24、Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore ...
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November 13th, 1981
1981年11月13日
Dear Gellert,
亲爱的盖勒特，
You did, I recall, some time ago, ask me to owl you when I was through with Voldemort. This owl is perhaps a decade later than you expected, old friend? And I am not yet sure that I am through with him, per se. But I did appreciate your optimism many times during the war, even though he actually gave me a good deal more trouble than you did. Not to insult your Dark Lordliness, but he had a few specific advantages, particularly a natural talent for Legilimency which rivaled my own, and which I was unable to predict until far too late in the game...
你说过的，我想起来，之前你让我干掉伏地魔之后给你写信。老朋友，这封信可能比你预计的晚了十年？而我并不确定我是否真的干掉他，彻彻底底的那种。这场战斗中我不止一次地感激你的乐观主义，他实际上带来的麻烦可比你给我的更多。不是要贬低你作为黑魔王的素质，但他的确还是有一些特别之处的，尤其在摄神取念上，他几乎可以与我相匹敌，而这是直至这场战争的尾声我才意识到的……
But I digress. Through a very interesting turn of events, Voldemort is—not defeated for good, certainly, though most would like to think so. I believe, though, that he is staved off, set back, for years, most likely, and when he returns, he shall be very weak.
我似乎扯远了。在经过了一个有趣的事件反转后，伏地魔准确地说，并没有完全落败，即使大多数人并不想承认这一点。然而我确信，他已经被驱逐，被打败，可能数年之后，当他卷土重来之时，一定会十分虚弱。
I agree as to the disappointment involved in owling an unresponsive correspondent. But, Gellert, the battle against Voldemort was tooth and nail, and I organized the front force while maintaining Hogwarts. I have grown unfamiliar as of late with my bed-curtains, and particularly in the past year, I feel as if I have seen new-carved headstones more often. There has been so little time...
我知道写一封没有回音的信令人沮丧。但是，盖勒特，这场对抗伏地魔的战役十分艰险，在经营维护霍格沃茨的同时，我还要组织前线战斗。我很久没有睡个好觉，以至于对我的床帘感到陌生，尤其是在过去的一年里，我常常恍惚间看到一片片新立的墓碑。我的时间太少了……
Even now, more than a month after his defeat, I battle exhaustion. But I do not wish to abandon you, old friend, even though I have done so for years. Sherbet lemons for my conscience, you said once, but they never seem to do any good.
即便现在，在他落败之后的一个月，我仍然在与疲惫作斗争。但是我没想抛下你，老朋友，即使我已经这么做多年了。给我的良心几个柠檬雪宝，你曾经这么说过，但它们似乎并没有什么用。
I am sorry to hear of your friend's death. I am sorry for so much.
得知你朋友们的死讯后，我感到很遗憾。我很抱歉。
There have been some peculiar rumors spreading about you, amongst the Dark wizards and the underground of Europe—as I'd been working about that area quite a bit, trying to stem Voldemort's control of the werewolves and giants. They say old Grindelwald has shown remorse in his moldering cell. They say he cries in grief for his victims. A decade ago I would have thought this nonsense, but it has been a very, very long ten years, battering and changing the whole face of Britain. I have seen men and women whose hearts and souls I thought I knew altered, scarred, changed forever. So it is too easy for me to imagine that all this terrible change could have spread across the channel, over the continent, up the mountains to Nurmengard.
我还听说了一些关于你的传闻，在黑巫师和欧洲地下组织之间流传着——我当时在那里办事，试图阻止伏地魔对狼人和巨人之间的控制。他们说，老格林德沃在他破旧腐烂的囚室中已经表现出了忏悔的意愿。他们说他为那些曾经的受害者痛哭流涕。十年前，我会认为这是无稽之谈，但这是非常漫长的十年，战争重创甚至改变了英国的整个面貌。许多我熟知的人们的心和灵魂发生了改变，伤痕累累，留下无法抹去的伤疤，永远地改变了。所以，我不难想象这种巨变会越过海峡，穿过大陆，直抵偏远高峰上的纽蒙伽德。
And it has been so long since we truly corresponded. So long since I knew your heart. So let me ask you, just this once, in all sincerity, no mockery—how are you, old friend?
我们已经很久没有这样真正地通信了。我很久都没有触碰过你的心了。那么，我能问问你吗，一如从前那样，真诚地，不带丝毫嘲弄——你还好吗，老朋友？
作者有话说第24章 Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore
