jrt.the hobbit-第1节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　An　Unexpected　Party
　In　a　hole　in　the　ground　there　lived　a　hobbit。　Not　a　nasty；　dirty；　wet　hole；　filled　with　the　ends　of　worms　and　an　oozy　smell；　nor　yet　a　dry；　bare；　sandy　hole　with　nothing　in　it　to　sit　down　on　or　to　eat：　it　was　a　hobbit…hole；　and　that　means　fort。
　It　had　a　perfectly　round　door　like　a　porthole；　painted　green；　with　a　shiny　yellow　brass　knob　in　the　exact　middle。　The　door　opened　on　to　a　tube…shaped　hall　like　a　tunnel：　a　very　fortable　tunnel　without　smoke；　with　panelled　walls；　and　floors　tiled　and　carpeted；　provided　with　polished　chairs；　and　lots　and　lots　of　pegs　for　hats　and　coats　…　the　hobbit　was　fond　of　visitors。　The　tunnel　wound　on　and　on；　going　fairly　but　not　quite　straight　into　the　side　of　the　hill　…　The　Hill；　as　all　the　people　for　many　miles　round　called　it　…　and　many　little　round　doors　opened　out　of　it；　first　on　one　side　and　then　on　another。　No　going　upstairs　for　the　hobbit：　bedrooms；　bathrooms；　cellars；　pantries　（lots　of　these）；　wardrobes　（he　had　whole　rooms　devoted　to　clothes）；　kitchens；　dining…rooms；　all　were　on　the　same　floor；　and　indeed　on　the　same　passage。　The　best　rooms　were　all　on　the　left…hand　side　（going　in）；　for　these　were　the　only　ones　to　have　windows；　deep…set　round　windows　looking　over　his　garden　and　meadows　beyond；　sloping　down　to　the　river。
　This　hobbit　was　a　very　well…to…do　hobbit；　and　his　name　was　Baggins。　The　Bagginses　had　lived　in　the　neighbourhood　of　The　Hill　for　time　out　of　mind；　and　people　considered　them　very　respectable；　not　only　because　most　of　them　were　rich；　but　also　because　they　never　had　any　adventures　or　did　anything　unexpected：　you　could　tell　what　a　Baggins　would　say　on　any　question　without　the　bother　of　asking　him。　This　is　a　story　of　how　a　Baggins　had　an　adventure；　found　himself　doing　and　saying　things　altogether　unexpected。　He　may　have　lost　　the　neighbours'　respect；　but　he　gained…well；　you　will　see　whether　he　gained　anything　in　the　end。
　The　mother　of　our　particular　hobbit　。。。　what　is　a　hobbit？　I　suppose　hobbits　need　some　description　nowadays；　since　they　have　bee　rare　and　shy　of　the　Big　People；　as　they　call　us。　They　are　（or　were）　a　little　people；　about　half　our　height；　and　smaller　than　the　bearded　Dwarves。　Hobbits　have　no　beards。　　There　is　little　or　no　magic　about　them；　except　the　ordinary　everyday　sort　which　helps　them　to　disappear　quietly　and　quickly　when　large　stupid　folk　like　you　and　me　e　blundering　along；　making　a　noise　like　elephants　which　they　can　hear　a　mile　off。　They　are　inclined　to　be　at　in　the　stomach；　they　dress　in　bright　colours　（chiefly　green　and　yellow）；　wear　no　shoes；　because　their　feet　grow　natural　leathery　soles　and　thick　warm　brown　hair　like　the　stuff　on　their　heads　（which　is　curly）；　have　long　clever　brown　fingers；　good…natured　faces；　and　laugh　deep　fruity　laughs　（especially　after　dinner；　which　they　have　twice　a　day　when　they　can　get　it）。　Now　you　know　enough　to　go　on　with。　As　I　was　saying；　the　mother　of　this　hobbit　…　of　Bilbo　Baggins；　that　is　…　was　the　fabulous　Belladonna　Took；　one　of　the　three　remarkable　daughters　of　the　Old　Took；　head　of　the　hobbits　who　lived　across　The　Water；　the　small　river　that　ran　at　the　foot　of　The　Hill。　