jrt.the hobbit-第24节

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　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　we　can　rest　sound　and　safe；　but　I　warn　you　all　not　to　forget　what　Beorn　said　before　he　left　us：　you　must　not　stray　outside　until　the　sun　is　up；　on　your　peril。〃　Bilbo　found　that　beds　had　already　been　laid　at　the　side　of　the　hall；　on　a　sort　of　raised　platform　between　the　pillars　and　the　outer　wall。　For　him　there　was　a　little　mattress　of　straw　and　woollen　blankets。　He　snuggled　into　them　very　gladly；　summertime　though　it　was。　The　fire　burned　low　and　he　fell　asleep。　　Yet　in　the　night　he　woke：　the　fire　had　now　sunk　to　a　few　embers；　the　dwarves　and　Gandalf　were　all　asleep；　to　judge　by　their　breathing；　a　splash　of　white　on　the　floor　came　from　the　high　moon；　which　was　peering　down　through　the　smoke…hole　in　the　roof。
　There　was　a　growling　sound　outside；　and　a　noise　as　of　some　great　animal　scuffling　at　the　door。　Bilbo　。wondered　what　it　was；　and　whether　it　could　be　Beorn　in　enchanted　shape；　and　if　he　would　e　in　as　a　bear　and　kill　them。　　He　dived　under　the　blankets　and　hid　his　head；　and　fell　asleep　again　at　last　in　spite　of　his　fears。
　It　was　full　morning　when　he　awoke。　One　of　the　dwarves　had　fallen　over　him　in　the　shadows　where　he　lay；　and　had　rolled　down　with　a　bump　from　the　platform　on　to　the　floor。　It　was　Bofur；　and　he　was　grumbling　about　it；　when　Bilbo　opened　his　eyes。
　〃Get　up　lazybones；〃　he　said；　〃or　there　will　be　no　breakfast　left　for　you。〃
　Up　jumped　Bilbo。　〃Breakfast！〃　he　cried。　〃Where　is　breakfast？〃　〃Mostly　inside　us；〃　answered　the　other　dwarves　who　were　moving　around　the　hall；　〃but　what　is　left　is　out　on　the　veranda。　We　have　been　about　looking　for　Beorn　ever　since　the　sun　got　up；　but　there　is　no　sign　of　him　anywhere；　though　we　found　breakfast　laid　as　soon　as　we　went　out。〃
　〃Where　is　Gandalf？〃　asked　Bilbo；　moving　off　to　find　something　to　eat　as　quick　as　he　could。
　〃O！　out　and　about　somewhere；〃　they　told　him。　But　he　saw　no　sign　of　the　wizard　all　that　day　until　the　evening。　Just　before　sunset　he　walked　into　the　hall；　where　the　hobbit　and　the　dwarves　were　having　supper；　waited　on　by　Beorn's　wonderful　animals；　as　they　had　been　all　day。　Of　Beorn　they　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　since　the　night　before；　and　they　were　getting　puzzled。　　〃Where　is　our　host；　and　where　have　you　been　all　day　yourself？〃　they　all　cried。
　〃One　question　at　a　time…and　none　till　after　supper！　I　haven't　had　a　bite　since　breakfast。〃
　At　last　Gandalf　pushed　away　his　plate　and　jug　…　he　had　eaten　two　whole　loaves　（with　masses　of　butter　and　honey　and　clotted　cream）　and　drunk　at　least　a　quart　of　mead　and　he　took　out　his　pipe。　〃I　will　answer　the　second　question　first；〃　he　said；　〃…but　bless　me！　this　is　a　splendid　place　for　smoke　rings！〃　Indeed　for　a　long　time　they　could　get　nothing　more　out　of　him；　he　was　so　busy　sending　smoke…rings　dodging　round　the　pillars　of　the　hall；　changing　them　into　all　sorts　of　different　shapes　and　colours；　and　setting　them　at　last　chasing　one　another　out　of　the　hole　in　the　roof。
