jrt.the hobbit-第47节

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Bowman；　and　down　with　Moneybags；〃　till　the　clamour　echoed　along　the　shore。
　〃I　am　the　last　man　to　undervalue　Bard　the　Bowman；〃　said　the　Master　warily　（for　Bard　now　stood　close　beside　him）。　〃He　has　tonight　earned　an　eminent　place　in　the　roll　of　the　benefactors　of　our　town；　and　he　is　worthy　of　many　imperishable　songs。　But；　why　O　People？〃…and　here　the　Master　rose　to　his　feet　and　spoke　very　loud　and　clear　…　〃why　do　I　get　all　your　blame？　For　what　fault　am　I　to　be　deposed？　Who　aroused　the　dragon　from　his　slumber；　I　might　ask？　Who　obtained　of　us　rich　gifts　and　ample　help；　and　led　us　to　believe　that　old　songs　could　e　true？　Who　played　on　our　soft　hearts　and　our　pleasant　fancies？　What　sort　of　gold　have　they　sent　down　the　river　to　reward　us？　Dragon…fire　and　ruin！　　From　whom　should　we　claim　the　repense　of　our　damage；　and　aid　for　our　widows　and　orphans？〃
　As　you　see；　the　Master　had　not　got　his　position　for　nothing。　The　result　of　his　words　was　that　for　the　moment　the　people　quite　forgot　their　idea　of　a　new　king；　and　turned　their　angry　thoughts　towards　Thorin　and　his　pany。　Wild　and　bitter　words　were　shouted　from　many　sides；　and　some　of　those　who　had　before　sung　the　old　songs　loudest；　were　now　heard　as　loudly　crying　that　the　dwarves　had　stirred　the　dragon　up　against　them　deliberately！　　〃Fools！〃　said　Bard。　〃Why　waste　words　and　wrath　on　those　unhappy　creatures？　Doubtless　they　perished　first　in　fire；　before　Smaug　came　to　us。〃　Then　even　as　he　was　speaking；　the　thought　came　into　his　heart　of　the　fabled　treasure　of　the　Mountain　lying　without　guard　or　owner；　and　he　fell　suddenly　silent。　He　thought　of　the　Master's　words；　and　of　Dale　rebuilt；　and　filled　with　golden　bells；　if　he　could　but　find　the　men。
　At　length　he　spoke　again：　〃This　is　no　time　for　angry　words。　Master；　or　for　considering　weighty　plans　of　change。　There　is　work　to　do。　I　serve　you　still…though　after　a　while　I　may　think　again　of　your　words　and　go　North　with　any　that　will　follow　me。〃
　Then　he　strode　off　to　help　in　the　ordering　of　the　camps　and　in　the　care　of　the　sick　and　the　wounded。　But　the　Master　scowled　at　his　back　as　he　went；　and　remained　sitting　on　the　ground。　He　thought　much　but　said　little；　unless　it　was　to　call　loudly　for　men　to　bring　him　fire　and　food。　Now　everywhere　Bard　went　he　found　talk　running　like　fire　among　the　people　concerning　the　vast　treasure　that　was　now　unguarded。　Men　spoke　of　the　repense　for　all　their　harm　that　they　would　soon　get　from　it；　and　wealth　over　and　to　spare　with　which　to　buy　rich　things　from　the　South；　and　it　cheered　them　greatly　in　their　plight。　That　was　as　well；　for　the　night　was　bitter　and　miserable。　Shelters　could　be　contrived　for　few　（the　Master　had　one）　and　there　was　little　food　（even　the　Master　went　short）。　Many　took　ill　of　wet　and　cold　and　sorrow　that　night；　and　afterwards　died；　who　had　escaped　uninjured　from　the　ruin　of　the　town；　and　in　the　days　that　followed　there　was　much　sickness　and　great　hunger。　　Meanwhile　Bard　took　the　lead；　and　ordered　things　as　he　wished；　though　always　in　the　Master's　name；　and　he　had　a　hard　task　to　govern　the　people　and　direct　the　preparations　for　their　protection　and　housing。　