jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第83部分

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　　　〃You　want　to　try　over　there！〃　she　said；　pointing。　〃I　won't　e　with　you。。。　I　don't　like　them　much；　they　always　chase　me　when　I　get　too　close。。。〃
　　　Harry　gave　her　the　thumbs…up　to　show　his　thanks　and　set　off　once　more；　careful　to　swim　a　bit　higher　over　the　weed　to　avoid　any　more　grindylows　that　might　be　lurking　there。
　　　He　swam　on　for　what　felt　like　at　least　twenty　minutes。　He　was　passing　over　vast　expanses　of　black　mud　now；　which　swirled　murkily　as　he　disturbed　the　water。　Then；　at　long　last；　he　heard　a　snatch　of　haunting　mersong。
　　　
　　　〃An　hour　long　you'll　have　to　look；
　　　And　to　recover　what　we　took。。。〃
　　　
　　　Harry　swam　faster　and　soon　saw　a　large　rock　emerge　out　of　the　muddy　water　ahead。　It　had　paintings　of　merpeople　on　it；　they　were　carrying　spears　and　chasing　what　looked　like　the　giant　squid。　Harry　swam　on　past　the　rock；　following　the　mersong。
　　　
　　　〃。。。　your　time's　half　gone；　so　tarry　not
　　　Lest　what　you　seek　stays　here　to　rot。。。〃
　　　
　　　A　cluster　of　crude　stone　dwellings　stained　with　algae　loomed　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom　on　all　sides。　Here　and　there　at　the　dark　windows；　Harry　saw　faces。。。　faces　that　bore　no　resemblance　at　all　to　the　painting　of　the　mermaid　in　the　prefects'　bathroom。。。
　　　The　merpeople　had　grayish　skin　and　long；　wild；　dark　green　hair。　Their　eyes　were　yellow；　as　were　their　broken　teeth；　and　they　wore　thick　ropes　of　pebbles　around　their　necks。　They　leered　at　Harry　as　he　swam　past；　one　or　two　of　them　emerged　from　their　caves　to　watch　him　better；　their　powerful；　silver　fish　tails　beating　the　water；　spears　clutched　in　their　hands。
　　　Harry　sped　on；　staring　around；　and　soon　the　dwellings　became　more　numerous；　there　were　gardens　of　weed　around　some　of　them；　and　he　even　saw　a　pet　grindylow　tied　to　a　stake　outside　one　door。　Merpeople　were　emerging　on　all　sides　now；　watching　him　eagerly；　pointing　at　his　webbed　hands　and　gills；　talking　behind　their　hands　to　one　another。　Harry　sped　around　a　corner　and　a　very　strange　sight　met　his　eyes。
　　　A　whole　crowd　of　merpeople　was　floating　in　front　of　the　houses　that　lined　what　looked　like　a　mer…version　of　a　village　square。　A　choir　of　merpeople　was　singing　in　the　middle；　calling　the　champions　toward　them；　and　behind　them　rose　a　crude　sort　of　statue；　a　gigantic　merperson　hewn　from　a　boulder。　Four　people　were　bound　tightly　to　the　tail　of　the　stone　merperson。
　　　Ron　was　tied　between　Hermione　and　Cho　Chang。　There　was　also　a　girl　who　looked　no　older　than　eight；　whose　clouds　of　silvery　hair　made　Harry　feel　sure　that　she　was　Fleur　Delacour's　sister。　All　four　of　them　appeared　to　be　in　a　very　deep　sleep。　Their　heads　were　lolling　onto　their　shoulders；　and　fine　streams　of　bubbles　kept　issuing　from　their　mouths。
　　　Harry　sped　toward　the　hostages；　half　expecting　the　merpeople　to　lower　their　spears　and　charge　at　him；　but　they　did　nothing。　The　ropes　of　weed　tying　the　hostages　to　the　statue　were　thick；　slimy；　and　very　strong。　For　a　fleeting　second　he　thought　of　the　knife　Sirius　had　bought　him　for　Christmas…locked　in　his　trunk　in　the　castle　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　no　use　to　him　whatsoever。
