jrt.the hobbit-第55节

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　So　sad　and　so　dreary？
　Here　elf　and　elf…maiden
　Now　wele　the　weary
　With　Tra…la…la…lally
　e　back　to　the　Valley；
　Tra…la…la…lally
　Fa…la…la…lally
　Fa…la！〃
　Then　the　elves　of　the　valley　came　out　and　greeted　them　and　led　them　across　the　water　to　the　house　of　Elrond。　There　a　warm　wele　was　made　them；　and　there　were　many　eager　ears　that　evening　to　hear　the　tale　of　their　adventures。　Gandalf　it　was　who　spoke；　for　Bilbo　was　fallen　quiet　and　drowsy。　　Most　of　the　tale　he　knew；　for　he　had　been　in　it；　and　had　himself　told　much　of　it　to　the　wizard　on　their　homeward　way　or　in　the　house　of　Beorn；　but　every　now　and　again　he　would　open　one　eye；　and　listen；　when　a　part　of　the　story　which　he　did　not　yet　know　came　in。　It　was　in　this　way　that　he　learned　where　Gandalf　had　been　to；　for　he　overheard　the　words　of　the　wizard　to　Elrond。　It　appeared　that　Gandalf　had　been　to　a　great　council　of　the　white　wizards；　masters　of　lore　and　good　magic；　and　that　they　had　at　last　driven　the　Necromancer　from　his　dark　hold　in　the　south　of　Mirkwood。
　〃Ere　long　now；〃　Gandalf　was　saying；　〃The　Forest　will　grow　somewhat　more　wholesome。　The　North　will　be　freed　from　that　horror　for　many　long　years；　I　hope。　Yet　I　wish　he　were　banished　from　the　world！〃
　〃It　would　be　well　indeed；〃　said　Elrond；　〃but　I　fear　that　will　not　e　about　in　this　age　of　the　world；　or　for　many　after。〃
　When　the　tale　of　their　joumeyings　was　told；　there　were　other　tales；　and　yet　more　tales；　tales　of　long　ago；　and　tales　。　of　new　things；　and　tales　of　no　time　at　all；　till　Bilbo's　head　fell　forward　on　his　chest；　and　he　snored　fortably　in　a　corner。
　He　woke　to　find　himself　in　a　white　bed；　and　the　moon　shining　through　an　open　window。　Below　it　many　elves　were　singing　loud　and　clear　on　the　banks　of　the　stream。
　〃Sing　all　ye　joyful；　now　sing　all　together？
　The　wind's　in　the　free…top；　the　wind's　in　the　heather；
　The　stars　are　in　blossom；　the　moon　is　in　flower；
　And　bright　are　the　windows　of　Night　in　her　tower。
　Dance　all　ye　joyful；　now　dance　all　together！
　Soft　is　the　grass；　and　let　foot　be　like　feather！
　The　river　is　silver；　the　shadows　are　fleeting；
　Merry　is　May…time；　and　merry　our　meeting。
　Sing　we　now　softly；　and　dreams　let　us　weave　him！
　Wind　him　in　slumber　and　there　let　us　leave　him！
　The　wanderer　sleepeth。　Now　soft　be　his　pillow！
　Lullaby！　Lullaby！　Alder　and　Willow！
　Sigh　no　more　Pine；　till　the　wind　of　the　morn！
　Fall　Moon！　Dark　be　the　land！
　Hush！　Hush！　Oak；　Ash；　and　Thorn！
　Hushed　be　all　water；　till　dawn　is　at　hand！〃
　〃Well；　Merry　People！〃　said　Bilbo　looking　out。　〃What　time　by　the　moon　is　this？　Your　lullaby　would　waken　a　drunken　goblin！　Yet　I　thank　you。〃　〃And　your　snores　would　waken　a　stone　dragon　…　yet　we　thank　you；〃　they　answered　with　laughter。　〃It　is　drawing　towards　dawn；　and　you　have　slept　now　since　the　night's　beginning。　Tomorrow；　perhaps；　you　will　be　cured　of　weariness。〃
