jrt.the hobbit-第28节

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　could；　he　saw　all　round　him　a　sea　of　dark　green；　ruffled　here　and　there　by　the　breeze；　and　there　were　everywhere　hundreds　of　butterflies。　I　expect　they　were　a　kind　of　'purple　emperor；'　a　butterfly　that　loves　the　tops　of　oak…woods；　but　these　were　not　purple　at　all；　they　were　a　dark　dark　velvety　black　without　any　markings　to　be　seen。　　He　looked　at　the　'black　emperors'　for　a　long　time；　and　enjoyed　the　feel　of　the　breeze　in　his　hair　and　on　his　face；　but　at　length　the　cries　of　the　dwarves；　who　were　now　simply　stamping　with　impatience　down　below；　reminded　him　of　his　real　business。　It　was　no　good。　Gaze　as　much　as　he　might；　he　could　see　no　end　to　the　trees　and　the　leaves　in　any　direction。　His　heart；　that　had　been　lightened　by　the　sight　of　the　sun　and　the　feel　of　the　wind；　sank　back　into　his　toes：　there　was　no　food　to　go　back　to　down　below。
　Actually；　as　I　have　told　you；　they　were　not　far　off　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　if　Bilbo　had　had　the　sense　to　see　it；　the　tree　that　he　had　climbed；　though　it　was　tall　in　itself；　was　standing　near　the　bottom　of　a　wide　valley；　so　that　from　its　top　the　trees　seemed　to　swell　up　all　round　like　the　edges　of　a　great　bowl；　and　he　could　not　expect　to　see　how　far　the　forest　lasted。　Still　he　did　not　see　this；　and　he　climbed　down　full　of　despair。　He　got　to　the　bottom　again　at　last　scratched；　hot；　and　miserable；　and　he　could　not　see　anything　in　the　gloom　below　when　he　got　there。　His　report　soon　made　the　others　as　miserable　as　he　was。
　〃The　forest　goes　on　for　ever　and　ever　and　ever　in　all　directions！　　Whatever　shall　we　do？　And　what　is　the　use　of　sending　a　hobbit！〃　they　cried；　as　if　it　was　his　fault。　They　did　not　care　tuppence　about　the　butterflies；　and　were　only　made　more　angry　when　he　told　them　of　the　beautiful　breeze；　which　they　were　too　heavy　to　climb　up　and　feel。
　That　night　they　ate　their　very　last　scraps　and　crumbs　of　food；　and　next　morning　when　they　woke　the　first　thing　they　noticed　was　that　they　were　still　gnawingly　hungry；　and　the　next　thing　was　that　it　was　raining　and　that　here　and　there　the　drip　of　it　was　dropping　heavily　on　the　forest　floor。　That　only　reminded　them　that　they　were　also　parchingly　thirsty；　without　doing　anything　to　relieve　them：　you　cannot　quench　a　terrible　thirst　by　standing　under　giant　oaks　and　waiting　for　a　chance　drip　to　fall　on　your　tongue。　The　only　scrap　of　fort　there　was；　came　unexpectedly　from　Bombur。　　He　woke　up　suddenly　and　sat　up　scratching　his　head。　He　could　not　make　out　where　he　was　at　all；　nor　why　he　felt　so　hungry；　for　he　had　forgotten　everything　that　had　happened　since　they　started　their　journey　that　May　morning　long　ago。　The　last　thing　that　he　remembered　was　the　party　at　the　hobbit's　house；　and　they　had　great　difficulty　in　making　him　believe　their　tale　of　all　the　many　adventures　they　had　had　since。
