jrt.the hobbit-第45节

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s　were　not　made；　all　the　same；　for　hobbit…legs；　and　Bilbo　was　just　feeling　that　he　could　go　on　no　longer；　when　suddenly　the　roof　sprang　high　and　far　beyond　the　reach　of　their　torch…light。　A　white　glimmer　could　be　seen　ing　through　some　opening　far　above；　and　the　air　smelt　sweeter。　Before　them　light　came　dimly　through　great　doors；　that　hung　twisted　on　their　hinges　and　half　burnt。
　〃This　is　the　great　chamber　of　Thror；〃　said　Thorin；　〃the　hall　of　feasting　and　of　council。　Not　far　off　now　is　the　Front　Gate。〃
　They　passed　through　the　ruined　chamber。　Tables　were　rotting　there；　chairs　and　benches　were　lying　there　overturned；　charred　and　decaying。　Skulls　and　bones　were　upon　the　floor　among　flagons　and　bowls　and　broken　drinking…horns　and　dust。　As　they　came　through　yet　more　doors　at　the　further　end；　a　sound　of　water　fell　upon　their　ears；　and　the　grey　light　grew　suddenly　more　full。　　〃There　is　the　birth　of　the　Running　River；〃　said　Thorin。　〃From　here　it　hastens　to　the　Gate。　Let　us　follow　it！〃
　Out　of　a　dark　opening　in　a　wall　of　rock　there　issued　a　boiling　water；　and　it　flowed　swirling　in　a　narrow　channel；　carved　and　made　straight　and　deep　by　the　cunning　of　ancient　hands。　Beside　it　ran　a　stone…paved　road；　wide　enough　for　many　men　abreast。　Swiftly　along　this　they　ran；　and　round　a　wide…sweeping　turn…and　behold！　before　them　stood　the　broad　light　of　day。　In　front　there　rose　a　tall　arch；　still　showing　the　fragments　of　old　carven　work　within；　worn　and　splintered　and　blackened　though　it　was。　A　misty　sun　sent　its　pale　light　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain；　and　beams　of　gold　fell　on　the　pavement　at　the　threshold。
　A　whirl　of　bats　frightened　from　slumber　by　their　smoking　torches　flurried　over　them；　as　they　sprang　forward　their　feet　slithered　on　stones　rubbed　smooth　and　slimed　by　the　passing　of　the　dragon。　Now　before　them　the　water　fell　noisily　outward　and　foamed　down　towards　the　valley。　They　flung　their　pale　torches　to　the　ground；　and　stood　gazing　out　with　dazzled　eyes。　They　were　e　to　the　Front　Gate；　and　were　looking　out　upon　Dale。
　〃Well！〃　said　Bilbo；　〃I　never　expected　to　be　looking　out　of　this　door。　And　I　never　expected　to　be　so　pleased　to　see　the　sun　again；　and　to　feel　the　wind　on　my　face。　But；　ow！　this　wind　is　cold！〃
　It　was。　A　bitter　easterly　breeze　blew　with　a　threat　of　oning　winter。　　It　swirled　over　and　round　the　arms　of　the　Mountain　into　the　valley；　and　sighed　among　the　rocks。　After　their　long　time　in　the　stewing　depths　of　the　dragon…haunted　caverns；　they　shivered　in　the　sun。　Suddenly　Bilbo　realized　that　he　was　not　only　tired　but　also　very　hungry　indeed。　〃It　seems　to　be　late　morning；〃　he　said；　〃and　so　I　suppose　it　is　more　or　less　breakfast…time　…　if　there　is　any　breakfast　to　have。　But　I　don't　feel　that　Smaug's　front　doorstep　is　the　safest　place　for　a　meal。　Do　let's　go　somewhere　where　we　can　sit　quiet　for　a　bit！〃　〃Quite　right！〃　said　Balin。　〃And　I　think　I　know　which　way　we　should　go：　we　ought　to　make　for　the　old　look…out　post　at　the　Southwest　corner　of　the　Mountain。〃
