jrt.fellowshipofring-第49节

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Strider　had　drawn　the　curtains　and　pushed　back　the　shutters　with　a　clang。　The　first　grey　light　of　day　was　in　the　room；　and　a　cold　air　was　ing　through　the　open　window。
　　　As　soon　as　Strider　had　roused　them　all；　he　led　the　way　to　their　bedrooms。　When　they　saw　them　they　were　glad　that　they　had　taken　his　advice：　the　windows　had　been　forced　open　and　were　swinging；　and　the　curtains　were　flapping；　the　beds　were　tossed　about；　and　the　bolsters　slashed　and　flung　upon　the　floor；　the　brown　mat　was　torn　to　pieces。
　　　Strider　immediately　went　to　fetch　the　landlord。　Poor　Mr。　Butterbur　looked　sleepy　and　frightened。　He　had　hardly　closed　his　eyes　all　night　（so　he　said）；　but　he　had　never　heard　a　sound。
　　　'Never　has　such　a　thing　happened　in　my　time！'　he　cried；　raising　his　hands　in　horror。　'Guests　unable　to　sleep　in　their　beds；　and　good　bolsters　ruined　and　all！　What　are　we　ing　to？'
　　　'Dark　times；'　said　Strider。　'But　for　the　present　you　may　be　left　in　peace；　when　you　have　got　rid　of　us。　We　will　leave　at　once。　Never　mind　about　breakfast：　a　drink　and　a　bite　standing　will　have　to　do。　We　shall　be　packed　in　a　few　minutes。'
　　　Mr。　Butterbur　hurried　off　to　see　that　their　ponies　were　got　ready；　and　to　fetch　them　a　'bite'。　But　very　soon　he　came　back　in　dismay。　The　ponies　had　vanished！　The　stable…doors　had　all　been　opened　in　the　night；　and　they　were　gone：　not　only　Merry's　ponies；　but　every　other　horse　and　beast　in　the　place。
　　　Frodo　was　crushed　by　the　news。　How　could　they　hope　to　reach　Rivendell　on　foot；　pursued　by　mounted　enemies？　They　might　as　well　set　out　for　the　Moon。　Strider　sat　silent　for　a　while；　looking　at　the　hobbits；　as　if　he　was　weighing　up　their　strength　and　courage。
　　　'Ponies　would　not　help　us　to　escape　horsemen；'　he　said　at　last；　thoughtfully；　as　if　he　guessed　what　Frodo　had　in　mind。　'We　should　not　go　much　slower　on　foot；　not　on　the　roads　that　I　mean　to　take。　I　was　going　to　walk　in　any　case。　It　is　the　food　and　stores　that　trouble　me。　We　cannot　count　on　getting　anything　to　eat　between　here　and　Rivendell；　except　what　we　take　with　us；　and　we　ought　to　take　plenty　to　spare；　for　we　may　be　delayed；　or　forced　to　go　round…about；　far　out　of　the　direct　way。　How　much　are　you　prepared　to　carry　on　your　backs？'
　　　'As　much　as　we　must；'　said　Pippin　with　a　sinking　heart；　but　trying　to　show　that　he　was　tougher　than　he　looked　（or　felt）。
　　　'I　can　carry　enough　for　two；'　said　Sam　defiantly。
　　　'Can't　anything　be　done；　Mr。　Butterbur？'　asked　Frodo。　'Can't　we　get　a　couple　of　ponies　in　the　village；　or　even　one　just　for　the　baggage？　I　don't　suppose　we　could　hire　them；　but　we　might　be　able　to　buy　them；'　he　added；　doubtfully；　wondering　if　he　could　afford　it。
　　　'I　doubt　it；'　said　the　landlord　unhappily。　'The　two　or　three　riding…ponies　that　there　were　in　Bree　were　stabled　in　my　yard；　and　they're　gone。　As　for　other　animals；　horses　or　ponies　for　draught　or　what　not；　there　are　very　few　of　them　in　Bree；　and　they　won't　be　for　sale。　But　I'll　do　what　I　can。　I'll　rout　out　Bob　and　send　him　round　as　soon　as　may　be。'
