HPMOR 第19章｜延迟满足（中英对照）
奇洛教授用一整堂课教哈利怎么认输：从亚洲道场的旧事，到十三名高年级斯莱特林轮番把他推倒在地。
英文原文取自 HPMOR 官方第 19 章。下文保留章首题记，并严格按官方故事正文的自然段与分隔线逐段排列；每组英文在上、中文在下；中文为依据英文独立校订的非官方译文。hpmor.xyz 对应章 仅用于核对理解、专名、术语与遗漏，未原样转载。
Blood for the blood god! Skulls for J. K. Rowling!
血祭血神！颅献 J·K·罗琳！
Draco had a stern expression on his face, and his green-trimmed robes somehow looked far more formal, serious, and well-turned-out than the same exact robes as worn by the two boys behind him.
德拉科板着脸。不知怎么，他这身绿边袍子跟身后两个男孩穿的明明一模一样，可穿在他身上就显得正式得多、庄重得多，也体面利落得多。
"Talk," said Draco.
「说。」德拉科说。
"Yeah! Talk!"
「对！快说！」
"You heard da boss! Talk!"
「听见没，老大发话了！快说！」
"You two, on the other hand, shut up."
「至于你们两个，闭嘴。」
The last session of classes on Friday was about to start, in that vast auditorium where all four Houses learned Defense, er, Battle Magic.
周五的最后一节课就要开始了，地点还是那间大礼堂，四个学院都在这里上黑魔法防御术，呃，战斗魔法。
The last session of classes on Friday.
周五的最后一节课。
Harry was hoping that this class would be non-stressful, and that the brilliant Professor Quirrell would realize this was perhaps not the best time to single out Harry for anything. Harry had recovered a little, but...
哈利希望这节课别太折腾人，也希望聪明的奇洛教授能明白，眼下大概不是单独把哈利点出来的时候。哈利是恢复了一点，可是……
...but just in case, it was probably best to get in a bit of stress relief first.
……不过保险起见，最好还是先给自己减减压。
Harry leaned back in his chair and bestowed a look of great solemnity upon Draco and his minions.
哈利往椅背上一靠，把一副极为庄重的神情赏给德拉科和他的跟班。
"You ask, what is our aim?" Harry declaimed. "I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs - Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no -"
「你问，我们的目标是什么？」哈利高声说道。「我可以用一个词回答：胜利。不惜一切代价的胜利——不惧一切恐怖的胜利——无论道路多么漫长艰难的胜利，因为没有胜利，就没有——」
"Talk about Snape," Draco hissed. "What did you do?"
「说说斯内普，」德拉科压着嗓子说。「你到底干了什么？」
Harry wiped away the fake solemnity and gave Draco a more serious look.
哈利抹掉装出来的庄重，换上一副认真得多的表情看着德拉科。
"You saw it," Harry said. "Everyone saw it. I snapped my fingers."
「你看见了，」哈利说。「所有人都看见了。我打了个响指。」
"Harry! Stop teasing me!"
「哈利！别再逗我了！」
So he'd been promoted to Harry now. Interesting. And in fact Harry was fairly sure that he was meant to notice that, and feel bad if he didn't respond somehow...
看来德拉科已经升格到可以直接叫哈利了。有意思。而且哈利相当肯定，对方就是要他注意到这一点，还指望他若是一点回应都没有，就该觉得过意不去……
Harry tapped his ears and gave a significant glance at the minions.
哈利敲了敲自己的耳朵，意味深长地朝两个跟班瞥了一眼。
"They won't talk," said Draco.
「他们不会说出去的，」德拉科说。
"Draco," Harry said, "I'm going to be one hundred percent honest here and say that yesterday I was not particularly impressed with Mr. Goyle's cunning."
「德拉科，」哈利说，「我百分百说句实话：昨天高尔先生的心机，没怎么让我印象深刻。」
Mr. Goyle winced.
高尔先生缩了缩脖子。
"Me neither," said Draco. "I explained to him that I ended up owing you a favor because of it." (Mr. Goyle winced again.) "But there is a big difference between that sort of mistake and being indiscreet. That really is something they've been trained from childhood to understand."
「我也没有，」德拉科说。「我跟他说清楚了，就因为他那一下，我欠了你一个人情。」（高尔先生又缩了缩脖子。）「可那种错和嘴不严，确实完全是两回事。这一点他们从小就被教明白了。」
"All right then," Harry said. He lowered his voice, even though the background noises had gone to blurs in Draco's presence. "I deduced one of Severus's secrets and did a bit of blackmail."
「那好吧，」哈利说。就算德拉科一出现，四周的杂音就糊成了一片，他还是把声音放低了。「我推断出了西弗勒斯的一个秘密，然后稍微要挟了他一下。」
Draco's expression hardened. "Good, now tell me something you didn't tell in strict confidence to the idiots in Gryffindor, meaning that was the story you wanted to get all over the school."
德拉科的表情沉了下来。「很好。现在说点别的——别再拿你『悄悄』告诉格兰芬多那帮笨蛋的那一套来应付我，那套东西，你本来就指望它传遍全校。」
Harry grinned involuntarily and he knew that Draco had caught it.
哈利不由自主地咧嘴笑了，他知道这一笑被德拉科逮住了。
"What is Severus saying?" Harry said.
「西弗勒斯那边怎么说？」哈利问。
"That he hadn't realized how sensitive the feelings of young children were," Draco said. "Even in Slytherin! Even to me!"
「他说他没料到小孩子的心思这么敏感，」德拉科说。「斯莱特林里也一样！连对我都这么说！」
"Are you sure," Harry said, "that you want to know something your Head of House would rather you not know?"
「你确定，」哈利说，「你想知道一件你们院长宁可你不知道的事？」
"Yes," Draco said without hesitation.
「确定。」德拉科答得毫不犹豫。
Interesting."Then you really are going to send your minions away first, because I'm not sure I can believe everything you believe about them."
有意思。「那你真得先把两个跟班打发走，因为我不确定能信得过你对他们的全部判断。」
Draco nodded. "Okay."
德拉科点点头。「行。」
Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle looked very unhappy. "Boss -" said Mr. Crabbe.
克拉布先生和高尔先生看起来非常不高兴。「老大——」克拉布先生说。
"You've given Mr. Potter no reason to trust you," Draco said. "Go!"
「你们没做过任何让波特先生能信你们的事，」德拉科说。「走！」
They left.
两人走了。
"In particular," Harry said, lowering his voice even further, "I'm not entirely sure that they wouldn't just report what I said to Lucius."
「尤其是，」哈利说，声音压得更低，「我没法完全确定，他们不会转身就把我说的话报给卢修斯。」
"Father wouldn't do that!" Draco said, looking genuinely aghast. "They're mine!"
「父亲不会那么干的！」德拉科说，脸上是真的骇然。「他们是我的人！」
"I'm sorry, Draco," Harry said. "I'm just not sure I can believe everything you believe about your father. Imagine it was your secret and me telling you my father wouldn't do that."
「对不起，德拉科，」哈利说。「我只是不确定能信得过你对令尊的每一个判断。你自己想想：要是那是你的秘密，而我对你说，我父亲不会那么干。」
Draco nodded slowly. "You're right. I'm sorry, Harry. It was wrong of me to ask it of you."
德拉科缓缓点头。「你说得对。该道歉的是我，哈利。我不该向你提这个要求。」
How did I get this promoted? Shouldn't he hate me now? Harry had the feeling he was looking at something exploitable... he just wished his brain wasn't so exhausted. Ordinarily he would have loved to try his hand at some complicated plotting.
*我这是怎么升格到这一步的？他现在不是该恨我吗？*哈利隐约觉得自己眼前摆着个可以下手的机会……他只盼自己的脑子别这么累。换在平时，他本来会很乐意亲手试一试，编几个复杂的局。
"Anyway," Harry said. "Trade. I tell you a fact that isn't on the grapevine, and does not go on the grapevine, and in particular does not go to your father, and in return you tell me what you and Slytherin think about the whole business."
「总之，」哈利说。「交易。我告诉你一件小道消息里还没有的事实，而且它不会进小道消息，尤其不会传到你父亲那里；你反过来把斯莱特林那边对这整件事的看法讲给我听。」
"Deal!"
「成交！」
Now to make this as vague as possible... something that wouldn't hurt much even if it did get out... "What I said was true. I did discover one of Severus's secrets, and I did do some blackmail. But Severus wasn't the only person involved."
现在得把话说得尽量含糊……说点就算传出去也无伤大雅的……「我说的都是真的。西弗勒斯的秘密我确实摸到了一个，也确实拿来要挟过他。但被卷进来的不只西弗勒斯一个人。」
"I knew it!" Draco said exultantly.
「我就知道！」德拉科眉飞色舞地说。
Harry's stomach sank. He had apparently said something very significant and he did not know why. This was not a good sign.
哈利心里一沉。他显然说了一句分量很重的话，可他自己不知道重在哪里。这不是好兆头。
"All right," Draco said. He was grinning widely now. "So here's what the reaction was like in Slytherin. First, all the idiots were like, 'We hate Harry Potter! Let's go beat him up!'"
「好吧，」德拉科说，这会儿他笑得咧开了嘴。「斯莱特林那边的反应是这样。先是那帮傻瓜全都跳出来，『我们恨哈利·波特！去揍他一顿！』」
Harry choked. "What is wrong with the Sorting Hat? That's not Slytherin, it's Gryffindor -"
哈利被呛了一下。「分院帽到底出什么毛病了？那不是斯莱特林，那是格兰芬多——」
"Not all children are prodigies," Draco said, though he was smiling in a sort of nasty-conspiratorial way, as though to suggest that he privately agreed with Harry's opinion. "And it took around fifteen seconds for someone to explain to them why this might not be such a favor to Snape, so you're fine. Anyway, after that was the second wave of idiots, the ones who were saying, 'Looks like Harry Potter was just another do-gooder after all.'"
「不是每个小孩都是天才，」德拉科说，他脸上那笑不怀好意，又带着点共谋的意味，仿佛在暗示他私底下也同意哈利的看法。「而且大概过了十五秒，就有人跟他们讲清楚，为什么这么做对斯内普未必算好事，所以你没事。总之，接着是第二波傻瓜，他们说：『看来哈利·波特到头来也不过是个滥好人。』」
"And then?" Harry said, smiling even though he had no idea why that was stupid.
「然后呢？」哈利说。他笑着，尽管他完全不明白这话蠢在哪里。
"And then the actual smart people started talking. It's obvious that you found a way to put a lot of pressure on Snape. And while that could be more than one thing... the obvious next thought is that it has something to do with Snape's unknown hold over Dumbledore. Am I right?"
「然后真正聪明的人开始说话了。你显然找到了办法，能给斯内普施加很大的压力。这背后可能不止一件事……接下来下一个谁都想到的念头，就是这跟斯内普手里那个牵制着邓布利多、来路不明的东西有关。我说得对吗？」
"No comment," Harry said. At least his brain was processing this part correctly. House Slytherin had wondered why Severus wasn't getting fired. And they'd concluded that Severus was blackmailing Dumbledore. Could that actually be true...? But Dumbledore hadn't seemed to act like it...