　〃How　far　is　that？〃　asked　the　hobbit。
　〃Five　hours　march；　I　should　think。　It　will　be　rough　going。　The　road　from　the　Gate　along　the　left　edge　of　the　stream　seems　all　broken　up。　But　look　down　there！　The　river　loops　suddenly　east　across　Dale　in　front　of　the　ruined　town。　　At　that　point　there　was　once　a　bridge；　leading　to　steep　stairs　that　climbed　up　the　right　bank；　and　so　to　a　road　running　towards　Ravenhill。　There　is　（or　was）　a　path　that　left　the　road　and　climbed　up　to　the　post。　A　hard　climb；　too；　even　if　the　old　steps　are　still　there。〃
　〃Dear　me！〃　grumbled　the　hobbit。　〃More　walking　and　more　climbing　without　breakfast！　I　wonder　how　many　breakfasts；　and　other　meals；　we　have　missed　inside　that　nasty　clockless；　timeless　hole？〃
　As　a　matter　of　fact　two　nights　and　the　day　between　had　gone　by　（and　not　altogether　without　food）　since　the　dragon　smashed　the　magic　door；　but　Bilbo　had　quite　lost　count；　and　it　might　have　been　one　night　or　a　week　of　nights　for　all　he　could　tell。
　〃e；　e！〃　said　Thorin　laughing　…　his　spirits　had　begun　to　rise　again；　and　he　rattled　the　precious　stones　in　his　pockets。　〃Don't　call　my　place　a　nasty　hole！　You　wait　till　it　has　been　cleaned　and　redecorated！〃　〃That　won't　be　till　Smaug's　dead；〃　said　Bilbo　glumly。　〃In　the　meanwhile　where　is　he？　I　would　give　a　good　breakfast　to　know。　I　hope　he　is　not　up　on　the　Mountain　looking　down　at　us！〃
　That　idea　disturbed　the　dwarves　mightily；　and　they　quickly　decided　that　Bilbo　and　Balin　were　right。
　〃We　must　move　away　from　here；〃　said　Don。　〃I　feel　as　if　his　eyes　were　on　the　back　of　my　head。〃
　〃It's　a　cold　lonesome　place；〃　said　Bombur。　〃There　may　be　drink；　but　I　see　no　sign　of　food。　A　dragon　would　always　be　hungry　in　such　parts。〃　〃e　on！　e　on！〃　cried　the　others。　〃Let　us　follow　Balm's　path！〃　Under　the　rocky　wall　to　the　right　there　was　no　path；　so　on　they　trudged　among　the　stones　on　the　left　side　of　the　river；　and　the　emptiness　and　desolation　soon　sobered　even　Thorin　again。　The　bridge　that　Balin　had　spoken　of　they　found　long　fallen；　and　most　of　its　stones　were　now　only　boulders　in　the　shallow　noisy　stream；　but　they　forded　the　water　without　much　difficulty；　and　found　the　ancient　steps；　and　climbed　the　high　bank。　After　going　a　short　way　they　struck　the　old　road；　and　before　long　came　to　a　deep　dell　sheltered　among　the　rocks；　there　they　rested　for　a　while　and　had　such　a　breakfast　as　they　could；　chiefly　cram　and　water。　（If　you　want　to　know　what　cram　is；　I　can　only　say　that　I　don't　know　the　recipe；　but　it　is　biscuitish；　keeps　good　indefinitely；　is　supposed　to　be　sustaining；　and　is　certainly　not　entertaining；　being　in　fact　very　uninteresting　except　as　a　chewing　exercise。　It　was　made　by　the　Lake…men　for　long　journeys）。
　After　that　they　went　on　again；　and　now　the　road　struck　westwards　and　left　the　river；　and　the　great　shoulder　of　the　south…pointing　mountain…spur　drew　ever　nearer。　At　length　they　reached　the　hill　path。　It　scrambled　steeply　up；　and　they　plodded　slowly　one　behind　the　other；　till　at　last　in　the　late　afternoon　they　came　to　the　top　of　the　ridge　and　saw　the　wintry　sun　going　downwards　to　the　West。
