jrt.the hobbit-第34节

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pear。　Disappear！　We　have　got　to　get　busy　very　quick；　if　that　is　to　happen！〃
　Balin　was　told　off　to　watch　the　guard　and　the　butler　and　give　warning　if　they　stirred。　The　rest　went　into　the　adjoining　cellar　with　the　trapdoors。
　There　was　little　time　to　lose。　Before　long；　as　Bilbo　knew；　some　elves　were　under　orders　to　e　down　and　help　the　butler　get　the　empty　barrels　through　the　doors　into　the　stream。　These　were　in　fact　already　standing　in　rows　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　waiting　to　be　pushed　off。　Some　of　them　were　wine…barrels；　and　these　were　not　much　use；　as　they　could　not　easily　be　opened　at　the　end　without　a　deal　of　noise；　nor　could　they　easily　be　secured　again。　But　among　them　were　several　others　which　had　been　used　for　bringing　other　stuffs；　butter；　apples；　and　all　sorts　of　things；　to　the　king's　palace。　　They　soon　found　thirteen　with　room　enough　for　a　dwarf　in　each。　In　fact　some　were　too　roomy；　and　as　they　climbed　in　the　dwarves　thought　anxiously　of　the　shaking　and　the　bumping　they　would　get　inside；　though　Bilbo　did　his　best　to　find　straw　and　other　stuff　to　pack　them　in　as　cosily　as　could　be　managed　in　a　short　time。　At　last　twelve　dwarves　were　stowed。　Thorin　had　given　a　lot　of　trouble；　and　turned　and　twisted　in　his　tub　and　grumbled　like　a　large　dog　in　a　small　kennel；　while　Balin；　who　came　last；　made　a　great　fuss　about　his　air…holes　and　said　he　was　stifling；　even　before　his　lid　was　on。　Bilbo　had　done　what　he　could　to　close　holes　in　the　sides　of　the　barrels；　and　to　fix　on　all　the　lids　as　safely　as　could　be　managed；　and　now　he　was　left　alone　again；　running　round　putting　the　finishing　touches…to　the　packing；　and　hoping　against　hope　that　his　plan　would　e　off。
　It　had　not　been　a…bit　too　soon。　Only　a　minute　or　two　after　Balin's　lid　had　been　fitted　on　there　came　the　sound　of　voices　and　the　flicker　of　lights。　A　number　of　elves　came　laughing　and　talking　into　the　cellars　and　singing　snatches　of　song。　They　had　left　a　merry　feast　in　one　of　the　halls　and　were　bent　on　returning　as　soon　as　they　could。　〃Where's　old　Galion；　the　butler？〃　said　one。　〃I　haven't　seen　him　at　the　tables　tonight。　He　ought　to　be　here　now　to　show　us　what　is　to　be　done。〃
　〃I　shall　be　angry　if　the　old　slowcoach　is　late；〃　said　another。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　waste　time　down　here　while　the　song　is　up！〃
　〃Ha；　ha！〃　came　a　cry。　〃Here's　the　old　villain　with　his　head　on　a　jug！
　He's　been　having　a　little　feast　all　to　himself　and　his　friend　the　captain。〃　〃Shake　him！　Wake　him！〃　shouted　the　others　impatiently。　Gallon　was　not　at　all　pleased　at　being　shaken　or　wakened；　and　still　less　at　being　laughed　at。　　〃You're　all　late；〃　he　grumbled。　〃Here　am　I　waiting　and　waiting　down　here；　while　you　fellows　drink　and　make　merry　and　forget　your　tasks。　Small　wonder　if　I　fall　asleep　from　weariness！〃