「无可奉告，」哈利说。至少这一部分，他的脑子处理得没错。斯莱特林学院的确琢磨过西弗勒斯为什么一直没被开除。他们得出的结论是，西弗勒斯在要挟邓布利多。这事真有可能吗……？可邓布利多的样子又不像被人要挟的样子……
Draco went on talking. "And the next thing the smart people pointed out was that if you could put enough pressure on Snape to make him leave half of Hogwarts alone, that meant you probably had enough power to get rid of him entirely, if you wanted. What you did to him was a humiliation, just the same way he tried to humiliate you - but you left us our Head of House."
德拉科接着说。「聪明人指出的下一点是：如果你给的压力大到能让斯内普放过半个霍格沃茨，那就说明，只要你想，你大概就有足够的力量把他整个除掉。你对他做的事是羞辱，就像他当初想羞辱你一样——可你把我们的院长留了下来。」
Harry made his smile wider.
哈利把笑容又扯大了一点。
"And then the really smart people," Draco said, his face now serious, "went off and had a little discussion by themselves, and someone pointed out that it would be a very stupid thing to leave an enemy around like that. If you could break his hold over Dumbledore, the obvious thing would be to just do it. Dumbledore would kick Snape out of Hogwarts and maybe even have him killed, he'd be very grateful to you, and you wouldn't have to worry about Snape sneaking into your dorm room at night with interesting potions."
「再然后，特别聪明的那几个人，」德拉科说，这会儿他表情严肃起来，「自己凑到一块儿开了个小会，有人指出：把这样一个敌人留在身边，蠢得没边。既然你能打破他对邓布利多的牵制，那明摆着的做法就是直接动手。邓布利多会把斯内普扫地出门，甚至可能要他的命；邓布利多会非常感激你，你也用不着再担心斯内普半夜带着有趣的魔药溜进你的寝室。」
Harry's face was now neutral. He had not thought of that and he really, really should have. "And from this you concluded...?"
哈利脸上没什么表情了。这一点他没想到，而他真的、真的应该想到。「所以你们由此推出……？」
"Snape's hold was some secret of Dumbledore's and you've got the secret!" Draco was looking exultant. "It can't be powerful enough to destroy Dumbledore entirely, or Snape would have used it by now. Snape refuses to use his hold for anything except staying king of Slytherin House in Hogwarts, and he doesn't always get what he wants even then, so it must have limits. But it's got to be really good! Father's been trying to get Snape to tell him for years!"
「斯内普手里攥着的是邓布利多的某个秘密，而这个秘密现在在你手里！」德拉科一脸狂喜。「它不至于强到能把邓布利多彻底扳倒，不然斯内普早就动手了。斯内普除了拿它保住自己在霍格沃茨斯莱特林学院当老大的位子，别的都不肯用，可就连这件事，他也不是每次都能如愿，可见它一定有边界。可它肯定是条极好的料！父亲想从斯内普嘴里套出来，已经套了好几年了！」
"And," Harry said, "now Lucius thinks maybe I can tell him. Did you already get an owl -"
「而且，」哈利说，「现在卢修斯觉得，也许我能告诉他。你是不是已经收到猫头鹰——」
"I will tonight," Draco said, and laughed. "It will say," his voice took on a different, more formal cadence, "My beloved son: I've already told you of Harry Potter's potential importance. As you have already realized, his importance has now become greater and more urgent. If you see any possible avenue of friendship or point of pressure with him, you must pursue it, and the full resources of Malfoy are at your disposal if needed."
「今晚就会收到，」德拉科说着笑了。「信上会写，」他的嗓门换成了一种更正式的腔调，「我亲爱的儿子：哈利·波特的潜在重要性，我之前已经同你讲过。正如你如今已经明白的，他的重要性变得更大了，也更紧迫了。只要在他身上看到任何结交的门路或者可以施压的着力点，你就必须抓住；需要的话，马尔福的全部资源任你调用。」
Gosh. "Well," Harry said, "not commenting on whether or not your whole complicated edifice of theory is true, let me just say that we are not quite such good friends as yet."
天哪。「这样吧，」哈利说，「你们那一整套复杂的理论是真是假，我不作评论，我只说一句：我们俩还没好到那个份上。」
"I know," Draco said. Then his face turned very serious, and his voice grew quiet even within the blur. "Harry, has it occurred to you that if you know something Dumbledore doesn't want known, Dumbledore might simply have you killed? And it would turn the Boy-Who-Lived from a potential competing leader into a valuable martyr, too."
「我知道，」德拉科说。随后他的表情变得很严肃，声音在那片模糊里也低了下去。「哈利，你想过没有：要是你手里攥着一件邓布利多不愿意让人知道的事，他大可以直接把你做掉？而且这样一来，大难不死的男孩就从潜在的竞争领袖，变成了一个很有用的烈士。」
"No comment," Harry said yet again. He hadn't thought of that last part, either. Didn't seem to be Dumbledore's style... but...
「无可奉告，」哈利又说了一遍。后半句他也没想到。这似乎不是邓布利多的作风……可是……
"Harry," Draco said, "you've obviously got incredible talent, but you've got no training and no mentors and you do stupid things sometimes and you really need an advisor who knows how to do this or you're going to get hurt!" Draco's face was fierce.
「哈利，」德拉科说，「你的天赋显然惊人，可你没受过训练，没有导师，有时候还会干蠢事，你真的需要一个懂这套规矩的人给你当参谋，否则你会吃亏的！」德拉科的表情很凶。
"Ah," Harry said. "An advisor like Lucius?"
「啊，」哈利说。「像卢修斯那样的参谋？」
"Like me!" said Draco. "I'll promise to keep your secrets from Father, from everyone, I'll just help you figure out whatever you want to do!"
「像我这样的！」德拉科说。「我保证把你的秘密瞒着父亲，瞒着所有人，我只帮你把你想做的事想清楚！」
Wow.
哇。
Harry saw that zombie-Quirrell was staggering in through the doors.
哈利看见僵尸似的奇洛正跌跌撞撞地穿门进来。
"Class is about to start," said Harry. "I'll think about what you said, there's lots of times I do wish I had all your training, it's just I don't know how I can trust you so quickly -"
「快上课了，」哈利说。「你说的话我会考虑。有很多时候我确实希望自己有你受过的那些训练，我只是不知道，我怎么可能这么快就信得过你——」
"You shouldn't," Draco said, "it's too soon. See? I'll give you good advice even if it hurts me. But we should maybe hurry up and become closer friends."
「你就是不该信，」德拉科说，「现在太快了。看见没？就算对我自己不利，我也照样给你出好主意。不过我们也许该抓紧点，变成更要好的朋友。」
"I'm open to that," said Harry, who was already trying to figure out how to exploit it.
「我不反对，」哈利说，他已经开始琢磨这事能怎么利用了。
"Another bit of advice," Draco said hurriedly as Quirrell slouched toward his desk, "right now everyone in Slytherin's wondering about you, so if you're courting us, which I think you are, you should do something that signals friendship to Slytherin. Soon, like today or tomorrow."
「再给你一条建议，」德拉科说得很快，奇洛正耷拉着身子朝自己的书桌走去，「眼下斯莱特林人人都在琢磨你，所以如果你是在拉拢我们——我看你是——那就该做件向斯莱特林表示友好的事。尽快，比如今天或者明天。」
"Letting Severus go on awarding extra House points to Slytherin wasn't enough?" No reason Harry couldn't take credit for it.
「让西弗勒斯继续给斯莱特林加分还不够吗？」反正这笔功劳，哈利没道理不认在自己头上。
Draco's eyes flickered with realization, then he said rapidly, "It's not the same, trust me, it's got to be something obvious. Push your mudblood rival Granger into a wall or something, everyone in Slytherin will know what that means -"
德拉科眼里闪过一丝了然，随即飞快地说：「这不一样，相信我，得是明眼一看就明白的事。把你那个泥巴种对手格兰杰推到墙上去之类的，斯莱特林所有人都会明白那是什么意思——」
"That is not how it works in Ravenclaw, Draco! If you have to push someone into a wall it means your brain is too weak to beat them the right way and everyone in Ravenclaw knows that -"
「拉文克劳不兴这一套，德拉科！如果你得靠把人推到墙上，那说明你的脑子太弱，没本事正正经经赢人家——这事拉文克劳人人都懂——」
The screen on Harry's desk flickered on, provoking a sudden wash of nostalgia for television and computers.
哈利桌上的复读屏闪了闪，亮了，一股对电视和电脑的怀念猛地涌上来。
"Ahem," said Professor Quirrell's voice, seeming to speak personally to Harry out of the screen. "Please take your seats."
「嗯哼，」奇洛教授的声音说，听上去像是从复读屏里单独对着哈利讲话。「请各位就座。」
And the children were all seated and staring at the repeater screens on their desks, or looking down directly at the great white marble stage where Professor Quirrell stood, leaning on his desk atop the small dais of darker marble.
孩子们都已经坐好，有的盯着自己桌上的复读屏，有的干脆低头去看下面那座巨大的白色大理石台。奇洛教授就站在台上那个深色大理石的矮台子上，靠着一张小桌。
"Today," said Professor Quirrell, "I had planned to teach you your first defensive spell, a small shield that was the ancestor of today's Protego. But on second thought I have changed today's lesson plan in the light of recent events."
「今天，」奇洛教授说，「我原本打算教你们这辈子的第一个防御咒：一面小小的护盾，它是今天Protego的前身。不过转念一想，我根据最近发生的事，把今天的课程计划改了。」
Professor Quirrell's gaze searched the rows of seats. Harry winced from where he was sitting, in the back row. He had a feeling he knew who was about to be called on.
奇洛教授的目光在一排排座位上搜寻。哈利坐在最后一排，不由得缩了一下。他觉得自己知道谁要被叫起来了。
"Draco, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Malfoy," said Professor Quirrell.
「德拉科，出身古老而高贵的马尔福家族，」奇洛教授说。
Whew.
呼。
"Yes, Professor?" said Draco. His voice was amplified, seeming to come from the repeater screen on Harry's desk, which showed Draco's face as he spoke. Then the screen shifted back to Professor Quirrell, who said:
「在，教授？」德拉科说。他的声音被放大了，听上去像是从哈利桌上的复读屏里传出来的；屏幕上映着德拉科说话时的脸。随后画面切回奇洛教授，教授说：
"Is it your ambition to become the next Dark Lord?"
「你的志向，是成为下一个黑魔王吗？」
"That's an odd question, Professor," said Draco. "I mean, who'd be dumb enough to admit it?"
「这问题问得奇怪，教授，」德拉科说。「我是说，谁会蠢到承认啊？」
A few students laughed, but not many.
有几个学生笑了，但不多。
"Indeed," said Professor Quirrell. "So while there's no point in asking any of you, it would not surprise me in the slightest if there were a student or two in my classes who harbored ambitions of being the next Dark Lord. After all, I wanted to be the next Dark Lord when I was a young Slytherin."
