jrt.the hobbit-第51节

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　〃Hail　Thorin！〃　said　Bard。　〃Are　you　still　of　the　same　mind？〃　〃My　mind　does　not　change　with　the　rising　and　setting　of　a　few　suns；〃　answered　Thorin。　〃Did　you　e　to　ask　me　idle　questions？　Still　the　elf…host　has　not　departed　as　I　bade！　Till　then　you　e　in　vain　to　bargain　with　me。〃　〃Is　there　then　nothing　for　which　you　would　yield　any　of　your　gold？〃
　〃Nothing　that　you　or　your　friends　have　to　offer。〃
　〃What　of　the　Arkenstone　of　Thrain？〃　said　he；　and　at　the　same　moment　the　old　man　opened　the　casket　and　held　aloft　the　jewel。　The　light　leapt　from　his　hand；　bright　and　white　in　the　morning。
　Then　Thorin　was　stricken　dumb　with　amazement　and　confusion。　No　one　spoke　for　a　long　while。　Thorin　at　length　broke　the　silence；　and　his　voice　was　thick　with　wrath。　〃That　stone　was　my　father's；　and　is　mine；〃　he　said。　〃Why　should　I　purchase　my　own？〃　But　wonder　overcame　him　and　he　added：　〃But　how　came　you　by　the　heirloom　of　my　house…if　there　is　need　to　ask　such　a　question　of　thieves？〃　〃We　are　not　thieves；〃　Bard　answered。　〃Your　own　we　will　give　back　in　return　for　our　own。〃
　'How　came　you　by　it？〃　shouted　Thorin　in　gathering　rage。　　〃I　gave　it　them！〃　squeaked　Bilbo；　who　was　peeping　over　the　wall；　by　now；　in　a　dreadful　fright。
　〃You！　You！〃　cried　Thorin；　turning　upon　him　and　grasping　him　with　both　hands。　〃You　miserable　hobbit！　You　undersized…burglar！〃　he　shouted　at　a　loss　for　words；　and　he　shook　poor　Bilbo　like　a　rabbit。
　〃By　the　beard　of　Durin！　I　wish　I　had　Gandalf　here！　Curse　him　for　his　choice　of　you！　May　his　beard　wither！　As　for　you　I　will　throw　you　to　the　rocks！〃　he　cried　and　lifted　Bilbo　in　his　arms。
　〃Stay！　Your　wish　is　granted！〃　said　a　voice。　The　old　man　with　the　casket　threw　aside　his　hood　and　cloak。　〃Here　is　Gandalf！　And　none　too　soon　it　seems。　　If　you　don't　like　my　Burglar；　please　don't　damage　him。　Put　him　down；　and　listen　first　to　what　he　has　to　say！〃
　〃You　all　seem　in　league！〃　said　Thorin　dropping　Bilbo　on　the　top　of　the　wall。　〃Never　again　will　I　have　dealings　with　any　wizard　or　his　friends。　What　have　you　to　say；　you　descendant　of　rats？〃
　〃Dear　me！　Dear　me！〃　said　Bilbo。　〃I　am　sure　this　is　all　very　unfortable。　You　may　remember　saying　that　I　might　choose　my　own　fourteenth　share？　Perhaps　I　took　it　too　literally　…1　have　been　told　that　dwarves　are　sometimes　politer　in　word　than　in　deed。　The　time　was；　all　the　same；　when　you　seemed　to　think　that　I　had　been　of　some　service。　Descendant　of　rats；　indeed！　　Is　this　ail　the　service　of　you　and　your　family　that　I　was　promised。　Thorin？
　Take　it　that　I　have　disposed　of　my　share　as　I　wished；　and　let　it　go　at　that！〃　〃I　will；〃　said　Thorin　grimly。　〃And　I　will　let　you　go　at　that…and　may　we　never　meet　again！〃　Then　he　turned　and　spoke　over　the　wall。　〃I　am　betrayed；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　rightly　guessed　that　I　could　not　forbear　to　redeem　the　Arkenstone；　the　treasure　of　my　house。　For　it　I　will　give　one　fourteenth　share　of　the　hoard　in　silver　and　gold；　setting　aside　the　gems；　but　that　shall　be　accounted　the　promised　share　of　this　traitor；　and　with　that　reward　he　shall　depart；　and　you　can　divide　it　as　you　will。　He　will　get　little　enough；　I　doubt　not。　Take　him；　if　you　wish　him　to　live；　and　no　friendship　of　mine　goes　with　him。
