jrt.the hobbit-第23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！


re　your　names？　I　don't　want　your　service　just　now；　only　your　names；　and　then　sit　down　and　stop　wagging！〃
　〃Balin　and　Dwalin；〃　they　said　not　daring　to　be　offended；　and　sat　flop　on　the　floor　looking　rather　surprised。
　〃Now　go　on　again！〃　said　Beorn　to　the　wizard。
　〃Where　was　1？　O　yes…　I　was　not　grabbed。　I　killed　a　goblin　or　two　with　a　flash…〃　〃Good！〃　growled　Beorn。　〃It　is　some　good　being　a　wizard；　then。〃　〃…and　slipped　inside　the　crack　before　it　closed。　I　followed　down　into　the　main　hall；　which　was　crowded　with　goblins。　The　Great　Goblin　was　there　with　thirty　or　forty　armed　guards。　I　thought　to　myself　'even　if　they　were　not　all　chained　together；　what　can　a　dozen　do　against　so　many？'　〃　〃A　dozen！　That's　the　first　time　I've　heard　eight　called　a　dozen。　Or　have　you　still　got　some　more　jacks　that　haven't　yet　e　out　of　their　boxes？〃　〃Well；　yes；　there　seem　to　be　a　couple　more　here　now　…　Fili　and　Kili；　I　believe；〃　said　Gandalf；　as　these　two　now　appeared　and　stood　smiling　and　bowing。
　〃That's　enough！〃　said　Beorn。　〃Sit　down　and　be　quiet！　Now　go　on；　Gandalf！〃　So　Gandalf　went　on　with　the　tale；　until　he　came　to　the　fight　in　the　dark；　the　discovery　of　the　lower　gate；　and　their　horror　when　they　found　that　Mr。　　Baggins　had　been　mislaid。
　〃We　counted　ourselves　and　found　that　there　was　no　hobbit。　There　were　only　fourteen　of　us　left！〃
　〃Fourteen！　That's　the　first　time　I've　heard　one　from　ten　leave　fourteen。
　You　mean　nine；　or　else　you　haven't　told　me　yet　all　the　names　of　your　party。〃　〃Well；　of　course　you　haven't　seen　Oin　and　Gloin　yet。　And；　bless　me！　here　they　are。　I　hope　you　will　forgive　them　for　bothering　you。〃　〃O　let　'em　all　e！　Hurry　up！　e　along；　you　two；　and　sit　down！　But　look　here；　Gandalf；　even　now　we　have　only　got　yourself　and　ten　dwarves　and　the　hobbit　that　was　lost。　That　only　makes　eleven　（plus　one　mislaid）　and　not　fourteen；　unless　wizards　count　differently　to　other　people。　But　now　please　get　on　with　the　tale。〃　Beorn　did　not　show　it　more　than　he　could　help；　but　really　he　had　begun　to　get　very　interested。　You　see；　in　the　old　days　he　had　known　the　very　part　of　the　mountains　that　Gandalf　was　describing。　He　nodded　and　he　growled；　when　he　heard　of　the　hobbit's　reappearance　and　of　their　scramble　down　the　stone…slide　and　of　the　wolf…ring　m　the　woods。　When　Gandalf　came　to　their　climbing　into　trees　with　the　wolves　all　underneath；　he　got　up　and　strode　about　and　muttered：
　〃I　wish　I　had　been　there！　I　would　have　given　them　more　than　fireworks！〃　〃Well；〃　said　Gandalf　very　glad　to　see　that　his　tale　was　making　a　good　impression；　〃I　did　the　best　I　could。　There　we　were　with　the　wolves　going　mad　underneath　us　and　the　forest　beginning　to　blaze　in　places；　when　the　goblins　came　down　from　the　hills　and　discovered　us。　They　yelled　with　delight　and　sang　songs　making　fun　of　us。　Fifteen　birds　in　five　fir…trees。。。〃　〃Good　heavens！〃　growled　Beorn。　〃Don't　pretend　that　goblins　can't　count。
　They　can。　Twelve　isn't　fifteen　and　they　know　it。〃
　〃And　so　do　1。　There　were　Bifur　and　Bofur　as　well。　I　haven't　ventured　to　introduce　them　before；　but　here　they　are。〃
