jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第132部分

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　　　Fudge　shot　Harry　another　look；　and　Harry　suddenly　understood。
　　　〃You've　been　reading　Rita　Skeeter；　Mr。　Fudge；〃　he　said　quietly。
　　　Ron；　Hermione；　Mrs。　Weasley；　and　Bill　all　jumped。　None　of　them　had　realized　that　Harry　was　awake。
　　　Fudge　reddened　slightly；　but　a　defiant　and　obstinate　look　came　over　his　face。
　　　〃And　if　I　have？〃　he　said；　looking　at　Dumbledore。　〃If　I　have　discovered　that　you've　been　keeping　certain　facts　about　the　boy　very　quiet？　A　Parselmouth；　eh？　And　having　funny　turns　all　over　the　place…〃
　　　〃I　assume　that　you　are　referring　to　the　pains　Harry　has　been　experiencing　in　his　scar？〃　said　Dumbledore　coolly。
　　　〃You　admit　that　he　has　been　having　these　pains；　then？〃　said　Fudge　quickly。　〃Headaches？　Nightmares？　Possibly…hallucinations？〃
　　　〃Listen　to　me；　Cornelius；〃　said　Dumbledore；　taking　a　step　toward　Fudge；　and　once　again；　he　seemed　to　radiate　that　indefinable　sense　of　power　that　Harry　had　felt　after　Dumbledore　had　Stunned　young　Crouch。　〃Harry　is　as　sane　as　you　or　I。　That　scar　upon　his　forehead　has　not　addled　his　brains。　I　believe　it　hurts　him　when　Lord　Voldemort　is　close　by；　or　feeling　particularly　murderous。〃
　　　Fudge　had　taken　half　a　step　back　from　Dumbledore；　but　he　looked　no　less　stubborn。
　　　〃You'll　forgive　me；　Dumbledore；　but　I've　never　heard　of　a　curse　scar　acting　as　an　alarm　bell　before。。。〃
　　　〃Look；　I　saw　Voldemort　e　back！〃　Harry　shouted。　He　tried　to　get　out　of　bed　again；　but　Mrs。　Weasley　forced　him　back。　〃I　saw　the　Death　Eaters！　I　can　give　you　their　names！　Lucius　Malfoy…〃
　　　Snape　made　a　sudden　movement；　but　as　Harry　looked　at　him；　Snape's　eyes　flew　back　to　Fudge。
　　　〃Malfoy　was　cleared！〃　said　Fudge；　visibly　affronted。　〃A　very　old　family…donations　to　excellent　causes…〃
　　　〃Macnair！〃　Harry　continued。
　　　〃Also　cleared！　Now　working　for　the　Ministry！〃
　　　〃Avery…Nott…Crabbe…Goyle…〃
　　　〃You　are　merely　repeating　the　names　of　those　who　were　acquitted　of　being　Death　Eaters　thirteen　years　ago！〃　said　Fudge　angrily。　〃You　could　have　found　those　names　in　old　reports　of　the　trials！　For　heavens　sake；　Dumbledore…the　boy　was　full　of　some　crackpot　story　at　the　end　of　last　year　too…his　tales　are　getting　taller；　and　you're　still　swallowing　them…the　boy　can　talk　to　snakes。　Dumbledore；　and　you　still　think　he's　trustworthy？〃
　　　〃You　fool！〃　Professor　McGonagall　cried。　〃Cedric　Diggory！　Mr。　Crouch！　These　deaths　were　not　the　random　work　of　a　lunatic！〃
　　　〃I　see　no　evidence　to　the　contrary！〃　shouted　Fudge；　now　matching　her　anger；　his　face　purpling。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　are　all　determined　to　start　a　panic　that　will　destabilize　everything　we　have　worked　for　these　last　thirteen　years！〃
　　　Harry　couldn't　believe　what　he　was　hearing。　He　had　always　thought　of　Fudge　as　a　kindly　figure；　a　little　blustering；　a　little　pompous；　but　essentially　good…natured。　But　now　a　short；　angry　wizard　stood　before　him；　refusing；　point…blank；　to　accept　the　prospect　of　disruption　in　his　fortable　and　ordered　world…to　believe　that　Voldemort　could　have　risen。
　　　〃Voldemort　has　returned；〃　Dumbledore　repeated。　〃If　you　accept　that　fact　straightaway。　Fudge；　and　take　the　necessary　measures；　we　may　still　be　able　to　save　the　situation。　The　first　and　most　essential　step　is　to　remove　Azkaban　from　the　control　of　the　dementors…〃
　　　〃Preposterous！〃　shouted　Fudge　again。　〃Remove　the　dementors？　I'd　be　kicked　out　of　office　for　suggesting　it！　Half　of　us　only　feel　safe　in　our　beds　at　night　because　we　know　the　dementors　are　standing　guard　at　Azkaban！〃
　　　〃The　rest　of　us　sleep　less　soundly　in　our　beds；　Cornelius；　knowing　that　you　have　put　Lord　Voldemort's　most　dangerous　supporters　in　the　care　of　creatures　who　will　join　him　the　instant　he　asks　them！〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃They　will　not　remain　loyal　to　you；　Fudge！　Voldemort　can　offer　them　much　more　scope　for　their　powers　and　their　pleasures　than　you　can！　With　the　dementors　behind　him；　and　his　old　supporters　returned　to　him；　you　will　be　hard…pressed　to　stop　him　regaining　the　sort　of　power　he　had　thirteen　years　ago！〃
　　　Fudge　was　opening　and　closing　his　mouth　as　though　no　words　could　express　his　outrage。
