jrt.the hobbit-第25节

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ing　you　find　in　Mirkwood　will　be　wholesome　to　eat　or　to　drink。　There　is　one　stream　there；　I　know；　black　and　strong　which　crosses　the　path。　That　you　should　neither　drink　of；　nor　bathe　in；　for　I　have　heard　that　it　carries　enchantment　and　a　great　drowsiness　and　forgetfulness。　And　in　the　dim　shadows　of　that　place　I　don't　think　you　will　shoot　anything；　wholesome　or　unwholesome；　without　straying　from　the　path。　That　you　MUST　NOT　do；　for　any　reason。　〃That　is　all　the　advice　I　can　give　you。　Beyond　the　edge　of　the　forest　I　cannot　help　you　much；　you　must　depend　on　your　luck　and　your　courage　and　the　food　I　send　with　you。　At　the　gate　of　the　forest　I　must　ask　you　to　send　back　my　horse　and　my　ponies。　But　I　wish　you　all　speed；　and　my　house　is　open　to　you；　if　ever　you　e　back　this　way　again。〃
　They　thanked　him；　of　course；　with　many　bows　and　sweepings　of　their　hoods　and　with　many　an　〃at　your　service；　O　master　of　the　wide　wooden　halls！〃　But　their　spirits　sank　at　his　grave　words；　and　they　all　felt　that　the　adventure　was　far　more　dangerous　than　they　had　thought；　while　all　the　time；　even　if　they　passed　all　the　perils　of　the　road；　the　dragon　was　waiting　at　the　end。　　All　that　morning　they　were　busy　with　preparations。　Soon　after　midday　they　ate　with　Beorn　for　the　last　time；　and　after　the　meal　they　mounted　the　steeds　he　was　lending　them；　and　bidding　him　many　farewells　they　rode　off　through　his　gate　at　a　good　pace。
　As　soon　as　they　left　his　high　hedges　at　the　east　of　his　fenced　lands　they
　turned　north　and　then　bore　to　the　north…west。　By　his　advice　they　were　no
　longer　making　for　the　main　forest…road　to　the　south　of　his　land。　Had　they
　
followed　the　pass；　their　path　would　have　led　them　down　the　stream　from　the　mountains　that　joined　the　great　river　miles　south　of　the　Carrock。　At　that　point　there　was　a　deep　ford　which　they　might　have　passed；　if　they　had　still　had　their　ponies；　and　beyond　that　a　track　led　to　the　skirts　of　the　wood　and　to　the　entrance　of　the　old　forest　road。　But　Beorn　had　warned　them　that　that　way　was　now　often　used　by　the　goblins；　while　the　forest…road　itself；　he　bad　heard；　was　overgrown　and　disused　at　the　eastern　end　and　led　to　impassable　marshes　where　the　paths　had　long　been　lost。　Its　eastern　opening　had　also　always　been　far　to　the　south　of　the　Lonely　Mountain；　and　would　have　left　them　still　with　a　long　and　difficult　northward　march　when　they　got　to　the　other　side。　　North　of　the　Carrock　the　edge　of　Mirkwood　drew　closer　to　the　borders　of　the　Great　River；　and　though　here　the　Mountains　too　drew　down　nearer；　Beorn　advised　them　to　take　this　way；　for　at　a　place　a　few　days'　ride　due　north　of　the　Carrock　was　the　gate　of　a　little…known　pathway　through　Mirkwood　that　led　almost　straight　towards　the　Lonely　Mountain。