It　was　often　said　（in　other　families）　that　long　ago　one　of　the　Took　ancestors　must　have　taken　a　fairy　wife。　That　was；　of　course；　absurd；　but　certainly　there　was　still　something　not　entirely　hobbit…like　about　them；　…　and　once　in　a　while　members　of　the　Took…clan　would　go　and　have　adventures。　　They　discreetly　disappeared；　and　the　family　hushed　it　up；　but　the　fact　remained　that　the　Tooks　were　not　as　respectable　as　the　Bagginses；　though　they　were　undoubtedly　richer。　Not　that　Belladonna　Took　ever　had　any　adventures　after　she　became　Mrs。　Bungo　Baggins。　Bungo；　that　was　Bilbo's　father；　built　the　most　luxurious　hobbit…hole　for　her　（and　partly　with　her　money）　that　was　to　be　found　either　under　The　Hill　or　over　The　Hill　or　across　The　Water；　and　there　they　remained　to　the　end　of　their　days。　Still　it　is　probable　that　Bilbo；　her　only　son；　although　he　looked　and　behaved　exactly　like　a　second　edition　of　his　solid　and　fortable　father；　got　something　a　bit　queer　in　his　makeup　from　the　Took　side；　something　that　only　waited　for　a　chance　to　e　out。　The　chance　never　arrived；　until　Bilbo　Baggins　was　grown　up；　being　about　fifty　years　old　or　so；　and　living　in　the　beautiful　hobbit…hole　built　by　his　father；　which　I　have　just　described　for　you；　until　he　had　in　fact　apparently　settled　down　immovably。
　By　some　curious　chance　one　morning　long　ago　in　the　quiet　of　the　world；　when　there　was　less　noise　and　more　green；　and　the　hobbits　were　still　numerous　and　prosperous；　and　Bilbo　Baggins　was　standing　at　his　door　after　breakfast　smoking　an　enormous　long　wooden　pipe　that　reached　nearly　down　to　his　woolly　toes　（neatly　brushed）　…　Gandalf　came　by。　Gandalf！　If　you　had　heard　only　a　quarter　of　what　I　have　heard　about　him；　and　I　have　only　heard　very　little　of　all　there　is　to　hear；　you　would　be　prepared　for　any　sort　I　of　remarkable　tale。　　Tales　and　adventures　sprouted　up　all　over　the　place　wherever　he　went；　in　the　most　extraordinary　fashion。　He　had　not　been　down　that　way　under　The　Hill　for　ages　and　ages；　not　since　his　friend　the　Old　Took　died；　in　fact；　and　the　hobbits　had　almost　forgotten　what　he　looked　like。　He　had　been　away　over　The　Hill　and　across　The　Water　on　business　of　his　own　since　they　were　all　small　hobbit…boys　and　hobbit…girls。
　All　that　the　unsuspecting　Bilbo　saw　that　morning　was　an　old　man　with　a　staff。　He　had　a　tall　pointed　blue　hat；　a　long　grey　cloak；　a　silver　scarf　over　which　a　white　beard　hung　down　below　his　waist；　and　immense　black　boots。　　〃Good　morning！〃　said　Bilbo；　and　he　meant　it。　The　sun　was　shining；　and　the　grass　was　very　green。　But　Gandalf　looked　at　him　from　under　long　bushy　eyebrows　that　stuck　out　further　than　the　brim　of　his　shady　hat。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　be　said。　〃Do　you　wish　me　a　good　morning；　or　mean　that　it　is　a　good　morning　whether　I　want　not；　or　that　you　feel　good　this　morning；　or　that　it　is　morning　to　be　good　on？〃
　〃All　of　them　at　once；〃　said　Bilbo。　〃And　a　very　fine　morning　for　a　pipe　of　tobacco　out　of　doors；　into　the　bargain。　If　you　have　a　pipe　about　you；　sit　down　　and　have　a　fill　of　mine！　There's　no　hurry；　we　have　all　the　day　before　us！〃　Then　Bilbo　sat　down　on　a　seat　by　his　door；　crossed　his　legs；　and　blew　out　a　beautiful　grey　ring　of　smoke　that　sailed　up　into　the　air　without　breaking　and　floated　away　over　The　Hill。
