4.harry potter and the goblet of fire- 第3节

　　〃It　could　be　done　without　Harry　Potter；　My　Lord。〃
　　Another　pause；　more　protracted；　and　then　　〃Without　Harry　Potter？〃　breathed　the　second　voice　softly。　〃I　see。。。〃
　　〃My　Lord；　I　do　not　say　this　out　of　concern　for　the　boy！〃　said　Wormtail；　his　voice　rising　squeakily。　〃The　boy　is　nothing　to　me；　nothing　at　all！　It　is　merely　that　if　we　were　to　use　another　witch　or　wizard　　any　wizard　　the　thing　could　be　done　so　much　more　quickly！　If　you　allowed　me　to　leave　you　for　a　short　while　　you　know　that　I　can　disguise　myself　most　effectively　　I　could　be　back　here　in　as　little　as　two　days　with　a　suitable　person　〃
　　〃I　could　use　another　wizard；〃　said　the　cold　voice　softly；　〃that　is　true。。。〃
　　〃My　Lord；　it　makes　sense；〃　said　Wormtail；　sounding　thoroughly　relieved　now。
　　〃Laying　hands　on　Harry　Potter　would　be　so　difficult；　he　is　so　well　protected　〃
　　〃And　so　you　volunteer　to　go　and　fetch　me　a　substitute？　I　wonder。。。perhaps　the　task　of　nursing　me　has　bee　wearisome　for　you；　Wormtail？　Could　this　suggestion　of　abandoning　the　plan　be　nothing　more　than　an　attempt　to　desert　me？〃
　　〃My　Lord！　I　　I　have　no　wish　to　leave　you；　none　at　all　〃
　　〃Do　not　lie　to　me！〃　hissed　the　second　voice。　〃I　can　always　tell；　Wormtail！　You　are　regretting　that　you　ever　returned　to　me。　I　revolt　you。　I　see　you　flinch　when　you　look　at　me；　feel　you　shudder　when　you　touch　me。。。〃
　　〃No！　My　devotion　to　Your　Lordship　〃
　　〃Your　devotion　is　nothing　more　than　cowardice。　You　would　not　be　here　if　you　had　anywhere　else　to　go。　How　am　I　to　survive　without　you；　when　I　need　feeding　every　few　hours？　Who　is　to　milk　Nagini？〃
　　〃But　you　seem　so　much　stronger；　My　Lord　〃
　　〃Liar；〃　breathed　the　second　voice。　〃I　am　no　stronger；　and　a　few　days　alone　would　be　enough　to　rob　me　of　the　little　health　I　have　regained　under　your　clumsy　care。
　　Silence！〃
　　Wormtail；　who　had　been　sputtering　incoherently；　fell　silent　at　once。　For　a　few　seconds；　Frank　could　hear　nothing　but　the　fire　crackling。　The　the　second　man　spoke　once　more；　in　a　whisper　that　was　almost　a　hiss。
　　〃I　have　my　reasons　for　using　the　boy；　as　I　have　already　explained　to　you；　and　I　will　use　no　other。　I　have　waited　thirteen　years。　A　few　more　months　will　make　no　difference。　As　for　the　protection　surrounding　the　boy；　I　believe　my　plan　will　be　effective。　All　that　is　needed　is　a　little　courage　from　you；　Wormtail　　courage　you　will　find；　unless　you　wish　to　feel　the　full　extent　of　Lord　Voldermort's　wrath　〃
　　〃My　Lord；　I　must　speak！〃　said　Wormtail；　panic　in　his　voice　now。　〃All　through　our　journey　I　have　gone　over　the　plan　in　my　head　　My　Lord；　Bertha　Jorkin's　disappearance　will　not　go　unnoticed　for　long；　and　if　we　proceed；　if　I　murder　〃
　　〃If？〃　whispered　the　second　voice。　〃If？　If　you　follow　the　plan；　Wormtail；　the　Ministry　need　never　know　that　anyone　else　has　died。　You　will　do　it　quietly　and　without　fuss；　I　only　wish　that　i　could　do　it　myself；　but　in　my　present　condition。。e；　Wormtail；　one　more　death　and　our　path　to　Harry　Potter　is　clear。　I　am　not　asking　you　to　do　it　alone。　By　that　time；　my　faithful　serant　will　have　rejoined　us　〃
　　〃I　am　a　faithful　servant；〃　said　Wormtail；　the　merest　trace　of　sullenness　in　his　voice。
　　〃Wormtail；　I　need　somebody　with　brains；　somebody　whose　loyalty　has　never　wavered；　and　you；　unfortunately；　fulfill　neither　requirement。〃
　　〃I　found　you；〃　said　Wormtail；　and　there　was　definitely　a　sulky　edge　to　his　voice　now。　〃I　was　the　one　who　found　you。　I　brought　you　Bertha　Jorkins。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　second　man；　sounding　amused。　〃A　stroke　of　brilliance　I　would　not　have　thought　possible　from　you；　Wormtail　　though；　if　truth　be　told；　you　were　not　aware　how　useful　she　would　be　when　you　caught　her；　were　you？〃
