jrt.the hobbit-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ghtning　lit　its　peak。　And　beneath　the　thunder　another　blackness　could　be　seen　whirling　forward；　but　it　did　not　e　with　the　wind；　it　came　from　the　North；　like　a　vast　cloud　of　birds；　so　dense　that　no　light　could　be　seen　between　their　wings。
　〃Halt！〃　cried　Gandalf；　who　appeared　suddenly；　and　stood　alone；　with　arms　uplifted；　between　the　advancing　dwarves　and　the　ranks　awaiting　them。　〃Halt！〃　he　called　in　a　voice　like　thunder；　and　his　staff　blazed　forth　with　a　flash　like　the　lightning。　〃Dread　has　e　upon　you　all！　Alas！　it　has　e　more　swiftly　than　I　guessed。　The　Goblins　are　upon　you！　Bolg　of　the　North　is　ing。　　O　Dain！　whose　father　you　slew　in　Moria。　Behold！　the　bats　are　above　his　army　like　a　sea　of　locusts。　They　ride　upon　wolves　and　Wargs　are　in　their　train！〃　Amazement　and　confusion　fell　upon　them　all。　Even　as　Gandalf　had　been　speaking　the　darkness　grew。　The　dwarves　halted　and　gazed　at　the　sky。　The　elves　cried　out　with　many　voices。
　〃e！〃　called　Gandalf。　〃There　is　yet　time　for　council。　Let　Dain　son　of　Nain　e　swiftly　to　us！〃
　So　began　a　battle　that　none　had　expected；　and　it　was　called　the　Battle　of　Five　Armies；　and　it　was　very　terrible。　Upon　one　side　were　the　Goblins　and　the　wild　Wolves；　and　upon　the　other　were　Elves　and　Men　and　Dwarves。　This　is　how　it　fell　out。　Ever　since　the　fall　of　the　Great　Goblin　of　the　Misty　Mountains　the　hatred　of　their　race　for　the　dwarves　had　been　rekindled　to　fury。　Messengers　had　passed　to　and　fro　between　all　their　cities；　colonies　and　strongholds；　for　they　resolved　now　to　win　the　dominion　of　the　North。　Tidings　they　had　gathered　in　secret　ways；　and　in　all　the　mountains　there　was　a　forging　and　an　arming。　　Then　they　marched　and　gathered　by　hill　and　valley；　going　ever　by　tunnel　or　under　dark；　until　around　and　beneath　the　great　mountain　Gundabad　of　the　North；　where　was　their　capital；　a　vast　host　was　assembled　ready　to　sweep　down　in　time　of　storm　unawares　upon　the　South。　Then　they　learned　of　the　death　of　Smaug；　and　joy　was　in　their　hearts：　and　they　hastened　night　after　night　through　the　mountains；　and　came　thus　at　last　on　a　sudden　from　the　North　hard　on　the　heels　of　Dain。　Not　even　the　ravens　knew　of　their　ing　until　they　came　out　in　the　broken　lands　which　divided　the　Lonely　Mountain　from　the　hills　behind。　How　much　Gandalf　knew　cannot　be　said；　but　it　is　plain　that　he　had　not　expected　this　sudden　assault。
　
This　is　the　plan　that　he　made　in　council　with　the　Elvenking　and　with　Bard；　and　with　Dain；　for　the　dwarf…lord　now　joined　them：　the　Goblins　were　the　foes　of　all；　and　at　their　ing　all　other　quarrels　were　forgotten。　Their　only　hope　was　to　lure　the　goblins　into　the　valley　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain；　and　themselves　to　man　the　great　spurs　that　struck　south　and　east。　Yet　this　would　be　perilous；　if　the　goblins　were　in　sufficient　numbers　to　overrun　the　Mountain　itself；　and　so　attack　them　also　from　behind　and　above；　but　there　was　no　time　for　make　any　other　plan；　or　to　summon　any　help。　　Soon　the　thunder　passed；　rolling　away　to　the　South…East；　but　the　bat…cloud　came；　flying　lower；　over　the　shoulder　of　the　Mountain；　and　whirled　above　them　shutting　out　the　light　and　filling　them　with　dread。　　〃To　the　Mountain！〃　called　Bard。　〃To　the　Mountain！　Let　us　take　our　places　while　there　is　yet　time！〃
