jrt.the hobbit-第9节

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　〃And　what　brought　you　back　in　the　nick　of　time？〃
　〃Looking　behind；〃　said　he。
　〃Exactly！〃　said　Thorin；　〃but　could　you　be　more　plain？〃　〃I　went　on　to　spy　out　our　road。　It　will　soon　bee　dangerous　and　difficult。　Also　I　was　anxious　about　replenishing　our　small　stock　of　provisions。　I　had　not　gone　very　far；　however；　when　I　met　a　couple　of　friends　of　mine　from　Rivendell。〃
　〃Where's　that？〃　asked　Bilbo；
　〃Don't　interrupt！〃　said　Gandalf。　〃You　will　get　there　in　a　few　days　now；　if　we're　lucky；　and　find　out　all　about　it　As　I　was　saying　I　met　two　of　Elrond's　people。　They　were　hurrying　along　for　fear　of　the　trolls。　It　was　they　who　told　me　that　three　of　them　had　e　down　from　the　mountains　and　settled　in　the　woods　not　far　from　the　road；　they　had　frightened　everyone　away　from　the　district；　and　they　waylaid　strangers。
　〃I　immediately　had　a　feeling　that　I　was　wanted　back。　Looking　behind　I　saw　a　fire　in　the　distance　and　made　for　it。　So　now　you　know。　Please　be　more　careful；　next　time；　or　we　shall　never　get　anywhere！〃
　〃Thank　you！〃　said　Thorin。
　
　Chapter　3
　A　Short　Rest
　
　They　did　not　sing　or　tell　stories　that　day；　even　though　the　weather　improved；　nor　the　next　day；　nor　the　day　after。　They　had　begun　to　feel　that　danger　was　not　far　away　on　either　side。　They　camped　under　the　stars；　and　their　horses　had　more　to　eat　than　they　had；　for　there　was　plenty　of　grass；　but　there　was　not　much　in　their　bags；　even　with　what　they　had　got　from　the　trolls。　One　morning　they　forded　a　river　at　a　wide　shallow　place　full　of　the　noise　of　stones　and　foam。　The　far　bank　was　steep　and　slippery。　When　they　got　to　the　top　of　it；　leading　their　ponies；　they　saw　that　the　great　mountains　had　marched　down　very　near　to　them。　Already　they　I　seemed　only　a　day's　easy　journey　from　the　feet　of　the　nearest。　Dark　and　drear　it　looked；　though　there　were　patches　of　sunlight　on　its　brown　sides；　and　behind　its　shoulders　the　tips　of　snow…peaks　gleamed。
　〃Is　that　The　Mountain？〃　asked　Bilbo　in　a　solemn　voice；　looking　at　it　with　round　eyes。　He　had　never　seen　a　thing　that　looked　so　big　before。　　〃Of　course　not！〃　said　Balin。　〃That　is　only　the　beginning　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　and　we　have　to　get　through；　or　over；　or　under　those　somehow；　before　we　can　e　into　Wilderland　beyond。　And　it　is　a　deal　of　a　way　even　from　the　other　side　of　them　to　the　Lonely　Mountain　in　the　East　Where　Smaug　lies　on　our　treasure。〃
　〃O！〃　said　Bilbo；　and　just　at　that　moment　he　felt　more　fared　than　he　ever　remembered　feeling　before。　He　was　thinking　once　again　of　his　fortable　chair　before　the　fire　in　his　favourite　sitting…room　in　his　hobbit…hole；　and　of　the　kettle　singing。　Not　for　the　last　time！
　　Now　Gandalf　led　the　way。　〃We　must　not　miss　the　road；　or　we　shall　be　done　for；〃　he　said。　〃We　need　food；　for　one　thing；　and　rest　in　reasonable　safety…also　it　is　very　necessary　to　tackle　the　Misty　Mountains　by　the　proper　path；　or　else　you　will　get　lost　in　them；　and　have　to　e　back　and　start　at　the　beginning　again　（if　you　ever　get　back　at　all）。〃
