Гарри Поттер и тайная комната
The Deathday Party
"Hello,Nick,"saidHarry.
"Hello,hello,"saidNearlyHeadlessNick,startingandlookinground. Heworeadashing,plumedhatonhislongcurlyhair,andatunicwitharuff,whichconcealedthefactthathisneckwasalmostcompletelysevered. Hewaspaleassmoke,andHarrycouldseerightthroughhimtothedarkskyandtorrentialrainoutside.
"Youlooktroubled,youngPotter,"saidNick,foldingatransparentletterashespokeandtuckingitinsidehisdoublet.
"Sodoyou,"saidHarry.
"Ah,"NearlyHeadlessNickwavedaneleganthand,"amatterofnoimportance...It’snotasthoughIreallywantedtojoin... ThoughtI’dapply,butapparentlyIdon’tfulfillrequirements’-"
Inspiteofhisairytone,therewasalookofgreatbitternessonhisface.
"Butyouwouldthink,wouldn’tyou,"heeruptedsuddenly,pullingtheletterbackoutofhispocket,"thatgettinghitforty-fivetimesintheneckwithabluntaxewouldqualifyyoutojointheHeadlessHunt?"
"Oh-yes,"saidHarry,whowasobviouslysupposedtoagree.
"Imean,nobodywishesmorethanIdothatithadallbeenquickandclean,andmyheadhadcomeoffproperly, Imean,itwouldhavesavedmeagreatdealofpainandridicule.However-" NearlyHeadlessNickshookhisletteropenandreadfuriously:
"Wecanonlyaccepthuntsmenwhoseheadshavepartedcompanywiththeirbodies.