　〃A　little　sleep　does　a　great　cure　in　the　house　of　Elrond；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　will　take　all　the　cure　I　can　get。　A　second　good　night；　fair　friends！〃　And　with　that　he　went　back　to　bed　and　slept　till　late　morning。　　Weariness　fell　from　him　soon　in　that　house；　and　he　had　many　a　merry　jest　and　dance；　early　and　late；　with　the　elves　of　the　valley。　Yet　even　that　place　could　not　long　delay　him　now；　and　he　thought　always　of　his　own　home。　After　a　week；　therefore；　he　said　farewell　to　Elrond；　and　giving　him　such　small　gifts　as　he　would　accept；　he　rode　away　with　Gandalf。　Even　as　they　left　the　valley　the　sky　darkened　in　the　West　before　them；　and　wind　and　rain　came　up　to　meet　them。
　〃Merry　is　May…time！〃　said　Bilbo；　as　the　rain　beat　into　his　face。　〃But　our　back　is　to　legends　and　we　are　ing　home。　I　suppose　this　is　a　first　taste　of　it。〃
　〃There　is　a　long　road　yet；〃　said　Gandalf。
　〃But　it　is　the　last　road；〃　said　Bilbo。　They　came　to　the　river　that　marked　the　very　edge　of　the　borderland　of　the　Wild；　and　to　the　ford　beneath　the　steep　bank；　which　you　may　remember。　The　water　was　swollen　both　with　the　melting　of　the　snows　at　the　approach　of　summer；　and　with　the　daylong　rain；　but　they　crossed　with　some　difficulty；　and　pressed　forward；　as　evening　fell；　on　the　last　stage　of　their　journey。　This　was　much　as　it　had　been　before；　except　that　the　pany　was　smaller；　and　more　silent；　also　this　time　there　were　no　trolls。　　At　each　point　on　the　road　Bilbo　recalled　the　happenings　and　the　words　of　a　year　ago…it　seemed　to　him　more　like　ten…so　that；　of　course；　he　quickly　noted　the　place　where　the　pony　had　fallen　in　the　river；　and　they　had　turned　aside　for　their　nasty　adventure　with　Tom　and　Bert　and　Bill。　Not　far　from　the　road　they　found　the　gold　of　the　trolls；　which　they　had　buried；　still　hidden　and　untouched。　〃I　have　enough　to　last　me　my　time；〃　said　Bilbo；　when　they　had　dug　it　up。　〃You　had　better　take　this；　Gandalf。　I　daresay　you　can　find　a　use　for　it。〃
　
　〃Indeed　I　can！〃　said　the　wizard。　〃But　share　and　share　alike！　You　may　find　you　have　more　needs　than　you　expect。〃
　So　they　put　the　gold　in　bags　and　slung　them　on　the　ponies；　who　were　not　at　all　pleased　about　it。　After　that　their　going　was　slower；　for　most　of　the　time　they　walked。　But　the　land　was　green　and　there　was　much　grass　through　which　the　hobbit　strolled　along　contentedly。　He　mopped　his　face　with　a　red　silk　handkerchief…no！　not　a　single　one　of　his　own　had　survived；　he　had　borrowed　this　one　from　Elrond　…for　now　June　had　brought　summer；　and　the　weather　was　bright　and　hot　again。
　As　all　things　e　to　an　end；　even　this　story；　a　day　came　at　last　when　they　were　in　sight　of　the　country　where　Bilbo　had　been　born　and　bred；　where　the　shapes　of　the　land　and　of　the　trees　were　as　well　known　to　him　as　his　hands　and　toes。　ing　to　a　rise　he　could　see　his　own　Hill　in　the　distance；　and　he　stopped　suddenly　and　said：
　〃Roads　go　ever　ever　on；
　Over　rock　and　under　tree；
　By　caves　where　never　sun　has　shone；
　By　streams　that　never　find　the　sea；
　Over　snow　by　winter　sown；
　And　through　the　merry　flowers　of　June；
　Over　grass　and　over　stone；
　And　under　mountains　in　the　moon。
　Roads　go　ever　ever　on
　Under　cloud　and　under　star；
　Yet　feet　that　wandering　have　gone
　Turn　at　last　to　home　afar。
　Eyes　that　fire　and　sword　have　seen