　〃Small　wonder；〃　said　they；　〃when　the　explanation　stands　close　at　hand　in　a　jug！　e　give　us　a　taste　of　your　sleeping…draught　before　we　fall　to！　No　need　to　wake　the　turnkey　yonder。　He　has　had　his　share　by　the　looks　of　it。〃　Then　they　drank　once　round　and　became　mighty　merry　all　of　a　sudden。　But　they　did　not　quite　lose　their　wits。　〃Save　us；　Galion！〃　cried　some；　〃you　began　your　feasting　early　and　muddled　your　wits！　You　have　stacked　some　full　casks　here　instead　of　the　empty　ones；　if　there　is　anything　in　weight。〃　〃Get　on　with　the　work！〃　growled　the　butler。　〃There　is　nothing　in　the　feeling　of　weight　in　an　idle　toss…pot's　arms。　These　are　the　ones　to　go　and　no　others。　Do　as　I　say！〃
　〃Very　well；　very　well；〃　they　answered　rolling　the　barrels　to　the　opening。　　〃On　your　head　be　it；　if　the　king's　full　buttertubs　and　his　best　wine　is　pushed　into　the　river　for　the　Lake…men　to　feast　on　for　nothing！〃
　〃Roll…roll…roll…roll；
　roll…roll…rolling　down　the　hole　I
　Heave　ho！　Splash　plump　！
　Down　they　go；　down　they　bump！〃
　So　they　sang　as　first　one　barrel　and　then　another　rumbled　to　the　dark　opening　and　was　pushed　over　into　the　cold　water　some　feet　below。　Some　were　barrels　really　empty；　some　were　tubs　neatly　packed　with　a　dwarf　each；　but　down　they　all　went；　one　after　another；　with　many　a　clash　and　a　bump；　thudding　on　top　of　ones　below；　smacking　into　the　water；　jostling　against　the　walls　of　the　tunnel；　knocking　into　one　another；　and　bobbing　away　down　the　current。
　It　was　just　at　this　moment　that　Bilbo　suddenly　discovered　the　weak　point　in　his　plan。　Most　likely　you　saw　it　some　time　ago　and　have　been　laughing　at　him；　but　I　don't　suppose　you　would　have　done　half　as　well　yourselves　in　his　place。　Of　course　he　was　not　in　a　barrel　himself；　nor　was　there　anyone　to　pack　him　in；　even　if　there　had　been　a　chance！　It　looked　as　if　he　would　certainly　lose　his　friends　this　time　（nearly　all　of　them　had　already　disappeared　through　the　dark　trap…door）；　and　get　utterly　left　behind　and　have　to　stay　lurking　as　a　permanent　burglar　in　the　elf…caves　for　ever。　For　even　if　he　could　have　escaped　through　the　upper　gates　at　once；　he　had　precious　small　chance　of　ever　finding　the　dwarves　again。　He　did　not　know　the　way　by　land　to　the　place　where　the　barrels　were　collected。　He　wondered　what　on　earth　would　happen　to　them　without　him；　for　he　had　not　had　time　to　tell　the　dwarves　all　that　he　had　learned；　or　what　he　had　meant　to　do；　once　they　were　out　of　the　wood。　While　all　these　thoughts　were　passing　through　his　mind；　the　elves　being　very　merry　began　to　sing　a　song　round　the　river…door。　Some　had　already　gone　to　haul　on　the　ropes　which　pulled　up　the　portcullis　at　the　water…gate　so　as　to　let　out　the　barrels　as　soon　as　they　were　all　afloat　below。
　〃Down　the　swift　dark　stream　you　go
　Back　to　lands　you　once　did　know！
　Leave　the　halls　and　caverns　deep；
　Leave　the　northern　mountains　steep；
　Where　the　forest　wide　and　dim
　Stoops　in　shadow　grey　and　grim！
　Float　beyond　the　world　of　trees
　Out　into　the　whispering　breeze；
　Past　the　rushes；　past　the　reeds；
　Past　the　marsh's　waving　weeds；
　Through　the　mist　that　riseth　white
　Up　from　mere　and　pool　at　night！
　Follow；　follow　stars　that　leap
　Up　the　heavens　cold　and　steep；
　Turn　when　dawn　es　over　land；
　Over　rapid；　over　sand；
　South　away！　and　South　away！
　Seek　the　sunlight　and　the　day；
　Back　to　pasture；　back　to　mead；