「确实，」奇洛教授说。「所以，问你们谁都没意义，不过我的课上要是有一两个学生心里藏着当下一个黑魔王的野心，我一点也不惊讶。毕竟，我年轻的时候也念斯莱特林，那时候就想当下一任黑魔王。」
This time the laughter was much more widespread.
这回笑的人多多了。
"Well, it is the House of the ambitious, after all," Professor Quirrell said, smiling. "I didn't realize until later that what I really enjoyed was Battle Magic, and that my true ambition was to become a great fighting wizard and someday teach at Hogwarts. In any case, when I was thirteen years old, I read through the historical sections of the Hogwarts library, scrutinizing the lives and fates of past Dark Lords, and I made a list of all the mistakes that I would never make when I was a Dark Lord -"
「毕竟，斯莱特林就是那个有野心的学院嘛，」奇洛教授笑着说。「我后来才明白，我真正喜欢的是战斗魔法，我真正的志向是当一个了不起的战斗巫师，将来有一天到霍格沃茨教书。不管怎么说，十三岁那年，我把霍格沃茨图书馆的历史区读了个遍，细细研究历代黑魔王的生平和结局，然后列了一张清单，写的是等我当上黑魔王以后我绝不会犯的那些错——」
Harry giggled before he could stop himself.
哈利没忍住，咯咯笑了出来。
"Yes, Mr. Potter, very amusing. So, Mr. Potter, can you guess what was the very first item on that list?"
「是啊，波特先生，真好笑。那么，波特先生，你猜猜那张清单上的第一条是什么？」
Great."Um... never use a complicated way of dealing with an enemy when you can just Abracadabra them?"
太好了。「呃……能直接 Abracadabra 掉敌人，就别用复杂的办法？」
"The term, Mr. Potter, is Avada Kedavra," Professor Quirrell's voice sounded a bit sharp for some reason, "and no, that was not on the list I made at age thirteen. Would you care to guess again?"
「那个词，波特先生，是Avada Kedavra，」不知为什么，奇洛教授的声音听着有点尖，「另外，不对，那条不在我十三岁列的那张清单上。要不要再猜一次？」
"Ah... never brag to anyone about your evil master plan?"
「啊……永远别跟人吹嘘你那个邪恶的大计划？」
Professor Quirrell laughed. "Ah, now that was number two. My, Mr. Potter, have we been reading the same books?"
奇洛教授笑了。「啊，这条是第二条。哎呀，波特先生，咱俩读的是同一批书吗？」
There was more laughter, with an undertone of nervousness. Harry clenched his jaw tightly shut and said nothing. A denial would accomplish nothing.
笑声更多了，底下压着一层紧张。哈利紧紧咬住牙关，什么也没说。否认也没用。
"But no. The first item was, 'I will not go around provoking strong, vicious enemies.' The history of the world would be very different if Mornelithe Falconsbane or Hitler had grasped that elementary point. Now if, Mr. Potter - just if by some chance you harbor an ambition similar to the one I held as a young Slytherin - even so, I hope it is not your ambition to become a stupid Dark Lord."
「但不是这条。第一条是：『我不会到处去招惹强大又凶狠的敌人。』要是 Mornelithe Falconsbane 或者希特勒明白这条最基本的道理，世界的历史会完全不一样。那么，如果，波特先生——只是如果，万一你也怀着和我当年在斯莱特林时差不多的野心——就算是这样，我希望你的志向不是当一个愚蠢的黑魔王。」
"Professor Quirrell," Harry said, gritting his teeth, "I am a Ravenclaw and it is not my ambition to be stupid, period. I know that what I did today was dumb. But it wasn't Dark! I was not the one who threw the first punch in that fight!"
「奇洛教授，」哈利咬着牙说，「我是拉文克劳，我的志向也不是变蠢，就这样。我知道我今天做的事很蠢。但那跟黑不沾边！那场架里先动手的不是我！」
"You, Mr. Potter, are an idiot. But then so was I at your age. Thus I anticipated your answer and altered today's lesson plan accordingly. Mr. Gregory Goyle, if you would come forward, please?"
「你，波特先生，是个白痴。不过我像你这么大的时候也一样。所以我料到你会这么回答，也就照着改了今天的课程计划。格雷戈里·高尔先生，请你到前面来，好吗？」
There was a surprised pause in the classroom. Harry hadn't been expecting that.
教室里静了半拍，谁都很意外。哈利也没料到。
Neither, from the looks of it, had Mr. Goyle, who looked rather uncertain and worried as he mounted the marble stage and approached the dais.
看样子高尔先生也没料到，他踏上大理石台、朝那个深色矮台子走过去的时候，脸上有些拿不准，很是担心。
Professor Quirrell straightened from where he was leaning on the desk. He looked suddenly stronger, and his hands formed fists and he drew himself up into a clearly recognizable martial arts stance.
奇洛教授从靠着的桌子上直起身。他忽然显得强壮了，双手握拳，身子一沉，摆出一个一眼就能认出的武术架势。
Harry's eyes widened at the sight, and he realized why Mr. Goyle had been called up.
哈利看得眼睛都大了，他明白高尔先生为什么被叫上去。
"Most wizards," Professor Quirrell said, "do not bother much with what a Muggle would term martial arts. Is not a wand stronger than a fist? This attitude is stupid. Wands are held in fists. If you want to be a great fighting wizard you must learn martial arts to a level which would impress even a Muggle. I will now demonstrate a certain vitally important technique, which I learned in a dojo, a Muggle school of martial arts, of which I shall speak more shortly. For now..." Professor Quirrell took several steps forward, still in stance, advancing on where Mr. Goyle stood. "Mr. Goyle, I will ask you to attack me."
「大多数巫师，」奇洛教授说，「都不太理会麻瓜所说的武术。魔杖难道不比拳头强？这种态度很蠢。魔杖是握在拳头里的。你想成为厉害的战斗巫师，就必须把武术练到连麻瓜都会佩服的水平。我现在要演示一项极其重要的技巧，是我在一家道场——麻瓜的武术学校——里学到的，关于那家道场，我稍后会多讲几句。现在……」奇洛教授保持着架势往前走了几步，朝高尔先生站的地方逼近。「高尔先生，我要请你攻击我。」
"Professor Quirrell," said Mr. Goyle, his voice now amplified as the professor's was, "can I ask what level -"
「奇洛教授，」高尔先生说，这时他的声音也像教授的一样被放大了，「我能问一下您是几段——」
"Sixth dan. You will not be hurt and neither will I. And if you see an opening, please take it."
「六段。你不会受伤，我也不会。要是看到空当，尽管出手。」
Mr. Goyle nodded, looking much relieved.
高尔先生点点头，看上去放心多了。
"Note," Professor Quirrell said, "that Mr. Goyle was afraid to attack someone who did not know martial arts to an acceptable level, for fear that I, or he, would be hurt. Mr. Goyle's attitude is exactly correct and he has earned three Quirrell points for it. Now, fight!"
「注意，」奇洛教授说，「高尔先生不敢攻击一个武术没练到一定水平的人，他怕我受伤，或者他自己受伤。高尔先生这个态度完全正确，他因此得到 3 分奇洛分。现在，打！」
The young boy blurred forward, fists flying, and the Professor blocked every blow, dancing backward, Quirrell kicked and Goyle blocked and spun and tried to trip Quirrell with a sweeping leg and Quirrell hopped over it and it was all happening too fast for Harry to make sense of what was going on and then Goyle was on his back with his legs pushing and Quirrell was actually flying through the air and then he hit the ground shoulder first and rolled.
那男孩身形一晃就冲了上去，双拳飞舞；教授挡下每一拳，一边退一边挪步；奇洛踢出一脚，高尔格开、转身，一记扫腿想把奇洛绊倒，奇洛跳了过去。这一切快得哈利根本看不懂，接着高尔仰面倒地，双腿一蹬，奇洛竟然整个人飞在空中，然后肩膀先着地，就地一滚。
"Stop!" cried Professor Quirrell from the ground, sounding a little panicked. "You win!"
「停！」奇洛教授在地上喊，声音里有点慌。「你赢了！」
Mr. Goyle pulled up so sharply he staggered, almost tripping and falling from the aborted momentum of his headlong charge toward Professor Quirrell. His face showed utter shock.
高尔先生猛地收住，趔趄了一下，那股朝奇洛教授猛冲的势头硬生生刹住，差点把他自己绊倒。他脸上满是震惊。
Professor Quirrell arched his back and bounced to his feet using a peculiar springing motion that made no use of his hands.
奇洛教授一拱背，用了个古怪的弹跳动作蹦了起来，完全没用手。
There was a silence in the classroom, a silence born of total confusion.
教室里一片沉默，一种全然摸不着头脑的沉默。
"Mr. Goyle," said Professor Quirrell, "what vitally important technique did I demonstrate?"
「高尔先生，」奇洛教授说，「我刚才演示的那项极其重要的技巧是什么？」
"How to fall correctly when someone throws you," said Mr. Goyle. "It's one of the very first lessons you learn -"
「别人把你摔出去的时候，怎么正确地摔。」高尔先生说。「这是最开始就要学的几课之一——」
"That too," said Professor Quirrell.
「那也是，」奇洛教授说。
There was a pause.
一阵停顿。
"The vitally important technique which I demonstrated," said Professor Quirrell, "was how to lose. You may go, Mr. Goyle, thank you."
「我刚才演示的那项极其重要的技巧，」奇洛教授说，「是怎么输。你可以走了，高尔先生，谢谢。」
Mr. Goyle walked off the platform, looking rather bewildered. Harry felt the same way.
高尔先生走下台，一脸困惑。哈利也一样。
Professor Quirrell walked back to his desk and resumed leaning on it. "Sometimes we forget the most basic things, since it has been too long since we learned them. I realized I had done the same with my own lesson plan. You do not teach students to throw until you have taught them to fall. And I must not teach you to fight if you do not understand how to lose."
奇洛教授走回桌边，又靠了上去。「有时候，最基本的东西反而会被忘掉，因为我们学会它们已经太久了。我发现我自己的课程计划也犯了同样的毛病。学生没学会怎么摔，就不能教他们怎么把人摔出去。你们没弄明白怎么输，我就不能教你们怎么打。」
Professor Quirrell's face hardened, and Harry thought he saw a hint of pain, a touch of sorrow, in those eyes. "I learned how to lose in a dojo in Asia, which, as any Muggle knows, is where all the good martial artists live. This dojo taught a style which had a reputation among fighting wizards as adapting well to magical dueling. The Master of that dojo - an old man by Muggle standards - was that style's greatest living teacher. He had no idea that magic existed, of course. I applied to study there, and was one of the few students accepted that year, from among many contenders. There might have been a tiny bit of special influence involved."