　〃The　goblins；〃　Beorn　had　said；　〃will　not　dare　to　cross　the　Great　River　for　a　hundred　miles　north　of　the　Carrock　nor　to　e　near　my　house　…　it　is　well　protected　at　night！…　but　I　should　ride　fast；　for　if　they　make　their　raid　soon　they　will　cross　the　river　to　the　south　and　scour　all　the　edge　of　the　forest　so　as　to　cut　you　off；　and　Wargs　run　swifter　than　ponies。　Still　you　are　safer　going　north；　even　though　you　seem　to　be　going　back　nearer　to　their　strongholds；　for　that　is　what　they　will　least　expect；　and　they　will　have　the　longer　ride　to　catch　you。　Be　off　now　as　quick　as　you　may！〃　That　is　why　they　were　now　riding　in　silence；　galloping　wherever　the　ground　was　grassy　and　smooth；　with　the　mountains　dark　on　their　left；　and　in　the　distance　the　line　of　the　river　with　its　trees　drawing　ever　closer。　The　sun　had　only　just　turned　west　when　they　started；　and　till　evening　it　lay　golden　on　the　land　about　them。　It　was　difficult　to　think　of　pursuing　goblins　behind；　and　when　they　had　put　many　miles　between　them　and　Beorn's　house　they　began　to　talk　and　to　sing　again　and　to　forget　the　dark　forest…path　that　lay　in　front。　But　in　the　evening　when　the　dusk　came　on　and　the　peaks　of　the　mountains　glowered　against　the　sunset　they　made　a　camp　and　set　a　guard；　and　most　of　them　slept　uneasily　with　dreams　in　which　there　came　the　howl　of　hunting　wolves　and　the　cries　of　goblins。　Still　the　next　morning　dawned　bright　and　fair　again。　　There　was　an　autumn…like　mist　white　upon　the　ground　and　the　air　was　chill；　but　soon　the　sun　rose　red　in　the　East　and　the　mists　vanished；　and　while　the　shadows　were　still　long　they　were　off　again。　So　they　rode　now　for　two　more　days；　and　all　the　while　they　saw　nothing　save　grass　and　flowers　and　birds　and　scattered　trees；　and　occasionally　small　herds　of　red　deer　browsing　or　sitting　at　noon　in　the　shade。　Sometimes　Bilbo　saw　the　horns　of　the　harts　sticking　up　out　of　the　long　grass；　and　at　first　he　thought　they　were　the　dead　branches　of　trees。　That　third　evening　they　were　so　eager　to　press　on；　for　Beorn　had　said　that　they　should　reach　the　forest…gate　early　on　the　fourth　day；　that　they　rode　still　forward　after　dusk　and　into　the　night　beneath　the　moon。　As　the　light　faded　Bilbo　thought　he　saw　away　to　the　right；　or　to　the　left；　the　shadowy　form　of　a　great　bear　prowling　along　in　the　same　direction。　But　if　he　dared　to　mention　it　to　Gandalf；　the　wizard　only　said：　〃Hush！　Take　no　notice！〃　Next　day　they　started　before　dawn；　though　their　night　had　been　short。　As　soon　as　it　was　light　they　could　see　the　forest　ing　as　it　were　to　meet　them；　or　waiting　for　them　like　a　black　and　frowning　wall　before　them。　The　land　began　to　slope　up　and　up；　and　it　seemed　to　the　hobbit　that　a　silence　began　to　draw　in　upon　them。　Birds　began　to　sing　less。　There　were　no　more　deer；　not　even　rabbits　were　to　be　seen。　By　the　afternoon　they　had　reached　the　eaves　of　Mirkwood；　and　were　resting　almost　beneath　the　great　overhanging　boughs　of　its　outer　trees。　Their　trunks　were　huge　and　gnarled；　their　branches　twisted；　their　leaves　were　dark　and　long。　Ivy　grew　on　them　and　trailed　along　the　ground。　　〃Well；　here　is　Mirkwood！〃　said　Gandalf。　〃The　greatest　of　the　forests　of　the　Northern　world。　I　hope　you　like　the　look　of　it。　Now　you　must　send　back　these　excellent　ponies　you　have　borrowed。〃