　They　asked　him　where　he　was　making　for；　and　he　answered：　〃You　are　e　to　the　very　edge　of　the　Wild；　as　some　of　you　may　know。　Hidden　somewhere　ahead　of　us　is　the　fair　valley　of　Rivendell　where　Elrond　lives　in　the　Last　Homely　House。　I　sent　a　message　by　my　friends；　and　we　are　expected。〃　That　sounded　nice　and　forting；　but　they　had　not　got　there　yet；　and　it　was　not　so　easy　as　it　sounds　to　find　the　Last　Homely　House　west　of　the　Mountains。　There　seemed　to　be　no　trees　and　no　valleys　and　no　hills　to　break　the　ground　in　front　of　them；　only　one　vast　slope　going　slowly　up　and　up　to　meet　the　feet　of　the　nearest　mountain；　a　wide　land　the　colour　of　heather　and　crumbling　rock；　with　patches　and　slashes　of　grass…green　and　moss…green　showing　where　water　might　be。
　Morning　passed；　afternoon　came；　but　in　all　the　silent　waste　there　was　no　sign　of　any　dwelling。　They　were　growing　anxious；　for　they　now　saw　that　the　house　might　be　hidden　almost　anywhere　between　them　and　the　mountains。　They　came　on　unexpected　valleys；　narrow　with　deep　sides；　that　opened　suddenly　at　their　feet；　and　they　looked　down　surprised　to　see　trees　below　them　and　running　water　at　the　bottom。　There　were　gullies　that　they　could　almost　leap　over；　but　very　deep　with　waterfalls　in　them。　There　were　dark　ravines　that　one　could　neither　jump　nor　climb　into。　There　were　bogs；　some　of　them　green　pleasant　places　to　look　at　with　flowers　growing　bright　and　tall；　but　a　pony　that　walked　there　with　a　pack　on　its　back　would　never　have　e　out　again。　　It　was　indeed　a　much　wider　land　from　the　ford　to　the　mountains　than　ever　you　would　have　guessed。　Bilbo　was　astonished。　The　only　path　was　marked　with　white　stones　some　of　which　were　small；　and　others　were　half　covered　with　moss　or　heather。　Altogether　it　was　a　very　slow　business　following　the　track；　even　guided　by　Gandalf；　who　seemed　to　know　his　way　about　pretty　well。　　His　head　and　beard　wagged　this　way　and　that　as　he　looked　for　the　stones；　and　they　followed　his　head；　but　they　seemed　no　nearer　to　the　end　of　the　search　when　the　day　began　to　fail。　Tea…time　had　long　gone　by；　and　it　seemed　supper…time　would　soon　do　the　same。　There　were　moths　fluttering　about；　and　the　light　became　very　dim；　for　the　moon　had　not　risen。　Bilbo's　pony　began　to　stumble　over　roots　and　stones。　They　came　to　the　edge　of　a　steep　fall　in　the　ground　so　suddenly　that　Gandalf　s　horse　nearly　slipped　down　the　slope。　　〃Here　it　is　at　last！〃　he　called；　and　the　others　gathered　round　him　and　looked　over　the　edge。　They　saw　a　valley　far　below。　They　could　hear　the　voice　of　hurrying　water　in　rocky　bed　at　the　bottom；　the　scent　of　trees　was　in　the　air；　and　there　was　a　light　on　the　valley…side　across　the　water。　Bilbo　never　forgot　the　way　they　slithered　and　slipped　in　the　dusk　down　the　steep　zig…zag　path　into　the　secret　valley　of　Rivendell。　The　air　grew　warmer　as　they　got　lower；　and　the　smell　of　the　pine…trees　made　him　drowsy；　so　that　every　now　and　again　he　nodded　and　nearly　fell　off；　or　bumped　his　nose　on　the　pony's　neck。　　Their　spirits　rose　as　they　went　down　and　down。　The　trees　changed　to　beech　and　oak；　and　hire　was　a　fortable　feeling　in　the　twilight。　The　last　green　had　almost　faded　out　of　the　grass；　when　they　came　at　length　to　an　open　glade　not　far　above　the　banks　of　the　stream。