　　〃I　　I　thought　she　might　be　useful；　My　Lord　〃
　　〃Liar；〃　said　the　second　voice　again；　the　cruel　amusement　more　pronounced　than　ever。　〃However；　I　do　not　deny　that　her　information　was　invaluable。　Without　it；　I　could　never　have　formed　our　plan；　and　for　that；　you　will　have　your　reward；　Wormtail。　I　will　allow　you　to　perform　an　essential　task　for　me；　one　that　many　of　my　followers　would　give　their　right　hands　to　perform。。。〃
　　〃R…really；　My　Lord？　What　　？〃　Wormtail　sounded　terrified　again。
　　〃Ah；　Wormtail；　you　don't　want　me　to　spoil　the　surprise？　Your　part　will　e　at　the　very　end。。。but　I　promise　you；　you　will　have　the　honor　of　being　just　as　useful　as　Bertha　Jorkins。〃
　　〃You。。。you。。。〃　Wormtail's　voice　suddenly　sounded　hoarse；　as　though　his　mouth　had　gone　very　dry。　〃You。。。are　going。。。to　kill　me　too？〃
　　〃Wormtail；　Wormtail；〃　said　the　cold　voice　silkily；　〃why　would　I　kill　you？　I　killed　Bertha　because　I　had　to。　She　was　fit　for　nothing　after　my　questioning；　quite　useless。　In　any　case；　awkward　questions　would　have　been　asked　if　she　had　gone　back　to　the　Ministry　with　the　news　that　she　had　met　you　on　her　holidays。　Wizards　who　are　supposed　to　be　dead　would　do　well　not　to　run　into　Ministry　of　Magic　witches　at　wayside　inns。。。〃
　　Wormtail　muttered　something　so　quietly　that　Frank　could　not　hear　it；　but　it　made　the　second　man　laugh　　an　entirely　mirthless　laugh；　cold　as　his　speech。
　　〃We　could　have　modified　her　memory？　But　Memory　Charms　can　be　broken　by　a　powerful　wizard；　as　I　proved　when　I　questioned　her。　It　would　be　an　insult　to　her　memory　not　to　use　the　information　I　extracted　from　her；　Wormtail。〃
　　Out　in　the　corridor；　Frank　suddenly　became　aware　that　the　hand　gripping　his　walking　stick　was　slippery　with　sweat。　The　man　with　the　cold　voice　had　killed　a　woman。
　　He　was　talking　about　it　without　any　kind　of　remorse　　with　amusement。　He　was　dangerous　　a　madman。　And　he　was　planning　more　murders　　this　boy；　Harry　Potter；　whoever　he　was　　was　in　danger　　Frank　knew　what　he　must　do。　Now；　if　ever；　was　the　time　to　go　to　the　police。　He　would　creep　out　of　the　house　and　head　straight　for　the　telephone　box　in　the　village。。。but　the　cold　voice　was　speaking　again；　and　Frank　remained　where　he　was；　frozen　to　the　spot；　listening　with　all　his　might。
　　〃One　more　murder。。。my　faithful　servant　at　Hogwarts。。。Harry　Potter　is　as　good　as　mine；　Wormtail。　It　is　decided。　There　will　be　no　more　argument。　But　quiet。。。I　think　I　hear　Nagini。。。〃
　　And　the　second　man's　voice　changed。　He　started　making　noises　such　as　Frank　had　never　heard　before；　he　was　hissing　and　spitting　without　drawing　breath。　Frank　thought　he　must　be　having　some　sort　of　fit　or　seizure。
　　And　then　Frank　heard　movement　behind　him　in　the　dark　passageway。　He　turned　to　look；　and　found　himself　paralyzed　with　fright。
　　Something　was　slithering　toward　him　along　the　dark　corridor　floor；　and　as　it　drew　nearer　to　the　sliver　of　firelight；　he　realized　with　a　thrill　of　terror　that　it　was　a　gigantic　snake；　at　least　twelve　feet　long。　Horrified；　transfixed；　Frank　stared　as　its　undulating　body　cut　a　wide；　curving　track　through　the　thick　dust　on　the　floor；　ing　closer　and　closer　　What　was　he　to　do？　The　only　means　of　escape　was　into　the　room　where　the　two　men　sat　plotting　murder；　yet　if　he　stayed　where　he　was　the　snake　would　surely　kill　him　　But　before　he　had　made　his　decision；　the　snake　was　level　with　him；　and　then；　incredibly；　miraculously；　it　was　passing；　it　was　following　the　spitting；　hissing　noises　made　by　the　cold　voice　beyond　the　door；　and　in　s