奇洛教授的脸色硬了起来，哈利觉得在那双眼睛里看到了一丝痛楚、一点伤感。「我是在亚洲的一家道场里学会怎么输的。随便哪个麻瓜都知道，好武术家都住在亚洲。这家道场教的流派在战斗巫师中间有个名声：它很适合用在魔法决斗上。那家道场的师父——按麻瓜的标准算是个老人——是这门流派在世最了不起的老师。他当然完全不知道魔法存在。我去那里申请入学，从许多竞争者中成了那一年被收下的少数几个学生之一。其中大概有那么一点点特殊关照起了作用。」
There was some laughter in the classroom. Harry didn't share it. That hadn't been right at all.
教室里响起一些笑声。哈利没笑。那话说得根本不对劲。
"In any case. During one of my first fights, after I had been beaten in a particularly humiliating fashion, I lost control and attacked my sparring partner -"
「总之。在我最早的一次对练里，我被打得特别丢人，一时失控，攻击了我的对练伙伴——」
Yikes.
天哪。
"- thankfully with my fists, rather than my magic. The Master, surprisingly, did not expel me on the spot. But he told me that there was a flaw in my temperament. He explained it to me, and I knew that he was right. And then he said that I would learn how to lose."
「——幸好用的是拳头，不是魔法。出乎意料的是，师父没有当场把我赶走。但他告诉我，我的性情里有个缺陷。他跟我讲了讲这个缺陷，我知道他说得对。然后他说，我要去学会怎么输。」
Professor Quirrell's face was expressionless.
奇洛教授面无表情。
"Upon his strict orders, all of the students of the dojo lined up. One by one, they approached me. I was not to defend myself. I was only to beg for mercy. One by one, they slapped me, or punched me, and pushed me to the ground. Some of them spat on me. They called me awful names in their language. And to each one, I had to say, 'I lose!' and similar such things, such as 'I beg you to stop!' and 'I admit you're better than me!'"
「他一声令下，道场里所有学生排成一队。他们一个一个走到我面前。我不许还手，只能求饶。他们一个一个扇我耳光，或者挥拳打我，把我推倒在地。有人朝我吐口水。他们用他们的语言骂出各种难听的话。而我必须对每一个人说：『我输了！』还有类似的话，比如『求你停手！』『我承认你比我强！』」
Harry was trying to imagine this and simply failing. There was no way something like that could have happened to the dignified Professor Quirrell.
哈利想把那个场面想象出来，可怎么也想不出来。这种事不可能发生在那么有威严的奇洛教授身上。
"I was a prodigy of Battle Magic even then. With wandless magic alone I could have killed everyone in that dojo. I did not do so. I learned to lose. To this day I remember it as one of the most unpleasant hours of my life. And when I left that dojo eight months later - which was not nearly enough time, but was all I could afford to spend - the Master told me that he hoped I understood why that had been necessary. And I told him that it was one of the most valuable lessons I had ever learned. Which was, and is, true."
「那时候我已经是战斗魔法的天才了。光凭无杖魔法，我就能把道场里的人全杀光。我没有那么做。我学会了怎么输。直到今天，那还是我这辈子最难熬的几个小时之一。八个月后我离开那家道场——那点时间远远不够，可我只能拿出这么多——师父告诉我，他希望我明白那些事为什么是必要的。我告诉他，那是我学过的最有价值的功课之一。这话当时是真的，现在也是真的。」
Professor Quirrell's face turned bitter. "You are wondering where this marvelous dojo is, and whether you can study there. You cannot. For not long afterward, another would-be student came to that hidden place, to that remote mountain. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
奇洛教授的脸色变得苦涩。「你们在想，这么好的一家道场在哪儿，自己能不能去那儿拜师。你们去不了。因为没过多久，又一个想拜师的人来到了那个隐蔽的地方，那座偏远的山。那个连名字都不能提的人。」
There was the sound of many breaths being drawn in simultaneously. Harry felt sick to his stomach. He knew what was coming.
教室里响起许多人同时倒吸冷气的声音。哈利胃里一阵难受。他知道接下来要讲什么。
"The Dark Lord came to that school openly, without disguise, glowing red eyes and all. The students tried to bar his way and he simply Apparated through. There was terror there, but discipline, and the Master came forth. And the Dark Lord demanded - not asked, but demanded - to be taught."
「黑魔王没有伪装，就那么公开地来到那所学校，一双红眼睛亮着，什么都没遮掩。学生们想拦住他，他直接幻影移形穿了过去。那里有恐惧，但也有纪律，师父走了出来。黑魔王开口要的是「教他」——不是请求，是命令。」
Professor Quirrell's face was very hard. "Perhaps the Master had read too many books telling the lie that a true martial artist could defeat even demons. For whatever reason, the Master refused. The Dark Lord asked why he could not be a student. The Master told him he had no patience, and that was when the Dark Lord ripped his tongue out."
奇洛教授脸色铁青。「也许师父读过的书太多了，那些书里都撒着同一个谎：真正的武者连恶魔都能打败。不管是什么缘故，师父拒绝了。黑魔王问他为什么不能收自己做学生。师父回答说他没有那个耐心——于是黑魔王扯出了师父的舌头。」
There was a collective gasp.
全场一片抽气声。
"You can guess what happened next. The students tried to rush the Dark Lord and fell over, stunned where they stood. And then..."
「接下来发生了什么，你们猜得到。学生们想一起扑向黑魔王，结果一个个倒下，僵在原地。然后……」
Professor Quirrell's voice faltered for a moment, then resumed.
奇洛教授的声音顿了一下，又接了下去。
"There is an Unforgiveable Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, which produces unbearable pain. If the Cruciatus is extended for longer than a few minutes it produces permanent insanity. One by one, the Dark Lord Crucioed the Master's students into insanity, and then finished them off with the Killing Curse, while the Master was forced to watch. When all his students had died in this way, the Master followed. I learned this from the single surviving student, whom the Dark Lord had left alive to tell the tale, and who had been a friend of mine..."
「三大不可饶恕咒里有一个钻心咒，痛起来没人受得了。钻心咒要是持续超过几分钟，就会造成永久的精神失常。黑魔王逐个对师父的学生施钻心咒，把他们折磨疯，然后挨个用杀戮咒了结他们，而师父被迫看着这一切。他的学生全都这样死了之后，师父也跟着去了。这些是我从唯一活下来的那个学生那里听来的——黑魔王留他一条命，就是要他把这事讲出去——而他以前是我的朋友……」
Professor Quirrell turned away, and when he turned back a moment later, he once again seemed calm and composed.
奇洛教授转过身去，过了一会儿才转回来，这时他又显得平静自若了。
"Dark Wizards cannot keep their tempers," Professor Quirrell said quietly. "It is a nearly universal flaw of the species, and anyone who makes a habit of fighting them soon learns to rely on it. Understand that the Dark Lord did not win that day. His goal was to learn martial arts, and yet he left without a single lesson. The Dark Lord was foolish to wish that story retold. It did not show his strength, but rather an exploitable weakness."
「黑巫师管不住自己的脾气，」奇洛教授轻声说。「这几乎是这一族类的通病，凡是习惯跟他们交手的人，很快就能学会指望这一点。要明白，那一天黑魔王没有赢。他的目标是学武，可他走的时候一堂课都没学到。黑魔王蠢就蠢在，他还指望这个故事被人到处传。这个故事显示的不是他的强大，而是一个可以利用的弱点。」
Professor Quirrell's gaze focused on a single child in the classroom.
奇洛教授的目光落在教室里一个孩子身上。
"Harry Potter," Professor Quirrell said.
「哈利·波特，」奇洛教授说。
"Yes," Harry said, his voice hoarse.
「是，」哈利说，声音沙哑。
"What precisely did you do wrong today, Mr. Potter?"
「波特先生，你今天到底做错了什么，说准确一点。」
Harry felt like he was going to throw up. "I lost my temper."
哈利觉得自己快吐了。「我发了脾气。」
"That is not precise," said Professor Quirrell. "I will describe it more exactly. There are many animals which have what are called dominance contests. They rush at each other with horns - trying to knock each other down, not gore each other. They fight with their paws - with claws sheathed. But why with their claws sheathed? Surely, if they used their claws, they would stand a better chance of winning? But then their enemy might unsheathe their claws as well, and instead of resolving the dominance contest with a winner and a loser, both of them might be severely hurt."
「这不算准确，」奇洛教授说。「我会说得更准确些。许多动物都有一种行为，叫优势较量。它们用角互相顶——想把对方顶倒，而不是用角捅穿对方。它们用爪子打——爪子收着。可为什么要收着爪子？它们要是真用上爪子，赢的机会不是更大吗？可这么一来，对手也可能跟着亮出爪子，这场优势较量就不再是分出一个赢家和一个输家，而是两个都可能受重伤。」
Professor Quirrell gaze seemed to come straight out at Harry from the repeater screen. "What you demonstrated today, Mr. Potter, is that - unlike those animals who keep their claws sheathed and accept the results - you do not know how to lose a dominance contest. When a Hogwarts professor challenged you, you did not back down. When it looked like you might lose, you unsheathed your claws, heedless of the danger. You escalated, and then you escalated again. It started with a slap at you from Professor Snape, who was obviously dominant over you. Instead of losing, you slapped back and lost ten points from Ravenclaw. Soon you were talking about leaving Hogwarts. The fact that you escalated even further in some unknown direction, and somehow won at the end, does not change the fact that you are an idiot."
奇洛教授的目光仿佛从复读屏里直直射向哈利。「波特先生，你今天展示出来的，是你不像那些收着爪子、接受结果的动物——你不知道怎么输掉一场优势较量。当一位霍格沃茨教授向你挑战时，你没有退让。眼看要输的时候，你亮出了爪子，根本不顾危险。你把事情升级了，然后又升级了一次。事情开头，不过是斯内普教授当众给了你一记「耳光」——他的优势明摆着压在你头上。你没有认输，反而打了回去，害拉文克劳扣了十分。很快你就说要离开霍格沃茨。至于你后来又在某个谁也不知道的方向上升级得更远，最后居然还赢了，这并不能改变你是个白痴这个事实。」
"I understand," Harry said. His throat was dry. That had been precise. Frighteningly precise. Now that Professor Quirrell had said it, Harry could see in hindsight that it was an exactly accurate description of what had happened. When someone's model of you was that good, you had to wonder whether they were right about other things too, like your intent to kill.
「我明白了，」哈利说。他喉咙发干。那确实准确。准确得吓人。奇洛教授这么一说，哈利事后回想，才发现这番话把当时发生的事情描述得分毫不差。当一个人对你的模型准到这种地步，你不免要怀疑，他在别的事情上是不是也说对了——比如你的杀意。
"The next time, Mr. Potter, that you choose to escalate a contest rather than lose, you may lose all the stakes you place on the table. I cannot guess what they were today. I can guess that they were far, far too high for the loss of ten House points."
「波特先生，下一次你选择把一场较量升级、而不是认输的时候，你可能输掉你押上桌的全部筹码。今天你押的是什么，我猜不出来。我能猜到的是，那些筹码跟损失十分学院分比起来，高得太多、太多了。」
Like the fate of magical Britain. That was what he'd done.