　And　horror　in　the　halls　of　stone
　Look　at　last　on　meadows　green
　And　trees　and　hills　they　long　have　known。〃
　Gandalf　looked　at　him。　〃My　dear　Bilbo！〃　he　said。　〃Something　is　the　matter　with　you！　You　are　not　the　hobbit　that　you　were。〃
　And　so　they　crossed　the　bridge　and　passed　the　mill　by　the　river　and　came　right　back　to　Bilbo's　own　door。　〃Bless　me！　What's　going　on？〃　he　cried。　There　was　a　great　motion；　and　people　of　all　sorts；　respectable　and　unrespectable；　were　thick　round　the　door；　and　many　were　going　in　and　out…not　even　wiping　their　feet　on　the　mat；　as　Bilbo　noticed　with　annoyance。　　If　he　was　surprised；　they　were　more　surprised　still。　He　had　arrived　back　in　the　middle　of　an　auction！　There　was　a　large　notice　in　black　and　red　hung　on　the　gate；　stating　that　on　June　the　Twenty…second　Messrs。　Grubb；　Grubb；　and　Bun…owes　would　sell　by　auction　the　effects　of　the　late　Bilbo　Baggins　Esquire；　of　Bag…End；　Underhill；　Hobbiton。　Sale　to　mence　at　ten　o'clock　sharp。　It　was　now　nearly　lunch…time；　and　most　of　the　things　had　already　been　sold；　for　various　prices　from　next　to　nothing　to　old　songs　（as　is　not　unusual　at　auctions）。　Bilbo's　cousins　the　Sackville…Bagginses　were；　in　fact；　busy　measuring　his　rooms　to　see　if　their　own　furniture　would　fit。　In　short　Bilbo　was　〃Presumed　Dead；〃　and　not　everybody　that　said　so　was　sorry　to　find　the　presumption　wrong。
　The　return　of　Mr。　Bilbo　Baggins　created　quite　a　disturbance；　both　under　the　Hill　and　over　the　Hill；　and　across　the　Water；　it　was　a　great　deal　more　than　a　nine　days'　wonder。　The　legal　bother；　indeed；　lasted　for　years。　It　was　quite　a　long　time　before　Mr。　Baggins　was　in　fact　admitted　to　be　alive　again。
　The　people　who　had　got　specially　good　bargains　at　the　Sale　took　a　deal　of　convincing；　and　in　the　end　to　sav6　time　Bilbo　had　to　buy　back　quite　a　lot　of　his　own　furniture。　Many　of　his　silver　spoons　mysteriously　disappeared　and　were　never　accounted　for。　Personally　he　suspected　the　Sackville…Bagginses。　On　their　side　they　never　admitted　that　the　returned　Baggins　was　genuine；　and　they　were　not　on　friendly　terms　with　Bilbo　ever　after。　They　really　had　wanted　to　live　inhis　nice　hobbit…hole　so　very　much。
　Indeed　Bilbo　found　he　had　lost　more　than　spoons　…　he　had　lost　his　reputation。　It　is　true　that　for　ever　after　he　remained　an　elf…friend；　and　had　the　honour　of　dwarves；　wizards；　and　all　such　folk　as　ever　passed　that　way；　but　he　was　no　longer　quite　respectable。　He　was　in　fact　held　by　all　the　hobbits　of　the　neighbourhood　to　be　'queer'…except　by　his　nephews　and　nieces　on　the　Took　side；　but　even　they　were　not　encouraged　in　their　friendship　by　their　elders。　I　am　sorry　to　say　he　did　not　mind。　He　was　quite　content；　and　the　sound　of　the　kettle　on　his　hearth　was　ever　after　more　musical　than　it　had　been　even　in　the　quiet　days　before　the　Unexpected　Party。　His　sword　he　hung　over　the　mantelpiece。　His　coat　of　mail　was　arranged　on　a　stand　in　the　hall　（until　he　lent　it　to　a　Museum）。　His　gold　and　silver　was　largely　spent　in　presents；　both　useful　and　extravagant　…　which　to　a　certain　extent　accounts　for　the　affection　of　his　nephews　and　hi