jrt.the hobbit-第20章

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o　the　hall；　where　the　hobbit　and　the　dwarves　were　having　supper；　waited　on　by　Beorn's　wonderful　animals；　as　they　had　been　all　day。　Of　Beorn　they　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　since　the　night　before；　and　they　were　getting　puzzled。　　〃Where　is　our　host；　and　where　have　you　been　all　day　yourself？〃　they　all　cried。
　〃One　question　at　a　time…and　none　till　after　supper！　I　haven't　had　a　bite　since　breakfast。〃
　At　last　Gandalf　pushed　away　his　plate　and　jug　…　he　had　eaten　two　whole　loaves　（with　masses　of　butter　and　honey　and　clotted　cream）　and　drunk　at　least　a　quart　of　mead　and　he　took　out　his　pipe。　〃I　will　answer　the　second　question　first；〃　he　said；　〃…but　bless　me！　this　is　a　splendid　place　for　smoke　rings！〃　Indeed　for　a　long　time　they　could　get　nothing　more　out　of　him；　he　was　so　busy　sending　smoke…rings　dodging　round　the　pillars　of　the　hall；　changing　them　into　all　sorts　of　different　shapes　and　colours；　and　setting　them　at　last　chasing　one　another　out　of　the　hole　in　the　roof。
　They　must　have　looked　very　queer　from　outside；　popping　out　into　the　air　one　after　another；　green；　blue；　red；　silver…grey；　yellow；　white；　big　ones；　little　ones；　little　ones　dodging　through　big　ones　and　joining　into　figure…eights；　and　going　off　like　a　flock　of　birds　into　the　distance。　　〃I　have　been　picking　out　bear…tracks；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃There　must　have　been　a　regular　bears'　meeting　outside　here　last　night。　I　soon　saw　that　Beorn　could　not　have　made　them　all：　there　were　far　too　many　of　them；　and　they　were　of　various　sizes　too。　I　should　say　there　were　little　bears；　large　bears；　ordinary　bears；　and　gigantic　big　bears；　all　dancing　outside　from　dark　to　nearly　dawn。　They　came　from　almost　every　direction；　except　from　the　west　over　the　river；　from　the　Mountains。　In　that　direction　only　one　set　of　footprints　led…none　ing；　only　ones　going　away　from　here。
　I　followed　these　as　far　as　the　Carrock。　There　they　disappeared　into　the　river；　but　the　water　was　too　deep　and　strong　beyond　the　rock　for　me　to　cross。　　It　is　easy　enough；　as　you　remember；　to　get　from　this　bank　to　the　Carrock　by　the　ford；　but　on　the　other　side　is　a　cliff　standing　up　from　a　swirling　channel。　I　had　to　walk　miles　before　I　found　a　place　where　the　river　was　wide　and　shallow　enough　for　me　to　wade　and　swim；　and　then　miles　back　again　to　pick　up　the　tracks　again。　By　that　time　it　was　too　late　for　me　to　follow　them　far。　　They　went　straight　off　in　the　direction　of　the　pine…woods　on　the　east　side　of　the　Misty　Mountains；　where　we　had　our　pleasant　little　party　with　the　Wargs　the　night　before　last。　And　now　I　think　I　have　answered　your　first　question；　too；〃　ended　Gandalf；　and　he　sat　a　long　while　silent。
　Bilbo　thought　he　knew　what　the　wizard　meant。　〃What　shall　we　do；〃　he　cried；　〃if　he　leads　all　the　Wargs　and　the　goblins　down　here？　We　shall　all　be　caught　and　killed！　I　thought　you　said　he　was　not　9　friend　of　theirs。〃　〃So　I　did。　And　don't　be　silly！　You　had　better　go　to　bed；　your　wits　are　sleepy。〃
　The　hobbit　felt　quite　crushed；　and　as　there　seemed　nothing　else　to　do　he　did　go　to　bed；　and　while　the　dwarves　were　still　singing　songs　he　dropped　asleep；　still　puzzling　his　little　head　about　Beorn；　till　he　dreamed　a　dream　of　hundreds　of　black　bears　dancing　slow　heavy　dances　round　and　round　in　the　moonlight　in　the　courtyard。　Then　he　woke　up　when　everyone　else　was　asleep；　and　he　heard　the　same　scraping；　scuffling；　snuffling；　and　growling　as　before。　Next　morning　they　were　all　wakened　by　Beorn　himself。
　〃So　here　you　all　are　still！〃　he　said。　He　picked　up　the　hobbit　and　laughed：　〃Not　eaten　up　by　Wargs　or　goblins　or　wicked　bears　yet　I　see〃；　and　he　poked　Mr。　Baggins'　waistcoat　most　disrespectfully。　〃Little　bunny　is　getting　nice　and　fat　again　on　bread　and　honey；〃　he　chuckled。　〃e　and　have　some　more！〃