Probably　most　of　them　would　have　perished　in　the　winter　that　now　hurried　after　autumn；　if　help　had　not　been　to　hand。　But　help　came　swiftly；　for　Bard　at　once　had　speedy　messengers　sent　up　the　river　to　the　Forest　to　ask　the　aid　of　the　King　of　the　Elves　of　the　Wood；　and　these　messengers　had　found　a　host　already　on　the　move；　although　it　was　then　only　the　third　day　after　the　fall　of　Smaug。　　The　Elvenking　had　received　news　from　his　own　messengers　and　from　the　birds　that　loved　his　folk；　and　already　knew　much　of　what　had　happened。　Very　great　indeed　was　the　motion　among　all　things　with　wings　that　dwelt　on　the　borders　of　the　Desolation　of　the　Dragon。　The　air　was　filled　with　circling　flocks；　and　their　swift…flying　messengers　flew　here　and　there　across　the　sky。　　Above　the　borders　of　the　Forest　there　was　whistling；　crying　and　piping。　Far　over　Mirkwood　tidings　spread：　〃Smaug　is　dead！〃　Leaves　rustled　and　startled　ears　were　lifted。　Even　before　the　Elvenking　rode　forth　the　news　had　passed　west　right　to　the　pinewoods　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　Beorn　had　heard　it　in　his　wooden　house；　and　the　goblins　were　at　council　in　their　caves。
　〃That　will　be　the　last　we　shall　hear　of　Thorin　Oakenshield；　I　fear；〃　said　the　king。　〃He　would　have　done　better　to　have　remained　my　guest。　It　is　an　ill　wind；　all　the　same；〃　he　added；　〃that　blows　no　one　any　good。〃　For　he　too　had　not　forgotten　the　legend　of　the　wealth　of　Thror。　So　it　was　that　Bard's　messengers　found　him　now　marching　with　many　spearmen　and　bowmen；　and　crows　were　gathered　thick；　above　him；　for　they　thought　that　war　was　awakening　again；　such　as　had　not　been　in　those　parts　for　a　long　age。　But　the　king；　when　he　received　the　prayers　of　Bard；　had　pity；　for　he　was　the　lord　of　a　good　and　kindly　people；　so　turning　his　march；　which　had　at　first　been　direct　towards　the　Mountain；　he　hastened　now　down　the　river　to　the　Long　Lake。　He　had　not　boats　or　rafts　enough　for　his　host；　and　they　were　forced　to　go　the　slower　way　by　foot；　but　great　store　of　goods　he　sent　ahead　by　water。　Still　elves　are　light…footed；　and　though　they　were　not　in　these　days　much　used　to　the　marches　and　the　treacherous　lands　between　the　Forest　and　the　Lake；　their　going　was　swift。　Only　five　days　after　the　death　of　the　dragon　they　came　upon　the　shores　and　looked　on　the　ruins　of　the　town。　Their　wele　was　good；　as　may　be　expected；　and　the　men　and　their　Master　were　ready　to　make　any　bargain　for　the　future　in　return　for　the　Elvenking's　aid。
　Their　plans　were　soon　made。　With　the　women　and　the　children；　the　old　and　the　unfit；　the　Master　remained　behind；　and　with　him　were　some　men　of　crafts　and　many　skilled　elves；　and　they　busied　themselves　felling　trees；　and　collecting　the　timber　sent　down　from　the　Forest。　Then　they　set　about　raising　many　huts　by　the　shore　against　the　oning　winter；　and　also　under　the　Master's　direction　they　began　the　planning　of　a　new　town；　designed　more　fair　and　large　even　than　before；　but　not　in　the　same　place。　They　removed　northward　higher　up　the　shore；　for　ever　after　they　had　a　dread　of　the　water　where　the　dragon　lay。　