　〃Get　down　now　to　your　friends！〃　he　said　to　Bilbo；　〃or　I　will　throw　you　down。〃
　〃What　about　the　gold　and　silver？〃　asked　Bilbo。
　〃That　shall　follow　after；　as　can　be　arranged；〃　said　he。
　〃Get　down！〃
　〃Until　then　we　keep　the　stone；〃　cried　Bard。
　〃You　are　not　making　a　very　splendid　figure　as　King　under　the　Mountain；〃　said　Gandalf。　〃But　things　may　change　yet。〃
　〃They　may　indeed；〃　said　Thorin。　And　already；　so　strong　was　the　bewilderment　of　the　treasure　upon　him；　he　was　pondering　whether　by　the　help　of　Dain　he　might　not　recapture　the　Arkenstone　and　withhold　the　share　of　the　reward。
　And　so　Bilbo　was　swung　down　from　the　wall；　and　departed　with　nothing　for　all　his　trouble；　except　the　armour　which　Thorin　had　given　him　already。　More　than　one　of　the　dwarves　'in　their　hearts　felt　shame　and　pity　at　his　going。　　〃Farewell！〃　he　cried　to　them。　〃We　may　meet　again　as　friends。〃　〃Be　off！〃　called　Thorin。　〃You　have　mail　upon　you；　which　was　made　by　my　folk；　and　is　too　good　for　you。　It　cannot　be　pierced　。by　arrows；　but　if　you　do　not　hasten；　I　will　sting　your　miserable　feet。　So　be　swift！〃　〃Not　so　hasty！〃　said　Bard。　〃We　will　give　you　until　tomorrow。　At　noon　we　will　return；　and　see　if　you　have　brought　from　the　hoard　the　portion　that　is　to　be　set　against　the　stone。　If　that　is　done　without　deceit；　then　we　will　depart；　and　the　elf…host　will　go　back　to　the　Forest。　In　the　meanwhile　farewell！〃　With　that　they　went　back　to　the　camp；　but　Thorin　sent　messengers　by　Rac　telling　Dain　of　what　had　passed；　and　bidding　him　e　with　wary　speed。　　That　day　passed　and　the　night。　The　next　day　the　wind　shifted　west；　and　the　air　was　dark　and　gloomy。　The　morning　was　still　early　when　a　cry　was　heard　in　the　camp。　Runners　came　in　to　report　that　a　host　of　dwarves　had　appeared　round　the　eastern　spur　of　the　Mountain　and　was　now　hastening　to　Dale。　Dain　had　e。　He　had　hurried　on　through　the　night；　and　so　had　e　upon　them　sooner　than　they　had　expected。　Each　one　of　his　folk　was　clad　in　a　hauberk　of　steel　mail　that　hung　to　his　knees；　and　his　legs　were　covered　with　hose　of　a　fine　and　flexible　metal　mesh；　the　secret　of　whose　making　was　possessed　by　Dain's　people。
　The　dwarves　are　exceedingly　strong　for　their　height；　but　most　of　these　were　strong　even　for　dwarves。　In　battle　they　wielded　heavy　two…handed　mattocks；　but　each　of　them　had　also　a　short　broad　sword　at　his　side　and　a　round　shield　slung　at　his　back。　Their　beards　were　forked　and　plaited　and　thrust　into　their　belts。　Their　caps　were　of　iron　and　they　were　shod　with　iron；　and　their　faces　were　grim。　Trumpets　called　men　and　elves　to　arms。　Before　long　the　dwarves　could　be　seen　ing　up　the　valley　at　a　great　pace。　They　halted　between　the　river　and　the　eastern　spur；　but　a　few　held　on　their　way；　and　crossing　the　river　drew　near　the　camp；　and　there　they　laid　down　their　weapons　and　held　up　their　hands　in　sign　of　peace。　Bard　went　out　to　meet　them；　and　with　him　went　Bilbo。
