jrt.the hobbit-第18节

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old　Bilbo　that　both　he　and　Elrond　had　been　well　aware　of　the　presence　of　evil　goblins　in　that　part　of　the　mountains。　But　their　main　gate　used　to　e　out　on　a　different　pass；　one　more　easy　to　travel　by；　so　that　they　often　caught　people　benighted　near　their　gates。　Evidently　people　had　given　up　going　that　way；　and　the　goblins　must　have　opened　their　new　entrance　at　the　top　of　the　pass　the　dwarves　had　taken；　quite　recently；　because　it　had　been　found　quite　safe　up　to　now。
　〃I　must　see　if　I　can't　find　a　more　or　less　decent　giant　to　block　it　up　again；〃　said　Gandalf；　〃or　soon　there　will　be　no　getting　over　the　mountains　at　all。〃
　As　soon　as　Gandalf　had　heard　Bilbo's　yell　he　realized　what　had　happened。　　In　the　flash　which　killed　the　goblins　that　were　grabbing　him　he　had　nipped　inside　the　crack；　just　as　it　snapped　to。　He　followed　after　the　drivers　and　prisoners　right　to　the　edge　of　the　great　hall；　and　there　he　sat　down　and　worked　up　the　best　magic　he　could　in　the　shadows。
　〃A　very　ticklish　business；　it　was；〃　he　said。　〃Touch　and　go！〃　But；　of　course；　Gandalf　had　made　a　special　study　of　bewitchments　with　fire　and　lights　（even　the　hobbit　had　never　forgotten　the　magic　fireworks　at　Old　Took's　midsummer…eve　parties；　as　you　remember）。　The　rest　we　all　know　…　except　that　Gandalf　knew　all　about　the　back…door；　as　the　goblins　called　the　lower　gate；　where　Bilbo　lost　his　buttons。　As　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　well　known　to　anybody　who　was　acquainted　with　this　part　of　the　mountains；　but　it　took　a　wizard　to　keep　his　head　in　the　tunnels　and　guide　them　in　the　right　direction。
　〃They　made　that　gate　ages　ago；〃　he　said；　〃partly　for　a　way　of　escape；　if　they　needed　one；　partly　as　a　way　out　into　the　lands　beyond；　where　they　still　e　in　the　dark　and　do　great　damage。　They　guard　it　always　and　no　one　has　ever　managed　to　block　it　up。　They　will　guard　it　doubly　after　this；〃　he　laughed。　　All　the　others　laughed　too。　After　all　they　had　lost　a　good　deal；　but　they　had　killed　the　Great　Goblin　and　a　great　many　others　besides；　and　they　had　all　escaped；　so　they　might　be　said　to　have　had　the　best　of　it　so　far。　　But　the　wizard　called　them　to　their　senses。　〃We　must　be　getting　on　at　once；　now　we　are　a　little　rested；〃　he　said。　〃They　will　be　out　after　us　in　hundreds　when　night　es　on；　and　already　shadows　are　lengthening。　They　can　smell　our　footsteps　for　hours　and　hours　after　we　have　passed。　We　must　be　miles　on　before　dusk。　There　will　be　a　bit　of　moon；　if　it　keeps　fine；　and　that　is　lucky。　Not　that　they　mind　the　moon　much；　but　it　will　give　us　a　little　light　to　steer　by。〃
　〃O　yes！〃　he　said　in　answer　to　more　questions　from　the　hobbit。　〃You　lose　track　of　time　inside　goblin…tunnels。　Today's　Thursday；　and　it　was　Monday　night　or　Tuesday　morning　that　we　were　captured。　We　have　gone　miles　and　miles；　and　e　right　down　through　the　heart　of　the　mountains；　and　are　now　on　the　other　side…quite　a　short　cut。　But　we　are　not　at　the　point　to　which　our　pass　would　have　brought　us；　we　are　too　far　to　the　North；　and　have　some　awkward　country　ahead。　And　we　are　still　pretty　high　up。　Let's　get　on！〃