比如英国魔法界的命运。那就是他押上去的东西。
"You will protest that you were trying to help all of Hogwarts, a much more important goal worthy of great risks. That is a lie. If you had been -"
「你会辩解说，你是想帮整个霍格沃茨，那是个重要得多的目标，值得冒大风险。这是谎话。如果你真是——」
"I would have taken the slap, waited, and picked the best possible time to make my move," Harry said, his voice hoarse. "But that would have meant losing. Letting him be dominant over me. It was what the Dark Lord couldn't do with the Master he wanted to learn from."
「我本来会挨下那一记耳光，等着，然后挑最好的时机出手，」哈利说，声音沙哑。「可那样就意味着认输。意味着让他占我的上风。这正是黑魔王面对他一心想拜师的那位师父时做不到的事。」
Professor Quirrell nodded. "I see that you have understood perfectly. And so, Mr. Potter, today you are going to learn how to lose."
奇洛教授点点头。「看来你已经完全明白了。所以，波特先生，今天你要学会怎么输。」
"I -"
「我——」
"I will not hear any objections, Mr. Potter. It is evident both that you need this and that you are strong enough to take it. I assure you that your experience will not be so harsh as what I went through, though you may well remember it as the worst fifteen minutes of your young life."
「我不想听任何反对，波特先生。你需要这一课，也足够坚强、承受得住，这两点都很清楚。我可以保证，你不会经历我当年那么难受的场面——不过你很可能会把它记成你年纪轻轻的一生里最难熬的十五分钟。」
Harry swallowed. "Professor Quirrell," he said in a small voice, "can we do this some other time?"
哈利咽了口唾沫，小声说：「奇洛教授，能不能改天再做？」
"No," Professor Quirrell said simply. "You are five days into your Hogwarts education and already this has happened. Today is Friday. Our next defense class is on Wednesday. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... No, we do not have time to wait."
「不行，」奇洛教授干脆地说。「你在霍格沃茨才上了五天学，这种事就已经发生了。今天是周五，我们的下一节黑魔法防御术课在周三。周六、周日、周一、周二、周三……不，我们没有时间等。」
There were a few laughs at this, but very few.
这句话引来几声笑，但只是寥寥几声。
"Please consider it an order from your professor, Mr. Potter. What I would like to say is that otherwise I will not teach you any offensive spells, because I would then hear that you had severely hurt or even killed someone. Unfortunately I am told that your fingers are already powerful weapons. Do not snap them at any time during this lesson."
「波特先生，请把这当作你的教授下达的命令。我本来还想说：否则我就不再教你任何攻击性咒语了，因为那样我迟早会听说你重伤了谁、甚至杀了人。可惜，我听说你的手指本身就已经是厉害的武器了。这节课上，任何时候都不准打响指。」
More scattered laughter, sounding rather nervous.
又响起几声零散的笑，听着相当紧张。
Harry felt like he might cry. "Professor Quirrell, if you do anything like what you talked about, it's going to make me angry, and I really would rather not get angry again today -"
哈利觉得自己可能要哭了。「奇洛教授，如果你真照刚才说的做，那会让我生气的，而我今天真的不想再生气一次——」
"The point is not to avoid getting angry," Professor Quirrell said, his face looking grave. "Anger is natural. You need to learn how to lose even when you are angry. Or at least pretend to lose so that you can plan your vengeance. As I did with Mr. Goyle today, unless of course any of you think he really is better -"
「重点不是不发火，」奇洛教授说，神情严肃。「愤怒是正常的。你要学的是，就算在生气的时候也能认输。或者至少假装认输，好让你能计划你的报复。就像我今天对高尔先生做的那样——当然，除非你们有谁真觉得他确实比我强——」
"I'm not!" shouted Mr. Goyle from his desk, sounding a little frantic. "I know you didn't really lose! Please don't plan any vengeances!"
「我不是！」高尔先生在自己的座位上喊道，声音有点发慌。「我知道你没有真的输！求你别计划什么报复！」
Harry felt sick to his stomach. Professor Quirrell didn't know about his mysterious dark side. "Professor, we really need to talk about this after class -"
哈利胃里一阵难受。奇洛教授不知道他那个神秘的黑暗面。「教授，这件事我们真的得下课以后再谈——」
"We will," Professor Quirrell said in the tones of a promise. "After you learn how to lose." His face was serious. "It should go without saying that I will exclude anything which could injure you or even cause you significant pain. The pain will come from the difficulty of losing, instead of fighting back and escalating the battle until you win."
「会的，」奇洛教授的语气像在许下承诺。「等你学会怎么输之后。」他神情严肃。「不用我说，凡是可能让你受伤、甚至让你剧痛的东西，我都会排除掉。痛苦会来自认输本身的难度——你不能还手，不能把战斗一路升级到赢为止。」
Harry's breath was coming in short, panicky pants. He was more frightened than he'd been after leaving the Potions classroom. "Professor Quirrell," he managed to say, "I don't want you to get fired over this -"
哈利又开始短促、惊慌地喘气。他比走出魔药课教室时还要害怕。「奇洛教授，」他勉强开口，「我不想让你因为这个被开除——」
"I will not be," Professor Quirrell said, "if you tell them afterward that it was necessary. And this I trust you to do." For a moment Professor Quirrell's voice turned very dry. "Believe me, they have tolerated worse in their hallways. This case will be exceptional only in that it happens within a classroom."
「我不会的，」奇洛教授说，「只要你事后告诉他们，这是必要的。这一点我信得过你。」有片刻，奇洛教授的语气变得干巴巴的。「相信我，走廊里发生过比这更糟的事，他们都忍下来了。这一次唯一特别的地方，只在于它发生在教室里。」
"Professor Quirrell," Harry whispered, but he thought his voice was still being repeated everywhere, "do you really believe that if I don't do this, I might hurt someone?"
「奇洛教授，」哈利低声说——可他觉得自己的声音仍然在整个教室里回响——「你真的相信，如果我不做这件事，我可能会伤到别人吗？」
"Yes," Professor Quirrell said simply.
「是的，」奇洛教授干脆地说。
"Then," Harry felt nauseous, "I'll do it."
「那，」哈利一阵反胃，「我做。」
Professor Quirrell turned to regard the Slytherins. "So... with the full approval of your teacher, and in such a fashion that Snape cannot be blamed for your actions... do any of you wish to show your dominance over the Boy-Who-Lived? Shove him around, push him to the ground, hear him beg for your mercy?"
奇洛教授转向斯莱特林们。「那么……在你们教授完全同意、又不会让斯内普因为你们的行为被追究的前提下……你们有谁愿意向大难不死的男孩展示一下自己的优势？推他，把他推倒在地，听他求你们饶命？」
Five hands went up.
五只手举了起来。
"Everyone with your hand raised, you are an absolute idiot. What part of pretending to lose did you not understand? If Harry Potter does become the next Dark Lord he will hunt you down and kill you after he graduates."
「举手的每一个人，你们全都是十足的蠢货。假装认输这几个字，你们哪一部分没听懂？如果哈利·波特真成了下一任黑魔王，他毕业以后会追杀你们，把你们杀掉。」
The five hands dropped abruptly back to their desks.
那五只手立刻缩回桌上。
"I won't," Harry said, his voice coming out rather weakly. "I swear never to take vengeance upon those who help me learn to lose. Professor Quirrell... would you please... stop that?"
「我不会的，」哈利说，声音很虚弱。「我发誓，绝不向帮我学会认输的人报复。奇洛教授……能不能求你……别再这样了？」
Professor Quirrell sighed. "I am sorry, Mr. Potter. I realize that you must find this equally annoying whether you intend to become a Dark Lord or not. But those children also had an important life lesson to learn. Would it be acceptable if I awarded you a Quirrell point in apology?"
奇洛教授叹了口气。「我很抱歉，波特先生。我知道，不管你打不打算当黑魔王，这种事在你听来都一样讨厌。可那些孩子也得学一堂重要的人生课。我补你一分奇洛分，算是道歉，可以吗？」
"Make it two," Harry said.
「那就两分，」哈利说。
There was a current of surprised laughter, defusing some of the tension.
一阵意外的笑声淌过教室，紧张的气氛散了几分。
"Done," Professor Quirrell said.
「成交，」奇洛教授说。
"And after I graduate I'm going to hunt you down and tickle you."
「等我毕业了，我要一路追杀你，然后挠你痒痒。」
There was more laughter, although Professor Quirrell didn't smile.
笑声更多了，不过奇洛教授没有笑。
Harry felt like he was wrestling an anaconda, trying to force the conversation through the narrow course that would make people realize he wasn't a Dark Lord after all... why was Professor Quirrell so suspicious of him?
哈利觉得自己像是在跟一条巨蟒摔跤，得把这场对话一点点引到能让人明白他终究不是黑魔王的那条路上去……奇洛教授为什么这么怀疑他？
"Professor," said Draco's unamplified voice. "It is also not my own ambition to become a stupid Dark Lord."
「教授，」说话的是德拉科，声音没有被放大。「当个愚蠢的黑魔王，也不是我自己的志向。」
There was a shocked silence in the classroom.
教室里一片震惊的沉默。
You don't have to do this! Harry almost blurted out loud, but checked himself in time; Draco might not wish it known that he was doing this out of friendship for Harry... or out of the desire to appear friendly...
*你不用这样！*哈利差点脱口喊出来，但及时忍住了；德拉科也许并不想让别人知道，他这么做是出于跟哈利的交情……或者是出于想显得友好的心思……
Calling that a desire to appear friendly made Harry feel small, and mean. If Draco had intended to impress him, it was working perfectly.
把那称作想显得友好的心思，让哈利觉得自己既渺小又刻薄。如果德拉科本来是想让他对自己刮目相看，那这一招完全奏效了。
Professor Quirrell was regarding Draco gravely. "You worry that you cannot pretend to lose, Mr. Malfoy? That this flaw which describes Mr. Potter also describes you? Surely your father taught you better."
奇洛教授严肃地打量着德拉科。「马尔福先生，你担心自己也不会假装认输？担心我刚才说波特先生的这个毛病，同样说的是你？你父亲总该教过你更好的做法。」
"When it comes to talking, maybe," said Draco, now on the repeater screen. "Not when it comes to being shoved around and pushed to the ground. I want to be fully as strong as you, Professor Quirrell."
「要只是说话的话，也许吧，」德拉科说——他的画面这会儿出现在复读屏上。「被人推来推去、推倒在地的时候就不行了。我想变得完全跟你一样强，奇洛教授。」
Professor Quirrell's eyebrows went up and stayed up. "I am afraid, Mr. Malfoy," he said after a time, "that the arrangements I made for Mr. Potter, involving some older Slytherins who will be told afterward how stupid they were, would not carry over onto you. But it is my professional opinion that you are already very strong. Should I hear that you have failed, as Mr. Potter failed today, I will make the appropriate arrangements and apologize to you and whomever you have hurt. I do not think this will be necessary, however."
奇洛教授挑起眉毛，一直没有放下。「马尔福先生，」过了一会儿，他说，「我为波特先生所做的安排——让几个高年级斯莱特林动手，事后再告诉他们自己有多蠢——恐怕没法照样用在你身上。不过，以我的专业判断，你已经很强了。要是有一天我听说你也失手了，像波特先生今天这样，我会做同样的安排，并向你、以及被你伤到的人道歉。不过，我认为不会有这个必要。」
"I understand, professor," said Draco.
