jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第61部分

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　　　〃e　with　me；　keep　quiet；　an'　keep　yerself　covered　with　that　cloak；〃　said　Hagrid。　〃We　won'　take　Fang；　he　won'　like　it。。。
　　　〃Listen；　Hagrid；　I　can't　stay　long。。。　I've　got　to　be　back　up　at　the　castle　by　one　o'clock…〃
　　　But　Hagrid　wasn't　listening；　he　was　opening　the　cabin　door　and　striding　off　into　the　night。　Harry　hurried　to　follow　and　found；　to　his　great　surprise；　that　Hagrid　was　leading　him　to　the　Beauxbatons　carriage。
　　　〃Hagrid；　what…？〃
　　　〃Shhh！〃　said　Hagrid；　and　he　knocked　three　times　on　the　door　bearing　the　crossed　golden　wands。
　　　Madame　Maxime　opened　it。　She　was　wearing　a　silk　shawl　wrapped　around　her　massive　shoulders。　She　smiled　when　she　saw　Hagrid。
　　　〃Ah；　'Agrid。。。　it　is　time？〃
　　　〃Bong…sewer；〃　said　Hagrid；　beaming　at　her；　and　holding　out　a　hand　to　help　her　down　the　golden　steps。
　　　Madame　Maxime　closed　the　door　behind　her；　Hagrid　offered　her　his　arm；　and　they　set　off　around　the　edge　of　the　paddock　containing　Madame　Maxime's　giant　winged　horses；　with　Harry；　totally　bewildered；　running　to　keep　up　with　them。　Had　Hagrid　wanted　to　show　him　Madame　Maxime？　He　could　see　her　any　old　time　he　wanted。。。　she　wasn't　exactly　hard　to　miss。。。
　　　But　it　seemed　that　Madame　Maxime　was　in　for　the　same　treat　as　Harry；　because　after　a　while　she　said　playfully；　〃Wair　is　it　you　are　taking　me；　'Agrid？〃
　　　〃Yeh'll　enjoy　this；〃　said　Hagrid　gruffly；　〃worth　seein'；　trust　me。　On'y…don'　go　tellin'　anyone　I　showed　yeh；　right？　Yeh're　not　s'posed　ter　know。〃
　　　〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　fluttering　her　long　black　eyelashes。
　　　And　still　they　walked；　Harry　getting　more　and　more　irritated　as　he　jogged　along　in　their　wake；　checking　his　watch　every　now　and　then。　Hagrid　had　some　harebrained　scheme　in　hand；　which　might　make　him　miss　Sirius。　If　they　didn't　get　there　soon；　he　was　going　to　turn　around；　go　straight　back　to　the　castle；　and　leave　Hagrid　to　enjoy　his　moonlit　stroll　with　Madame　Maxime。
　　　But　then…when　they　had　walked　so　far　around　the　perimeter　of　the　forest　that　the　castle　and　the　lake　were　out　of　sight…Harry　heard　something。　Men　were　shouting　up　ahead。。。　then　came　a　deafening；　earsplitting　roar。。。
　　　Hagrid　led　Madame　Maxime　around　a　clump　of　trees　and　came　to　a　halt。　Harry　hurried　up　alongside　them…for　a　split　second；　he　thought　he　was　seeing　bonfires；　and　men　darting　around　them…and　then　his　mouth　fell　open。
　　　Dragons。
　　　Four　fully　grown；　enormous；　vicious…looking　dragons　were　rearing　onto　their　hind　legs　inside　an　enclosure　fenced　with　thick　planks　of　wood；　roaring　and　snorting…torrents　of　fire　were　shooting　into　the　dark　sky　from　their　open；　fanged　mouths；　fifty　feet　above　the　ground　on　their　outstretched　necks。　There　was　a　silvery…blue　one　with　long；　pointed　horns；　snapping　and　snarling　at　the　wizards　on　the　ground；　a　smooth…scaled　green　one；　which　was　writhing　and　stamping　with　all　its　might；　a　red　one　with　an　odd　fringe　of　fine　gold　spikes　around　its　face；　which　was　shooting　mushroom…shaped　fire　clouds　into　the　air；　and　a　gigantic　black　one；　more　lizard…hike　than　the　others；　which　was　nearest　to　them。
　　　At　least　thirty　wizards；　seven　or　eight　to　each　dragon；　were　attempting　to　control　them；　pulling　on　the　chains　connected　to　heavy　leather　straps　around　their　necks　and　legs。　Mesmerized；　Harry　looked　up；　high　above　him；　and　saw　the　eyes　of　the　black　dragon；　with　vertical　pupils　like　a　cat's；　bulging　with　either　fear　or　rage；　he　couldn't　tell　which。。。　It　was　making　a　horrible　noise；　a　yowling；　screeching　scream。
　　　〃Keep　back　there；　Hagrid！〃　yelled　a　wizard　near　the　fence；　straining　on　the　chain　he　was　holding。　〃They　can　shoot　fire　at　a　range　of　twenty　feet；　you　know！　I've　seen　this　Horntail　do　forty！〃
　　　〃Is'n'　it　beautiful？〃　said　Hagrid　softly。
　　　〃It's　no　good！〃　yelled　another　wizard。　〃Stunning　Spells；　on　the　count　of　three！〃
　　　Harry　saw　each　of　the　dragon　keepers　pull　out　his　wand。
　　　〃Stupefy！〃　they　shouted　in　unison；　and　the　Stunning　Spells　shot　into　the　darkness　like　fiery　rockets；　bursting　in　showers　of　stars　on　the　dragons'　scaly　hides…
