jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第86章

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　room　as　Harry　crept　out　past　him。
　　　It　was　awkward　moving　under　the　cloak　tonight；　because　Harry　had　the　heavy　egg　under　one　arm　and　the　map　held　in　front　of　his　nose　with　the　other。　However；　the　moonlit　corridors　were　empty　and　silent；　and　by　checking　the　map　at　strategic　intervals；　Harry　was　able　to　ensure　that　he　wouldn't　run　into　anyone　he　wanted　to　avoid。　When　he　reached　the　statue　of　Boris　the　Bewildered；　a　lost…looking　wizard　with　his　gloves　on　the　wrong　hands；　he　located　the　right　door；　leaned　close　to　it；　and　muttered　the　password；　〃Pine　fresh；〃　just　as　Cedric　had　told　him。
　　　The　door　creaked　open。　Harry　slipped　inside；　bolted　the　door　behind　him；　and　pulled　off　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　looking　around。
　　　His　immediate　reaction　was　that　it　would　be　worth　being　a　prefect　just　to　be　able　to　use　this　bathroom。　It　was　softly　lit　by　a　splendid　candle…filled　chandelier；　and　everything　was　made　of　white　marble；　including　what　looked　like　an　empty；　rectangular　swimming　pool　sunk　into　the　middle　of　the　floor。　About　a　hundred　golden　taps　stood　all　around　the　pools　edges；　each　with　a　differently　colored　Jewel　set　into　its　handle。　There　was　also　a　diving　board。　Long　white　linen　curtains　hung　at　the　windows；　a　large　pile　of　fluffy　white　towels　sat　in　a　corner；　and　there　was　a　single　golden…framed　painting　on　the　wall。　It　featured　a　blonde　mermaid　who
　　　was　fast　asleep　on　a　rock；　her　long　hair　over　her　face。　It　fluttered　every　time　she　snored。
　　　Harry　moved　forward；　looking　around；　his　footsteps　echoing　off　the　walls。　Magnificent　though　the　bathroom　was…and　quite　keen　though　he　was　to　try　out　a　few　of　those　taps…now　he　was　here　he　couldn't　quite　suppress　the　feeling　that　Cedric　might　have　been　having　him　on。　How　on　earth　was　this　supposed　to　help　solve　the　mystery　of　the　egg？　Nevertheless；　he　put　one　of　the　Huffy　towels；　the　cloak；　the　map；　and　the　egg　at　the　side　of　the　swimming…pool…sized　bath；　then　knelt　down　and　turned　on　a　few　of　the　taps。
　　　He　could　tell　at　once　that　they　carried　different　sorts　of　bubble　bath　mixed　with　the　water；　though　it　wasn't　bubble　bath　as　Harry　had　ever　experienced　it。　One　tap　gushed　pink　and　blue　bubbles　the　size　of　footballs；　another　poured　ice…white　foam　so　thick　that　Harry　thought　it　would　have　supported　his　weight　if　he'd　cared　to　test　it；　a　third　sent　heavily　perfumed　purple　clouds　hovering　over　the　surface　of　the　water。　Harry　amused　himself　for　awhile　turning　the　taps　on　and　off；　particularly　enjoying　the　effect　of　one　whose　jet　bounced　off　the　surface　of　the　water　in　large　arcs。　Then；　when　the　deep　pool　was　full　of　hot　water；　foam；　and　bubbles；　which　took　a　very　short　time　considering　its　size；　Harry　turned　off　all　the　taps；　pulled　off　his　pajamas；　slippers；　and　dressing　gown；　and　slid　into　the　water。
　　　It　was　so　deep　that　his　feet　barely　touched　the　bottom；　and　he　actually　did　a　couple　of　lengths　before　swimming　back　to　the　side　and　treading　water；　staring　at　the　egg。　Highly　enjoyable　though　it　was　to　swim　in　hot　and　foamy　water　with　clouds　of　different…colored　steam　wafting　all　around　him；　no　stroke　of　brilliance　came　to　him；　no　sudden　burst　of　understanding。
　　　Harry　stretched　out　his　arms；　lifted　the　egg　in　his　wet　hands；　and　opened　it。　The　wailing；　screeching　sound　filled　the　bathroom；　echoing　and　reverberating　off　the　marble　walls；　but　it　sounded　just　as　inprehensible　as　ever；　if　not　more　so　with　all　the　echoes。　He　snapped　it　shut　again；　worried　that　the　sound　would　attract　Filch；　wondering　whether　that　hadn't　been　Cedric's　plan…and　then；　making　him　jump　so　badly　that　he　dropped　the　egg；　which　clattered　away　across　the　bathroom　floor；　someone　spoke。
　　　〃I'd　try　putting　it　in　the　water；　if　I　were　you。〃
　　　Harry　had　swallowed　a　considerable　amount　of　bubbles　in　shock。　He　stood　up；　sputtering；　and　saw　the　ghost　of　a　very　glum…looking　girl　sitting　cross…legged　on　top　of　one　of　the　taps。　It　was　Moaning　Myrtle；　who　was　usually　to　be　heard　sobbing　in　the　S…bend　of　a　toilet　three　floors　below。
　　　〃Myrtle！〃　Harry　said　in　outrage；　〃I'm…I'm　not　wearing　anything！〃