　　　He　looked　around。　Many　of　the　merpeople　surrounding　them　were　carrying　spears。　He　swam　swiftly　toward　a　seven…foot…tall　merman　with　a　long　green　beard　and　a　choker　of　shark　fangs　and　tried　to　mime　a　request　to　borrow　the　spear。　The　merman　laughed　and　shook　his　head。
　　　〃We　do　not　help；〃　he　said　in　a　harsh；　croaky　voice。
　　　〃e　ON！〃　Harry　said　fiercely　（but　only　bubbles　issued　from　his　mouth）；　and　he　tried　to　pull　the　spear　away　from　the　merman；　but　the　merman　yanked　it　back；　still　shaking　his　head　and　laughing。
　　　Harry　swirled　around；　staring　about。　Something　sharp。。。　anything。。。
　　　There　were　rocks　littering　the　lake　bottom。　He　dived　and　snatched　up　a　particularly　jagged　one　and　returned　to　the　statue。　He　began　to　hack　at　the　ropes　binding　Ron；　and　after　several　minutes'　hard　work；　they　broke　apart。　Ron　floated；　unconscious；　a　few　inches　above　the　lake　bottom；　drifting　a　little　in　the　ebb　of　the　water。
　　　Harry　looked　around。　There　was　no　sign　of　any　of　the　other　champions。　What　were　they　playing　at？　Why　didn't　they　hurry　up？　He　turned　back　to　Hermione；　raised　the　jagged　rock；　and　began　to　hack　at　her　bindings　too…
　　　At　once；　several　pairs　of　strong　gray　hands　seized　him。　Half　a　dozen　mermen　were　pulling　him　away　from　Hermione；　shaking　their　green…haired　heads；　and　laughing。
　　　〃You　take　your　own　hostage；〃　one　of　them　said　to　him。　〃Leave　the　others　。。。〃
　　　〃No　way！〃　said　Harry　furiously…but　only　two　large　bubbles　came　out。
　　　Your　task　is　to　retrieve　your　own　friend。。。　leave　the　others　。。。〃　She's　my　friend　too！〃　Harry　yelled；　gesturing　toward　Hermione；　an　enormous　silver　bubble　emerging　soundlessly　from　his　lips。　〃And　I　don't　want　them　to　die　either！〃
　　　Cho's　head　was　on　Hermiones　shoulder；　the　small　silver…haired　girl　was　ghostly　green　and　pale。　Harry　struggled　to　fight　off　the　mermen；　but　they　laughed　harder　than　ever；　holding　him　back。　Harry　looked　wildly　around。　Where　were　the　other　champions？　Would　he　have　time　to　take　Ron　to　the　surface　and　e　back　down　for　Hermione　and　the　others？　Would　he　be　able　to　find　them　again？　He　looked　down　at　his　watch　to　see　how　much　time　was　left…it　had　stopped　working。
　　　But　then　the　merpeople　around　him　pointed　excitedly　over　his　head。　Harry　looked　up　and　saw　Cedric　swimming　toward　them。　There　was　an　enormous　bubble　around　his　head；　which　made　his　features　look　oddly　wide　and　stretched。
　　　〃Got　lost！〃　he　mouthed；　looking　panic…stricken。　〃Fleur　and　Krum're　ing　now！〃
　　　Feeling　enormously　relieved；　Harry　watched　Cedric　pull　a　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　cut　Cho　free。　He　pulled　her　upward　and　out　of　sight。
　　　Harry　looked　around；　waiting。　Where　were　Fleur　and　Krum？　Time　was　getting　short；　and　according　to　the　song；　the　hostages　would　be　lost　after　an　hour。。。
　　　The　merpeople　started　screeching　animatedly。　Those　holding　Harry　loosened　their　grip；　staring　behind　them。　Harry　turned　and　saw　something　monstrous　cutting　through　the　water　toward　them：　a　human　body　in　swimming　trunks　with　the　head　of　a　shark。。。　It　was　Krum。　He　appeared　to　have　transfigured　himselfbut　badly。