　So　they　all　went　to　breakfast　with　him。　Beorn　was　most　jolly　for　a　change；　indeed　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　splendidly　good　humour　and　set　them　all　laughing　with　his　funny　stories；　nor　did　they　have　to　wonder　long　where　he　had　been　or　why　he　was　so　nice　to　them；　for　he　told　them　himself。　He　had　been　over　the　river　and　right　back　up　into　the　mountains…from　which　you　can　guess　that　he　could　travel　quickly；　in　bear's　shape　at　any　rate。　From　the　burnt　wolf…　glade　he　had　soon　found　out　that　part　of　their　story　was　true；　but　he　had　found　more　than　that：　he　had　caught　a　Warg　and　a　goblin　wandering　in　the　woods。　From　these　he　had　got　news：　the　goblin　patrols　were　still　hunting　with　Wargs　for　the　dwarves；　and　they　were　fiercely　angry　because　of　the　death　of　the　Great　Goblin；　and　also　because　of　the　burning　of　the　chief　wolf's　nose　and　the　death　from　the　wizard's　fire　of　many　of　his　chief　servants。　So　much　they　told　him　when　he　forced　them；　but　he　guessed　there　was　more　wickedness　than　this　afoot；　and　that　a　great　raid　of　the　whole　goblin　army　with　their　wolf…allies　into　the　lands　shadowed　by　the　mountains　might　soon　be　made　to　find　the　dwarves；　or　to　take　vengeance　on　the　men　and　creatures　that　lived　there；　and　who　they　thought　must　be　sheltering　them。
　〃It　was　a　good　story；　that　of　yours；〃　said　Beorn；　〃but　I　like　it　still　better　now　I　am　sure　it　is　true。　You　must　forgive　my　not　taking　your　word。　If　you　lived　near　the　edge　of　Mirkwood；　you　would　take　the　word　of　no　one　that　you　did　not　know　as　well　as　your　brother　or　better。　As　it　is；　I　can　only　say　that　I　have　hurried　home　as　fast　as　I　could　to　see　that　you　were　safe；　and　to　offer　you　any　help　that　I　can。　I　shall　think　more　kindly　of　dwarves　after　this。　Killed　the　Great　Goblin；　killed　the　Great　Goblin！〃　he　chuckled　fiercely　to　himself。
　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　goblin　and　the　Warg？〃　asked　Bilbo　suddenly。　　〃e　and　see！〃　said　Beorn；　and　they　followed　round　the　house。　A　goblin's　head　was　stuck　outside　the　gate　and　a　warg…skin　was　nailed　to　a　tree　just　beyond。　Beorn　was　a　fierce　enemy。　But　now　he　was　their　friend；　and　Gandalf　thought　it　wise　to　tell　him　their　whole　story　and　the　reason　of　their　journey；　so　that　they　could　get　the　most　help　he　could　offer。
　This　is　what　he　promised　to　do　for　them。　He　would　provide　ponies　for　each　of　them；　and　a　horse　for　Gandalf；　for　their　journey　to　the　forest；　and　he　would　lade　them　with　food　to　last　them　for　weeks　with　care；　and　packed　so　as　to　be　as　easy　as　possible　to　carry…nuts；　flour；　sealed　jars　of　dried　fruits；　and　red　earthenware　pots　of　honey；　and　twice…baked　cakes　that　would　keep　good　a　long　time；　and　on　a　little　of　which　they　could　march　far。　The　making　of　these　was　one　of　his　secrets；　but　honey　was　in　them；　as　in　most　of　his　foods；　and　they　were　good　to　eat；　though　they　made　one　thirsty。　Water；　he　said；　they　would　not　need　to　carry　this　side　of　the　forest；　for　there　were　streams　and　springs　along　the　road。　〃But　your　way　through　Mirkwood　is　dark；　dangerous　and　difficult；〃　he　said。　〃Water　is　not　easy　to　find　there；　nor　food。　The　time　is　not　yet　e　for　nuts　（though　it　may　be　past　and　gone　indeed　before　you　get　to　the　other　side）；　and　nuts　are　about　all　that　grows　there　fit　for　food；　in　there　the　wild　things　are　dark；　queer；　and　savage。　I　will　provide　you　with　skins　for　carrying　water；　and　I　will　give　you　some　bows　and　arrows。　But　I　doubt　very　much　whether　anything　you　find　in　Mirkwood　will　be　wholesome　to　eat　or　to　drink。　There　is　one　stream　there；　I　know；　black　and　strong　which　crosses　the　path。　That　you　should　neither　drink　of；　nor　bathe　in；　for　I　have　heard　that　it　carries　enchantment　and　a　great　drowsiness　and　forgetfulness。　And　in　the　dim　shadows　of　that　place　I　don't　think　you　will　shoot　anything；　wholesome　or　unwholesome；　without　straying　from　the　path。　That　you　MUST　NOT　do；　for　any　reason。　〃That　is　all　the　advice　I　can　give　you。　Beyond　the　edge　of　the　forest　I　cannot　help　you　much；　you　must　depend　on　your　luck　and　your　courage　and　the　food　I　send　with　you。　At　the　gate　of　the　forest　I　must　ask　you　to　send　back　my　horse　and　my　ponies。　But　I　wish　you　all　speed；　and　my　house　is　open　to　you；　if　ever　you　e　back　this　way　again。〃