　　　'Yes；'　said　Strider　reluctantly；　'you　had　better　do　that。　I　am　afraid　we　shall　have　to　try　to　get　one　pony　at　least。　But　so　ends　all　hope　of　starting　early；　and　slipping　away　quietly！　We　might　as　well　have　blown　a　horn　to　announce　our　departure。　That　was　part　of　their　plan；　no　doubt。'
　　　'There　is　one　crumb　of　fort；'　said　Merry；　'and　more　than　a　crumb；　I　hope：　we　can　have　breakfast　while　we　wait　…　and　sit　down　to　it。　Let's　get　hold　of　Nob！'
　　　In　the　end　there　was　more　than　three　hours'　delay。　Bob　came　back　with　the　report　that　no　horse　or　pony　was　to　be　got　for　love　or　money　in　the　neighbourhood　…　except　one：　Bill　Ferny　had　one　that　he　might　possibly　sell。　'A　poor　old　half…starved　creature　it　is；'　said　Bob；　'but　he　won't　part　with　it　for　less　than　thrice　its　worth；　seeing　how　you're　placed；　not　if　I　knows　Bill　Ferny。'
　　　'Bill　Ferny？'　said　Frodo。　'Isn't　there　some　trick？　Wouldn't　the　beast　bolt　back　to　him　with　all　our　stuff；　or　help　in　tracking　us；　or　something？'
　　　'I　wonder；'　said　Strider。　'But　I　cannot　imagine　any　animal　running　home　to　him；　once　it　got　away。　I　fancy　this　is　only　an　afterthought　of　kind　Master　Ferny's：　just　a　way　of　increasing　his　profits　from　the　affair。　The　chief　danger　is　that　the　poor　beast　is　probably　at　death's　door。　But　there　does　not　seem　any　choice。　What　does　he　want　for　it？'
　　　Bill　Ferny's　price　was　twelve　silver　pennies；　and　that　was　indeed　at　least　three　times　the　pony's　value　in　those　pans。　It　proved　to　be　a　bony；　underfed；　and　dispirited　animal；　but　it　did　not　look　like　dying　just　yet。　Mr。　Butterbur　paid　for　it　himself；　and　offered　Merry　another　eighteen　pence　as　some　pensation　for　the　lost　animals。　He　was　an　honest　man；　and　well…off　as　things　were　reckoned　in　Bree；　but　thirty　silver　pennies　was　a　sore　blow　to　him；　and　being　cheated　by　Bill　Ferny　made　it　harder　to　bear。
　　　As　a　matter　of　fact　he　came　out　on　the　right　side　in　the　end。　It　turned　out　later　that　only　one　horse　had　been　actually　stolen。　The　others　had　been　driven　off；　or　had　bolted　in　terror；　and　were　found　wandering　in　different　corners　of　the　Bree…land。　Merry's　ponies　had　escaped　altogether；　and　eventually　（having　a　good　deal　of　sense）　they　made　their　way　to　the　Downs　in　search　of　Fatty　Lumpkin。　So　they　came　under　the　care　of　Tom　Bombadil　for　a　while；　and　were　well…off。　But　when　news　of　the　events　at　Bree　came　to　Tom's　ears；　he　sent　them　to　Mr。　Butterbur；　who　thus　got　five　good　beasts　at　a　very　fair　price。　They　had　to　work　harder　in　Bree；　but　Bob　treated　them　well；　so　on　the　whole　they　were　lucky：　they　missed　a　dark　and　dangerous　journey。　But　they　never　came　to　Rivendell。
　　　However；　in　the　meanwhile　for　all　Mr。　Butterbur　knew　his　money　was　gone　for　good；　or　for　bad。　And　he　had　other　troubles。　For　there　was　a　great　motion　as　soon　as　the　remaining　guests　were　astir　and　heard　news　of　the　raid　on　the　inn。　The　southern　travellers　had　lost　several　horses　and　blamed　the　innkeeper　loudly；　until　it　became　known　that　one　of　their　own　number　had　also　disappeared　in　the　night；　none　other　than　Bill　Ferny's　squint…eyed　panion。　Suspicion　fell　on　him　at　once。