　When　he　heard　that　there　was　nothing　to　eat；　he　sat　down　and　wept；　for　he　felt　very　weak　and　wobbly　in　the　legs。　〃Why　ever　did　I　wake　up！〃　he　cried。　〃I　was　having　such　beautiful　dreams。　I　dreamed　I　was　walking　in　a　forest　rather　like　this　one；　only　lit　with　torches　on　the　trees　and　lamps　swinging　from　the　branches　and　fires　burning　on　the　ground；　and　there　was　a　great　feast　going　on；　going　on　for　ever。　A　woodland　king　was　there　with　a　crown　of　leaves；　and　there　was　a　merry　singing；　and　I　could　not　count　or　describe　the　things　there　were　to　eat　and　drink。〃
　〃You　need　not　try；〃　said　Thorin。　〃In　fact　if　you　can't　talk　about　something　else；　you　had　better　be　silent。　We　are　quite　annoyed　enough　with　you　as　it　is。　If　you　hadn't　waked　up；　we　should　have　left　you　to　your　idiotic　dreams　in　the　forest；　you　are　no　joke　to　carry　even　after　weeks　of　short　mons。〃
　There　was　nothing　now　to　be　done　but　to　tighten　the　belts　round　their　empty　stomachs；　and　hoist　their　empty　sacks　and　packs；　and　trudge　along　the　track　without　any　great　hope　of　ever　getting　to　the　end　before　they　lay　down　and　died　of　starvation。　This　they　did　all　that　day；　going　very　slowly　and　wearily；　while　Bombur　kept　on　wailing　that　his　legs　would　not　carry　him　and　that　he　wanted　to　lie　down　and　sleep。
　〃No　you　don't！〃　they　said。　〃Let　your　legs　take　their　share；　we　have　carried　you　far　enough。〃
　All　the　same　he　suddenly　refused　to　go　a　step　further　and　flung　himself　on　the　ground。　〃Go　on；　if　you　must；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　just　going　to　lie　here　and　sleep　and　dream　of　food；　if　I　can't　get　it　any　other　way。　I　hope　I　never　wake　up　again。〃
　At　that　very　moment　Balin；　who　was　a　little　way　ahead；　called　out：　〃What　was　that？　I　thought　I　saw　a　twinkle　of　light　in　the　forest。〃　They　all　looked；　and　a　longish　way　off；　it　seemed；　they　saw　a　red　twinkle　in　the　dark；　then　another　and　another　sprang　out　beside　it。　Even　Bombur　got　up；　and　they　hurried　along　then；　not　caring　if　it　was　trolls　or　goblins。　The　light　was　in　front　of　them　and　to　the　left　of　the　path；　and　when　at　last　they　had　drawn　level　with　it；　it　seemed　plain　that　torches　and　fires　were　burning　under　the　trees；　but　a　good　way　off　their　track。
　〃It　looks　as　if　my　dreams　were　ing　true；〃　gasped　Bombur　puffing　up　behind。　He　wanted　to　rush　straight　off　into　the　wood　after　the　lights。　But　the　others　remembered　only　too　well　the　warnings　of　the　wizard　and　of　Beorn。　〃A　feast　would　be　no　good；　if　we　never　got　back　alive　from　it；〃　said　Thorin。　　〃But　without　a　feast　we　shan't　remain　alive　much　longer　anyway；〃　said　Bombur；　and　Bilbo　heartily　agreed　with　him。　They　argued　about　it　backwards　and　forwards　for　a　long　while；　until　they　agreed　at　length　to　send　out　a　couple　of　spies；　to　creep　near　the　lights　and　find　out　more　about　them。　But　then　they　could　not　agree　on　who　was　to　be　sent：　no　one　seemed　anxious　to　run　the　chance　of　being　lost　and　never　finding　his　friends　again。　In　the　end；　in　spite　of　warnings；　hunger　decided　them；　because　Bombur　kept　on　describing　all　the　good　things　that　were　being　eaten；　according　to　his　dream；　in　the　woodland　feast；　so　they　all　left　the　path　and　plunged　into　the　forest　together。　　After　a　good　deal　of　creeping　and　crawling　they　peered　round　the　trunks　and　looked　into　a　clearing　where　some　trees　had　been　felled　and　the　ground　levelled。　There　were　many　people　there；　elvish…looking　folk；　all　dressed　in　green　and　brown　and　sitting　on　sawn　rings　of　the　felled　trees　in　a　great　circle。　There　was　a　fire　in　their　midst　and　there　were　torches　fastened　to　some　of　the　trees　round　about；　but　most　splendid　sight　of　all：　they　were　eating　and　drinking　and　laughing　merrily。