He　would　never　again　return　to　his　golden　bed；　but　was　stretched　cold　as　stone；　twisted　upon　the　floor　of　the　shallows。　There　for　ages　his　huge　bones　could　be　seen　in　calm　weather　amid　the　ruined　piles　of　the　old　town。　But　few　dared　to　cross　the　cursed　spot；　and　none　dared　to　dive　into　the　shivering　water　or　recover　the　precious　stones　that　fell　from　his　rotting　carcass。　　But　all　the　men　of　arms　who　were　still　able；　and　the　most　of　the　Elvenking's　array；　got　ready　to　march　north　to　the　Mountain。　It　was　thus　that　in　eleven　days　from　the　ruin　of　the　town　the　head　of　their　host　passed　the　rock…gates　at　the　end　of　the　lake　and　came　into　the　desolate　lands。
　
　Chapter　15
　The　Gathering　of　the　Clouds
　
　Now　we　will　return　to　Bilbo　and　the　dwarves。　All　night　one　of　them　had　watched；　but　when　morning　came　they　had　not　heard　or　seen　any　sign　of　danger。　　But　ever　more　thickly　the　birds　were　gathering。　Their　panies　came　flying　from　the　South；　and　the　crows　that　still　lived　about　the　Mountain　were　wheeling　and　crying　unceasingly　above。
　〃Something　strange　is　happening；〃　said　Thorin。　〃The　time　has　gone　for　the　autumn　wanderings；　and　these　are　birds　that　dwell　always　in　the　land；　there　are　starlings　and　flocks　of　finches；　and　far　off　there　are　many　carrion　birds　as　if　a　battle　were　afoot！〃
　Suddenly　Bilbo　pointed：　〃There　is　that　old　thrush　again！〃　he　cried。　〃He　seems　to　have　escaped；　when　Smaug　smashed　the　mountain…side；　but　I　don't　suppose　the　snails　have！〃
　Sure　enough　the　old　thrush　was　there；　and　as　Bilbo　pointed；　he　flew　towards　them　and　perched　on　a　stone　near　by。　Then　he　fluttered　his　wings　and　sang；　then　he　cocked　his　head　on　one　side；　as　if　to　listen；　and　again　he　sang；　and　again　he　listened。
　〃I　believe　he　is　trying　to　tell　us　something；〃　said　Balin；　〃but　I　cannot　follow　the　speech　of　such　birds；　it　is　very　quick　and　difficult。　Can　you　make　it　out　Baggins？〃
　〃Not　very　well；〃　said　Bilbo　（as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　could　make　nothing　of　it　at　all）；　〃but　the　old　fellow　seems　。very　excited。〃
　〃I　only　wish　he　was　a　raven！〃　said　Balin。
　〃I　thought　you　did　not　like　them！　You　seemed　very　shy　of　them；　when　we　came　this　way　before。〃
　〃Those　were　crows！　And　nasty　suspicious…looking　creatures　at　that；　and　rude　as　well。　You　must　have　heard　the　ugly　names　they　were　calling　after　us。　　But　the　ravens　are　different。　There　used　to　be　great　friendship　between　them　and　the　people　of　Thror；　and　they　often　brought　us　secret　news；　and　were　rewarded　with　such　bright　things　as　they　coveted　to　hide　in　their　dwellings。　　〃They　live　many　a　year；　and　their　memories　are　long；　and　they　hand　on　their　wisdom　to　their　children。　I　knew　many　among　the　ravens　of　the　rocks　when　I　was　a　dwarf…　lad。　This　very　height　was　once　named　Ravenhill；　because　there　was　a　wise　and　famous　pair；　old　Care　and　his　wife；　that　lived　here　above　the　guard…chamber。　But　I　don't　suppose　that　any　of　that　ancient　breed　linger　here　now。〃
　No　sooner　had　he　finished　speaking　than　the　old　thrush　gave　a　loud　call；　and　immediately　flew　away。
　〃We　may　not　understand　him；　but　that　old　bird　understands