【英语原著】哈利·波特与魔法石 （20）

‘What they’re saying,’ she pressed on, ‘is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric’s Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they’re – dead.’
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.
‘Lily and James … I can’t believe it … I didn’t want to believe it … Oh, Albus …’
Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. ‘I know … I know …’ he said heavily.
Professor McGonagall’s voice trembled as she went on. ‘That’s not all. They’re saying he tried to kill the Potters’ son, Harry. But – he couldn’t. He couldn’t kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they’re saying that when he couldn’t kill Harry Potter, Voldemort’s power somehow broke – and that’s why he’s gone.’
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
‘It’s – it’s true?’ faltered Professor McGonagall. ‘After all he’s done … all the people he’s killed … he couldn’t kill a little boy? It’s just astounding … of all the things to stop him … but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?’
‘We can only guess,’ said Dumbledore. ‘We may never know.’
Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, ‘Hagrid’s late. I suppose it was he who told you I’d be here, by the way?’

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Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Bloomsbury. Kindle Edition.

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Knowledge Point

⇒ press on
to start or continue doing something in a determined way, often despite problems

⇒ turn up
（令人意外地）出现，到场，路面

⇒ bow your head
to bend your neck so that you are looking at the ground, especially because you want to show respect for God, or because you are embarrassed or upset

⇒ gasp [verb]
to take a short, quick breath through the mouth, especially because of surprise, pain, or shock

⇒ reach out
move forward or upward in order to touch;
attemp to communicate
⇒ 参见图片【reach out】

reach out

⇒ pat on the shoulder
参见图片【pat on the shoulder】

pat on the shoulder

⇒ tremble [verb]
to shake slightly, usually because you are cold, frightened, or very emotional

⇒ glumly [adverb]
in a disappointed or unhappy way

⇒ falter [verb]
to speak in a voice that sounds weak and uncertain, and keeps stopping

⇒ astounding [adjective]
very surprising or shocking

• ‘After all he’s done … all the people he’s killed … he couldn’t kill a little boy? It’s just astounding … of all the things to stop him … but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?’
  ⇒ in the name of 
  主要用作方式状语，后接身份名词，表示“以······的名义，代表······” 的意思。当in the name of 后接“Heaven，God”之类的名词时，可用来加强语气，常同特殊疑问句连用，表示 “究竟，到底” 的意思。
  他做了这么多坏事……杀了这么多人……竟然杀不了一个孩子？这简直令人震惊……我们想了那么多办法去阻止他……哈利究竟是怎么幸免于难的呢？

• Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles.
  ⇒ pull out 掏出 ~ take out
  ⇒ “dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles”，描写Professor McGonagall用蕾丝手帕轻轻擦拭眼泪的情景。“beneath her spectacles”说明她是戴着眼镜的。手帕在眼镜的后面擦的描写很具体，很有画面感。

• Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it.
  ⇒ give a great sniff
  深深地吸了一口气
  ⇒ examine, scan, inspect, investigate
  这组词都有“调查、检查”的意思，其区别是：
  examine 最普通用词，可指粗略地查看，也可指仔细观察或调查以确定事物的性质、功能、特点等。
  scan 原义是仔细地检查分析，现用于指细看或浏览。
  inspect 侧重按一定质量标准检查某物，找出不足或不同之处。
  investigate 指为发现事实真相或了解掌握情况而进行深入细致的现场考察

• It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.
  ⇒ 参见图片【Albus Dumbledore's pocket watch】

  
  
  

  Albus Dumbledore's pocket watch

• It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, ‘Hagrid’s late. I suppose it was he who told you I’d be here, by the way?’
  ⇒ it was ... who 强调句

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