jrt.the hobbit-第40节

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ith　a　rumble　as　of　a　gigantic　tom…cat　purring。　This　grew　to　the　unmistakable　gurgling　noise　of　some　vast　animal　snoring　in　its　sleep　down　there　in　the　red　glow　in　front　of　him。
　It　was　at　this　point　that　Bilbo　stopped。　Going　on　from　there　was　the　bravest　thing　he　ever　did。　The　tremendous　things　that　happened　afterward　were　as　nothing　pared　to　it。　He　fought　the　real　battle　in　the　tunnel　alone；　before　he　ever　saw　the　vast　danger　that　lay　in　wait。　At　any　rate　after　a　short　halt　go　on　he　did；　and　you　can　picture　him　ing　to　the　end　of　the　tunnel；　an　opening　of　much　the　same　size　and　shape　as　the　door　above。　Through　it　peeps　the　hobbit's　little　head。　Before　him　lies　the　great　bottommost　cellar　or　dungeon…hall　of　the　ancient　dwarves　right　at　the　Mountain's　root。　It　is　almost　dark　so　that　its　vastaess　can　only　be　dimly　guessed；　but　rising　from　the　near　side　of　the　rocky　floor　there　is　a　great　glow。　The　glow　of　Smaug！　　There　he　lay；　a　vast　red…golden　dragon；　fast　asleep；　thrumming　came　from　his　jaws　and　nostrils；　and　wisps　of　smoke；　but　his　fires　were　low　in　slumber。
　Beneath　him；　under　all　his　limbs　and　his　huge　coiled　tail；　and　about　him　on　all　sides　stretching　away　across　the　unseen　floors；　lay　countless　piles　of　precious　things；　gold　wrought　and　unwrought；　gems　and　jewels；　and　silver　red…stained　in　the　ruddy　light。
　Smaug　lay；　with　wings　folded　like　an　immeasurable　bat；　turned　partly　on　one　side；　so　that　the　hobbit　could　see　his　underparts　and　his　long　pale　belly　crusted　with　gems　and　fragments　of　gold　from　his　long　lying　on　his　costly　bed。　　Behind　him　where　the　walls　were　nearest　could　dimly　be　seen　coats　of　mail；　helms　and　axes；　swords　and　spears　hanging；　and　there　in　rows　stood　great　jars　and　vessels　filled　with　a　wealth　that　could　not　be　guessed。　To　say　that　Bilbo's　breath　was　taken　away　is　no　description　at　all。　There　are　no　words　left　to　express　his　staggerment；　since　Men　changed　the　language　that　they　learned　of　elves　in　the　days　when　all　the　world　was　wonderful。　Bilbo　had　heard　tell　and　sing　of　dragon…hoards　before；　but　the　splendour；　the　lust；　the　glory　of　such　treasure　had　never　yet　e　home　to　him。　His　heart　was　filled　and　pierced　with　enchantment　and　with　the　desire　of　dwarves；　and　he　gazed　motionless；　almost　forgetting　the　frightful　guardian；　at　the　gold　beyond　price　and　count。
　He　gazed　for　what　seemed　an　age；　before　drawn　almost　against　his　will；　he　stole　from　the　shadow　of　the　doorway；　across　the　floor　to　the　nearest　edge　of　the　mounds　of　treasure。　Above　him　the　sleeping　dragon　lay；　a　dire　menace　even　in　his　sleep。　He　grasped　a　great　two…handled　cup；　as　heavy　as　he　could　carry；　and　cast　one　fearful　eye　upwards。　Smaug　stirred　a　wing；　opened　a　claw；　the　rumble　of　his　snoring　changed　its　note。
　Then　Bilbo　fled。　But　the　dragon　did　not　wake…not　yet　but　shifted　into　other　dreams　of　greed　and　violence；　lying　there　in　his　stolen　hall　while　the　little　hobbit　toiled　back　up　the　long　tunnel。　His　heart　was　beating　and　a　more　fevered　shaking　was　in　his　legs　than　when　he　was　going　down；　but　still　he　clutched　the　cup；　and　his　chief　thought　was：　〃I've　done　it！　This　will　show　them。　'More　like　a　grocer　than　a　burglar'　indeed！　Well；　we'll　hear　no　more　of　that。〃
