jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第71章

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　　　But　Winky　cried　harder　than　ever。　Dobby；　on　the　other　hand；　beamed　up　at　Harry。
　　　〃Would　Harry　Potter　like　a　cup　of　tea？〃　he　squeaked　loudly；　over　Winky's　sobs。
　　　〃Er…yeah；　okay；〃　said　Harry。
　　　Instantly；　about　six　house…elves　came　trotting　up　behind　him；　bearing　a　large　silver　tray　laden　with　a　teapot；　cups　for　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　a　milk　jug；　and　a　large　plate　of　biscuits。
　　　〃Good　service！〃　Ron　said；　in　an　impressed　voice。　Hermione　frowned　at　him；　but　the　elves　all　looked　delighted；　they　bowed　very　low　and　retreated。
　　　〃How　long　have　you　been　here；　Dobby？〃　Harry　asked　as　Dobby　handed　around　the　tea。
　　　〃Only　a　week。　Harry　Potter；　sir！〃　said　Dobby　happily。　〃Dobby　came　to　see　Professor　Dumbledore；　sir。　You　see；　sir；　it　is　very　difficult　for　a　house…elf　who　has　been　dismissed　to　get　a　new　position；　sir；　very　difficult　indeed…〃
　　　At　this；　Winky　howled　even　harder；　her　squashed…tomato　of　a　nose　dribbling　all　down　her　front；　though　she　made　no　effort　to　stem　the　flow。
　　　〃Dobby　has　traveled　the　country　for　two　whole　years；　sir；　trying　to　find　work！〃　Dobby　squeaked。　〃But　Dobby　hasn't　found　work；　sir；　because　Dobby　wants　paying　now！〃
　　　The　house…elves　all　around　the　kitchen；　who　had　been　listening　and　watching　with　interest；　all　looked　away　at　these　words；　as　though　Dobby　had　said　something　rude　and　embarrassing。　Hermione；　however；　said；　〃Good　for　you；　Dobby！〃
　　　〃Thank　you；　miss！〃　said　Dobby；　grinning　toothily　at　her。　〃But　most　wizards　doesn't　want　a　house…elf　who　wants　paying；　miss。　'That's　not　the　point　of　a　house…elf；'　they　says；　and　they　slammed　the　door　in　Dobby's　face！　Dobby　likes　work；　but　he　wants　to　wear　clothes　and　he　wants　to　be　paid。　Harry　Potter。。。　Dobby　likes　being　free！〃
　　　The　Hogwarts　house…elves　had　now　started　edging　away　from　Dobby；　as　though　he　were　carrying　something　contagious。　Winky；　however；　remained　where　she　was；　though　there　was　a　definite　increase　in　the　volume　other　crying。
　　　〃And　then；　Harry　Potter；　Dobby　goes　to　visit　Winky；　and　finds　out　Winky　has　been　freed　too；　sir！〃　said　Dobby　delightedly。
　　　At　this；　Winky　flung　herself　forward　off　her　stool　and　lay　face…down　on　the　flagged　stone　floor；　beating　her　tiny　fists　upon　it　and　positively　screaming　with　misery。　Hermione　hastily　dropped　down　to　her　knees　beside　her　and　tried　to　fort　her；　but　nothing　she　said　made　the　slightest　difference。　Dobby　continued　with　his　story；　shouting　shrilly　over　Winky's　screeches。
　　　〃And　then　Dobby　had　the　idea。　Harry　Potter；　sir！　'Why　doesn't　Dobby　and　Winky　find　work　together？'　Dobby　says。　'Where　is　there　enough　work　for　two　house…elves？'　says　Winky。　And　Dobby　thinks；　and　it　es　to　him；　sir！　Hogwarts！　So　Dobby　and　Winky　came　to　see　Professor　Dumbledore；　sir；　and　Professor　Dumbledore　took　us　on！〃