「我明白，教授，」德拉科说。
Professor Quirrell looked over the class. "Does anyone else wish to become strong?"
奇洛教授环视全班。「还有谁想变强？」
Some students glanced around nervously. Some, Harry thought from his back row, looked like they were opening their mouths but not saying anything. In the end, no one spoke.
有些学生不安地四下张望。哈利坐在最后一排，觉得有些人像是张了张嘴，却没发出声音。最后，谁也没有说话。
"Draco Malfoy will be one of the generals of your year's armies," said Professor Quirrell, "should he deign to engage in that after-school activity. And now, Mr. Potter, please come forward."
「德拉科·马尔福会是你们这个年级的军队里的将军之一，」奇洛教授说，「如果他肯屈尊参加这项课外活动的话。现在，波特先生，请到前面来。」
Yes, Professor Quirrell had said, it must be in front of everyone, in front of your friends, because that is where Snape confronted you and that is where you must learn to lose.
「没错，」奇洛教授说过，「必须当着所有人的面，当着你的朋友们，因为斯内普就是在那里跟你正面对上的，所以你也必须在那里学会认输。」
So now the first year watched. In magically enforced silence, and with requests from both Harry and the professor not to intervene. Hermione had her face turned away, but she hadn't spoken out or even given him any sort of significant look, maybe because she'd been there in Potions too.
于是现在，整个一年级都在看着。他们被魔法强制保持沉默，而且哈利和教授都要求过他们不要插手。赫敏把脸别到了一边，但她没有出声，甚至没有给他任何意味深长的眼神——也许是因为魔药课上她也在场。
Harry stood on a soft blue mat, such as might be found in a Muggle dojo, which Professor Quirrell had laid out upon the floor for when Harry was pushed down.
哈利站在一块柔软的蓝垫子上，就是麻瓜道场里常见的那种。垫子是奇洛教授铺在地上的，好让他被推倒时有地方可摔。
Harry was frightened of what he might do. If Professor Quirrell was right about his intent to kill...
哈利害怕自己会做出什么事来。如果奇洛教授对他那股杀意的判断是对的……
Harry's wand lay on Professor Quirrell's desk, not because Harry knew any spells that could defend him, but because otherwise (Harry thought) he might have tried to jam it through someone's eye socket. His pouch lay there, now containing his protected but still potentially fragile Time-Turner.
哈利的魔杖放在奇洛教授的书桌上，不是因为哈利知道什么能护住自己的咒语，而是因为（哈利心想）不然他也许会拿它捅进谁的眼眶里。他的莫克皮袋也放在那里，里面装着做过保护、但可能依然脆弱的时间转换器。
Harry had pleaded with Professor Quirrell to Transfigure him some boxing gloves and lock them on his hands. Professor Quirrell had given him a look of silent understanding, and refused.
哈利求过奇洛教授，给他变一副拳击手套出来，再把手套锁在他手上。奇洛教授看了他一眼，那眼神里是无声的理解，然后他拒绝了。
I will not go for their eyes, I will not go for their eyes, I will not go for their eyes, it would be the end of my life in Hogwarts, I'll be arrested, Harry chanted to himself, trying to hammer the thought into his brain, hoping it would stay there if his intent to kill took over.
*我不会去戳他们的眼睛，我不会去戳他们的眼睛，我不会去戳他们的眼睛，那我在霍格沃茨的日子就到头了，我会被抓起来的，*哈利在心里反复念着，想把这个念头钉进脑子里，希望万一杀意接管了他，它还能留在那儿。
Professor Quirrell returned, escorting thirteen older Slytherins of different years. Harry recognized one of them as the one he'd hit with a pie. Two others from that confrontation were also present. The one who'd said to stop, that they really shouldn't do this, was missing.
奇洛教授回来了，身后跟着十三个高年级斯莱特林，年级各不相同。哈利认出其中一位，正是自己用派砸过的那个人。那次冲突里的另外两个人也在。那个喊过停、说他们真的不该这么做的人，没有来。
"I repeat," Professor Quirrell said, sounding very stern, "Potter is not to be really hurt. Any and all accidents will be treated as deliberate. Do you understand?"
「我再说一遍，」奇洛教授说，语气非常严厉，「波特不能真的受伤。任何意外都按故意处理。明白吗？」
The older Slytherins nodded, grinning.
高年级斯莱特林们点着头，咧嘴笑。
"Then please feel free to take the Boy-Who-Lived down a few pegs," Professor Quirrell said, with a twisted smile that only the first-years understood.
「那就请随意挫一挫大难不死的男孩的锐气吧，」奇洛教授说，脸上带着一种只有一年级学生才看得懂的扭曲笑容。
By some form of mutual consent, the pie-target was at the front of the group.
大家不知怎么达成了共识，那个被派砸中的人站到了队伍最前面。
"Potter," said Professor Quirrell, "meet Mr. Peregrine Derrick. He is better than you and he is about to show you that."
「波特，」奇洛教授说，「来认识一下佩里格林·德里克先生。他比你强，而且马上就会向你证明这一点。」
Derrick strode forward and Harry's brain screamed discordantly, he must not run away, he must not fight back -
德里克大步走上前，哈利脑子里发出一片刺耳的尖叫：他不能逃，他不能还手——
Derrick stopped an arm's length away from Harry.
德里克停在离哈利一臂远的地方。
Harry wasn't angry yet, just frightened. And that meant he beheld a teenage boy fully half a meter taller than himself, with clearly defined muscles, facial hair, and a grin of terrible anticipation.
哈利还没生气，只是害怕。正因为没生气，他这会儿看清了眼前这个少年：比自己足足高出半米，肌肉线条分明，下巴上已经长出胡茬，咧开的嘴里全是令人发毛的期待。
"Ask him not to hurt you," Professor Quirrell said. "Perhaps if he sees that you're pathetic enough, he'll decide that you're boring, and go away."
「求他不要伤害你，」奇洛教授说，「也许他看你已经够可怜了，会觉得你没意思，转身走开。」
There was laughter from the watching older Slytherins.
围观的高年级斯莱特林们笑出了声。
"Please," Harry said, his voice faltering, "don't, hurt, me..."
「求你，」哈利说，声音发抖，「别，伤害，我……」
"That didn't sound very sincere," said Professor Quirrell.
「听起来不太真诚，」奇洛教授说。
Derrick's smile widened. The clumsy imbecile was looking very superior and...
德里克笑得更开了。这个笨手笨脚的蠢货一副高高在上的样子，而且……
...Harry's blood temperature was dropping...
……哈利的血温在下降……
"Please don't hurt me," Harry tried again.
「请不要伤害我，」哈利又试了一次。
Professor Quirrell shook his head. "How in Merlin's name did you manage to make that sound like an insult, Potter? There is only one response you can possibly expect from Mr. Derrick."
奇洛教授摇了摇头。「梅林的胡子啊，波特，你是怎么把这话说得像在骂人的？德里克先生能给你的回应只可能有一种。」
Derrick stepped forward deliberately, and bumped into Harry.
德里克故意向前迈了一步，撞在哈利身上。
Harry staggered back a few feet and, before he could stop himself, straightened up icily.
哈利往后踉跄了几步，还没能管住自己，就冷冰冰地挺直了身子。
"Wrong," said Professor Quirrell, "wrong, wrong, wrong."
「错了，」奇洛教授说，「错，错，错。」
"You bumped into me, Potter," Derrick said. "Apologize."
「是你撞我的，波特，」德里克说，「道歉。」
"I'm sorry!"
「对不起！」
"You don't sound sorry," said Derrick.
「你听起来可一点也不像觉得抱歉，」德里克说。
Harry's eyes widened in indignation, he had managed to make that sound pleading -
哈利气得睁大了眼睛，他明明让那句话听起来像是在哀求——
Derrick pushed him, hard, and Harry fell to the mat on his hands and knees.
德里克重重推了他一把，哈利摔在垫子上，双手和膝盖着地。
The blue fabric seemed to waver in Harry's vision, not far away.
那块蓝布离他不远，在他眼里晃来晃去。
He was beginning to doubt Professor Quirrell's real motives in teaching this so-called lesson.
他开始怀疑奇洛教授上这堂所谓课的真实用意了。
A foot rested on Harry's buttocks and a moment later Harry was pushed hard to the side, sending him sprawling on his back.
一只脚踩在哈利的屁股上，片刻之后，哈利被使劲推向一侧，仰面朝天摔了出去。
Derrick laughed. "This is fun," he said.
德里克笑了。「这真好玩，」他说。
All he had to do was say it was over. And report the whole thing to the Headmaster's office. That would be the end of this Defense Professor and his ill-fated stay at Hogwarts and... Professor McGonagall would be angry about that, but...
他只要说一句结束了就行。再把这整件事报给校长办公室。这位黑魔法防御术教授，还有他在霍格沃茨这段倒霉的日子，就都到头了，然后……麦格教授会为此生气，可是……
(An image of Professor McGonagall's face flashed before his eyes, she didn't look angry, just sad -)
（麦格教授的脸在他眼前闪过，她的神情不是生气，只是难过——）
"Now tell him that he's better than you, Potter," said Professor Quirrell's voice.
「现在告诉他，他比你强，波特。」奇洛教授的声音响了起来。
"You're, better, than, me."
「你，比，我，强。」
Harry started to raise himself and Derrick put a foot on his chest and shoved him back down to the mat.
哈利刚撑着起身，德里克就一脚踩在他胸口，把他压回垫子上。
The world was becoming transparent as crystal. Lines of action and their consequences stretched out before him in utter clarity. The fool wouldn't be expecting him to strike back, a quick hit in the groin would stun him long enough for -
世界变得像水晶一样透明。一个个动作和它们的后果清清楚楚地铺在他面前。这个蠢货不会料到他会还手，往裆上来一下，就能让他僵住足够长的时间，好让他——
"Try again," said Professor Quirrell and with a sudden sharp motion Harry rolled and sprang to his feet and whirled on where stood his real enemy, the Defense Professor -
「再试一次，」奇洛教授说。哈利忽然一个急动作，翻身滚地，跳起来，转身冲向他真正的敌人——那个站在那里的黑魔法防御术教授——
Professor Quirrell said, "You have no patience."
奇洛教授说：「你没有耐心。」
Harry faltered. His mind, well-honed in pessimism, drew a picture of a wizened old man with blood pouring from his mouth after Harry had ripped his tongue out -
哈利迟疑了。他那在悲观上久经打磨的脑子立刻勾出一幅画面：一个干瘪的老人满嘴淌血，就在哈利把他的舌头扯出来之后——
A moment later, Derrick pushed Harry to the mat again and then sat down on him, sending Harry's breath whooshing out.
片刻之后，德里克又把哈利推倒在垫子上，然后一屁股坐上去，哈利那口气一下子被挤了出来。
"Stop!" Harry screamed. "Please stop!"