　Nor　did　he。　Balin　was　overjoyed　to　see　the　hobbit　again；　and　as　delighted　as　he　was　surprised。　He　picked　Bilbo　up　and　carried　him　out　into　the　open　air。　　It　was　midnight　and　clouds　had　covered　the　stars；　but　Bilbo　lay　with　his　eyes　shut；　gasping　and　taking　pleasure　in　the　feel　of　the　fresh　air　again；　and　hardly　noticing　the　excitement　of　the　dwarves；　or　how　they　praised　him　and　patted　him　on　the　back　and　put　themselves　and　all　their　families　for　generations　to　e　at　his　service。
　The　dwarves　were　still　passing　the　cup　from　hand　to　hand　and　talking　delightedly　of　the　recovery　of　their　treasure；　when　suddenly　a　vast　rumbling　woke　in　the　mountain　underneath　as　if　it　was　an　old　volcano　that　had　made　up　its　mind　to　start　eruptions　once　again。　The　door　behind　them　was　pulled　nearly　to；　and　blocked　from　closing　with　a　stone；　but　up　the　long　tunnel　came　the　dreadful　echoes；　from　far　down　in　the　depths；　of　a　bellowing　and　a　trampling　that　made　the　ground　beneath　them　tremble。
　Then　the　dwarves　forgot　their　joy　and　their　confident　boasts　of　a　moment　before　and　cowered　down　in　fright。　Smaug　was　still　to　be　reckoned　with。　It　does　not　do　to　leave　a　live　dragon　out　of　your　calculations；　if　you　live　near　him。　Dragons　may　not　have　much　real　use　for　all　their　wealth；　but　they　know　it　to　an　ounce　as　a　rule；　especially　after　long　possession；　and　Smaug　was　no　exception。　He　had　passed　from　an　uneasy　dream　（in　which　a　warrior；　altogether　insignificant　in　size　but　provided　with　a　bitter　sword　and　great　courage；　figured　most　unpleasantly）　to　a　doze；　and　from　a　doze　to　wide　waking。　There　was　a　breath　of　strange　air　in　his　cave。　Could　there　be　a　draught　from　that　little　hole？　He　had　never　felt　quite　happy　about　it；　though　was　so　small；　and　now　he　glared　at　it　in　suspicion　an　wondered　why　he　had　never　blocked　it　up。　　Of　late　he　had　half　fancied　he　had　caught　the　dim　echoes　of　a　knocking　sound　from　far　above　that　came　down　through　it　to　his　lair。　He　stirred　and　stretched　forth　his　neck　to　sniff。　Then　he　missed　the　cup！
　Thieves！　Fire！　Murder！　Such　a　thing　had　not　happened　since　first　he　came　to　the　Mountain！　His　rage　passes　description　…　the　sort　of　rage　that　is　only　seen　when　rich　folk　that　have　more　than　they　can　enjoy　suddenly　lose　something　that　they　have　long　had　but　have　never　before　used　or　wanted。　His　fire　belched　forth；　the　hall　smoked；　he　shook　the　mountain…roots。　He　thrust　his　head　in　vain　at　the　little　hole；　and　then　coiling　his　length　together；　roaring　like　thunder　underground；　he　sped　from　his　deep　lair　through　its　great　door；　out　into　the　huge　passages　of　the　mountain…palace　and　up　towards　the　Front　Gate。　　To　hunt　the　whole　mountain　till　he　had　caught　the　thief　and　had　torn　and　trampled　him　was　his　one　thought。　He　issued　from　the　Gate；　the　waters　rose　in　fierce　whistling　steam；　and　up　he　soared　blazing　into　the　air　and　settled　on　the　mountain…top　in　a　spout　of　green　and　scarlet　flame。　The　dwarves　heard　the　awful　rumour　of　his　flight；　and　they　crouched　against　the　walls　of　the　grassy　terrace　cringing　under　boulders；　hoping　somehow　to　escape　the　frightful　eyes　of　the　hunting　dragon。