　　　〃The　second　step　you　must　take…and　at　once；〃　Dumbledore　pressed　on；　〃is　to　send　envoys　to　the　giants。〃
　　　〃Envoys　to　the　giants？〃　Fudge　shrieked；　finding　his　tongue　again。　〃What　madness　is　this？〃
　　　〃Extend　them　the　hand　of　friendship；　now；　before　it　is　too　late；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃or　Voldemort　will　persuade　them；　as　he　did　before；　that　he　alone　among　wizards　will　give　them　their　rights　and　their　freedom！〃
　　　〃You…you　cannot　be　serious！〃　Fudge　gasped；　shaking　his　head　and　retreating　further　from　Dumbledore。　〃If　the　magical　munity　got　wind　that　I　had　approached　the　giants…people　hate　them；　Dumbledore…end　of　my　career…〃
　　　〃You　are　blinded；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　voice　rising　now；　the　aura　of　power　around　him　palpable；　his　eyes　blazing　once　more；　〃by　the　love　of　the　office　you　hold；　Cornelius！　You　place　too　much　importance；　and　you　always　have　done；　on　the　so…called　purity　of　blood！　You　fail　to　recognize　that　it　matters　not　what　someone　is　born；　but　what　they　grow　to　be！　Your　dementor　has　just　destroyed　the　last　remaining　member　of　a　pure…blood　family　as　old　as　any…and　see　what　that　man　chose　to　make　of　his　life！　I　tell　you　nowtake　the　steps　I　have　suggested；　and　you　will　be　remembered；　in　office　or　out；　as　one　of　the　bravest　and　greatest　Ministers　of　Magic　we　have　ever　known。　Fail　to　act…and　history　will　remember　you　as　the　man　who　stepped　aside　and　allowed　Voldemort　a　second　chance　to　destroy　the　world　we　have　tried　to　rebuild！〃
　　　〃Insane；〃　whispered　Fudge；　still　backing　away。　〃Mad。。。〃
　　　And　then　there　was　silence。　Madam　Pomfrey　was　standing　frozen　at　the　foot　of　Harry's　bed；　her　hands　over　her　mouth。　Mrs。　Weasley　was　still　standing　over　Harry；　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　to　prevent　him　from　rising。　Bill；　Ron；　and　Hermione　were　staring　at　Fudge。
　　　〃If　your　determination　to　shut　your　eyes　will　carry　you　as　far　as　this；　Cornelius；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃we　have　reached　a　parting　of　the　ways。　You　must　act　as　you　see　fit。　And　I…I　shall　act　as　I　see　fit。〃
　　　Dumbledore's　voice　carried　no　hint　of　a　threat；　it　sounded　like　a　mere　statement；　but　Fudge　bristled　as　though　Dumbledore　were　advancing　upon　him　with　a　wand。
　　　〃Now；　see　here；　Dumbledore；〃　he　said；　waving　a　threatening　finger。　〃I've　given　you　free　rein；　always。　I've　had　a　lot　of　respect　for　you。　I　might　not　have　agreed　with　some　of　your　decisions；　but　I've　kept　quiet。　There　aren't　many　who'd　have　let　you　hire　werewolves；　or　keep　Hagrid；　or　decide　what　to　teach　your　students　without　reference　to　the　Ministry。　But　if　you're　going　to　work　against　me…〃
　　　〃The　only　one　against　whom　I　intend　to　work；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃is　Lord　Voldemort。　If　you　are　against　him；　then　we　remain；　Cornelius；　on　the　same　side。〃
　　　It　seemed　Fudge　could　think　of　no　answer　to　this。　He　rocked　backward　and　forward　on　his　small　feet　for　a　moment　and　spun　his　bowler　hat　in　his　hands。　Finally；　he　said；　with　a　hint　of　a　plea　in　his　voice；　〃He　can't　be　back；　Dumbledore；　he　just　can't　be　。。。〃
　　　Snape　strode　forward；　past　Dumbledore；　pulling　up　the　left　sleeve　of　his　robes　as　he　went。　He　stuck　out　his　forearm　and　showed　it　to　Fudge；　who　recoiled。
　　　〃There；〃　said　Snape　harshly。　〃There。　The　Dark　Mark。　It　is　not　as　clear　as　it　was　an　hour　or　so　ago；　when　it　burned　black；　but　you　can　still　see　it。　Every　Death　Eater　had　the　sign　burned　into　him　by　the　Dark　Lord。　It　was　a　means　of　distinguishing　one　another；　and　his　means　of　summoning　us　to　him。　When　he　touched　the　Mark　of　any　Death　Eater；　we　were　to　Disapparate；　and　Apparate；　instantly；　at　his　side。　This　Mark　has　been　growing　clearer　all　year。　Karkaroff　s　too。　Why　do　you　think　Karkaroff　fled　tonight？　We　both　felt　the　Mark　burn。　We　both　knew　he　had　returned。　Karkaroff　fears　the　Dark　Lord's　vengeance。　He　betrayed　too　many　of　his　fellow　Death　Eaters　to　be　sure　of　a　wele　back　into　the　fold。〃
　　　Fudge　stepped　back　from　Snape　too。　He　was　shaking　his　head。　He　did　not　seem　to　have　taken　in　a　word　Snape　had　said。　He　stared；　apparently　repelled　by　the　ugly　mark　on　Snape's　arm；　then　looked　up　at　Dumbledore　and　whispered；　〃I　don't　know　what　you　and　your　staff　are　playing　at；　Dumbledore；　but　I　have　heard　enough。　I　have　no　more　to　add。　I　will　be　in　touch　with