jrt.the hobbit-第53节

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t　of　his　mind）　because　if　he　was　going　to　be　in　a　last　desperate　stand；　he　preferred　on　the　whole　to　defend　the　Elvenking。　Gandalf；　too；　I　may　say；　was　there；　sitting　on　the　ground　as　if　in　deep　thought；　preparing；　I　suppose；　some　last　blast　of　magic　before　the　end。　　That　did　not　seem　far　off。　〃It　will　not　be　long　now；〃　thought　Bilbo；　〃before　the　goblins　win　the　Gate；　and　we　are　all　slaughtered　or　driven　down　and　captured。　Really　it　is　enough　to　make　one　weep；　after　all　one　has　gone　through。　I　would　rather　old　Smaug　had　been　left　with　all　the　wretched　treasure；　than　that　these　vile　creatures　should　get　it；　and　poor　old　Bombur；　and　Balin　and　Fili　and　Kili　and　all　the　rest　e　to　a　bad　end；　and　Bard　too；　and　the　Lake…men　and　the　merry　elves。　Misery　me！　I　have　heard　songs　of　many　battles；　and　I　have　always　understood　that　defeat　may　be　glorious。　It　seems　very　unfortable；　not　to　say　distressing。　I　wish　I　was　well　out　of　it。〃　The　clouds　were　torn　by　the　wind；　and　a　red　sunset　slashed　the　West。
　Seeing　the　sudden　gleam　in　the　gloom　Bilbo　looked　round。　He　gave　a　great　cry：
　he　had　seen　a　sight　that　made　his　heart　leap；　dark　shapes　small　yet　majestic　against　the　distant　glow。
　〃The　Eagles！　The　Eagles！〃　he　shouted。　〃The　Eagles　are　ing！〃　Bilbo's　eyes　were　seldom　wrong。　The　eagles　were　ing　down　the　wind；　line　after　line；　in　such　a　host　as　must　have　gathered　from　all　the　eyries　of　the　North。
　〃The　Eagles！　the　Eagles！〃　Bilbo　cried；　dancing　and　waving　his　arms。　If　the　elves　could　not　see　him　they　could　hear　him。　Soon　they　too　took　up　the　cry；　and　it　echoed　across　the　valley。　Many　wondering　eyes　looked　up；　though　as　yet　nothing　could　be　seen　except　from　the　southern　shoulders　of　the　Mountain。
　〃The　Eagles！〃　cried　Bilbo　once　more；　but　at　that　moment　a　stone　hurtling　from　above　smote　heavily　on　his　helm；　and　he　fell　with　a　crash　and　knew　no　more。
　
　Chapter　18
　The　Return　Journey
　
　When　Bilbo　came　to　himself；　he　was　literally　by　himself。　He　was　lying　on　the　flat　stones　of　Ravenhill；　and　no　one　was　near。　A　cloudless　day；　but　cold；　was　broad　above　him。　He　was　shaking；　and　as　chilled　as　stone；　but　his　head　burned　with　fire。
　〃Now　I　wonder　what　has　happened？〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃At　any　rate　I　am　not　yet　one　of　the　fallen　heroes；　but　I　suppose　there　is　still　time　enough　for　that！〃
　He　sat　up　painfully。　Looking　into　the　valley　he　could　see　no　living　goblins。　After　a　while　as　his　head　cleared　a　little；　he　thought　he　could　see　elves　moving　in　the　rocks　below。　He　rubbed　his　eyes。　Surely　there　was　a　camp　still　in　the　plain　some　distance　off；　and　there　was　a　ing　and　going　about　the　Gate？　Dwarves　seemed　to　be　busy　removing　the　wall。　But　all　was　deadly　still。　There　was　no　call　and　no　echo　of　a　song。　Sorrow　seemed　to　be　in　the　air。　〃Victory　after　all；　I　suppose！〃　he　said；　feeling　his　aching　head。　〃Well；　it　seems　a　very　gloomy　business。〃
　Suddenly　he　was　aware　of　a　man　climbing　up　and　ing　towards　him。
　〃Hullo　there！〃　he　called　with　a　shaky　voice。　〃Hullo　there！　What　news？〃　〃What　voice　is　it　that　speaks　among　the　stones？〃　said　the　man　halting　and　peering　about　him　not　far　from　where　Bilbo　sat。