　〃Very　pretty！〃　said　Gandalf。　〃But　I　have　no　time　to　blow　smoke…rings　this　morning。　I　am　looking　for　someone　to　share　in　an　adventure　that　I　am　arranging；　and　it's　very　difficult　to　find　anyone。〃
　I　should　think　so　…　in　these　parts！　We　are　plain　quiet　folk　and　have　no　use　for　adventures。　Nasty　disturbing　unfortable　things！　Make　you　late　for　dinner！　I　can't　think　what　anybody　sees　in　them；　said　our　Mr。　Baggins；　and　stuck　one　thumb　behind　his　braces；　and　blew　out　another　even　bigger　smoke…ring。　Then　he　took　out　his　morning　letters；　and　begin　to　read；　pretending　to　take　no　more　notice　of　the　old　man。　He　had　decided　that　he　was　not　quite　his　sort；　and　wanted　him　to　go　away。　But　the　old　man　did　not　move。　He　stood　leaning　on　his　stick　and　gazing　at　the　hobbit　without　saying　anything；　till　Bilbo　got　quite　unfortable　and　even　a　little　cross。
　〃Good　morning！〃　he　said　at　last。　〃We　don't　want　any　adventures　here；　thank　you！　You　might　try　over　The　Hill　or　across　The　Water。〃　By　this　he　meant　that　the　conversation　was　at　an　end。
　〃What　a　lot　of　things　you　do　use　Good　morning　for！〃　said　Gandalf。　〃Now　you　mean　that　you　want　to　get　rid　of　me；　and　that　it　won't　be　good　till　I　move　off。〃
　〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；　my　dear　sir！　Let　me　see；　I　don't　think　I　know　your　name？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　my　dear　sir　…　and　I　do　know　your　name；　Mr。　Bilbo　Baggins。　And　you　do　know　my　name；　though　you　don't　remember　that　I　belong　to　it。　I　am　Gandalf；　and　Gandalf　means　me！　To　think　that　I　should　have　lived　to　be　good…morninged　by　Belladonna　Took's　son；　as　if　I　was　selling　buttons　at　the　door！〃　〃Gandalf；　Gandalf！　Good　gracious　me！　Not　the　wandering　wizard　that　gave　Old　Took　a　pair　of　magic　diamond　studs　that　fastened　themselves　and　never　came　undone　till　ordered？　Not　the　fellow　who　used　to　tell　such　wonderful　tales　at　parties；　about　dragons　and　goblins　and　giants　and　the　rescue　of　princesses　and　the　unexpected　luck　of　widows'　sons？　Not　the　man　that　used　to　make　such　particularly　excellent　fireworks！　I　remember　those！　Old　Took　used　to　have　them　on　Midsummer's　Eve。　Splendid！　They　used　to　go　up　like　great　lilies　and　snapdragons　and　laburnums　of　fire　and　hang　in　the　twilight　all　evening！〃　You　will　notice　already　that　Mr。　Baggins　was　not　quite　so　prosy　as　he　liked　to　believe；　also　that　he　was　very　fond　of　flowers。　〃Dear　me！〃　she　went　on。　〃Not　the　Gandalf　who　was　responsible　for　so　many　quiet　lads　and　lasses　going　off　into　the　Blue　for　mad　adventures。　Anything　from　climbing　trees　to　visiting　Elves　…　or　sailing　in　ships；　sailing　to　other　shores！　Bless　me；　life　used　to　be　quite　inter　…　I　mean；　you　used　to　upset　things　badly　in　these　parts　once　upon　a　time。　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　had　no　idea　you　were　still　in　business。〃　〃Where　else　should　I　be？〃　said　the　wizard。　〃All　the　same　I　am　pleased　to　find　you　remember　something　about　me。　You　seem　to　remember　my　fireworks　kindly；　at