　　　Harry　watched　the　dragon　nearest　to　them　teeter　dangerously　on　its　back　legs；　its　jaws　stretched　wide　in　a　silent　howl；　its　nostrils　were　suddenly　devoid　of　flame；　though　still　smoking…then；　very　slowly；　it　fell。　Several　tons　of　sinewy；　scaly…black　dragon　hit　the　ground　with　a　thud　that　Harry　could　have　sworn　made　the　trees　behind　him　quake。
　　　The　dragon　keepers　lowered　their　wands　and　walked　forward　to　their　fallen　charges；　each　of　which　was　the　size　of　a　small　hill。　They　hurried　to　tighten　the　chains　and　fasten　them　securely　to　iron　pegs；　which　they　forced　deep　into　the　ground　with　their　wands。
　　　〃Wan'　a　closer　look？〃　Hagrid　asked　Madame　Maxime　excitedly。　The　pair　of　them　moved　right　up　to　the　fence；　and　Harry　followed。　The　wizard　who　had　warned　Hagrid　not　to　e　any　closer　turned；　and　Harry　realized　who　it　was：　Charlie　Weasley。
　　　〃All　right；　Hagrid？〃　he　panted；　ing　over　to　talk。　〃They　should　be　okay　now…we　put　them　out　with　a　Sleeping　Draft　on　the　way　here；　thought　it　might　be　better　for　them　to　wake　up　in　the　dark　and　the　quiet…but；　like　you　saw；　they　weren't　happy；　not　happy　at　all…〃
　　　〃What　breeds　you　got　here；　Charlie？〃　said　Hagrid；　gazing　at　the　closest　dragon；　the　black　one；　with　something　chose　to　reverence。　Its　eyes　were　still　just　open。　Harry　could　see　a　strip　of　gleaming　yellow　beneath　its　wrinkled　black　eyelid。
　　　〃This　is　a　Hungarian　Horntail；〃　said　Charlie。　〃There's　a　mon　Welsh　Green　over　there；　the　smaller　one…a　Swedish　Short…Snout；　that　blue…gray…and　a　Chinese　Fireball；　that's　the　red。〃
　　　Charlie　looked　around；　Madame　Maxime　was　strolling　away　around　the　edge　of　the　enclosure；　gazing　at　the　stunned　dragons。
　　　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　bringing　her；　Hagrid；〃　Charlie　said；　frowning。　〃The　champions　aren't　supposed　to　know　what's　ing…she's　bound　to　tell　her　student；　isn't　she？〃
　　　〃Jus'　thought　she'd　like　ter　see　'em；〃　shrugged　Hagrid；　still　gazing；　enraptured；　at　the　dragons。
　　　〃Really　romantic　date；　Hagrid；〃　said　Charlie；　shaking　his　head。
　　　〃Four。。。〃　said　Hagrid；　〃so　it's　one　fer　each　o'　the　champions；　is　it？　What've　they　gotta　do…fight　'em？〃
　　　〃Just　get　past　them；　I　think；〃　said　Charlie。　〃We'll　be　on　hand　if　it　gets　nasty；　Extinguishing　Spells　at　the　ready。　They　wanted　nesting　mothers；　I　don't　know　why。。。　but　I　tell　you　this；　I　don't　envy　the　one　who　gets　the　Horntail。　Vicious　thing。　Its　back　end's　as　dangerous　as　its　front；　look。〃
　　　Charlie　pointed　toward　the　Horntail's　tail；　and　Harry　saw　long；　bronze…colored　spikes　protruding　along　it　every　few　inches。
　　　Five　of　Charlie's　fellow　keepers　staggered　up　to　the　Horntail　at　that　moment；　carrying　a　clutch　of　huge　granite…gray　eggs　between　them　in　a　blanket。　They　placed　them　carefully　at　the　Horntail's　side。　Hagrid　let　out　a　moan　of　longing。
　　　〃I've　got　them　counted；　Hagrid；〃　said　Charlie　sternly。　Then　he　said；　〃How's　Harry？〃
　　　〃Fine；〃　said　Hagrid。　He　was　still　gazing　at　the　eggs。
　　　〃Just　hope　he's　still　fine　after　he's　faced　this　lot；〃　said　Charlie　grimly；　looking　out　over　the　dragons'　enclosure。　〃I　didn't　dare　tell　Mum　what　he's　got　to　do　for　the　first　task；　she's　already　having　kittens　about　him。。。〃　Charlie　imitated　his　mother's　anxious　voice。　〃How　could　they　let　him　enter　that　tournament；　he's　much　too　young！　I　thought　they　were　all　safe；　I　thought　there　was　going　to　be　an　age　limit！'　She　was　in　floods　after　that　Daily　Prophet　article　about　him。　'He　still　cries　about　his　parents！　Oh　bless　him；　I　never　knew！〃
　　　Harry　had　had　enough。　Trusting　to　the　fact　that　Hagrid　wouldn't　miss　him；　with　the　attractions　of　four　dragons　and　Madame　Maxime　to　occupy　him；　he　turned　silently　and　began　to　walk　away；　back　to　the　castle。
　　　He　didn't　know　whether　he　was　glad　he'd　seen　what　was　ing　or　not。　Perhaps　this　way　was　better。　The　first　shock　was　over　now。　Maybe　if　he'd　seen　the　dragons　for　the　first　time　on　Tuesday；　he　would　have　passed　out　cold　in　front　of　the　whole　school。。。　but　maybe　he　would　anyway。。。　He　was　going　to　be　armed　with　his　wand…which；　just　now；　felt　like　nothing　more　than　a　narrow　strip　of　wood…against　a　fifty…foot…high；　scaly；　spike…ridden；　fire…breathing　dragon。　And　he　had　to　get　past　it。　With　everyone　watching。　How？
　　　Harry　sped　up；　skirting　the　edge　of　the　forest；