　In　came　Bifur　and　Bofur。　〃And　me！〃　gasped　Bombur　pulling　up　behind。　He　was　fat；　and　also　angry　at　being　left　till　last。　He　refused　to　wait　five　minutes；　and　followed　immediately　after　the　other　two。　　〃Well；　now　there　are　fifteen　of　you；　and　since　goblins　can　count；　I　suppose　that　is　all　that　there　were　up　the　trees。　Now　perhaps　we　can　finish　this　story　without　any　more　interruptions。〃　Mr。　Baggins　saw　then　how　clever　Gandalf　had　been。　The　interruptions　had　really　made　Beorn　more　interested　in　the　story；　and　the　story　had　kept　him　from　sending　the　dwarves　off　at　once　like　suspicious　beggars。　He　never　invited　people　into　his　house；　if　he　could　help　it。　He　had　very　few　friends　and　they　lived　a　good　way　away；　and　he　never　invited　more　than　a　couple　of　these　to　his　house　at　a　time。　Now　he　had　got　fifteen　strangers　sitting　in　his　porch！
　By　the　time　the　wizard　had　finished　his　tale　and　had　told　of　the　eagles'　rescue　and　of　how　they　had　all　been　brought　to　the　Carrock；　the　sun　had　fallen　behind　the　peaks　of　the　Misty　Mountains　and　the　shadows　were　long　in　Beorn's　garden。
　〃A　very　good　tale！〃　said　he。　〃The　best　I　have　heard　for　a　long　while。　If　all　beggars　could　tell　such　a　good　one；　they　might　find　me　kinder。　You　may　be　making　it　all　up；　of　course；　but　you　deserve　a　supper　for　the　story　all　the　same。　Let's　have　something　to　eat！〃
　〃Yes；　please！〃　they　all　said　together。　〃Thank　you　very　much！〃　Inside　the　hall　it　was　now　quite　dark。　Beorn　clapped　his　hands；　and　in　trotted　four　beautiful　white　ponies　and　several　large　long…bodied　grey　dogs。　　Beorn　said　something　to　them　in　a　queer　language　like　animal　noises　turned　into　talk。　They　went　out　again　and　soon　came　back　carrying　torches　in　their　mouths；　which　they　lit　at　the　fire　and　stuck　in　low　brackets　on　the　pillars　of　the　hall　about　the　central　hearth。
　The　dogs　could　stand　on　their　hind…legs　when　they　wished；　and　carry　things　with　their　fore…feet。　Quickly　they　got　out　boards　and　trestles　from　the　side　walls　and　set　them　up　near　the　fire。
　Then　baa…baa…baa！　was　heard；　and　in　came　some　snow…white　sheep　led　by　a　large　coal…black　ram。　One　bore　a　white　cloth　embroidered　at　the　edges　with　figures　of　animals；　others　bore　on　their　broad　backs　trays　with　bowls　and　platters　and　knives　and　wooden　spoons；　which　the　dogs　took　and　quickly　laid　on　the　trestle　tables。　These　were　very　low；　low　enough　even　for　Bilbo　to　sit　at　fortably。　Beside　them　a　pony　pushed　two　low…seated　benches　with　wide　rush…bottoms　and　little　short　thick　legs　for　Gandalf　and　Thorin；　while　at　the　far　end　he　put　Beorn's　big　black　chair　of　the　same　sort　（in　which　he　sat　with　his　great　legs　stuck　far　out　under　the　table）。　These　were　all　the　chairs　he　had　in　his　hall；　and　he　probably　had　them　low　like　the　tables　for　the　convenience　of　the　wonderful　animals　that　waited　on　him。　What　did　the　rest　sit　on？　They　were　not　forgotten。　The　other　ponies　came　in　rolling　round　drum…shaped　sections　of　logs；　smoothed　and　polished；　and　low　enough　even　for　Bilbo；　so　soon　they　were　all　seated　at　Beorn's　table；　and　the　hall　had　not　seen　such　a　gathering　for　many　a　year。