　　　Dobby　beamed　very　brightly；　and　happy　tears　welled　in　his　eyes　again。
　　　〃And　Professor　Dumbledore　says　he　will　pay　Dobby；　sir；　if　Dobby　wants　paying！　And　so　Dobby　is　a　free　elf；　sir；　and　Dobby　gets　a　Galleon　a　week　and　one　day　off　a　month！〃
　　　〃That's　not　very　much！〃　Hermione　shouted　indignantly　from　the　floor；　over　Winky's　continued　screaming　and　fist…beating。
　　　〃Professor　Dumbledore　offered　Dobby　ten　Galleons　a　week；　and　weekends　off；〃　said　Dobby；　suddenly　giving　a　little　shiver；　as　though　the　prospect　of　so　much　leisure　and　riches　were　frightening；　〃but　Dobby　beat　him　down；　miss。。。　Dobby　likes　freedom；　miss；　but　he　isn't　wanting　too　much；　miss；　he　likes　work　better。〃
　　　〃And　how　much　is　Professor　Dumbledore　paying　you；　Winky？〃　Hermione　asked　kindly。
　　　If　she　had　thought　this　would　cheer　up　Winky；　she　was　wildly　mistaken。　Winky　did　stop　crying；　but　when　she　sat　up　she　was　glaring　at　Hermione　through　her　massive　brown　eyes；　her　whole　face　sopping　wet　and　suddenly　furious。
　　　〃Winky　is　a　disgraced　elf；　but　Winky　is　not　yet　getting　paid！〃　she　squeaked。　〃Winky　is　not　sunk　so　low　as　that！　Winky　is　properly　ashamed　of　being　freed！〃
　　　〃Ashamed？〃　said　Hermione　blankly。　〃But…Winky；　e　on！　It's　Mr。　Crouch　who　should　be　ashamed；　not　you！　You　didn't　do　anything　wrong；　he　was　really　horrible　to　you…〃
　　　But　at　these　words；　Winky　clapped　her　hands　over　the　holes　in　her　hat；　flattening　her　ears　so　that　she　couldn't　hear　a　word；　and　screeched；　〃You　is　not　insulting　my　master；　miss！　You　is　not　insulting　Mr。　Crouch！　Mr。　Crouch　is　a　good　wizard；　miss！　Mr。　Crouch　is　right　to　sack　bad　Winky！〃
　　　〃Winky　is　having　trouble　adjusting；　Harry　Potter；〃　squeaked　Dobby　confidentially。　〃Winky　forgets　she　is　not　bound　to　Mr。　Crouch　anymore；　she　is　allowed　to　speak　her　mind　now；　but　she　won't　do　it。〃
　　　〃Can't　house…elves　speak　their　minds　about　their　masters；　then？〃　Harry　asked。
　　　〃Oh　no；　sir；　no；〃　said　Dobby；　looking　suddenly　serious。　〃'Tis　part　of　the　house…elf's　enslavement；　sir。　We　keeps　their　secrets　and　our　silence；　sir。　We　upholds　the　family's　honor；　and　we　never　speaks　ill　of　them…though　Professor　Dumbledore　told　Dobby　he　does　not　insist　upon　this。　Professor　Dumbledore　said　we　is　free　to…to…〃
　　　Dobby　looked　suddenly　nervous　and　beckoned　Harry　closer。　Harry　bent　forward。　Dobby　whispered；　〃He　said　we　is　free　to　call　him　a…a　barmy　old　codger　if　we　likes；　sir！〃
　　　Dobby　gave　a　frightened　sort　of　giggle。
　　　〃But　Dobby　is　not　wanting　to；　Harry　Potter；〃　he　said；　talking　normally　again；　and　shaking　his　head　so　that　his　ears　flapped。　〃Dobby　likes　Professor　Dumbledore　very　much；　sir；　and　is　proud　to　keep　his　secrets　and　our　silence　for　him。〃
　　　〃But　you　can　say　what　you　like　about　the　Malfoys　now？〃　Harry　asked　him；　grinning。