　They　thanked　him；　of　course；　with　many　bows　and　sweepings　of　their　hoods　and　with　many　an　〃at　your　service；　O　master　of　the　wide　wooden　halls！〃　But　their　spirits　sank　at　his　grave　words；　and　they　all　felt　that　the　adventure　was　far　more　dangerous　than　they　had　thought；　while　all　the　time；　even　if　they　passed　all　the　perils　of　the　road；　the　dragon　was　waiting　at　the　end。　　All　that　morning　they　were　busy　with　preparations。　Soon　after　midday　they　ate　with　Beorn　for　the　last　time；　and　after　the　meal　they　mounted　the　steeds　he　was　lending　them；　and　bidding　him　many　farewells　they　rode　off　through　his　gate　at　a　good　pace。
　As　soon　as　they　left　his　high　hedges　at　the　east　of　his　fenced　lands　they
　turned　north　and　then　bore　to　the　north…west。　By　his　advice　they　were　no
　longer　making　for　the　main　forest…road　to　the　south　of　his　land。　Had　they
　
followed　the　pass；　their　path　would　have　led　them　down　the　stream　from　the　mountains　that　joined　the　great　river　miles　south　of　the　Carrock。　At　that　point　there　was　a　deep　ford　which　they　might　have　passed；　if　they　had　still　had　their　ponies；　and　beyond　that　a　track　led　to　the　skirts　of　the　wood　and　to　the　entrance　of　the　old　forest　road。　But　Beorn　had　warned　them　that　that　way　was　now　often　used　by　the　goblins；　while　the　forest…road　itself；　he　bad　heard；　was　overgrown　and　disused　at　the　eastern　end　and　led　to　impassable　marshes　where　the　paths　had　long　been　lost。　Its　eastern　opening　had　also　always　been　far　to　the　south　of　the　Lonely　Mountain；　and　would　have　left　them　still　with　a　long　and　difficult　northward　march　when　they　got　to　the　other　side。　　North　of　the　Carrock　the　edge　of　Mirkwood　drew　closer　to　the　borders　of　the　Great　River；　and　though　here　the　Mountains　too　drew　down　nearer；　Beorn　advised　them　to　take　this　way；　for　at　a　place　a　few　days'　ride　due　north　of　the　Carrock　was　the　gate　of　a　little…known　pathway　through　Mirkwood　that　led　almost　straight　towards　the　Lonely　Mountain。
　〃The　goblins；〃　Beorn　had　said；　〃will　not　dare　to　cross　the　Great　River　for　a　hundred　miles　north　of　the　Carrock　nor　to　e　near　my　house　…　it　is　well　protected　at　night！…　but　I　should　ride　fast；　for　if　they　make　their　raid　soon　they　will　cross　the　river　to　the　south　and　scour　all　the　edge　of　the　forest　so　as　to　cut　you　off；　and　Wargs　run　swifter　than　ponies。　Still　you　are　safer　going　north；　even　though　you　seem　to　be　going　back　nearer　to　their　strongholds；　for　that　is　what　they　will　least　expect；　and　they　will　have　the　longer　ride　to　catch　you。　Be　off　now　as　quick　as　you　may！〃　That　is　why　they　were　now　riding　in　silence；　galloping　wherever　the　ground　was　grassy　and　smooth；　with　the　mountains　dark　on　their　left；　and　in　the　distance　the　line　of　the　river　with　its　trees　drawing　ever　closer。　The　sun　had　only　just　turned　west　when　they　started；　and　till　evening　it　lay　golden　on　the　land　about　them。　It　was　difficult　to　think　of　pursuing　goblins　behind；　and　when　they　had　put　many　miles　between　them　and　Beorn's　house　they　began　to　talk　and　to　sing　again　and　to　forget　the　dark　forest…path　that　lay　in　front。　But　in　the　evening　when　the　dusk　came　on　and　the　peaks　of　the　mountains　glowered　against　the　sunset　they　made　a　camp　and　set　a　guard；　and　most　of　them　slept　uneasily　with　dreams　in　which　there　came　the　howl　of　hunting　wolves　and　the　cries　of　goblins。　Still　the　next　morning　dawned　bright　and　fair　again。　　There　was　an　autumn…li