　Then　Bilbo　remembered　his　ring！　〃Well　I'm　blessed！〃　said　he。　〃This　invisibility　has　its　drawbacks　after　all。　Otherwise　I　suppose　I　might　have　spent　a　warm　and　fortable　night　in　bed！〃
　〃It's　me；　Bilbo　Baggins；　panion　of　Thorin！〃　he　cried；　hurriedly　taking　off　the　ring。
　〃It　is　well　that　I　have　found　you！〃　said　the　man　striding　forward。　〃You　are　needed　and　we　have　looked　for　you　long。　You　would　have　been　numbered　among　the　dead；　who　are　many；　if　Gandalf　the　wizard　had　not　said　that　your　voice　was　last　heard　in　this　place。　I　have　been　sent　to　look　here　for　the　last　time。　Are　you　much　hurt？〃
　〃A　nasty　knock　on　the　head；　I　think；〃　said　Bilbo。　〃But　I　have　a　helm　and　a　hard　skull。　All　the　same　I　feel　sick　and　my　legs　are　like　straws。〃　〃I　will　carry　you　down　to　the　camp　in　the　valley；〃　said　the　man；　and　picked　him　lightly　up。
　The　man　was　swift　and　sure…footed。　It　was　not　long　before　Bilbo　was　set　down　before　a　tent　in　Dale；　and　there　stood　Gandalf；　with　his　arm　in　a　sling。　　Even　the　wizard　had　not　escaped　without　a　wound；　and　there　were　few　unharmed　in　all　the　host。
　When　Gandalf　saw　Bilbo；　he　was　delighted。　〃Baggins！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Well　I　never！　Alive　after　all　…　1　am　glad！　I　began　to　wonder　if　even　your　luck　would　see　you　through！　A　terrible　business；　and　it　nearly　was　disastrous。　But　other　news　can　wait。　e！〃　he　said　more　gravely。　〃You　are　called　for；〃　and　leading　the　hobbit　he　took　him　within　the　tent。
　〃Hail！　Thorin；〃　he　said　as　he　entered。　〃I　have　brought　him。〃　There　indeed　lay　Thorin　Oakenshield；　wounded　with　many　wounds；　and　his　rent　armour　and　notched　axe　were　cast　upon　the　floor。　He　looked　up　as　Bilbo　came　beside　him。
　〃Farewell；　good　thief；〃　he　said。　〃I　go　now　to　the　halls　of　waiting　to　sit　beside　my　fathers；　until　the　world　is　renewed。　Since　I　leave　now　all　gold　and　silver；　and　go　where　it　is　of　little　worth；　I　wish　to　part　in　friendship　from　you；　and　I　would　take　back　my　words　and　deeds　at　the　Gate。〃
　Bilbo　knelt　on　one　knee　filled　with　sorrow。　〃Farewell；　King　under　the
　Mountain！〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a　bitter　adventure；　if　it　must　end　so；　and　not　a　mountain　of　gold　can　amend　it。　Yet　I　am　glad　that　I　have　shared　in　your　perils　…　that　has　been　more　than　any　Baggins　deserves。〃
　〃No！〃　said　Thorin。　〃There　is　more　in　you　of　good　than　you　know；　child　of　the　kindly　West。　Some　courage　and　some　wisdom；　blended　in　measure。　If　more　of　us　valued　food　and　cheer　and　song　above　hoarded　gold；　it　would　be　a　merrier　world。　But　sad　or　merry；　I　must　leave　it　now。　Farewell！〃　Then　Bilbo　turned　away；　and　he　went　by　himself；　and　sat　alone　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　and；　whether　you　believe　it　or　not；　he　wept　until　his　eyes　were　red　and　his　voice　was　hoarse。　He　was　a　kindly　little　soul。　Indeed　it　was　long　before　he　had　the　heart　to　make　a　joke　again。　〃A　mercy　it　is；〃　he　said　at　last　to　himself；　〃that　I　woke　up　when　I　did。　I　wish　Thorin　were　living；　but　I　am　glad　that　we　parted　in　kindness。　You　are　a　fool；　Bilbo　Baggins；　and　you　made　a　great　mess　of　that　business　with　the　stone；　and　there　was　a　battle；　in　spite　of　all　your　efforts　to　buy　peace　and　quiet；　but　I　suppose　you　can　hardly　be　blamed　for　that。〃