　There　they　had　a　supper；　or　a　dinner；　such　as　they　had　not　had　since　they　left　the　Last　Homely　House　in　the　West　and　said　good…bye　to　Elrond。　The　light　of　the　torches　and　the　fire　flickered　about　them；　and　on　the　table　were　two　tall　red　beeswax　candles。　All　the　time　they　ate；　Beorn　in　his　deep　rolling　voice　told　tales　of　the　wild　lands　on　this　side　of　the　mountains；　and　especially　of　the　dark　and　dangerous　wood；　that　lay　outstretched　far　to　North　and　South　a　day's　ride　before　them；　barring　their　way　to　the　East；　the　terrible　forest　of　Mirkwood。
　The　dwarves　listened　and　shook　their　beards；　for　they　knew　that　they　must　soon　venture　into　that　forest　and　that　after　the　mountains　it　was　the　worst　of　the　perils　they　had　to　pass　before　they　came　to　the　dragon's　stronghold。　When　dinner　was　over　they　began　to　tell　tales　of　their　own；　but　Beorn　seemed　to　be　growing　drowsy　and　paid　little　heed　to　them。　They　spoke　most　of　gold　and　silver　and　jewels　and　the　making　of　things　by　smith…craft；　and　Beorn　did　not　appear　to　care　for　such　things：　there　were　no　things　of　gold　or　silver　in　his　hall；　and　few　save　the　knives　were　made　of　metal　at　all。　　They　sat　long　at　the　table　with　their　wooden　drinking…bowls　filled　with　mead。　The　dark　night　came　on　outside。　The　fires　in　the　middle　of　the　hall　were　built　with　fresh　logs　and　the　torches　were　put　out；　and　still　they　sat　in　the　light　of　the　dancing　flames　with　the　pillars　of　the　house　standing　tall　behind　them；　arid　dark　at　the　top　like　trees　of　the　forest。　Whether　it　was　magic　or　not；　it　seemed　to　Bilbo　that　he　heard　a　sound　like　wind　in　the　branches　stirring　in　the　rafters；　and　the　hoot　of　owls。　Soon　he　began　to　nod　with　sleep　and　the　voices　seemed　to　grow　far　away；　until　he　woke　with　a　start。　　The　great　door　had　creaked　and　slammed。　Beorn　was　gone。　The　dwarves　were　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　floor　round　the　fire；　and　presently　they　began　to　sing。　Some　of　the　verses　were　like　this；　but　there　were　many　more；　and　their　singing　went　on　for　a　long　while：
　〃The　wind　was　on　the　withered　heath；　
　but　in　the　forest　stirred　no　leaf：
　there　shadows　lay　by　night　and　day；
　and　dark　things　silent　crept　beneath。
　The　wind　came　down　from　mountains　cold；
　and　like　a　tide　it　roared　and　rolled；
　the　branches　groaned；　the　forest　moaned；
　and　leaves　were　laid　upon　the　mould。
　The　wind　went　on　from　West　to　East　；
　all　movement　in　the　forest　ceased；
　but　shrill　and　harsh　across　the　marsh
　its　whistling　voices　were　released。
　The　grasses　hissed；　their　tassels　bent；
　the　reeds　were　rattling…on　it　went
　o'　er　shaken　pool　under　heavens　cool
　where　racing　clouds　were　torn　and　rent。
　It　passed　the　lonely　Mountain　bare
　and　swept　above　the　dragon's　lair　：
　there　black　and　dark　lay　boulders　stark
　and　flying　smoke　was　in　the　air。
　It　left　the　world　and　took　its　flight
　over　the　wide　seas　of　the　night。
　The　moon　set　sail　upon　the　gale；
　and　stars　were　fanned　to　leaping　light。〃
　Bilbo　began　to　nod　again。　Suddenly　up　stood　Gandalf。　〃It　is　time　for　us　to　sleep；〃　be　said；　〃…for　us；　but　not　I　think　for　Beorn。　In　this　hall