　On　the　Southern　spur；　in　its　lower　slopes　and　in　the　rocks　at　its　feet；　the　Elves　were　set；　on　the　Eastern　spur　were　men　and　dwarves。　But　Bard　and　some　of　the　nimblest　of　men　and　elves　climbed　to　the　height　of　the　Eastern　shoulder　to　gain　a　view　to　the　North。　Soon　they　could　see　the　lands　before　the　Mountain's　feet　black　with　a　hurrying　multitude。　Ere　long　the　vanguard　swirled　round　the　spur's　end　and　came　rushing　into　Dale。　These　were　the　swiftest　wolf…riders；　and　already　their　cries　and　howls　rent　the　air　afar。　A　few　brave　men　were　strung　before　them　to　make　a　feint　of　resistance；　and　many　there　fell　before　the　rest　drew　back　and　fled　to　either　side。　As　Gandalf　had　hoped；　the　goblin　army　had　gathered　behind　the　resisted　vanguard；　and　poured　now　in　rage　into　the　valley；　driving　wildly　up　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain；　seeking　for　the　foe。　Their　banners　were　countless；　black　and　red；　and　they　came　on　like　a　tide　in　fury　and　disorder。
　It　was　a　terrible　battle。　The　most　dreadful　of　all　Bilbo's　experiences；　and　the　one　which　at　the　time　he　hated　most　…　which　is　to　say　it　was　the　one　he　was　most　proud　of；　and　most　fond　of　recalling　long　afterwards；　although　he　was　quite　unimportant　in　it。　Actually　I　must　say　he　put　on　his　ring　early　in　the　business；　and　vanished　from　sight；　if　not　from　all　danger。　A　magic　ring　of　that　sort　is　not　a　plete　protection　in　a　goblin　charge；　nor　does　it　stop　flying　arrows　and　wild　spears；　but　it　does　help　in　getting　out　of　the　way；　and　it　prevents　your　head　from　being　specially　chosen　for　a　sweeping　stroke　by　a　goblin　swordsman。
　The　elves　were　the　first　to　charge。　Their　hatred　for　the　goblins　is　cold　and　bitter。　Their　spears　and　swords　shone　in　the　gloom　with　a　gleam　of　chill　flame；　so　deadly　was　the　wrath　of　the　hands　that　held　them。　As　soon　as　the　host　of　their　enemies　was　dense　in　the　valley；　they　sent　against　it　a　shower　of　arrows；　and　each　flickered　as　it　fled　as　if　with　stinging　fire。　Behind　the　arrows　a　thousand　of　their　spearmen　leapt　down　and　charged。　The　yells　were　deafening。　The　rocks　were　stained　black　with　goblin　blood。　Just　as　the　goblins　were　recovering　from　the　onslaught　and　the　elf…charge　was　halted；　there　rose　from　across　the　valley　a　deep…throated　roar。　With　cries　of　〃Moria！〃　and　〃Dain；　Dain！〃　the　dwarves　of　the　Iron　Hills　plunged　in；　wielding　their　mattocks；　upon　the　other　side；　and　beside　them　came　the　men　of　the　Lake　with　long　swords。　　Panic　came　upon　the　Goblins；　and　even　as　they　turned　to　meet　this　new　attack；　the　elves　charged　again　with　renewed　numbers。　Already　many　of　the　goblins　were　flying　back　down　the　river　to　escape　from　the　trap：　and　many　of　their　own　wolves　were　turning　upon　them　and　rending　the　dead　and　the　wounded。　Victory　seemed　at　hand；　when　a　cry　rang　out　on　the　heights　above。　　Goblins　had　scaled　the　Mountain　from　the　other　side　and　already　many　were　on　the　slopes　above　the　Gate；　and　others　were　streaming　down　recklessly；　heedless　of　those　that　fell　screaming　from　cliff　and　precipice；　to　attack　the　spurs　from　above。　Each　of　these　could　be　reached　by　paths　that　ran　down　from　the　main　mass　of　the　Mountain　in　the　centre；　and　the　defenders　had　too　few　to　bar　the　way　for　long。　Victory　now　vanished　from　hope。　They　had　only　stemmed　the　first　onslaught　of　the　black　tide。
