jrt.the hobbit-第30章

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。　It　was　well　that　Beorn　had　warned　them　against　it；　or　they　would　have　drunk　from　it；　whatever　its　colour；　and　filled　some　of　their　emptied　skins　at　its　bank。　As　it　was　they　only　thought　of　how　to　cross　it　without　wetting　themselves　in　its　water。　There　had　been　a　bridge　of　wood　across；　but　it　had　rotted　and　fallen　leaving　only　the　broken　posts　near　the　bank。　　Bilbo　kneeling　on　the　brink　and　peering　forward　cried：　〃There　is　a　boat　against　the　far　bank！　Now　why　couldn't　it　have　been　this　side！〃　〃How　far　away　do　you　think　it　is？〃　asked　Thorin；　for　by　now　they　knew　Bilbo　had　the　sharpest　eyes　among　them。
　〃Not　at　all　far。　I　shouldn't　think　above　twelve　yards。〃
　〃Twelve　yards！　I　should　have　thought　it　was　thirty　at　least；　but　my　eyes　don't　see　as　well　as　they　used　a　hundred　years　ago。　Still　twelve　yards　is　as　good　as　a　mile。　We　can't　jump　it；　and　we　daren't　try　to　wade　or　swim。〃　〃Can　any　of　you　throw　a　rope？〃
　〃What's　the　good　of　that？　The　boat　is　sure　to　be　tied　up；　even　if　we　could　hook　it；　which　I　doubt。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it　is　tied；〃　said　Bilbo；　〃though　of　course　I　can't　be　sure　in　this　light；　but　it　looks　to　me　as　if　it　was　just　drawn　up　on　the　bank；　which　is　low　just　there　where　the　path　goes　down　into　the　water。〃　〃Dori　is　the　strongest；　but　Fili　is　the　youngest　and　still　has　the　best　sight；〃　said　Thorin。　〃e　here　Fili；　and　see　if　you　can　see　the　boat　Mr。　　Baggins　is　talking　about。〃
　Fili　thought　he　could；　so　when　he　had　stared　a　long　while　to　get　an　idea　of　the　direction；　the　others　brought　him　a　rope。　They　had　several　with　them；　and　on　the　end　of　the　longest　they　fastened　one　of　the　large　iron　hooks　they　had　used　for　catching　their　packs　to　the　straps　about　their　shoulders。　Fili　took　this　in　his　hand；　balanced　it　for　a　moment；　and　then　flung　it　across　the　stream。
　Splash　it　fell　in　the　water！　〃Not　far　enough！〃　said　Bilbo　who　was　peering　forward。　〃A　couple　of　feet　and　you　would　have　dropped　it　on　to　the　boat。　Try　again。　I　don't　suppose　the　magic　is　strong　enough　to　hurt　you；　if　you　just　touch　a　bit　of　wet　rope。〃
　Fili　picked　up　the　hook　when　he　had　drawn　it　back；　rather　doubtfully　all　the　same。　This　time　he　threw　it　with　greater　strength。　　〃Steady！〃　said　Bilbo；　〃you　have　thrown　it　right　into　the　wood　on　the　other　side　now。　Draw　it　back　gently。〃　Fili　hauled　the　rope　back　slowly；　and　after　a　while　Bilbo　said：
　〃Carefully！　It　is　lying　on　the　boat；　let's　hope　the　hook　will　catch。〃　It　did。　The　rope　went　taut；　and　Fili　pulled　in　vain。　Kili　came　to　his　help；　and　then　Oin　and　Gloin。　They　tugged　and　tugged；　and　suddenly　they　all　fell　over　on　their　backs。　Bilbo　was　on　the　lockout；　however；　caught　the　rope；　and　with　a　piece　of　stick　fended　off　the　little　black　boat　as　it　came　rushing　across　the　stream。　〃Help！〃　he　shouted；　and　Balin　was　just　in　time　to　seize　the　boat　before　it　floated　off　down　the　current。
　〃It　was　tied　after　all；〃　said　he；　looking　at　the　snapped　painter　that　was　still　dangling　from　it。　〃That　was　a　good　pull；　my　lads；　and　a　good　job　that　our　rope　was　the　stronger。〃
　〃Who'll　cross　first？〃　asked　Bilbo。
　〃I　shall；〃　said　Thorin；　〃and　you　will　e　with　me；　and　Fili　and　Balin。　　That's　as　many　as　the　boat　will　hold　at　a　time。　After　that　Kili　and　Oin　and　Gloin　and　Don；　next　On　and　Nori；　Bifur　and　Bofur；　and　last　Dwalin　and　Bombur。〃　〃I'm　always　last　and　I　don't　like　it；〃　said　Bombur。　〃It's　somebody　else's　turn　today。〃
　〃You　should　not　be　so　fat。　As　you　are；　you　must　be　with　the　last　and　lightest　boatload。　Don't　start　grumbling　against　orders；　or　something　bad　will　happen　to　you。〃
　〃There　aren't　any　oars。　How　are　you　going　to　push　the　boat　back　to　the　far　bank？〃　asked　the　hobbit。
　〃Give　me　another　length　of　rope　and　another　hook；〃　said　Fili；　and　when　they　had　got　it　ready；　he　cast　into　the　darkness　ahead　and　as　high　as　he　could　throw　it。　Since　it　did　not　fall　down　again；　they　saw　that　it　must　have　stuck　in　the　branches。　〃Get　in　now；〃　said　Fili；　〃and　one　of　you　haul　on　the　rope　that　is　stuck　in　a　tree　on　the　other　side。　One　of　the　others　must　keep　hold　of　the　hook　we　used　at　first；　and　when　we　are　safe　on　the　other　side　he　can　hook　it　on；　and　you　can　draw　the　boat　back。〃