　The　smell　of　the　roast　meats　was　so　enchanting　that；　without　waiting　to　consult　one　another；　every　one　of　them　got　up　and　scrambled　forwards　into　the　ring　with　the　one　idea　of　begging　for　some　food。　No　sooner　had　the　first　stepped　into　the　clearing　than　all　the　lights　went　out　as　if　by　magic。
　Somebody　kicked　the　fire　and　it　went　up　in　rockets　of　glittering　sparks　and　vanished。　They　were　lost　in　a　pletely　lightless　dark　and　they　could　not　even　find　one　another；　not　for　a　long　time　at　any　rate。　After　blundering　frantically　in　the　gloom；　falling　over　logs；　bumping　crash　into　trees；　and　shouting　and　calling　till　they　must　have　waked　everything　in　the　forest　for　miles；　at　last　they　managed　to　gather　themselves　in　a　bundle　and　count　themselves　by　touch。　By　that　time　they　had；　of　course；　quite　forgotten　in　what　direction　the　path　lay；　and　they　were　all　hopelessly　lost；　at　least　till　morning。
　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　settle　down　for　the　night　where　they　were；　they　did　not　even　dare　to　search　on　the　ground　for　scraps　of　food　for　fear　of　being　separated　again。　But　they　had　not　been　lying　long；　and　Bilbo　was　only　just　getting　drowsy；　when　Dori；　whose　turn　it　was　to　watch　first；　said　in　a　loud　whisper：
　〃The　lights　are　ing　out　again　over　there；　and　there　are　more　than　ever　of　them。〃
　Up　they　all　jumped。　There；　sure　enough；　not　far　away　were　scores　of　twinkling　lights；　and　they　heard　the　voices　and　the　laughter　quite　plainly。　　They　crept　slowly　towards　them；　in　a　single　line；　each　touching　the　back　of　the　one　in　front。　When　they　got　near　Thorin　said：　〃No　rushing　forward　this　time！　No　one　is　to　stir　from　hiding　till　I　say。　I　shall　send　Mr。　Baggins　alone　first　to　talk　to　them。　They　won't　be　frightened　of　him…（'What　about　me　of　them？'　thought　Bilbo）…and　any　way　I　hope　they　won't　do　anything　nasty　to　him。〃　When　they　got　to　the　edge　of　the　circle　of　lights　they　pushed　Bilbo　suddenly　from　behind。　Before　he　had　time　to　slip　on　his　ring；　he　stumbled　forward　into　the　full　blaze　of　the　fire　and　torches。　It　was　no　good。　Out　went　all　the　lights　again　and　plete　darkness　fell。　If　it　had　been　difficult　collecting　themselves　before；　it　was　far　worse　this　time。　And　they　simply　could　not　find　the　hobbit。　Every　time　they　counted　themselves　it　only　made　thirteen。　They　shouted　and　called：　〃Bilbo　Baggins！　Hobbit！　You　dratted　hobbit！　　Hi！　hobbit；　confusticate　you；　where　are　you？〃　and　other　things　of　that　sort；　but　there　was　no　answer。
　They　were　just　giving　up　hope；　when　Dori　stumbled　across　him　by　sheer　luck。　In　the　dark　he　fell　over　what　he　thought　was　a　log；　and　he　found　it　was　the　hobbit　curled　up　fast　asleep。　It　took　a　deal　of　shaking　to　wake　him；　and　when　he　was　awake　he　was　not　pleased　at　all。
　〃I　was　having　such　a　lovely　dream；〃　he　grumbled；　〃all　about　having　a　most　gorgeous　dinner。〃
　〃Good　heavens！　he