though　someone　had　just　pulled　a　plug　in　his　stomach。　He　wasn't　a　very　good　swimmer；　he'd　never　had　much　practice。　Dudley　had　had　lessons　in　his　youth；　but　Aunt　Petunia　and　Uncle　Vernon；　no　doubt　hoping　that　Harry　would　drown　one　day；　hadn't　bothered　to　give　him　any。　A　couple　of　lengths　of　this　bath　were　all　very　well；　but　that　lake　was　very　large；　and　very　deep。。。　and　merpeople　would　surely　live　right　at　the　bottom。。。
　　　〃Myrtle；〃　Harry　said　slowly；　〃how　am　I　supposed　to　breathe？〃
　　　At　this；　Myrtle's　eyes　filled　with　sudden　tears　again。
　　　〃Tactless！〃　she　muttered；　groping　in　her　robes　for　a　handkerchief。
　　　〃What's　tactless？〃　said　Harry；　bewildered。
　　　〃Talking　about　breathing　in　front　of　me！〃　she　said　shrilly；　and　her　voice　echoed　loudly　around　the　bathroom。　〃When　I　can't。。。　when　I　haven't。。。　not　for　ages　。。。〃
　　　She　buried　her　face　in　her　handkerchief　and　sniffed　loudly。　Harry　remembered　how　touchy　Myrtle　had　always　been　about　being　dead；　but　none　of　the　other　ghosts　he　knew　made　such　a　fuss　about　it。
　　　〃Sorry；〃　he　said　impatiently。　〃I　didn't　mean…I　just　forgot。。。〃
　　　〃Oh　yes；　very　easy　to　forget　Myrtle's　dead；〃　said　Myrtle；　gulping；　looking　at　him　out　of　swollen　eyes。　〃Nobody　missed　me　even　when　I　was　alive。　Took　them　hours　and　hours　to　find　my　body…I　know；　I　was　sitting　there　waiting　for　them。　Olive　Hornby　came　into　the　bathroom…Are　you　in　here　again；　sulking；　Myrtle？'　she　said；　'because　Professor　Dippet　asked　me　to　look　for　you　…'　And　then　she　saw　my　body。。。　ooooh；　she　didn't　forget　it　until　her　dying　day；　I　made　sure　of　that。。。　followed　her　around　and　reminded　her；　I　did。　I　remember　at　her　brother's　wedding…〃
　　　But　Harry　wasn't　listening；　he　was　thinking　about　the　merpeople's　song　again。　〃We've　taken　what　you　II　sorely　miss。〃　That　sounded　as　though　they　were　going　to　steal　something　of　his；　something　he　had　to　get　back。　What　were　they　going　to　take？
　　　〃…and　then；　of　course；　she　went　to　the　Ministry　of　Magic　to　stop　me　stalking　her；　so　I　had　to　e　back　here　and　live　in　my　toilet。〃
　　　〃Good；〃　said　Harry　vaguely。　〃Well；　I'm　a　lot　further　on　than　I　was。。。　Shut　your　eyes　again；　will　you？　I'm　getting　out。〃
　　　He　retrieved　the　egg　from　the　bottom　of　the　bath；　climbed　out；　dried　himself；　and　pulled　on　his　pajamas　and　dressing　gown　again。
　　　〃Will　you　e　and　visit　me　in　my　bathroom　again　sometime？〃　Moaning　Myrtle　asked　mournfully　as　Harry　picked　up　the　Invisibility　Cloak。
　　　〃Er。。。　I'll　try；〃　Harry　said；　though　privately　thinking　the　only　way　he'd　be　visiting　Myrtle's　bathroom　again　was　if　every　other　toilet　in　the　castle　got　blocked。　〃See　you。　Myrtle。。。　thanks　for　your　help。〃
　　　〃Bye；　'bye；〃　she　said　gloomily；　and　as　Harry　put　on　the　Invisibllity　Cloak　he　saw　her　zoom　back　up　the　tap。
　　　Out　in　the　dark　corridor；　Harry　examined　the　Marauders　Map　to　check　that　the　coast　was　still　clear。　Yes；　the　dots　belonging　to　Filch　and　his　cat；　Mrs。　Norris；　were　safely　in　their　office。。。　nothing　else　seemed　to　be　moving　apart　from　Peeves；　though　he　was　bouncing　around　the　trophy　room　on　the　floor　above。。。　Harry　had　taken　his　first　step　back　toward　Gryffindor　Tower　when　something　else　on　the　map　caught　his　eye。。。　something　distinctly　odd。
　　　Peeves　was　not　the　only　thing　that　was　moving。　A　single　dot　was　flitting　around　a　room　in　the　bottom　left…hand　corner…Snapes　office。　But　the　dot　wasn't　labeled　〃Severus　Snape〃　。。。it　was　Bartemius　Crouch。
　　　Harry　stared　at　the　dot。　Mr。　Crouch　was　supposed　to　be　too　ill　to　go　to　work　or　to　e　to　the　Yule　Ball…so　what　was　he　doing；　sneaking　into　Hogwarts　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning？　Harry　watched　closely　as　the　dot　moved　around　and　around　the　room；　pausing　here　and　there。。。
　　　Harry　hesitated；　thinking。。。　and　then　his　curiosity　got　the　better　of　him。　He　turned　and　set　off　in　the　opposite　direction　toward　the　nearest　staircase。　He　was　going　to　see　what　Crouch　was　up　to。
　　　Harry　walked　down　the　stairs　as　quietly　as　possible；　though　the　faces　in　some　of　the　portraits　still　turned　curiously　at　the　squeak　of　a　floorboard；　the　rustle　of　his　pajamas。　He　crept　along　the　corridor　below；　pushed　aside　a　tapestry　about　halfway　along；　and　proceeded　down　a　narrower　staircase；　a　shortcut　that　would　take　him　down　two　floors。　He　kept　glancing　down　at　the　map；　wondering　。。。It　just　didn't　seem　in　character；　somehow；　for　correct；　law…abiding　Mr