October 13th, 1951

1951年10月13日

Dear Gellert,

亲爱的盖勒特，

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.

我收到了你的来信。读信时，我回想起你曾经对我的评价：世界上没有什么能阻止我成为——我记得你的原话是这样——“一个自以为是的杂种”。恐怕，我现在还是这样不可救药。自我们决斗之后，我一直盼望着猫头鹰的到访，所以收到信时我并不惊讶。其实，如果再晚个一两年，我就会开始担心了。

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.

我给了你的猫头鹰一个干燥咒，一块福克斯的栖木和三只小白鼠。在经历了这样的飞行之后，她的脾气依旧很好。（福克斯他也很好。即使是你，也不会把他伤得怎么样，盖勒特。）我确实仍在霍格沃茨，教授变形课，是格兰芬多的院长兼校长助理。或许，我并没有比起我们初遇时长进多少。不过，我确实很享受现在的生活。新学期伊始很忙碌，这也是为什么我没有尽快给你回信的缘由。10月13日是安静、平和的一天，让人心情格外雀跃。

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.

所以，是的，盖勒特，我不是很惊讶。而且，可能相反的是，这封回信会让你感到惊讶吧，但是我的确并不恨你。我知道我以前就这样说过，在我们决斗之时，现在我仍要再说一遍。我也没有轻视你，更不会嘲笑你。你觉得这很难理解吗？恐怕，我也觉得这很难解释。或许，这也是我是一个“自以为是的杂种”的又一项证据。

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

（说到决斗，放心吧，我一直很好地保管着“它”。）

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.

你是如何度过的，除了注视窗外天气的变化？我希望，你过得好。希望他们允许你通信的同时，允许你看书。随信附上你可能会感兴趣的一本书。这是关于变形术改良的，来自威尔士，20年代出版的一本书——在你忙着征服欧洲时，大约不巧错过了它。

Regards,

真诚的问候，

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

[附：老鼠与入学考试，格沃奇梅·格沃特尼 & 艾兰多·艾普·玛多格著]