「停下！」哈利尖叫，「求你了，停下！」
"Better," said Professor Quirrell. "That even sounded sincere."
「好一些了，」奇洛教授说，「这回听上去居然是真诚的。」
It had been. That was the horrible thing, the sickening thing, it had been sincere. Harry was panting rapidly, fear and cold anger both flushing through him -
那确实是真诚的。可怕就可怕在这里，恶心也恶心在这里——那句话确实是真诚的。哈利急促地喘着气，恐惧和冰冷的怒火一起涌过全身——
"Lose," said Professor Quirrell.
「认输，」奇洛教授说。
"I, lose," Harry forced out.
「我，输了，」哈利硬挤出来。
"I like it," Derrick said from on top of him. "Lose some more."
「我喜欢这句，」德里克坐在他身上说，「再多输一点。」
Hands shoved Harry, sending him stumbling across the circle of older Slytherins to another set of hands that shoved him again. Harry had long since passed the point of trying not to cry, and was now just trying not to fall down.
几只手把哈利推了出去，他踉跄着穿过高年级斯莱特林围成的圈子，撞到另一双手上，又被推了一把。哈利早就过了努力不哭的阶段，现在只是在努力不摔倒。
"What are you, Potter?" said Derrick.
「你是什么，波特？」德里克说。
"A, l-loser, I lose, I give up, you win, you're b-better, than me, please stop -"
「一个，输、输家，我认输，我不行了，你厉害，你比我、比我厉害，求你别打了——」
Harry tripped over a foot and went crashing to the ground, hands not quite able to catch himself. He was dazed for a moment, then began struggling to his feet again -
哈利被一只脚绊倒，重重摔在地上，两只手没能撑住自己。他晕了一会儿，然后又挣扎着往起爬——
"Enough!" said Professor Quirrell's voice, sounding sharp enough to cut iron. "Step away from Mr. Potter!"
「够了！」奇洛教授的声音响起，锋利得像能割开铁。「离波特先生远一点！」
Harry saw the surprised looks on their faces. The chill in his blood, which had been flowing and ebbing, smiled in cold satisfaction.
哈利看见他们脸上惊讶的表情。他血里那股时涨时退的寒意，冷冷地、满意地笑了。
Then Harry collapsed to the mat.
然后哈利瘫倒在垫子上。
Professor Quirrell talked. There were gasps from the older Slytherins.
奇洛教授说了些话。高年级斯莱特林中间响起一片抽气声。
"And I believe the scion of Malfoy has something he wants to explain to you as well," finished Professor Quirrell.
「而且我相信，马尔福家的这位公子也有些话想跟你们解释，」奇洛教授最后说。
Draco's voice started talking. His voice sounded almost as sharp as professor Quirrell's, it had acquired the same cadence Draco had used to imitate his father, and it was saying things like could have put Slytherin House in jeopardy and who knows how many allies in this school alone and total lack of awareness, never mind cunning and dull thugs, useful for nothing but lackeys and something in Harry's hindbrain, despite everything he knew, was designating Draco as an ally.
德拉科的声音响了起来。那声音几乎和奇洛教授的一样锋利，还带上了德拉科模仿他父亲时用的那种腔调，在说诸如差点把斯莱特林学院拖进险境、光是在这所学校里就不知道要得罪多少盟友、毫无觉察力，更谈不上机敏、迟钝的打手，除了当跟班一无所用之类的话；而哈利后脑里的某个东西，不顾他明明知道的一切，正把德拉科划成盟友。
Harry ached all over, was probably bruised, his body felt cold, his mind utterly exhausted. He tried to think of Fawkes's song, but without the phoenix present he couldn't remember the melody and when he tried to imagine it he couldn't seem to think of anything except a bird chirping.
哈利浑身都疼，大概都淤青了，身体发冷，脑子累到了极点。他想回忆福克斯的歌声，可凤凰不在跟前，他记不起旋律，试着去想的时候，脑子里除了有只小鸟在叽叽喳喳，什么都想不出来。
Then Draco stopped talking and Professor Quirrell told the older Slytherins they were dismissed, and Harry opened his eyes and struggled to sit up, "Wait," Harry said, forcing the words out, "there's something, I want, to say, to them -"
然后德拉科不再说话，奇洛教授对高年级斯莱特林说他们可以走了；哈利睁开眼，挣扎着坐起身。「等等，」他硬把话挤出来，「我有点事，想，跟他们说——」
"Wait on Mr. Potter," Professor Quirrell said coldly to the departing Slytherins.
「先等等波特先生，」奇洛教授冷冷地对正要离开的斯莱特林们说。
Harry swayed to his feet. He was careful not to look in the direction of his classmates. He didn't want to see how they were looking at him now. He didn't want to see their pity.
哈利摇晃着站起来。他小心地不去看同学们的方向。他不想看见他们现在看他的眼神，不想看见他们的怜悯。
So instead Harry looked at the older Slytherins, who still seemed to be in a state of shock. They stared back at him. Dread was on their faces.
于是哈利转去看那些高年级斯莱特林——他们好像还处在震惊之中，也回瞪着他，脸上写满恐惧。
His dark side, when it was in control, had held to the imagination of this moment, and went on pretending to lose.
他的黑暗面掌权的时候，一直盯着自己想象中这一刻该有的样子，于是它继续假装认输。
Harry said, "No one will -"
哈利说：「谁都不许——」
"Stop," said Professor Quirrell. "If that's what I think it is, please wait until after they're gone. They'll hear about it later. We all have our lessons to learn, Mr. Potter."
「停，」奇洛教授说。「如果是我以为的那句话，请等他们走了再说。他们以后会听到的。我们都有各自的教训要学，波特先生。」
"All right," Harry said.
「好吧，」哈利说。
"You. Go."
「你们。出去。」
The older Slytherins fled and the door closed behind them.
高年级斯莱特林们逃了出去，门在他们身后关上。
"No one's to take any revenge on them," Harry said hoarsely. "That's a request to anyone who considers themselves my friend. I had my lesson to learn, they helped me learn it, they had their lesson to learn too, it's over. If you tell this story, make sure you tell that part too."
「不许任何人报复他们，」哈利哑着嗓子说。「这是我对所有自认是我朋友的人提出的请求。我有我的教训要学，他们帮我学到了；他们也有他们的教训要学，这件事到此为止。如果你们要把这件事讲出去，那这一段也一定要讲。」
Harry turned to look at Professor Quirrell.
哈利转头看向奇洛教授。
"You lost," said Professor Quirrell, his voice gentle for the first time. It sounded strange coming from the professor, like his voice shouldn't even be able to do that.
「你输了，」奇洛教授说，声音第一次放轻了。这声音从教授嘴里出来，听着很奇怪，像他的嗓子本不该能发出这种声音。
Harry had lost. There had been moments when the cold anger had faded entirely, replaced by fear, and during those moments he'd begged the older Slytherins and he'd meant it...
哈利确实输了。有那么几个瞬间，冰冷的愤怒彻底退去，被恐惧取代，而在那些瞬间里，他真的在向那些高年级斯莱特林求饶，而且句句真心……
"And are you yet alive?" said Professor Quirrell, still with that strange gentleness.
「那么，你还活着吗？」奇洛教授说，语气仍是那种奇异的轻柔。
Harry managed to nod.
哈利勉强点了点头。
"Not all losing is like this," said Professor Quirrell. "There are compromises and negotiated surrenders. There are other ways to placate bullies. There is a whole art form to manipulating others by letting them be dominant over you. But first, losing must be thinkable. Will you remember how you lost?"
「不是所有的输都像这样，」奇洛教授说。「还有妥协，还有谈出来的投降。安抚欺凌者也有别的办法。让别人占你的上风、借此操纵他，这本身就是一门完整的艺术。但首先，认输这件事必须变得可以想象。你会记得自己是怎么输的吗？」
"Yes."
「会。」
"Will you be able to lose?"
「你输得下去吗？」
"I... think so..."
「我……想可以……」
"I think so too." Professor Quirrell bowed so low that his thin hair almost touched the floor. "Congratulations, Harry Potter, you win."
「我也这么想。」奇洛教授躬身下去，稀疏的头发几乎碰到地面。「恭喜你，哈利·波特，你赢了。」
There was no single source, no first mover, the applause started all at once like a massive thunderclap.
没有单一的源头，也没有第一个带头的人；掌声一下子同时炸响，像一记惊雷。
Harry's couldn't keep the shock from his face. He risked a glance at his classmates, and he saw their faces showing not pity but awe. The applause was coming from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and even Slytherin, probably because Draco Malfoy was applauding too. Some students were standing up from their chairs and half of Gryffindor was standing on their desks.
哈利脸上藏不住震惊。他冒险朝同学们瞥了一眼，看见他们脸上不是怜悯，而是敬畏。掌声来自拉文克劳、格兰芬多、赫奇帕奇，甚至斯莱特林，大概是因为德拉科·马尔福也在鼓掌。有些学生从椅子上站了起来，半个格兰芬多都站到了桌子上。
So Harry stood there, swaying, letting their respect wash over him, feeling stronger, and maybe even a little healed.
哈利就那样站着，摇摇晃晃，任他们的敬意一阵阵漫过自己，觉得自己强了一些，甚至也许好了一点。
Professor Quirrell waited for the applause to die away. It took quite a while.
奇洛教授等着掌声平息。等了相当久。
"Surprised, Mr. Potter?" Professor Quirrell said. His voice sounded amused. "You have just found out that the real world does not always work like your worst nightmares. Yes, if you had been some poor anonymous boy being abused, then they would probably have respected you less afterward, pitied you even as they comforted you from their loftier perches. That is human nature, I'm afraid. But you they already know for a figure of power. And they saw you confront your fear and keep confronting it, even though you could have walked away at any time. Did you think less of me when I told you that I had deliberately endured being spat upon?"
「觉得意外吗，波特先生？」奇洛教授说。他的声音里带着笑意。「你刚刚发现，现实世界并不总是照着你最糟糕的噩梦来运转。是的，如果你只是个无名无姓、被人欺侮的可怜男孩，那他们事后大概不会那么敬重你，会一边安慰你，一边站在高处可怜你。恐怕那才是人的天性。可你，他们早就知道你是号有力量的人物。而他们看见你面对自己的恐惧，并且一次次继续面对，尽管你随时都可以转身走开。我告诉你我曾经故意忍受被人吐口水的时候，你有因此看轻我吗？」
Harry felt a burning sensation in his throat and frantically clamped down. He didn't trust this miraculous respect enough to start crying again in front of it.
哈利喉咙里一阵发烫，他慌忙把它压了回去。他对这份奇迹般的敬意没那么多信任，不敢当着它的面再哭一次。
"Your extraordinary achievement in my class deserves an extraordinary reward, Harry Potter. Please accept it with my compliments on behalf of my House, and remember from this day forward that not all Slytherins are alike. There are Slytherins, and then there are Slytherins." Professor Quirrell was smiling quite broadly as he said this. "Fifty-one points to Ravenclaw."
「你在我的课上取得了非凡的成绩，理当有一份非凡的奖赏，哈利·波特。请收下它，这算我代表我的学院向你致意。并从今天起记住：斯莱特林并不都是一样的。斯莱特林跟斯莱特林，也不一样。」奇洛教授说这话时笑得很开。「拉文克劳加 51 分。」
There was a shocked pause and then pandemonium broke out among the Ravenclaw students, howling and whistling and cheering.
全场震惊地静了一瞬，接着拉文克劳的学生们炸开了锅，又嚎又叫、吹口哨、欢呼。
(And in the same moment Harry felt something wrong about that, Professor McGonagall had been right, there should have been consequences, there should have been a cost and a price to be paid, you couldn't just put everything back the way it was like that -)
（而就在同一刻，哈利心里觉得有什么地方不对，麦格教授说得对，本该有后果的，本该有代价，有账要付；你不能就这样把所有事情摆回原样——）
But Harry saw the elated faces in Ravenclaw and knew he couldn't possibly say no.
但哈利看见拉文克劳那些兴奋到发亮的脸，就知道自己绝不可能说「不」。
His brain made a suggestion. It was a good suggestion. Harry could not even believe his brain was still keeping him upright, let alone producing good suggestions.
他的大脑提了个建议。这建议不错。哈利甚至无法相信自己的大脑还撑得住他不倒下，更别说还能提出好建议。
"Professor Quirrell," Harry said, as clearly as he could through his burning throat. "You are everything a member of your House should be, and I think you must be just what Salazar Slytherin had in mind when he helped found Hogwarts. I thank you and your House," Draco was very slightly nodding and subtly turning his finger, keep going, "and I think this calls for three cheers for Slytherin. With me, everyone?" Harry paused. "Huzzah!" Only a few people managed to join in on the first try. "Huzzah!" This time most of Ravenclaw was in on it. "Huzzah!" That was almost all of Ravenclaw, a scattering of Hufflepuffs and around a quarter of Gryffindor.
「奇洛教授，」哈利说，尽力从发烫的喉咙里把话说清楚。「你完全就是你自己学院的人该有的样子。我想，萨拉查·斯莱特林当年帮着创建霍格沃茨时，心里想的正是你这样的人。我感谢你，也感谢你的学院，」德拉科极轻微地点着头，手指暗暗转了一下：继续说，「而我认为，这该为斯莱特林喊三声好。大家跟我一起来？」哈利顿了顿。「乌拉！」第一遍只有几个人跟上了。「乌拉！」这一次拉文克劳大半都跟上了。「乌拉！」这一声几乎全体拉文克劳，零星的赫奇帕奇，还有大约四分之一的格兰芬多。
Draco's hand moved into a small, quick, thumbs-up gesture.
德拉科的手动了一下，比出一个又快又小的竖大拇指手势。
Most of the Slytherins had expressions of sheer shock. A few were staring at Professor Quirrell in wonder. Blaise Zabini was looking at Harry with a calculating, intrigued expression.
斯莱特林里大多数人都是一脸彻底的震惊。有几个人惊奇地盯着奇洛教授。布雷斯·扎比尼看着哈利，神情里带着算计和兴趣。
Professor Quirrell bowed. "Thank you, Harry Potter," he said, still with that broad smile. He turned to the class. "Now, believe it or not, we still have half an hour left in this session, and that is enough to introduce the Simple Shield. Mr. Potter, of course, is going off and taking a well-earned rest."
奇洛教授鞠了一躬。「谢谢你，哈利·波特，」他说，脸上还是那个大大的笑容。他转向全班。「现在，信不信由你，这节课还剩半小时，足够我讲讲简易护盾了。波特先生当然要离开，去享受他应得的休息。」
"I can -"
「我可以——」
"Idiot," Professor Quirrell said fondly. The class was already laughing. "Your classmates can teach you afterward, or I'll tutor you privately if that's what it takes. But right now, you're going through the third door from the left in the back of the stage, where you will find a bed, an assortment of exceptionally tasty snacks, and some extremely light reading from the Hogwarts library. You may not take anything else with you, particularly not your textbooks. Now go."
「傻瓜，」奇洛教授说，语气里带着几分亲昵。班里已经在笑了。「你的同学事后可以教你，或者必要的话我私下给你补课。但现在，你要去台子后面从左边数第三扇门，那里有一张床、一堆特别好吃的零食，还有几本从霍格沃茨图书馆拿的、最不费脑子的闲书。别的你一样都不许带，尤其是课本。去吧。」
Harry went.
哈利去了。
梗与典故
- 章名「延迟满足」是一个心理学词：它指为了更晚、更大的回报，先忍住眼前的诱惑，和耐心、冲动控制、意志力同归「自我调节」这一类1。这方面最有名的实验是沃尔特·米歇尔（Walter Mischel）1970 年在斯坦福 Bing 幼儿园做的「棉花糖实验」：给孩子一份他喜欢的零食，告诉他要是能等到实验者回来（约十五分钟）就能多拿一份；等不了就摇铃叫人，只能拿原本那一份2。真正把它变成传奇的是后来的追踪结论——当年等得久的那些孩子，多年后学业表现更好，延迟时间与 SAT 数学成绩的相关系数一度报到 .572。这个数字经不起追问：它只出现在 35 人的一小批子样本上，而当初 653 名被试里最后只追到 185 人。2018 年一项概念性复现（Watts、Duncan 与 Quan，《Psychological Science》，n=918）的结论是：四岁时多等一分钟，到十五岁的成绩大约只多 0.1 个标准差；这一相关只有原始研究的一半，再控制家庭背景、早期认知能力与家庭环境之后又只剩三分之一，而成绩差异的「大部分」来自孩子能不能至少等 20 秒3。2024 年另一项预注册研究（n=702，从 54 个月大追踪到 26 岁）结论更冷：棉花糖测试的表现并不能可靠预测成年后的成就、健康或行为，只剩教育程度 r=.17、BMI r=−.17 两个微弱相关，回归调整后几乎都不显著4。不过这不等于「实验已被推翻」——至今仍有研究者认为 2018 年那次复现的结论过于悲观。本章正文里没有出现「延迟满足」这个词5。
- 章首题记是一句换了词的战吼：「血祭血神！颅献……」是《战锤》（Warhammer）系列里混沌邪神「恐虐」（Khorne）的战吼，完整原句是 "Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"，通行的中文译法是「血祭血神，颅献颅座」6。恐虐是四名混沌邪神之一，司掌战争、暴怒与流血，坐在一片血海和亿万骷髅堆成的黄铜王座上7。按 Lexicanum 的记录，这句口号最早的印刷出处是 1988 年 Games Workshop 的设定书 Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness6；本章把「颅座」换成了作者 J·K·罗琳的名字5。这句题记没有得到过任何公开解释——HPMOR 维基的第 19 章页把「Title quote」一栏写成 None，Shout-outs 一栏是空的8——所以它大概就是字面上的样子，不必再找别的意思。
- 哈利那段「胜利」演说，说的是丘吉尔的原话：1940 年 5 月 13 日，温斯顿·丘吉尔就任首相后首次在下议院演说，也就是通称「Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat」的那一篇；他在其中说：「Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.」9本章把它截在「因为没有胜利，就没有——」这一处——把它打断的是哈利自己的台词；另外，原文单数的 terror 在这里被写成了复数 terrors5。被截掉的下半句是 "there is no survival."——那恰好是这篇演讲里最常被引用的几个词。
- 和希特勒并列的那个名字，是一位奇幻小说里的反派：Mornelithe Falconsbane 出自美国作家梅赛德斯·拉基（Mercedes Lackey）的「瓦尔德马」（Valdemar）系列，登场于 Mage Winds 三部曲（1991–1994）10。他是个「人猫」形态的血之道大法师、系列大反派，也是古老恶灵 Ma'ar 的最后一世化身11。他之所以能当这个例子，是因为他一生都在自己树敌：他把整个 k'Sheyna 部族的法师变成死敌，又拿亲生女儿 Nyara 做改造与折磨的对象，最后，那些被他伤害过的人联手击败了他三次，他的女儿 Nyara 用剑把他刺穿，他的灵魂也被彻底消灭1112。这个名字在中文里没有通行译名，所以正文保留原文拼写。
- 奇洛那份「当上黑魔王以后绝不会犯的错」清单，在网络文化里真有一份亲戚：1994 年一个《星际迷航》邮件列表的讨论长出了《The Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord》（「我要是当上邪恶霸主会做的 100 件事」），由彼得·安斯帕赫（Peter Anspach）汇编，1996 年前后定稿上线1314。但本章列出的头两条与那份清单的头两条并不重叠——所以这里更像是在拿「反派清单」这个文类开玩笑，而不是引用某条具体条目；HPMOR 维基的这一章也没有记下任何相关的致敬8。换句话说，读到这里想起那份清单是合理的，但它不是这句话的出处。
Abracadabra与Avada Kedavra并排的这个玩笑，底子是罗琳自己给的：罗琳在 2004 年 8 月 15 日爱丁堡国际图书节的问答环节上说过，Avada Kedavra 是阿拉米语的古老咒语，是 abracadabra 的原型，意思是「let the thing be destroyed」（让那「东西」毁掉）；它原本用来治病，那个「东西」指的是病，是罗琳把它改成了站在面前的人21。所以本章哈利那句「能直接 Abracadabra 掉敌人」被奇洛当场纠正成「Avada Kedavra」，不是随手写的谐音；上一章他脑子里冒出来的第一句回敬，用的也是这个词。
References
- 1Delayed gratification（Wikipedia）
en.wikipedia.org
- 2Stanford marshmallow experiment（Wikipedia）
en.wikipedia.org
- 3Revisiting the Marshmallow Test（Psychological Science, 2018）
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4
- 5HPMOR 第19章官方原文（hpmor.com）
hpmor.com
- 6Blood for the Blood God（Warhammer 40k Lexicanum）
wh40k.lexicanum.com
- 7Khorne（Warhammer 40k Wiki）
warhammer40k.fandom.com
- 8Chapter 19: Delayed Gratification（HPMOR Wiki）
hpmor.fandom.com
- 9HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT（Hansard, 1940-05-13）
api.parliament.uk
- 10Mage Winds Series（Penguin Random House）
penguinrandomhouse.com
- 11Mornelithe Falconsbane（Valdemar Wiki）
valdemar.fandom.com
- 12Winds of Fury（Valdemar Wiki）
valdemar.fandom.com
- 13Peter's Evil Overlord List
eviloverlord.com
- 14Dark lord（Wikipedia，Evil overlord list 一节）
en.wikipedia.org
- 15Agonistic behaviour（Wikipedia）
en.wikipedia.org
- 16Cruciatus Curse（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 17OP23: Christmas on the Closed Ward（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 18Killing Curse（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 19Shield Charm（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 20Shield Charm（Harry Potter Wiki）
harrypotter.fandom.com
- 21
- 22Derrick（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 23Peregrine Derrick（Harry Potter Wiki）
harrypotter.fandom.com
- 24Blaise Zabini（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
- 25Salazar Slytherin（Harry Potter Lexicon）
hp-lexicon.org
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