　　　The　foam　was　so　dense　that　this　hardly　mattered；　but　he　had　a　nasty　feeling　that　Myrtle　had　been　spying　on　him　from　out　of　one　of　the　taps　ever　since　he　had　arrived。
　　　〃I　closed　my　eyes　when　you　got　in；〃　she　said；　blinking　at　him　through　her　thick　spectacles。　〃You　haven't　been　to　see　me　for　ages。〃
　　　〃Yeah。。。　well。。。〃　said　Harry；　bending　his　knees　slightly；　just　to　make　absolutely　sure　Myrtle　couldn't　see　anything　but　his　head；　〃I'm　not　supposed　to　e　into　your　bathroom；　am　I？　It's　a　girls'　one。〃
　　　〃You　didn't　used　to　care；〃　said　Myrtle　miserably。　〃You　used　to　be　in　there　all　the　time。〃
　　　This　was　true；　though　only　because　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　had　found　Myrtle's　out…of…order　toilets　a　convenient　place　to　brew　Polyjuice　Potion　in　secret…a　forbidden　potion　that　had　turned　him　and　Ron　into　living　replicas　of　Crabbe　and　Goyle　for　an　hour；　so　that　they　could　sneak　into　the　Slytherin　mon　room。
　　　〃I　got　told　off　for　going　in　there。〃　said　Harry；　which　was　half…true；　Percy　had　once　caught　him　ing　out　of　Myrtles　bathroom。　〃I　thought　I'd　better　not　e　back　after　that。〃
　　　〃Oh　。。。I　see　。。。〃　said　Myrtle；　picking　at　a　spot　on　her　chin　in　a　morose　sort　of　way。　〃Well。。。　anyway。。。　I'd　try　the　egg　in　the　water。　That's　what　Cedric　Diggory　did。〃
　　　〃Have　you　been　spying　on　him　too？〃　said　Harry　indignantly。　〃What　d'you　do；　sneak　up　here　in　the　evenings　to　watch　the　prefects　take　baths？〃
　　　〃Sometimes；〃　said　Myrtle；　rather　slyly；　〃but　I've　never　e　out　to　speak　to　anyone　before。〃
　　　〃I'm　honored；〃　said　Harry　darkly。　〃You　keep　your　eyes　shut！〃
　　　He　made　sure　Myrtle　had　her　glasses　well　covered　before　hoisting　himself　out　of　the　bath；　wrapping　the　towel　firmly　around　his　waist；　and　going　to　retrieve　the　egg。　Once　he　was　back　in　the　water；　Myrtle　peered　through　her　fingers　and　said；　〃Go　on；　then。。。　open　it　under　the　water！〃
　　　Harry　lowered　the　egg　beneath　the　foamy　surface　and　opened　it。。。　and　this　time；　it　did　not　wail。　A　gurgling　song　was　ing　out　of　it；　a　song　whose　words　he　couldnt　distinguish　through　the　water。
　　　〃You　need　to　put　your　head　under　too；〃　said　Myrtle；　who　seemed　to　be　thoroughly　enjoying　bossing　him　around。　〃Go　on！〃
　　　Harry　took　a　great　breath　and　slid　under　the　surface…and　now；　sitting　on　the　marble　bottom　of　the　bubble…filled　bath；　he　heard　a　chorus　of　eerie　voices　singing　to　him　from　the　open　egg　in　his　hands：
　　　
　　　〃e　seek　us　where　our　voices　sound；
　　　We　cannot　sing　above　the　ground；
　　　And　while　you　re　searching；　ponder　this：
　　　Wove　taken　what　you'll　sorely　miss；
　　　An　hour　long　you'll　have　to　look；
　　　And　to　recover　what　we　took；
　　　But　past　an　hourthe　prospect's　black；
　　　Too　late；　it's　gone；　it　wont　e　back〃
　　　
　　　Harry　let　himself　float　back　upward　and　broke　the　bubbly　surface；　shaking　his　hair　out　of　his　eyes。
　　　〃Hear　it？〃　said　Myrtle。
　　　〃Yeah　。。。'e　seek　us　where　our　voices　sound。。。　'　and　if　I　need　persuading　。。。hang　on；　I　need　to　listen　again。。。〃
　　　He　sank　back　beneath　the　water。　It　took　three　more　underwater　renditions　of　the　egg's　song　before　Harry　had　it　memorized；　then　he　trod　water　for　a　while；　thinking　hard；　while　Myrtle　sat　and　watched　him。
　　　〃I've　got　to　go　and　look　for　people　who　can't　use　their　voices　above　the　ground。。。〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Er。。。　who　could　that　be？〃
　　　〃Slow；　aren't　you？〃
　　　He　had　never　seen　Moaning　Myrtle　so　cheerful；　apart　from　the　day　when　a　dose　of　PolyJuice　Potion　had　given　Hermione　the　hairy　face　and　tail　of　a　cat。　Harry　stared　around　the　bathroom；　thinking　。。。if　the　voices　could　only　be　heard　underwater；　then　it　made　sense　for　them　to　belong　to　underwater　creatures。　He　ran　this　theory　past　Myrtle；　who　smirked　at　him。
　　　〃Well；　thats　what　Diggory　thought；〃　she　said。　〃He　lay　there　talking　to　himself　for　ages　about　it。　Ages　and　ages。。。　nearly　all　the　bubbles　had　gone。。。〃
　　　〃Underwater　。。。〃　Harry　said　slowly。　〃Myrtle。。。　what　lives　in　the　lake；　apart　from　the　giant　squid？〃
　　　〃Oh　all　sorts；〃　she　said。　〃I　sometimes　go　down　there。。。　sometimes　don't　have　any　choice；　if　someone　flushes　my　toilet　when　I'm　not　expecting　it。。。〃
　　　Trying　not　to　think　about　Moaning　Myrtle　zooming　down　a　pipe　to　the　lake　with　the　contents　of　a　toilet。　Harry　said；　〃Well；　d