　Where　the　kine　and　oxen　feed！
　Back　to　gardens　on　the　hills
　Where　the　berry　swells　and　fills
　Under　sunlight；　under　day！
　South　away！　and　South　away！
　Down　the　swift　dark　stream　you　go
　Back　to　lands　you　once　did　know！〃
　Now　the　very　last　barrel　was　being　rolled　to　the　doors！　In　despair　and　not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　poor　little　Bilbo　caught　hold　of　it　and　was　pushed　over　the　edge　with　it。　Down　into　the　water　he　fell；　splash！　into　the　cold　dark　water　with　the　barrel　on　top　of　him。　He　came　up　again　spluttering　and　clinging　to　the　wood　like　a　rat；　but　for　all　his　efforts　he　could　not　scramble　on　top。　Every　time　he　tried；　the　barrel　rolled　round　and　ducked　him　under　again。　It　was　really　empty；　and　floated　light　as　a　cork。　Though　his　ears　were　full　of　water；　he　could　hear　the　elves　still　singing　in　the　cellar　above。　　Then　suddenly　the　trapdoors　fell　to　with　a　boom　and　their　voices　faded　away。　　He　was　in　the　dark　tunnel；　floating　in　icy　water；　all　alone…for　you　cannot　count　friends　that　are　all　packed　up　in　barrels。
　Very　soon　a　grey　patch　came　up　in　the　darkness　ahead。　He　heard　the　creak　of　the　water…gate　being　hauled　up；　and　he　found　that　he　was　in　the　midst　of　a　bobbing　and　bumping　mass　of　casks　and　tubs　all　pressing　together　to　pass　under　the　arch　and　get　out　into　the　open　stream。　He　had　as　much　as　he　could　do　to　prevent　himself　from　being　hustled　and　battered　to　bits；　but　at　last　the　jostling　crowd　began　to　break　up　and　swing　off；　one　by　one；　under　the　stone　arch　and　away。　Then　he　saw　that　it　would　have　been　no　good　even　if　he　had　managed　to　get　astride　his　barrel；　for　there　was　no　room　to　spare；　not　even　for　a　hobbit；　between　its　top　and　the　suddenly　stooping　roof　where　the　gate　was。
　Out　they　went　under　the　overhanging　branches　of　the　trees　on　either　bank。　　Bilbo　wondered　what　the　dwarves　were　feeling　and　whether　a　lot　of　water　was　getting　into　their　tubs。　Some　of　those　that　bobbed　along　by　him　in　the　gloom　seemed　pretty　low　in　the　water；　and　he　guessed　that　these　had　dwarves　inside。　　〃I　do　hope　I　put　the　lids　on　tight　enough！〃　he　thought；　but　before　long　he　was　worrying　too　much　about　himself　to　remember　the　dwarves。　He　managed　to　keep　his　head　above　the　water；　but　he　was　shivering　with　the　cold；　and　he　wondered　if　he　would　die　of　it　before　the　luck　turned；　and　how　much　longer　he　would　be　able　to　hang　on；　and　whether　he　should　risk　the　chance　of　letting　go　and　trying　to　swim　to　the　bank。
　The　luck　turned　all　right　before　long：　the　eddying　current　carried　several　barrels　close　ashore　at　one　point　and　there　for　a　while　they　stuck　against　some　hidden　root。　Then　Bilbo　took　the　opportunity　of　scrambling　up　the　side　of　his　barrel　while　it　was　held　steady　against　another。　Up　he　crawled　like　a　drowned　rat；　and　lay　on　the　top　spread　out　to　keep　the　balance　as　best　he　could。　The　breeze　was　cold　but　better　than　the　water；　and　he　hoped　he　would　not　suddenly　roll　off　again　when　they　started　off　once　more。　Before　long　the　barrels　broke　free　again　and　turned　and　twisted　off　down　the　stream；　and　out　into　the　main　current　Then　he　found　it　quite　as　difficult　to　stick