　Here　they　found　a　flat　place　without　a　wall　on　three　sides；　but　backed　to　the　North　by　a　rocky　face　in　which　there　was　an　opening　like　a　door。　From　that　door　there　was　a　wide　view　East　and　South　and　West。　　〃Here；〃　said　Balin；　〃in　the　old　days　we　used　always　to　keep　watchmen；　and　that　door　behind　leads　into　a　rock…hewn　chamber　that　was　made　here　as　a　guardroom。　There　were　several　places　like　it　round　the　Mountain。　But　there　seemed　small　need　for　watching　in　the　days　of　our　prosperity；　and　the　guards　were　made　over　fortable；　perhaps　…　otherwise　we　might　have　had　longer　warnings　of　the　ing　of　the　dragon；　and　things　might　have　been　different。　　Still；　〃here　we　can　now　lie　hid　and　sheltered　for　a　while；　and　can　see　much　without　being　seen。〃
　〃Not　much　use；　if　we　have　been　seen　ing　here；〃　said　Dori；　who　was　always　looking　up　towards　the　Mountain's　peak；　as　if　he　expected　to　see　Smaug　perched　there　like　a　bird　on　a　steeple。
　〃We　must　take　our　chance　of　that；〃　said　Thorin。　〃We　can　go　no　further　to…day。〃
　〃Hear；　hear！〃　cried　Bilbo；　and　flung　himself　on　the　ground。
　In　the　rock…chamber　there　would　have　been　room　for　a　hundred；　and　there　was　a　small　chamber　further　in；　more　removed　from　the　cold　outside。　It　was　quite　deserted；　not　even　wild　animals　seemed　to　have　used　it　in　all　the　days　of　Smaug's　dominion。　There　they　laid　their　burdens；　and　some　threw　themselves　down　at　once　and　slept；　but　the　others　sat　near　the　outer　door　and　discussed　their　plans。
　In　all　their　talk　they　came　perpetually　back　to　one　thing：　where　was
　Smaug？　They　looked　West　and　there　was　nothing；　and　East　there　was　nothing；　and　in　the　South　there　was　no　sign　of　the　dragon；　but　there　was　a　gathering　of　very　many　birds。　At　that　they　gazed　and　wondered；　but　they　were　no　nearer　understanding　it；　when　the　first　cold　stars　came　out。
　
　Chapter　14
　Fire　and　Water
　
　Now　if　you　wish；　like　the　dwarves；　to　hear　news　of　Smaug；　you　must　go　back　again　to　the　evening　when　he　smashed　the　door　and　flew　off　in　rage；　two　days　before。
　The　men　of　the　lake…town　Esgaroth　were　mostly　indoors；　for　the　breeze　was　from　the　black　East　and　chill；　but　a　few　were　walking　on　the　quays；　and　watching；　as　they　were　fond　of　doing；　the　stars　shine　out　from　the　smooth　patches　of　the　lake　as　they　opened　in　the　sky。　From　their　town　the　Lonely　Mountain　was　mostly　screened　by　the　low　hills　at　the　far　end　of　the　lake；　through　a　gap　in　which　the　Running　River　came　down　from　the　North。　Only　its　high　peak　could　they　see　in　clear　weather；　and　they　looked　seldom　at　it；　for　it　was　ominous　and　dreary　even　in　the　light　of　morning。　Now　it　was　lost　and　gone；　blotted　in　the　dark。
　Suddenly　it　flickered　back　to　view；　a　brief　glow　touched　it　and　faded。　　〃Look！〃　said　one。　〃The　lights　again！　Last　night　the　watchmen　saw　them　start　and　fade　from　midnight　until　dawn。　Something　is　happening　up　there。〃　〃Perhaps　the　King　under　the　Mountain　is　forging　gold；〃　said　another。　〃It　is　long　since　he　went　north。　It　is　time　the　songs　began　to　prove　themselves　again。〃
　〃Which　king？〃　said　another　with　a　grim　voice。　〃As　like　as　not　it　is　the　marauding　fire　of　the　Dragon；　the　only　king　under　the　Mountain　we　have　ever　kn