　〃Hrnmm！　it　smells　like　elves！〃　thought　Bilbo；　and　he　looked　up　at　the　stars。　They　were　burning　bright　and　blue。　Just　then　there　came　a　burst　of　song　like　laughter　in　the　trees：
　〃O！　What　are　you　doing；
　And　where　are　you　going？
　Your　ponies　need　shoeing！
　The　river　is　flowing！
　O！　tra…la…la…lally
　here　down　in　the　valley！
　O！　What　are　you　seeking；
　And　where　are　you　making？
　The　faggots　are　reeking；
　The　bannocks　are　baking！
　O！　tril…lil…lil…lolly
　the　valley　is　jolly；
　ha！　ha！
　O！　Where　are　you　going
　With　beards　all　a…wagging？
　No　knowing；　no　knowing
　What　brings　Mister　Baggins；
　And　Balin　and　Dwalin
　down　into　the　valley
　in　June
　ha！　ha！
　O！　Will　you　be　staying；
　Or　will　you　be　flying？
　Your　ponies　are　straying！
　The　daylight　is　dying！
　To　fly　would　be　folly；
　To　stay　would　be　jolly
　And　listen　and　hark
　Till　the　end　of　the　dark
　to　our　tune
　ha！　ha。'〃
　So　they　laughed　and　sang　in　the　trees；　and　pretty　fair　nonsense　I　daresay　you　think　it。　Not　that　they　would　care　they　would　only　laugh　all　the　more　if　you　told　them　so。　They　were　elves　of　course。　Soon　Bilbo　caught　glimpses　of　them　as　the　darkness　deepened。　He　loved　elves；　though　he　seldom　met　them；　but　he　was　a　little　frightened　of　them　too。　Dwarves　don't　get　on　well　with　them。　　Even　decent　enough　dwarves　like　Thorin　and　his　friends　think　them　foolish　（which　is　a　very　foolish　thing　to　think）；　or　get　annoyed　with　them。　For　some　elves　tease　them　and　laugh　at　them；　and　most　of　all　at　their　beards。　　〃Well；　well！〃　said　a　voice。　〃Just　look！　Bilbo　the　hobbit　on　a　pony；　my　dear！　Isn't　it　delicious！〃
　〃Most　astonishing　wonderful！〃
　Then　off　they　went　into　another　song　as　ridiculous　as　the　one　I　have　written　down　in　full。　At　last　one；　a　tall　young　fellow；　came　out　from　the　trees　and　bowed　to　Gandalf　and　to　Thorin。
　〃Wele　to　the　valley！〃　he　said。
　〃Thank　you！〃　said　Thorin　a　bit　gruffly；　but　Gandalf　was　already　off　his　horse　and　among　the　elves；　talking　merrily　with　them。　　〃You　are　a　little　out　of　your　way；〃　said　the　elf：　〃that　is；　if　you　are　making　for　the　only　path　across　the　water　and　to　the　house　beyond。　We　will　set　you　right；　but　you　had　best　get　on　foot；　until　you　are　over　the　bridge。　Are　you　going　to　stay　a　bit　and　sing　with　us；　or　will　you　go　straight　on？　Supper　is　preparing　over　there；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　smell　the　Wood…fires　for　the　cooking。〃
　Tired　as　he　was；　Bilbo　would　have　liked　to　stay　awhile。　Elvish　singing　is　not　a　thing　to　miss；　in　June　under　the　stars；　not　if　you　care　for　such　things。
　Also　he　would　have　liked　to　have　a　few　private　words　with　these　people　that　seemed　to　know　his　name　and　all　about　him；　although　he　had　never　been　them　before。　He　thought　their　opinion　of　his　adventure　might　be　interesting。　Elves　know　a　lot　and　are　wondrous　folk　for　news；　and　know　what　is　going　on　among　the　peoples　of　the　land；　as　quick　as　water　flows；　or　quicker。　But　the　dwarves　were　all　for　supper　as　soon　'as　possible　just　then；　and　would　not　stay。　On　they　all　went；　leading　t