　　　'If　you　pick　up　with　a　horse…thief；　and　bring　him　to　my　house；'　said　Butterbur　angrily；　'you　ought　to　pay　for　all　the　damage　yourselves　and　not　e　shouting　at　me。　Go　and　ask　Ferny　where　your　handsome　friend　is！'　But　it　appeared　that　he　was　nobody's　friend；　and　nobody　could　recollect　when　he　had　joined　their　party。
　　　After　their　breakfast　the　hobbits　had　to　re…pack；　and　get　together　further　supplies　for　the　longer　journey　they　were　now　expecting。　It　was　close　on　ten　o'clock　before　they　at　last　got　off。　By　that　time　the　whole　of　Bree　was　buzzing　with　excitement。　Frodo's　vanishing　trick；　the　appearance　of　the　black　horsemen；　the　robbing　of　the　stables；　and　not　least　the　news　that　Strider　the　Ranger　had　joined　the　mysterious　hobbits；　made　such　a　tale　as　would　last　for　many　uneventful　years。　Most　of　the　inhabitants　of　Bree　and　Staddle；　and　many　even　from　be　and　Archet；　were　crowded　in　the　road　to　see　the　travellers　start。　The　other　guests　in　the　inn　were　at　the　doors　or　hanging　out　of　the　windows。
　　　Strider　had　changed　his　mind；　and　he　decided　to　leave　Bree　by　the　main　road。　Any　attempt　to　set　off　across　country　at　once　would　only　make　matters　worse：　half　the　inhabitants　would　follow　them；　to　see　what　they　were　up　to；　and　to　prevent　them　from　trespassing。
　　　They　said　farewell　to　Nob　and　Bob；　and　took　leave　of　Mr。　Butterbur　with　many　thanks。　'I　hope　we　shall　meet　again　some　day；　when　things　are　merry　once　more；'　said　Frodo。　'I　should　like　nothing　better　than　to　stay　in　your　house　in　peace　for　a　while。'
　　　They　tramped　off；　anxious　and　downhearted；　under　the　eyes　of　the　crowd。　Not　all　the　faces　were　friendly；　nor　all　the　words　that　were　shouted。　But　Strider　seemed　to　be　held　in　awe　by　most　of　the　Bree…landers；　and　those　that　he　stared　at　shut　their　mouths　and　drew　away。　He　walked　in　front　with　Frodo；　next　came　Merry　and　Pippin；　and　last　came　Sam　leading　the　pony；　which　was　laden　with　as　much　of　their　baggage　as　they　had　the　heart　to　give　it；　but　already　it　looked　less　dejected；　as　if　it　approved　of　the　change　in　its　fortunes。　Sam　was　chewing　an　apple　thoughtfully。　He　had　a　pocket　full　of　them：　a　parting　present　from　Nob　and　Bob。　'Apples　for　walking；　and　a　pipe　for　sitting；'　he　said。　'But　I　reckon　I'll　miss　them　both　before　long。'
　　　The　hobbits　took　no　notice　of　the　inquisitive　heads　that　peeped　out　of　doors；　or　popped　over　walls　and　fences；　as　they　passed。　But　as　they　drew　near　to　the　further　gate；　Frodo　saw　a　dark　ill…kept　house　behind　a　thick　hedge：　the　last　house　in　the　village。　In　one　of　the　windows　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　sallow　face　with　sly；　slanting　eyes；　but　it　vanished　at　once。
　　　'So　that's　where　that　southerner　is　hiding！'　he　thought。　'He　looks　more　than　half　like　a　goblin。'
　　　Over　the　hedge　another　man　was　staring　boldly。　He　had　heavy　black　brows；　and　dark　scornful　eyes；　his　large　mouth　curled　in　a　sneer。　He　was　smoking　a　short　black　pipe。　As　they　approached　he　took　it　out　of　his　mouth　and　spat。
　　　'Morning；　Longshanks！'　he　said。　'Off　early？　Found　some　friends　at　last？'　Strider　nodded；　but　did　not　answer。　'Morning；　my　little　friends！'　he　said　to　the　others。　'I　suppose　you　know　who　you've　taken