　〃We　are　sent　from　Dain　son　of　Nain；〃　they　said　when　questioned。　〃We　are　hastening　to　our　kinsmen　in　the　Mountain；　since　we　learn　that　the　kingdom　of　old　is　renewed。　But　who　are　you　that　sit　in　the　plain　as　foes　before　defended　walls？〃　This；　of。　course；　in　the　polite　and　rather　old…fashioned　language　of　such　occasions；　meant　simply：　〃You　have　no　business　here。　We　are　going　on；　so　make　way　or　we　shall　fight　you！〃　They　meant　to　push　on　between　the　Mountain　and　the　loop　of　the　river；　for　the　narrow　land　there　did　not　seem　to　be　strongly　guarded。
　Bard；　of　course；　refused　to　allow　the　dwarves　to　go　straight　on　to　the　Mountain。　He　was　determined　to　wait　until　the　gold　and　silver　had　been　brought　out　in　exchange　for　the　Arkenstone：　for　he　did　not　believe　that　this　would　be　done；　if　once　the　fortress　was　manned　with　so　large　and　warlike　a　pany。　　They　had　brought　with　them　a　great　store　of　supplies；　for　the　dwarves　can　carry　very　heavy　burdens；　and　nearly　all　of　Dain's　folks；　in　spite　of　their　rapid　march；　bore　huge　packs　on　their　backs　in　addition　to　their　weapons。　They　would　stand　a　siege　for　weeks；　and　by　that　time　yet　more　dwarves　might　e；　and　yet　more；　for　Thorin　had　many　relatives。　Also　they　would　be　able　to　reopen　and　guard　some　other　gate；　so　that　the　besiegers　would　have　to　encircle　the　whole　mountain；　and　for　that　they　had　not　sufficient　numbers。
　These　were；　in　fact；　precisely　their　plans　（for　the　raven…messengers　had　been　busy　between　Thorin　and　Dain）；　but　for　the　moment　the　way　was　barred；　so　after　angry　words　the　dwarf…messengers　retired　muttering　in　their　beards。　Bard　then　sent　messengers　at　once　to　the　Gate；　but　they　found　no　gold　or　payment。　　Arrows　came　forth　as　soon　as　they　were　within　shot；　and　they　hastened　back　in　dismay。　In　the　camp　all　was　now　astir；　as　if　for　battle；　for　the　dwarves　of　Dain　were　advancing　along　the　eastern　bank。
　〃Fools！〃　laughed　Bard；　〃to　e　thus　beneath　the　Mountain's　arm！　They　do　not　understand　war　above　ground；　whatever　they　may　know　of　battle　in　the　mines。　There　are　many　of　our　archers　and　spearmen　now　hidden　in　the　rocks　upon　their　right　flank。　Dwarf…mail　may　be　good；　but　they　will　soon　be　hard　put　to　it。　Let　us　set　on　them　now　from　both　sides；　before　they　are　fully　rested！〃　But　the　Elvenking　said：　〃Long　will　I　tarry；　ere　I　begin　this　war　for　gold。　The　dwarves　cannot　press　us；　unless　we　will；　or　do　anything　that　we　cannot　mark。　Let　us　hope　still　for　something　that　will　bring　reconciliation。　　Our　advantage　in　numbers　will　be　enough；　if　in　the　end　it　must　e　to　unhappy　blows。〃
　But　he　reckoned　without　the　dwarves。　The　knowledge　that　the　Arkenstone　was　in　the　hands　of　the　besiegers　burned　in　their　thoughts；　also　they　guessed　the　hesitation　of　Bard　and　his　friends；　and　resolved　to　strike　while　they　debated。
　Suddenly　without　a　signal　they　sprang　silently　forward　to　attack。　Bows　twanged　and　arrows　whistled；　battle　was　about　to　be　joined。　　Still　more　suddenly　a　darkness　came　on　with　dreadful　swiftness！　A　black　cloud　hurried　over　the　sky。　Winter　thunder　on　a　wild　wind　rolled　roaring　up　and　rumbled　in　the　Mountain；　and　lightning　lit　its　peak。　And　beneath　the　thunder　another　blackness　could　be　seen　whirlin