　〃I　am　so　dreadfully　hungry；〃　groaned　Bilbo；　who　was　suddenly　aware　that　he　had　not　had　a　meal　since　the　night　before　the　night　before　last。　Just　think　of　that　for　a　hobbit！　His　stomach　felt　all　empty　and　loose　and　his　legs　all　wobbly；　now　that　the　excitement　was　over。
　〃Can't　help　it；〃　said　Gandalf；　〃unless　you　like　to　go　back　and　ask　the　goblins　nicely　to　let　you　have　your　pony　back　and　your　luggage。〃　〃No　thank　you！〃　said　Bilbo。
　〃Very　well　then；　we　must　just　tighten　our　belts　and　trudge　on　…　or　we　shall　be　made　into　supper；　and　that　will　be　much　worse　than　having　none　ourselves。〃
　As　they　went　on　Bilbo　looked　from　side　to　side　for　something　to　eat；　but　the　blackberries　were　still　only　in　flower；　and　of　course　there　were　no　nuts；　nor　even　hawthorn…berries。　He　nibbled　a　bit　of　sorrel；　and　he　drank　from　a　small　mountain…stream　that　crossed　the　path；　and　he　ate　three　wild　strawberries　that　he　found　on　its　bank；　but　it　was　not　much　good。　　They　still　went　on　and　on。　The　rough　path　disappeared。　The　bushes；　and　the　long　grasses；　between　the　boulders；　the　patches　of　rabbit…cropped　turf；　the　thyme　and　the　sage　and　the　marjoram；　and　the　yellow　rockroses　all　vanished；　and　they　found　themselves　at　the　top　of　a　wide　steep　slope　of　fallen　stones；　the　remains　of　a　landslide。　When　they　began　to　go　down　this；　rubbish　and　small　pebbles　rolled　away　from　their　feet；　soon　larger　bits　of　split　stone　went　clattering　down　and　started　other　pieces　below　them　slithering　and　rolling；　then　lumps　of　rocks　were　disturbed　and　bounded　off；　crashing　down　with　a　dust　and　a　noise。　Before　long　the　whole　slope　above　them　and　below　them　seemed　on　the　move；　and　they　were　sliding　away；　huddled　all　together；　in　a　fearful　confusion　of　slipping；　rattling；　cracking　slabs　and　stones。　　It　was　the　trees　at　the　bottom　that　saved　them。　They　slid　into　the　edge　of　a　climbing　wood　of　pines　that　here　stood　right　up　the　mountain　slope　from　the　deeper　darker　forests　of　the　valleys　below。　Some　caught　hold　of　the　trunks　and　swung　themselves　into　lower　branches；　some　（like　the　little　hobbit）　got　behind　a　tree　to　shelter　from　the　onslaught　of　the　rocks。　Soon　the　danger　was　over；　the　slide　had　stopped；　and　the　last　faint　crashes　could　be　heard　as　the　largest　of　the　disturbed　stones　went　bounding　and　spinning　among　the　bracken　and　the　pine…roots　far　below。
　〃Well！　that　has　got　us　on　a　bit；〃　said　Gandalf；　〃and　even　goblins　tracking　us　will　have　a　job　to　e　down　here　quietly。〃　〃I　daresay；〃　grumbled　Bombur；　〃but　they　won't　find　it　difficult　to　send　stones　bouncing　down　on　our　heads。〃　The　dwarves　（and　Bilbo）　were　feeling　far　from　happy；　and　were　rubbing　their　bruised　and　damaged　legs　and　feet。　　〃Nonsense！　We　are　going　to　turn　aside　here　out　of　the　path　of　the　slide。　　We　must　be　quick！　Look　at　the　light！〃　The　sun　had　long　gone　behind　the　mountains。　Already　the　shadows　were　deepening　about　them；　though　far　away　through　the　trees　and　over　the　black　tops　of　those　growing　lower　down　they　could　still　see　the　evening　lights　on　the　plains　beyond。　They　limped　along　now　as　fast　as　they　were　able　down　the　gentle　slopes　of　a　pine　forest　in　a　slanting　path　leading　steadily　southwards。　At　times　they　were　pushing　through　a　sea　of　bracken　with　tall　fronds　rising　right　above　the　hobbit's　head；　at　times　they　were　marching　along　quiet　as　quiet　over　a　floor　of　pine…needles；　and　all　the　while　the　forest…gloom　got　heavier　and　the　forest…silence　deeper。　　There　was　no　wind　that　evening　to　bring　even　a　sea…sighing　into　the　branches　of　the　trees。
