jrt.the hobbit-第4节

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t　any　longer。　At　may　never　return　he　began　to　feel　a　shriek　ing　up　inside；　and　very　soon　it　burst　out　like　the　whistle　of　an　engine　ing　out　of　a　tunnel。　All　the　dwarves　sprang　Bp　knocking　over　the　table。　Gandalf　struck　a　blue　light　on　the　end　of　his　magic　staff；　and　in　its　firework　glare　the　poor　little　hobbit　could　be　seen　kneeling　on　the　hearth…rug；　shaking　like　a　jelly　that　was　melting。　Then　he　fell　flat　on　the　floor；　and　kept　on　calling　out　〃struck　by　lightning；　struck　by　lightning！〃　over　and　over　again；　and　that　was　all　they　could　get　out　of　him　for　a　long　time。　So　they　took　him　and　laid　him　out　of　the　way　on　the　drawing…room　sofa　with　a　drink　at　his　elbow；　and　they　went　back　to　their　dark　business。
　〃Excitable　little　fellow；〃　said　Gandalf；　as　they　sat　down　again。　〃Gets　funny　queer　fits；　but　he　is　one　of　the　best；　one　of　the　best…as　fierce　as　a　dragon　in　a　pinch。〃
　If　you　have　ever　seen　a　dragon　in　a　pinch；　you　will　realise　that　this　was
　only　poetical　exaggeration　applied　to　any　hobbit；　even　to　Old　Took's　great…
　granduncle　Bullroarer；　who　was　so　huge　（for　a　hobbit）　that　he　could　ride　a
　horse。　He　charged　the　ranks　of　the　goblins　of　Mount　Gram　in　the　Battle　of　the
　Green　Fields；　and　knocked　their　king　Gol…firnbul's　head　clean　off　with　a
　wooden　club。　It　sailed　a　hundred　yards　through　the　air　and　went　down　a　rabbit　hole；　and　in　this　way　the　battle　was　won　and　the　game　of　Golf　invented　at　the　same　moment。
　In　the　meanwhile；　however；　Bullroarer's　gentler　descendant　was　reviving　in　the　drawing…room。　After　a　while　and　a　drink　he　crept　nervously　to　the　door　of　the　parlour。　This　is　what　he　heard；　Gloin　speaking：　〃Humph！〃　（or　some　snort　more　or　less　like　that）。　〃Will　he　do；　do　you　think？　It　is　all　very　well　for　Gandalf　to　talk　about　this　hobbit　being　fierce；　but　one　shriek　like　that　in　a　moment　of　excitement　would　be　enough　to　wake　the　dragon　and　all　his　relatives；　and　kill　the　lot　of　us。　I　think　it　sounded　more　like　fright　than　excitement！　　In　fact；　if　it　bad　not　been　for　the　sign　on　the　door；　I　should　have　been　sure　we　had　e　to　the　wrong　house。　As　soon　as　I　clapped　eyes　on　the　little　fellow　bobbing　and　puffing　on　the　mat；　I　had　my　doubts。　He　looks　more　like　a　grocer…than　a　burglar！〃
　Then　Mr。　Baggins　turned　the　handle　and　went　in。　The　Took　side　had　won。　He　suddenly　felt　he　would　go　without　bed　and　breakfast　to　be　thought　fierce。　As　for　little　fellow　bobbing　on　the　mat　it　almost　made　him　really　fierce。　Many　a　time　afterwards　the　Baggins　part　regretted　what　he　did　now；　and　he　said　to　himself：　〃Bilbo；　you　were　a　fool；　you　walked　right　in　and　put　your　foot　in　it。〃
　〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　have　overheard　words　that　you　were　saying。　I　don't　pretend　to　understand　what　you　are　talking　about；　or　your　reference　to　burglars；　but　I　think　I　am　right　in　believing〃　（this　is　what　he　called　being　on　his　dignity）　〃that　you　think　I　am　no　good。　I　will　show　you。　I　have　no　signs　on　my　door…it　was　painted　a　week　ago…；　and　I　am　quite　sure　you　have　e　to　the　wrong　house。　As　soon　as　I　saw　your　funny　faces　on　the　door…step；　I　had　my　doubts。　But　treat　it　as　the　right　one。　