　All　that　had　happened　after　he　was　stunned；　Bilbo　learned　later；　but　it　gave　him　more　sorrow　than　joy；　and　he　was　now　weary　of　his　adventure。　He　was　aching　in　his　bones　for　the　homeward　journey。　That；　however；　was　a　little　delayed；　so　in　the　meantime　I　will　tell　something　of　events。　The　Eagles　had　long　had　suspicion　of　the　goblins'　mustering；　from　their　watchfulness　the　movements　in　the　mountains　could　not　be　altogether　hid。　So　they　too　had　gathered　in　great　numbers；　under　the　great　Eagle　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　and　at　length　smelling　battle　from　afar　they　had　e　speeding　down　the　gale　in　the　nick　of　time。　They　it　was　who　dislodged　the　goblins　from　the　mountain…slopes；　casting　them　over　precipices；　or　driving　them　down　shrieking　and　bewildered　among　their　foes。　It　was　not　long　before　they　had　freed　the　Lonely　Mountain；　and　elves　and　men　on　either　side　of　the　valley　could　e　at　last　to　the　help　of　the　battle　below。
　But　even　with　the　Eagles　they　were　still　outnumbered。　　In　that　last　hour　Beorn　himself　had　appeared　…　no　one　knew　how　or　from　where。　He　came　alone；　and　in　bear's　shape；　and　he　seemed　to　have　grown　almost　to　giant…size　in　his　wrath。　The　roar　of　his　voice　was　like　drums　and　guns；　and　he　tossed　wolves　and　goblins　from　his　path　like　straws　and　feathers。　He　fell　upon　their　rear；　and　broke　like　a　clap　of　thunder　through　the　ring。　The　dwarves　were　making　a　stand　still　about　their　lords　upon　a　low　rounded　hill。　　Then　Beorn　stooped　and　lifted　Thorin；　who　had　fallen　pierced　with　spears；　and　bore　him　out　of　the　fray。　Swiftly　he　returned　and　his　wrath　was　redoubled；　so　that　nothing　could　withstand　him；　and　no　weapon　seemed　to　bite　upon　him。　He　scattered　the　bodyguard；　and　pulled　down　Bolg　himself　and　crushed　him。　Then　dismay　fell　on　the　Goblins　and　they　fled　in　all　directions。　But　weariness　left　their　enemies　with　the　ing　of　new　hope；　and　they　pursued　them　closely；　and　prevented　most　of　them　from　escaping　where　they　could。　They　drove　many　of　them　into　the　Running　River；　and　such　as　fled　south　or　west　they　hunted　into　the　marshes　about　the　Forest　River；　and　there　the　greater　part　of　the　last　fugitives　perished；　while　those　that　came　hardly　to　the　Wood…elves'　realm　were　there　slain；　or　drawn　in　to　die　in　the　trackless　dark　of　Mirkwood。　Songs　have　said　that　three　parts　of　the　goblin　warriors　of　the　North　perished　on　that　day；　and　the　mountains　had　peace　for　many　a　year。
　Victory　had　been　assured　before　the　fall　of　night；　but　the　pursuit　was　still　on　foot；　when　Bilbo　returned　to　the　camp；　and　not　many　were　in　the　valley　save　the　more　grievously　wounded。
　〃Where　are　the　Eagles？〃　he　asked　Gandalf　that　evening；　as　he　lay　wrapped　in　many　warm　blankets。
　〃Some　are　in　the　hunt；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃but　most　have　gone　back　to　their　eyries。　They　would　not　stay　here；　and　departed　with　the　first　light　of　morning。　Dain　has　crowned　their　chief　with　gold；　and　sworn　friendship　with　them　for　ever。〃
　〃I　am　sorry。　I　mean；　I　should　have　liked　to　see　them　again；〃　said　Bilbo