　They　must　have　looked　very　queer　from　outside；　popping　out　into　the　air　one　after　another；　green；　blue；　red；　silver…grey；　yellow；　white；　big　ones；　little　ones；　little　ones　dodging　through　big　ones　and　joining　into　figure…eights；　and　going　off　like　a　flock　of　birds　into　the　distance。　　〃I　have　been　picking　out　bear…tracks；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃There　must　have　been　a　regular　bears'　meeting　outside　here　last　night。　I　soon　saw　that　Beorn　could　not　have　made　them　all：　there　were　far　too　many　of　them；　and　they　were　of　various　sizes　too。　I　should　say　there　were　little　bears；　large　bears；　ordinary　bears；　and　gigantic　big　bears；　all　dancing　outside　from　dark　to　nearly　dawn。　They　came　from　almost　every　direction；　except　from　the　west　over　the　river；　from　the　Mountains。　In　that　direction　only　one　set　of　footprints　led…none　ing；　only　ones　going　away　from　here。
　I　followed　these　as　far　as　the　Carrock。　There　they　disappeared　into　the　river；　but　the　water　was　too　deep　and　strong　beyond　the　rock　for　me　to　cross。　　It　is　easy　enough；　as　you　remember；　to　get　from　this　bank　to　the　Carrock　by　the　ford；　but　on　the　other　side　is　a　cliff　standing　up　from　a　swirling　channel。　I　had　to　walk　miles　before　I　found　a　place　where　the　river　was　wide　and　shallow　enough　for　me　to　wade　and　swim；　and　then　miles　back　again　to　pick　up　the　tracks　again。　By　that　time　it　was　too　late　for　me　to　follow　them　far。　　They　went　straight　off　in　the　direction　of　the　pine…woods　on　the　east　side　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　where　we　had　our　pleasant　little　party　with　the　Wargs　the　night　before　last。　And　now　I　think　I　have　answered　your　first　question；　too；〃　ended　Gandalf；　and　he　sat　a　long　while　silent。
　Bilbo　thought　he　knew　what　the　wizard　meant。　〃What　shall　we　do；〃　he　cried；　〃if　he　leads　all　the　Wargs　and　the　goblins　down　here？　We　shall　all　be　caught　and　killed！　I　thought　you　said　he　was　not　9　friend　of　theirs。〃　〃So　I　did。　And　don't　be　silly！　You　had　better　go　to　bed；　your　wits　are　sleepy。〃
　The　hobbit　felt　quite　crushed；　and　as　there　seemed　nothing　else　to　do　he　did　go　to　bed；　and　while　the　dwarves　were　still　singing　songs　he　dropped　asleep；　still　puzzling　his　little　head　about　Beorn；　till　he　dreamed　a　dream　of　hundreds　of　black　bears　dancing　slow　heavy　dances　round　and　round　in　the　moonlight　in　the　courtyard。　Then　he　woke　up　when　everyone　else　was　asleep；　and　he　heard　the　same　scraping；　scuffling；　snuffling；　and　growling　as　before。　Next　morning　they　were　all　wakened　by　Beorn　himself。
　〃So　here　you　all　are　still！〃　he　said。　He　picked　up　the　hobbit　and　laughed：　〃Not　eaten　up　by　Wargs　or　goblins　or　wicked　bears　yet　I　see〃；　and　he　poked　Mr。　Baggins'　waistcoat　most　disrespectfully。　〃Little　bunny　is　getting　nice　and　fat　again　on　bread　and　honey；〃　he　chuckled。　〃e　and　have　some　more！〃