Tell　me　what　you　want　done；　and　I　will　try　it；　if　I　have　to　walk　from　here　to　the　East　of　East　and　fight　the　wild　Were…worms　in　the　Last　Desert。　I　bad　a　great…great…great…granduncle　once；　Bullroarer　Took；　and　…〃　〃Yes；　yes；　but　that　was　long　ago；〃　said　Gloin。　〃I　was　talking　about　you。　　And　I　assure　you　there　is　a　mark　on　this　door…the　usual　one　in　the　trade；　or　used　to　be。　Burglar　wants　a　good　job；　plenty　of　Excitement　and　reasonable　Reward；　that's　how　it　is　usually　read。　You　^an　say　Expert　Treasure…hunter　instead　of　Burglar　if　you　like。　Some　of　them　do。　It's　all　the　same　to　us。　　Gandalf　told　us　that　there　was　a　man　of　the　sort　in　these　parts　looking　for　a　Job　at　once；　and　that　he　had　arranged　for　a　meeting　here　this　Wednesday　tea…time。〃
　〃Of　course　there　is　a　mark；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃I　put　it　there　myself。　For　very　good　reasons。　You　asked　me　to　find　the　fourteenth　man　for　your　expedition；　and　I　chose　Mr。　Baggins。　Just　let　any　one　say　I　chose　the　wrong　man　or　the　wrong　house；　and　you　can　stop　at　thirteen　and　have　all　the　bad　luck　you　like；　or　go　back　to　digging　coal。〃
　He　scowled　so　angrily　at　Gloin　that　the　dwarf　huddled　back　in　his　chair；　and　when　Bilbo　tried　to　open　his　mouth　to　ask　a　question；　he　turned　and　frowned　at　him　and　stuck　oat　his　bushy　eyebrows；　till　Bilbo　shut　his　mouth　tight　with　a　snap。　〃That's　right；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃Let's　have　no　more　argument。　　I　have　chosen　Mr。　Baggins　and　that　ought　to　！6te　enough　for　all　of　you。　If　I　say　he　is　a　Burglar；　a　Burglar　he　is；　or　will　be　when　the　time　es。　There　is　a　lot　more　in　him　than　you　guess；　and　a　deal　more　than　he　has　any　idea　of　himself。　You　may　（possibly）　all　live　to　thank　me　yet。　Now　Bilbo；　my　boy；　fetch　the　lamp；　and　let's　have　little　light　on　this！〃
　On　the　table　in　the　light　of　a　big　lamp　with　a　red　shad　he　spread　a　piece　of　parchment　rather　like　a　map。
　〃This　was　made　by　Thror；　your　grandfather；　Thorin；　he　said　in　answer　to　the　dwarves'　excited　questions。　〃It　is　a　plan　of　the　Mountain。〃　〃I　don't　see　that　this　will　help　us　much；〃　said　Thorin　disappointedly　after　a　glance。　〃I　remember　the　Mountain　well　enough　and　the　lands　about　it。　　And　I　know　where　Mirkwood　is；　and　the　Withered　Heath　where　the　great　dragons　bred。〃
　〃There　is　a　dragon　marked　in　red　on　the　Mountain；　said　Balin；　〃but　it　will　be　easy　enough　to　find　him　without　that；　if　ever　we　arrive　there。〃　〃There　is　one　point　that　you　haven't　noticed；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃and　that　is　the　secret　entrance。　You　see　that　rune　on　the　West　side；　and　the　hand　pointing　to　it　from　the　other　runes？　That　marks　a　hidden　passage　to　the　Lower　Halls。
　〃It　may　have　been　secret　once；〃　said　Thorin；　〃but　how　do　we　know　that　it　is　secret　any　longer？　Old　Smaug　had　lived　there　long　enough　now　to　find　out　anything　there　is　to　know　about　those　caves。〃
　〃He　may…but　he　can't　have　used　it　for　years　and　years。　〃Why？〃　〃Because　it　is　too　small。　'Five　feet　high　the　door　and　three　may　walk　abreast'　say　the　runes；　but　Smaug　could　not　creep　into　a　hole　that　size；　not　even　when　he　was　a　young　dragon；　certainly　not　after　devouring　so　many　of　the　dwarves　and　men　of　Dale。〃