　Day　drew　on。　The　goblins　gathered　again　in　the　valley。　There　a　host　of
　Wargs　came　ravening　and　with　them　came　the　bodyguard　of　Bolg；　goblins　of　huge　size　with　scimitars　of　steel。　Soon　actual　darkness　was　ing　into　a　stormy　sky；　while　still　the　great　bats　swirled　about　the　heads　and　ears　of　elves　and　men；　or　fastened　vampire…like　on　the　stricken。　Now　Bard　was　fighting　to　defend　the　Eastern　spur；　and　yet　giving　slowly　back；　and　the　elf…lords　were　at　bay　about　their　king　upon　the　southern　arm；　near　to　the　watch…post　on　Ravenhill。　　Suddenly　there　was　a　great　shout；　and　from　the　Gate　came　a　trumpet　call。　　They　had　forgotten　Thorin！　Part　of　the　wall；　moved　by　levers；　fell　outward　with　a　crash　into　the　pool。　Out　leapt　the　King　under　the　Mountain；　and　his　panions　followed　him。　Hood　and　cloak　were　gone；　they　were　in　shining　armour；　and　red　light　leapt　from　their　eyes。　In　the　gloom　the　great　dwarf　gleamed　like　gold　in　a　dying　fire。
　Rocks　were　buried　down　from　on　high　by　the　goblins　above；　but　they　held　on。　leapt　down　to　the　falls'　foot；　and　rushed　forward　to　battle。　Wolf　and　rider　fell　or　fled　before　them。　Thorin　wielded　his　axe　with　mighty　strokes；　and　nothing　seemed　to　harm　him。
　〃To　me！　To　me！　Elves　and　Men！　To　me！　O　my　kinsfolk！〃　he　cried；　and　his　voice　shook　like　a　horn　in　the　valley。
　Down；　heedless　of　order；　rushed　all　the　dwarves　of　Dain　to　his　help。　Down　too　came　many　of　the　Lake…men；　for　Bard　could　not　restrain　them；　and　out　upon　the　other　side　came　many　of　the　spearmen　of　the　elves。　Once　again　the　goblins　were　stricken　in　the　valley；　and　they　were　piled　in　heaps　till　Dale　was　dark　and　hideous　with　their　corpses。　The　Wargs　were　scattered　and　Thorin　drove　right　against　the　bodyguards　of　Bolg。　But　he　could　not　pierce　their　ranks。　　Already　behind　him　among　the　goblin　dead　lay　many　men　and　many　dwarves；　and　many　a　fair　elf　that　should　have　lived　yet　long　ages　merrily　in　the　wood。　And　as　the　valley　widened　his　onset　grew　ever　slower。　His　numbers　were　too　few。　　His　flanks　were　unguarded。　Soon　the　attackers　were　attacked；　and　they　were　forced　into　a　great　ring；　facing　every　way；　hemmed　all　about　with　goblins　and　wolves　returning　to　the　assault。　The　bodyguard　of　Bolg　came　howling　against　them；　and　drove　in　upon　their　ranks　like　waves　upon　cliffs　of　sand。　Their　friends　could　not　help　them；　for　the　assault　from　the　Mountain　was　renewed　with　redoubled　force；　and　upon　either　side　men　and　elves　were　being　slowly　beaten　down。
　On　all　this　Bilbo　looked　with　misery。　He　had　taken　his　stand　on　Ravenhill　among　the　Elves…partly　because　there　was　more　chance　of　escape　from　that　point；　and　partly　（with　the　more　Tookish　part　of　his　mind）　because　if　he　was　going　to　be　in　a　last　desperate　stand；　he　preferred　on　the　whole　to