　　　A　slightly　fearful　look　came　into　Dobby's　immense　eyes。
　　　〃Dobby…Dobby　could；〃　he　said　doubtfully。　He　squared　his　small　shoulders。　〃Dobby　could　tell　Harry　Potter　that　his　old　masters　were…were…bad　Dark　wizards'。〃
　　　Dobby　stood　for　a　moment；　quivering　all　over；　horror…struck　by　his　own　daring…then　he　rushed　over　to　the　nearest　table　and　began　banging　his　head　on　it　very　hard；　squealing；　〃Bad　Dobby！　Bad　Dobby！〃
　　　Harry　seized　Dobby　by　the　back　of　his　tie　and　pulled　him　away　from　the　table。
　　　〃Thank　you。　Harry　Potter；　thank　you；〃　said　Dobby　breathlessly；　rubbing　his　head。
　　　〃You　just　need　a　bit　of　practice；〃　Harry　said。
　　　〃Practice！〃　squealed　Winky　furiously。　〃You　is　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　Dobby；　talking　that　way　about　your　masters！〃
　　　〃They　isn't　my　masters　anymore；　Winky！〃　said　Dobby　defiantly。　〃Dobby　doesn't　care　what　they　think　anymore！〃
　　　〃Oh　you　is　a　bad　elf；　Dobby！〃　moaned　Winky；　tears　leaking　down　her　face　once　more。　〃My　poor　Mr。　Crouch；　what　is　he　doing　without　Winky？　He　is　needing　me；　he　is　needing　my　help！　I　is　looking　after　the　Crouches　all　my　life；　and　my　mother　is　doing　it　before　me；　and　my　grandmother　is　doing　it　before　her　。。。oh　what　is　they　saying　if　they　knew　Winky　was　freed？　Oh　the　shame；　the　shame！〃　She　buried　her　face　in　her　skirt　again　and　bawled。
　　　〃Winky；〃　said　Hermione　firmly；　〃I'm　quite　sure　Mr。　Crouch　is　getting　along　perfectly　well　without　you。　We've　seen　him；　you　know…〃
　　　〃You　is　seeing　my　master？〃　said　Winky　breathlessly；　raising　her　tearstained　face　out　of　her　skirt　once　more　and　goggling　at　Hermione。　〃You　is　seeing　him　here　at　Hogwarts？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Hermione；　〃he　and　Mr。　Bagman　are　judges　in　the　Triwizard　Tournament。〃
　　　〃Mr。　Bagman　es　too？〃　squeaked　Winky；　and　to　Harry　's　great　surprise　（and　Ron's　and　Hermione's　too；　by　the　looks　on　their　faces）；　she　looked　angry　again。　〃Mr。　Bagman　is　a　bad　wizard！　A　very　bad　wizard！　My　master　isn't　liking　him；　oh　no；　not　at　all！〃
　　　〃Bagman…bad？〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Oh　yes；〃　Winky　said；　nodding　her　head　furiously；　〃My　master　is　telling　Winky　some　things！　But　Winky　is　not　saying。。。　Winky…Winky　keeps　her　master's　secrets。。。〃
　　　She　dissolved　yet　again　in　tears；　they　could　hear　her　sobbing　into　her　skirt；　〃Poor　master；　poor　master；　no　Winky　to　help　him　no　more！〃
　　　They　couldn't　get　another　sensible　word　out　of　Winky。　They　left　her　to　her　crying　and　finished　their　tea；　while　Dobby　chatted　happily　about　his　life　as　a　free　elf　and　his　plans　for　his　wages。
　　　〃Dobby　is　going　to　buy　a　sweater　next；　Harry　Potter！〃　he　said　happily；　pointing　at　his　bare　chest；
　　　〃Tell　you　what；　Dobby；〃　said　Ron；　who　seemed　to　have　taken　a　great　liking　to　the　elf；　〃I'll　give　you　the　one　my　mum　knits　me　this　Christmas；