　〃It　seems　a　great　big　hole　to　me；〃　squeaked　Bilbo　（who　had　no　experience　of　dragons　and　only　of　hobbit…holes）　He　was　getting　excited　and　interested　again；　so　that　he　forgot　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。　He　loved　maps；　and　in　his　hall　there　hung　a　large　one　of　the　Country　Round　with　all　his　favourite　walks　marked　on　it　in　red　ink。　〃How　could　such　a　large　door　be　kept　secret　from　everybody　outside；　apart　from　the　dragon？〃　he　asked。　He　was　only　a　little　hobbit　you　must　remember。
　〃In　lots　of　ways；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃But　in　what　way　this　one　has　been　hidden　we　don't　know　without　going　to　see。　From　what　it　says　on　the　map　I　should　guess　there　is　a　closed　door　which　has　been　made　to　look　exactly　like　the　side　of　the　Mountain。　That　is　the　usual　dwarves'　method…　I　think　that　is　right；　isn't　it？〃　〃Quite　right；〃　said　Thorin。
　〃Also；〃　went　on　Gandalf；　〃I　forgot　to　mention　that　with　the　map　went　a　key；　a　small　and　curious　key。　Here　it　is！〃　he　said；　and　handed　to　Thorin　a　key　with　a　long　barrel　and　intricate　wards；　made　of　silver。　〃Keep　it　safe！〃　〃Indeed　I　will；〃　said　Thorin；　and　he　fastened　it　upon　a　fine　chain　that　hung　about　his　neck　and　under　his　jacket。　〃Now　things　begin　to　look　more　hopeful。　This　news　alters　them　much　for…the　better。　So　far　we　have　had　no　clear　idea　what　to　do。　We　thought　of　going　East；　as　quiet　and　careful　as　we　could；　as　far　as　the　Long　Lake。　After　that　the　trouble　would　begin。〃　〃A　long　time　before　that；　if　I　know　anything　about　the　loads　East；〃　interrupted　Gandalf。
　〃We　might　go　from　there　up　along　the　River　Running；〃　went　on　Thorin　taking　no　notice；　〃and　so　to　the　ruins　of　Dale…the　old　town　in　the　valley　there；　under　the　shadow　of　the　Mountain。　But　we　none　of　us　liked　the　idea　of　the　Front　Gate。　The　river　runs　right　out　of　it　through　the　great　cliff　at　the　South　of　the　Mountain；　and　out　of　it　es　the　dragon　too…far　too　often；　unless　he　has　changed。〃
　〃That　would　be　no　good；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃not　without　a　mighty　Warrior；　even　a　Hero。　I　tried　to　find　one；　but　warriors　are　busy　fighting　one　another　in　distant　lands；　and　in　this　neighbourhood　heroes　are　scarce；　or　simply　lot　to　be　found。　Swords　in　these　parts　are　mostly　blunt；　and　axes　are　used　for　trees；　and　shields　as　cradles　or　dish…covers；　and　dragons　are　fortably　far…off　（and　therefore　legendary）。　That　is　why　I　settled　on　burglary…especially　when　I　remembered　the　existence　of　a　Side…door。　And　here　is　our　little　Bilbo　Baggins；　the　burglar；　the　chosen　and　selected　burglar。　So　now　let's　get　on　and　make　some　plans。〃
　〃Very　well　then；〃　said　Thorin；　〃supposing　the　burglar…expert　gives　us　some　ideas　or　suggestions。〃　He　turned　with　mock…politeness　to　Bilbo。　　〃First　I　should　like　to　know　a　bit　more　about　things；〃　said　he；　feeling　all　confused　and　a　bit　shaky　inside；　but　so　far　still　lookishly　determined　to　go　on　with　things。　〃I　mean　about　the　gold　and　the　dragon；　and　all　that；　and　how　it　got　there；　and　who　it　belongs　to；　and　so　on　and　further。〃　〃Bless　me！〃　said　Thorin；　〃haven't　you　got　a　map？　and　didn't　you　hear　our　song？　and　haven't　we　been　talking　about　all　this