"J. K. Rowling - The Prisoner of Azbakan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rowling J. K)

"Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate
institution for hopeless cases."

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?"
she barked across the table.

"Er --"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly,
he added, "all the time."

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby,
wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good


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thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have
you been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your
beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard
enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve
the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain;
in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner,
eh?"

As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself
thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her. Uncle
Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their
way, which Harry was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other
hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all times, so that she could boom
out suggestions for his improvement. She delighted in comparing Harry
with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents
while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a
present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry
such an unsatisfactory person.