　〃Must　we　go　any　further？〃　asked　Bilbo；　when　it　was　so　dark　that　he　could　only　just　see　Thorin's　beard　wagging　beside　him；　and　so　quiet　that　he　could　hear　the　dwarves'　breathing　like　a　loud　noise。　〃My　toes　are　all　bruised　and　bent；　and　my　legs　ache；　and　my　stomach　is　wagging　like　an　empty　sack。〃　〃A　bit　further；〃　said　Gandalf。
　After　what　seemed　ages　further　they　came　suddenly　to　an　opening　where　no　trees　grew。　The　moon　was　up　and　was　shining　into　the　clearing。　Somehow　it　struck　all　of　them　as　not　at　all　a　nice　place；　although　there　was　nothing　wrong　to　see。
　All　of　a　sudden　they　heard　a　howl　away　down　hill；　a　long　shuddering　howl。
　It　was　answered　by　another　away　to　the　right　and　a　good　deal　nearer　to　them；　then　by　another　not　far　away　to　the　left。　It　was　wolves　howling　at　the　moon；wolves　gathering　together！
　There　were　no　wolves　living　near　Mr。　Baggins'　hole　at　home；　but　he　knew　that　noise。　He　had　had　it　described　to　him　often　enough　in　tales。　One　of　his　elder　cousins　（on　the　Took　side）；　who　had　been　a　great　traveller；　used　to　imitate　it　to　frighten　him。　To　hear　it　out　in　the　forest　under　the　moon　was　too　much　for　Bilbo。　Even　magic　rings　are　not　much　use　against　wolves…especially　against　the　evil　packs　that　lived　under　the　shadow　of　the　goblin…infested　mountains；　over　the　Edge　of　the　Wild　on　the　borders　of　the　unknown。　　Wolves　of　that　sort　smell　keener　than　goblins；　and　do　not　need　to　see　you　to　catch　you！
　〃What　shall　we　do；　what　shall　we　do！〃　he　cried。　〃Escaping　goblins　to　be　caught　by　wolves！〃　he　said；　and　it　became　a　proverb；　though　we　now　say　'out　of　the　frying…pan　into　the　fire'　in　the　same　sort　of　unfortable　situations。　　〃Up　the　trees　quick！〃　cried　Gandalf；　and　they　ran　to　the　trees　at　the　edge　of　the　glade；　hunting　for　those　that　had　branches　fairly　low；　or　were　slender　enough　to　swarm　up。　They　found　them　as　quick　as　ever　they　could；　you　can　guess；　and　up　they　went　as　high　as　ever　they　could　trust　the　branches。　You　would　have　laughed　（from　a　safe　distance）；　if　you　had　seen　the　dwarves　sitting　up　in　the　trees　with　their　beards　dangling　down；　like　old　gentlemen　gone　cracked　and　playing　at　being　boys。　Fili　and　Kili　were　at　the　top　of　a　tall　larch　like　an　enormous　Christmas　tree。　Dori；　Nori；　On；　Oin；　and　Gloin　were　more　fortable　in　a　huge　pine　with　regular　branches　sticking　out　at　intervals　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel。　Bifur；　Bofur；　Bombur；　and　Thorin　were　in　another。　Dwalin　and　Balin　had　swarmed　up　a　tall　slender　fir　with　few　branches　and　were　trying　to　find　a　place　to　sit　in　the　greenery　of　the　topmost　boughs。　　Gandalf；　who　was　a　good　deal　taller　than　the　others；　had　found　a　tree　into　which　they　could　not　climb；　a　large　pine　standing　at　the　very　ed