《通信集Thirty-Five Owls》罗釉

2、AD1

　　1951年10月13日
　　亲爱的盖勒特，

　　感谢你的来信。在我写下这句话时，突然回想到有一次你评价我，说这世上没有什么能阻止我成为——我猜你的原话是——“一个自以为是的混蛋”。但恐怕我还是这般不可救药。从我们决斗那天起，我就在盼望你的来信了，因此接到你的消息也没感到特别意外。事实上，要是再等一两年还是杳无音信我才会开始担心。

　　我给你的猫头鹰施了个干燥咒，把栖木就摆在福克斯的火旁，还喂了她三只白老鼠。即便刚经历过这么一场飞行，她的脾气依旧好极了。（而福克斯也很好。即便是擅于此道的你也没能对他造成太多伤害，盖勒特）我确实还在霍格沃兹，教变形课，兼任格兰芬多的院长和校长助理。比起初遇那时我的锋芒毕露，而今的我更趋于平淡，但仍旧很享受生活。学期伊始总是琐事加身，以致方才有空回信，所幸这是一个平和安详的10月13日。

　　所以，没错盖勒特，我对你的来信一点也不惊讶，或许我的回复反而会让你惊讶，我并不恨你。记得在我们决斗时我就曾说过这话，现在再重复一遍。我也没有不屑地看你，更不曾嘲笑你，你认为这很难理解吗？但恐怕我也很难解释得清。或许这就是“一个自以为是的混蛋”吧。

　　（另外，提到那次决斗，请放心，我有保管好“它”）

　　现在的你除了凝望窗外，还能做什么来消磨时光呢？希望你过得还好，可以写信的同时也能被允许阅读。提到这个，我随信附了一本你或许会喜欢的书，关于二十世纪以来威尔士引人入胜的变形术理论改进——从你征战欧洲起就一定再没关注了。

　　谨致问候，
　　阿不思·邓布利多

　　【附件《老鼠与胚胎形成》格沃奇梅·格沃特尼&兰托马多格著】

　　October 13th, 1951
　　Dear Gellert,

　　Thank you for your letter. When I think on it, I seem to recall you commenting once that no power in the world could stop me from being—I believe your words were—"a smug bastard." I'm afraid I remain as incorrigible as ever. I've been expecting an owl ever since our duel, and was hardly surprised to receive one. Indeed, I would have begun to worry in another year or two.

　　I gave your owl a drying charm, a perch by Fawkes' fire, and three white mice. She's wonderfully well-tempered after such a flight. (And Fawkes himself is quite well. Not even you, adept as you are at such things, could kill him enough to be a problem, Gellert.) I am indeed still at Hogwarts, teaching Transfiguration, head of Gryffindor House, and Assistant Headmaster. I am perhaps somewhat less of an overachiever than I was when we first met. Still, I am indeed enjoying myself. The beginning of term has been quite busy, hence my slow response. It is a peculiar delight that October the 13th has been a quiet and peaceful day.

　　So, yes, Gellert, I am not surprised. And this might, in turn, come as a surprise to you, but I do not hate you. I have said it before, I know, during our duel, and I say it again. Nor do I look down my nose at you, nor do I laugh at you. Do you find this difficult to understand? I'm afraid I might find it difficult to explain. And it might simply be another symptom of being a smug bastard.

　　(Rest assured, speaking of said duel, that I am taking good care of It.)

　　How are you spending your hours, when not contemplating nature? You are, I hope, comfortable, and allowed books as well as correspondence. Along those lines, actually, I have enclosed a book you might enjoy. Some fascinating refinements of Transfiguration theory came out of Wales in the twenties—you might well have missed it while you were off preparing to conquer Europe.

　　Regards,
　　Albus Dembledore

　　[enclosure: Of Mice and Matriculation, Gwalchmai Gwartney & Ianto ap Madog]