　　　The　shark…man　swam　straight　to　Hermione　and　began　snapping　and　biting　at　her　ropes；　the　trouble　was　that　Krum's　new　teeth　were　positioned　very　awkwardly　for　biting　anything　smaller　than　a　dolphin；　and　Harry　was　quite　sure　that　if　Krum　wasn't　careful；　he　was　going　to　rip　Hermione　in　half。　Darting　forward。　Harry　hit　Krum　hard　on　the　shoulder　and　held　up　the　jagged　stone。　Krum　seized　it　and　began　to　cut　Hermione　free。　Within　seconds；　he　had　done　it；　he　grabbed　Hermione　around　the　waist；　and　without　a　backward　glance；　began　to　rise　rapidly　with　her　toward　the　surface。
　　　Now　what？　Harry　thought　desperately。　If　he　could　be　sure　that　Fleur　was　ing。。。　But　still　no　sign。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　except。。。
　　　He　snatched　up　the　stone；　which　Krum　had　dropped；　but　the　mermen　now　closed　in　around　Ron　and　the　little　girl；　shaking　their　heads　at　him。　Harry　pulled　out　his　wand。
　　　〃Get　out　of　the　way！〃
　　　Only　bubbles　flew　out　of　his　mouth；　but　he　had　the　distinct　impression　that　the　mermen　had　understood　him；　because　they　suddenly　stopped　laughing。　Their　yellowish　eyes　were　fixed　upon　Harry's　wand；　and　they　looked　scared。　There　might　be　a　lot　more　of　them　than　there　were　of　him；　but　Harry　could　tell；　by　the　looks　on　their　faces；　that　they　knew　no　more　magic　than　the　giant　squid　did。
　　　〃You've　got　until　three！〃　Harry　shouted；　a　great　stream　of　bubbles　burst　from　him；　but　he　held　up　three　fingers　to　make　sure　they　got　the　message。　〃One。。。〃　（he　put　down　a　finger）　〃two。。。〃　（he　put　down　a　second　one）…
　　　They　scattered。　Harry　darted　forward　and　began　to　hack　at　the　ropes　binding　the　small　girl　to　the　statue；　and　at　last　she　was　free。　He　seized　the　little　girl　around　the　waist；　grabbed　the　neck　of　Rons　robes；　and　kicked　off　from　the　bottom。
　　　It　was　very　slow　work。　He　could　no　longer　use　his　webbed　hands　to　propel　himself　forward；　he　worked　his　flippers　furiously；　but　Ron　and　Fleur's　sister　were　like　potato…filled　sacks　dragging　him　back　down。。。　He　fixed　his　eyes　skyward；　though　he　knew　he　must　still　be　very　deep；　the　water　above　him　was　so　dark；。。。
　　　Merpeople　were　rising　with　him。　He　could　see　them　swirling　around　him　with　ease；　watching　him　struggle　through　the　water。。。　Would　they　pull　him　back　down　to　the　depths　when　the　time　was　up？　Did　they　perhaps　eat　humans？　Harry's　legs　were　seizing　up　with　the　effort　to　keep　swimming；　his　shoulders　were　aching　horribly　with　the　effort　of　dragging　Ron　and　the　girl。。。
　　　He　was　drawing　breath　with　extreme　difficulty。　He　could　feel　pain　on　the　sides　of　his　neck　again　。。。he　was　being　very　aware　of　how　wet　the　water　was　in　his　mouth。。。　yet　the　darkness　was　definitely　thinning　now。。。　he　could　see　daylight　above　him。。。
　　　He　kicked　hard　with　his　flippers　and　discovered　that　they　were　nothing　more　than　feet。。。　water　was　flooding　through　his　mouth　into　his　lungs　。。。he　was　starting　to　feel　dizzy；　but　he　knew　light　and　air　were　only　ten　feet　above　him　。。。he　had　to　get　there　。。。he　had　to　。。。
　　　Harry　kicked　his　legs　so　hard　and　fast　it　felt　as　though　his　muscles　were　screaming　in　protest；　his　very　brain　felt　waterlogged；　he　couldn't　breathe；　he