　The　dwarves　were　inclined　to　grumble　at　this；　but　the　wizard　told　them　they　were　fools。　〃Beorn　is　not　as　far　off　as　you　seem　to　think；　and　you　had　better　keep　your　promises　anyway；　for　he　is　a　bad　enemy。　Mr。　Baggins'　eyes　are　sharper　than　yours；　if　you　have　not　seen　each　night　after　dark　a　great　bear　going　along　with　us　or　sitting　far　of　in　the　moon　watching　our　camps。　Not　only　to　guard　you　and　guide　you；　but　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　ponies　too。　Beorn　may　be　your　friend；　but　he　loves　his　animals　as　his　children。　You　do　not　guess　what　kindness　he　has　shown　you　in　letting　dwarves　ride　them　so　far　and　so　fast；　nor　what　would　happen　to　you；　if　you　tried　to　take　them　into　the　forest。〃　〃What　about　the　horse；　then？〃　said　Thorin。　〃You　don't　mention　sending　that　back。〃
　〃I　don't；　because　I　am　not　sending　it。〃
　〃What　about　your　promise　then？〃
　〃I　will　look　after　that。　I　am　not　sending　the　horse　back；　I　am　riding　it！〃
　Then　they　knew　that　Gandalf　was　going　to　leave　them　at　the　very　edge　of　Mirkwood；　and　they　were　in　despair。
　But　nothing　they　could　say　would　change　his　mind。
　〃Now　we　had　this　all　out　before；　when　we　landed　on　the　Carrock；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　no　use　arguing。　I　have；　as　I　told　you；　some　pressing　business　away　south；　and　I　am　already　late　through　bothering　with　you　people。　We　may　meet　again　before　all　is　over；　and　then　again　of　course　we　may　not。　That　depends　on　your　luck　and　on　your　courage　and　sense；　and　I　am　sending　Mr。　Baggins　with　you。　I　have　told　you　before　that　he　has　more　about　him　than　you　guess；　and　you　will　find　that　out　before　long。　So　cheer　up　Bilbo　and　don't　look　so　glum。　　Cheer　up　Thorin　and　pany！　This　is　your　expedition　after　all。　Think　of　the　treasure　at　the　end；　and　forget　the　forest　and　the　dragon；　at　any　rate　until　tomorrow　morning！〃
　When　tomorrow　morning　came　he　still　said　the　same。　　So　now　there　was　nothing　left　to　do　but　to　fill　their　water…skins　at　a　clear　spring　they　found　close　to　the　forest…gate；　and　unpack　the　ponies。　They　distributed　the　packages　as　fairly　as　they　could；　though　Bilbo　thought　his　lot　was　wearisomely　heavy；　and　did　not　at　all　like　the　idea　of　trudging　for　miles　and　miles　with　all　that　on　his　back。
　〃Don't　you　worry！〃　said　Thorin。　〃It　will　get　lighter　all　too　soon。　Before　long　I　expect　we　shall　all　wish　our　packs　heavier；　when　the　food　begins　to　run　short。〃
　Then　at　last　they　said　good…bye　to　their　ponies　and　turned　their　heads　for　home。　Off　they　trotted　gaily；　seeming　very　glad　to　put　their　tails　towards　the　shadow　of　Mirkwood。　As　they　went　away　Bilbo　could　have　sworn　that　a　thing　like　a　bear　left　the　shadow　of　the　trees　and　shambled　off　quickly　after　them。　　Now　Gandalf　too　said　farewell。　Bilbo　sat　on　the　ground　feeling　very　unhappy　and　wishing　he　was　beside　the　wizard　on　his　tall　horse。　He　had　gone　just　inside　the　forest　after　breakfast　（a　very　poor　one）；　and　it　had　seemed　as　dark　in　there　in　the　morning　as　at　night；　and　very　secret：　〃a　sort　of　watching　and　waiting　feeling；〃　he　said　to　himself。
　〃Good…bye！〃　said　Gandalf　to　Thorin。　〃And　good…bye　to　you　all；　good…bye！　　Straight　through　the　forest　is　your　way　now。　Don't　stray　off　the　track！…if　you　do；　it　is　a　thousand　to　one　you　will　never　find　it　again　and　never　get　out　of　Mirkwood；　and　then　I　don't　suppose