Гарри Поттер и Принц-полукровка
Horace Slughorn
"Hmpf,"hesaid,lookingawayquicklyasthoughfrightenedofhurtinghiseyes."Here—"HegaveadrinktoDumbledore,whohadsatdownwithoutinvitation,thrustthetrayatHarry,andthensankintothecushionsoftherepairedsofaandadisgruntledsilence.Hislegsweresoshorttheydidnottouchthefloor.
"Well,howhaveyoubeenkeeping,Horace?"Dumbledoreasked.
"Notsowell,"saidSlughornatonce."Weakchest.Wheezy.Rheumatismtoo.Can’tmovelikeIusedto.Well,that’stobeexpected.Oldage.Fatigue."
"Andyetyoumusthavemovedfairlyquicklytopreparesuchawelcomeforusatsuchshortnotice,"saidDumbledore."Youcan’thavehadmorethanthreeminutes’warning?"
Slughornsaid,halfirritably,halfproudly,"Two.Didn’thearmyIntruderCharmgooff,Iwastakingabath.Still,"headdedsternly,seemingtopullhimselfbacktogetheragain,"thefactremainsthatI’manoldman,Albus.Atiredoldmanwho’searnedtherighttoaquietlifeandafewcreaturecomforts."
Hecertainlyhadthose,thoughtHarry,lookingaroundtheroom.Itwasstuffyandcluttered,yetnobodycouldsayitwasuncomfortable;thereweresoftchairsandfootstools,drinksandbooks,boxesofchocolatesandplumpcushions.IfHarryhadnotknownwholivedthere,hewouldhaveguessedatarich,fussyoldlady.
"You’renotyetasoldasIam,Horace,"saidDumbledore.
"Well,maybeyououghttothinkaboutretirementyourself,"saidSlughornbluntly.HispalegooseberryeyeshadfoundDumbledore’sinjuredhand."Reactionsnotwhattheywere,Isee."