　There　they　would　have　all　been　killed；　if　it　had　not　been　for　Bilbo　once　again。　〃Quick！　Quick！〃　he　gasped。　〃The　door！　The　tunnel！　It's　no　good　here。〃　Roused　by　these　words　they　were　just　about　to　creep　inside　the　tunnel　when　Bifur　gave　a　cry：　〃My　cousins！　Bombur　and　Bofur　…　we　have　forgotten　them；　they　are　down　in　the　valley！〃
　〃They　will　be　slain；　and　all　our　ponies　too；　and　all　out　stores　lost；〃　moaned　the　others。　〃We　can　do　nothing。〃
　〃Nonsense！〃　said　Thorin；　recovering　his　dignity。　〃We　cannot　leave　them。　　Get　inside　Mr。　Baggins　and　Balin；　and　you　two　Fili　and　Kili…the　dragon　shan't　have　all　of　us。　Now　you　others；　where　are　the　ropes？　Be　quick！〃　Those　were　perhaps　the　worst　moments　they　had　been　through　yet。　The　horrible　sounds　of　Smaug's　anger　were　echoing　in　the　stony　hollows　far　above；　at　any　moment　he　might　e　blazing　down　or　fly　whirling　round　and　find　them　there；　near　the　perilous　cliff's　edge　hauling　madly　on　the　ropes。　Up　came　Bofur；　and　still　all　was　safe。　Up　came　Bombur；　puffing　and　blowing　while　the　ropes　creaked；　and　still　all　was　safe。　Up　came　some　tools　and　bundles　of　stores；　and　then　danger　was　upon　them。　A　whirring　noise　was　heard。　A　red　light　touched　the　points　of　standing　rocks。　The　dragon　came。　They　had　barely　time　to　fly　back　to　the　tunnel；　pulling　and　dragging　in　their　bundles；　when　Smaug　came　hurtling　from　the　North；　licking　the　mountain…sides　with　flame；　beating　his　great　wings　with　a　noise　like　a　roaring　wind。　His　hot　breath　shrivelled　the　grass　before　the　door；　and　drove　in　through　the　crack　they　had　left　and　scorched　them　as　they　lay　hid。　Flickering　fires　leaped　up　and　black　rock…shadows　danced。　Then　darkness　fell　as　he　passed　again。　　The　ponies　screamed　with　terror；　burst　their　ropes　and　galloped　wildly　off。　The　dragon　swooped　and　turned　to　pursue　them；　and　was　gone。　　〃That'll　be　the　end　of　our　poor　beasts！〃　said　Thorin。
　〃Nothing　can　escape　Smaug　once　he　sees　it。　Here　we　are　and　here　we　shall　have　to　stay；　unless　any　one　fancies　tramping　the　long　open　miles　back　to　the　river　with　Smaug　on　the　watch！〃
　It　was　not　a　pleasant　thought！　They　crept　further　down　the　tunnel；　and　there　they　lay　and　shivered　though　it　was　warm　and　stuffy；　until　dawn　came　pale　through　the　crack　of　the　door。　Every　now　and　again　through　the　night　they　could　hear　the　roar　of　the　flying　dragon　grow　and　then　pass　and　fade；　as　he　hunted　round　and　round　the　mountain…sides。
　He　guessed　from　the　ponies；　and　from　the　traces　of　the　camps　he　had　discovered；　that　men　had　e　up　from　the　river　and　the　lake　and　had　scaled　the　mountain…side　from　the　valley　where　the　ponies　had　been　standing；　but　the　door　withstood　his　searching　eye；　and　the　little　high…walled　bay　had　kept　out　his　fiercest　flames。　Long　he　had　hunted　in　vain　till　the　dawn　chilled　his　wrath　and　he　went　back　to　his　golden　couch　to　sleep　…　and　to　gather　new　strength。
　He　would　not　forget　or　forgive　the　theft；　not　if　a　thousand　years　turned　him　to　sm