　So　they　all　went　to　breakfast　with　him。　Beorn　was　most　jolly　for　a　change；　indeed　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　splendidly　good　humour　and　set　them　all　laughing　with　his　funny　stories；　nor　did　they　have　to　wonder　long　where　he　had　been　or　why　he　was　so　nice　to　them；　for　he　told　them　himself。　He　had　been　over　the　river　and　right　back　up　into　the　mountains…from　which　you　can　guess　that　he　could　travel　quickly；　in　bear's　shape　at　any　rate。　From　the　burnt　wolf…　glade　he　had　soon　found　out　that　part　of　their　story　was　true；　but　he　had　found　more　than　that：　he　had　caught　a　Warg　and　a　goblin　wandering　in　the　woods。　From　these　he　had　got　news：　the　goblin　patrols　were　still　hunting　with　Wargs　for　the　dwarves；　and　they　were　fiercely　angry　because　of　the　death　of　the　Great　Goblin；　and　also　because　of　the　burning　of　the　chief　wolf's　nose　and　the　death　from　the　wizard's　fire　of　many　of　his　chief　servants。　So　much　they　told　him　when　he　forced　them；　but　he　guessed　there　was　more　wickedness　than　this　afoot；　and　that　a　great　raid　of　the　whole　goblin　army　with　their　wolf…allies　into　the　lands　shadowed　by　the　mountains　might　soon　be　made　to　find　the　dwarves；　or　to　take　vengeance　on　the　men　and　creatures　that　lived　there；　and　who　they　thought　must　be　sheltering　them。
　〃It　was　a　good　story；　that　of　yours；〃　said　Beorn；　〃but　I　like　it　still　better　now　I　am　sure　it　is　true。　You　must　forgive　my　not　taking　your　word。　If　you　lived　near　the　edge　of　Mirkwood；　you　would　take　the　word　of　no　one　that　you　did　not　know　as　well　as　your　brother　or　better。　As　it　is；　I　can　only　say　that　I　have　hurried　home　as　fast　as　I　could　to　see　that　you　were　safe；　and　to　offer　you　any　help　that　I　can。　I　shall　think　more　kindly　of　dwarves　after　this。　Killed　the　Great　Goblin；　killed　the　Great　Goblin！〃　he　chuckled　fiercely　to　himself。
　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　goblin　and　the　Warg？〃　asked　Bilbo　suddenly。　　〃e　and　see！〃　said　Beorn；　and　they　followed　round　the　house。　A　goblin's　head　was　stuck　outside　the　gate　and　a　warg…skin　was　nailed　to　a　tree　just　beyond。　Beorn　was　a　fierce　enemy。　But　now　he　was　their　friend；　and　Gandalf　thought　it　wise　to　tell　him　their　whole　story　and　the　reason　of　their　journey；　so　that　they　could　get　the　most　help　he　could　offer。
　This　is　what　he　promised　to　do　for　them。　He　would　provide　ponies　for　each　of　them；　and　a　horse　for　Gandalf；　for　their　journey　to　the　forest；　and　he　would　lade　them　with　food　to　last　them　for　weeks　with　care；　and　packed　so　as　to　be　as　easy　as　possible　to　carry…nuts；　flour；　sealed　jars　of　dried　fruits；　and　red　earthenware　pots　of　honey；　and　twice…baked　cakes　that　would　keep　good　a　long　time；　and　on　a　little　of　which　they　could　march　far。　The　making　of　these　was　one　of　his　secrets；　but　honey　was　in　them；　as　in　most　of　his　foods；　and　they　were　good　to　eat；　though　they　made　one　thirsty。　Water；　he　said；　they　would　not　need　to　carry　this　side　of　the　forest；　for　there　were　streams　and　springs　along　the　road。　〃But　your　way　through　Mirkwood　is　dark；　dangerous　and　difficult；〃　he　said。　〃Water　is　not　easy　to　find　there；　nor　food。　The　time　is　not　yet　e　for　nuts　（though　it　may　be　past　and　gone　indeed　before　you　get　to　the　other　side）；　and　nuts　are　about　all　that　grows　there　fit　for　food；　in　there　the　wild　things　are　dark；　queer；　and　savage。　I　will　provide　you　with　skins　for　carrying　water；　and　I　will　give　you　some　bows　and　arrows。　But　I　doubt　very　much　whether　anything　you　find