　In　this　way　they　were　all　soon　on　the　far　bank　safe　across　the　enchanted　stream。　Dwalin　had　just　scrambled　out　with　the　coiled　rope　on　his　arm；　and　Bombur　（still　grumbling）　was　getting　ready　to　follow；　when　something　bad　did　happen。　There　was　a　flying　sound　of　hooves　on　the　path　ahead。　Out　of　the　gloom　came　suddenly　the　shape　of　a　flying　deer。　It　charged　into　the　dwarves　and　bowled　them　over；　then　gathered　itself　for　a　leap。　High　it　sprang　and　cleared　the　water　with　a　mighty　jump。　But　it　did　not　reach　the　other　side　in　safety。　　Thorin　was　the　only　one　who　had　kept　his　feet　and　his　wits。　As　soon　as　they　had　landed　he　had　bent　his　bow　and　fitted　an　arrow　in　case　any　hidden　guardian　of　the　boat　appeared。　Now　he　sent　a　swift　and　sure　shot　into　the　leaping　beast。　As　it　reached　the　further　bank　it　stumbled。　The　shadows　swallowed　it　up；　but　they　heard　the　sound　of　hooves　quickly　falter　and　then　go　still。　　Before　they　could　shout　in　praise　of　the　shot；　however；　a　dreadful　wail　from　Bilbo　put　all　thoughts　of　venison　out　of　their　minds。　〃Bombur　has　fallen　in！　Bombur　is　drowning！〃　he　cried。　It　was　only　too　true。　Bombur　had　only　one　foot　on　the　land　when　the　hart　bore　down　on　him；　and　sprang　over　him。　He　had　stumbled；　thrusting　the　boat　away　from　the　bank；　and　then　toppled　back　into　the　dark　water；　his　hands　slipping　off　the　slimy　roots　at　the　edge；　while　the　boat　span　slowly　off　and　disappeared。
　They　could　still　see　his　hood　above　the　water　when　they　ran　to　the　bank。
　Quickly　they　flung　a　rope　with　a　hook　towards　him。　His　hand　caught　it；　and　hey　pulled　him　to　the　shore。　He　was　drenched　from　hair　to　boots；　of　course；　but　that　was　not　the　worst。　When　they　laid　him　on　the　bank　he　was　already　fast　asleep；　with　one　hand　clutching　the　rope　so　tight　that　they　could　not　get　it　from　his　grasp；　and　fast　asleep　he　remained　in　spite　of　all　they　could　do。　　They　were　still　standing　over　him；　cursing　their　ill　luck；　and　Bombur's　clumsiness；　and　lamenting　the　loss　of　the　boat　which　made　it　impossible　for　them　to　go　back　and　look　for　the　hart；　when　they　became　aware　of　the　dim　blowing　of　horns　in　the　wood　and　the　sound　as　of　dogs　baying　far　off。　Then　they　all　fell　silent；　and　as　they　sat　it　seemed　they　could　hear　the　noise　of　a　great　hunt　going　by　to　the　north　of　the　path；　though　they　saw　no　sign　of　it。　　There　they　sat　for　a　long　while　and　did　not　dare　to　make　a　move。　Bombur　slept　on　with　a　smile　on　his　fat　face；　as　if　he　no　longer　cared　for　all　the　troubles　that　vexed　them。
　Suddenly　on　the　path　ahead　appeared　some　white　deer；　a　hind　and　fawns　as　snowy　white　as　the　hart　had　been　dark。　They　glimmered　in　the　shadows。　Before　Thorin　could　cry　out　three　of　the　dwarves　had　leaped　to　their　feet　and　loosed　off　arrows　from　their　bows。　None　seemed　to　find　their　mark。　The　deer　turned　and　vanished　in　the　trees　as　silently　as　they　had　e；　and　in　vain　the　dwarves　shot　their　arrows　after　them。
　〃Stop！　stop！〃　shouted　Thorin；　but　it　was　too　late；　the　excited　dwarves　had　wasted　their　last　arrows；　and　now　the　bows　that　Beorn　had　given　them　were　useless。
　They　were　a　gloomy　party　that　night；　and　the　gloom　gathered　still　deeper　on　them　in　the　following　days。　They　had　crossed　the　enchanted　stream；　but　beyond　it　the　path　seemed　to　straggle　on　just　as　before；　and　in　the　forest　they　could　see　no　change。　Yet　if　they　had　known　more　about　it　and　considered　the　meaning　of　the　hunt　and　the　white　deer　that　had　appeared　upon　their　path；　they　would　have　known　that　they　were　at　last　drawing　towards　the　eastern　edge；　and　would　soon　have　e；　if　they　could　have　kept　up　their　courage　and　their　hope；　to　thinner　trees　and　places　where　the　sunlight　came　again。　　But　they　did　not　know　this；　and　they　were　burdened　with　the　heavy　body　of　Bombur；　which　they　had　to　carry　along　with　them　as　best　they　could；　taking　the　wearisome　task　in　turns　of　four　each　while　the　others　shared　their　packs。　If　these　had　not　bee　all　too　light　in　the　last　few　days；　they　would　never　have　managed　it；　but　a　slumbering　and　smiling　Bombur　was　a　poor　exchange　for　packs　filled　with　food　however　heavy。　In　a　few　days　a　time　came　when