jrt.the hobbit-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　of　Earth。　At　that　very　moment　he　heard　a　sharp　crack　behind　him。　There　on　the　grey　stone　in　the　grass　was　an　enormous　thrush；　nearly　coal　black；　its　pale　yellow　breast　freckled　dark　spots。　Crack！　It　had　caught　a　snail　and　was　knocking　it　on　the　stone。　Crack！　　Crack！
　Suddenly　Bilbo　understood。　Forgetting　all　danger　he　stood　on　the　ledge　and　hailed　the　dwarves；　shouting　and　paying。　Those　that　were　nearest　came　tumbling　over　the　rocks　and　as　fast　as　they　could　along　the　ledge　to　him；　wondering　what　on　earth　was　the　matter；　the　others　shouted　to　be　hauled　up　the　ropes　（except　Bombur；　of　course：　he　was　asleep）。
　Quickly　Bilbo　explained。　They　all　fell　silent：　the　hobbit　standing　by　the　grey　stone；　and　the　dwarves　with　wagging　beards　watching　impatiently。　The　sun　sank　lower　and　lower；　and　their　hopes　fell。　It　sank　into　a　belt　of　reddened　cloud　and　disappeared。　The　dwarves　groaned；　but　still　Bilbo　stood　almost　without　moving。　The　little　moon　was　dipping　to　the　horizon。　Evening　was　ing　on。　Then　suddenly　when　their　hope　was　lowest　a　red　ray　of　the　sun　escaped　like　a　finger　through　a　rent　in　the　cloud。　A　gleam　of　light　came　straight　through　the　opening　into　the　bay　and　fell　on　the　smooth　rock…face。　The　old　thrush；　who　had　been　watching　from　a　high　perch　with　beady　eyes　and　head　cocked　on　one　side；　gave　a　sudden　trill。　There　was　a　loud　attack。　A　flake　of　rock　split　from　the　wall　and　fell。　A　hole　appeared　suddenly　about　three　feet　from　the　ground。　　Quickly；　trembling　lest　the　chance　should　fade；　the　dwarves　rushed　to　the　rock　and　pushed…in　vain。
　〃The　key！　The　key！〃　cried　Bilbo。　〃Where　is　Thorin？〃
　Thorin　hurried　up。
　〃The　key！〃　shouted　Bilbo。　〃The　key　that　went　with　the　map！　Try　it　now　while　there　is　still　time！〃
　Then　Thorin　stepped　up　and　drew　the　key　on　its　chain　from　round　his　neck。　　He　put　it　to　the　hole。　It　fitted　and　it　turned！　Snap！　The　gleam　went　out；　the　sun　sank；　the　moon　was　gone；　and　evening　sprang　into　the　sky。　　Now　they　all　pushed　together；　and　slowly　a　part　of　the　rock…wall　gave　way。　Long　straight　cracks　appeared　and　widened。　A　door　five　feet　high　and　three　broad　was　out…　lined；　and　slowly　without　a　sound　swung　inwards。　It　seemed　as　if　darkness　flowed　out　like　a　vapour　from　the　hole　in　the　mountain…side；　and　deep　darkness　in　which　nothing　could　be　seen　lay　before　their　eyes　mouth　leading　in　and　down。
　
　Chapter　12
　Inside　Information
　
　For　a　long　time　the　dwarves　stood　in　the　dark　before　the　door　and　debated；　until　at　last　Thorin　spoke：
　〃Now　is　the　time　for　our　esteemed　Mr。　Baggins；　who　has　proved　himself　a　good　panion　on　our　long　road；　and　a　hobbit　full　of　courage　and　resource　far　exceeding　his　size；　and　if　I　may　say　so　possessed　of　good　luck　far　exceeding　the　usual　allowance…now　is　the　time　for　him　to　perform　the　service　for　which　he　was　included　in　our　pany；　now　is　the　time　for　him　to　earn　his　Reward。〃　You　are　familiar　with　Thorin's　style　on　important　occasions；　so　I　will　not　give　you　any　more　of　it；　though　he　went　on　a　good　deal　longer　than　this。　　It　certainly　was　an　important　occasion；　but　Bilbo　felt　impatient。　By　now　he　was　quite　familiar　with　Thorin　too；　and　he　knew　what　be　was　driving　at。　　〃If　you　mean　you　think　it　is　my　job　to　go　into　the　secret　passage　first；　O　Thorin　Thrain's　son　Oakenshield；　may　your　beard　grow　ever　longer；〃　he　said　crossly；　〃say　so　at　once　and　have　done！　I　might　refuse。　I　have　got　you　out　of　two　messes　already；　which　were　hardly　in　the　original　bargain；　so　that　I　am；　I　think；　already　owed　some　reward。　But　'third　time　pays　for　all'　as　my　father　used　to　say；　and　somehow　I　don't　think　I　shall　refuse。　Perhaps　I　have　begun　to　trust　my　luck　more　than　I　used　to　in　the　old　days〃　…　he　meant　last　spring　before　he　left　his　own　house；　but　it　seemed　centuries　ago　…　〃but　anyway　I　think　I　will　go　and　have　a　peep　at　once　and　get　it　over。　Now　who　is　ing　with　me？〃
　He　did　not　expect　a　chorus　of　volunteers；　so　he　was　not　disappointed。　　Fili　and　Kili　looked　unfortable　and　stood　on　One　leg；　but　the　others　made　no　pretence　of　offering　…　except　old　Balin。　the　look…out　man；　who　was　rather　fond　the　hobbit。　He　said　he　would　e　inside　at　least　and　perhaps　a　bit　of　the　way　too；　really　to　call　for　help　if　necessary。
　The　most　that　can　be　said　for　the　dwarves　is　this：　they　intended　to　pay　Bilbo　really　handsomely　for　his　services；　they　had　brought　him　to　do　a　nasty　job　for　them；　and　they　did　not　mind　the　poor　little　fellow　doing　it　if　he　would；　but　they　would　all　have　done　their　best　to　get　him　out　of　trouble；　if　he　got　into　it；　as　they　did　in　the　case　of　the　trolls　at　the　beginning　of　their　adventures　before　they　had　any　particular　reasons　for　being　grateful　to　him。　There　it　is：　dwarves　are　not　heroes；　but　calculating　folk　with　a　great　idea　of　the　value　of　money；　some　are　tricky　and　treacherous　and　pretty　bad　lots；　some　are　not；　but　are　decent　enough　people　like　Thorin　and　pany；　if　you　don't　expect　too　much。
　The　stars　were　ing　out　behind　him　in　a　pale　sky　barred　with　black　when　the　hobbit　crept　through　the　enchanted　door　and　stole　into　the　Mountain。　It　was　far　easier　going　than　he　expected。　This　was　no　goblin　entrance；　or　rough　wood…elves'　cave。　It　was　a　passage　made　by　dwarves；　at　the　height　of　their　wealth　and　skill：　straight　as　a　ruler；　smooth…floored　and　smooth…sided；　going　with　a　gentle　never…varying　slope　direct…to　some　distant　end　in　the　blackness　below。
　After　a　while　Balin　bade　Bilbo　〃Good　luck！〃　and　stopped　where　he　could　still　see　the　faint　outline　of　the　door；　and　by　a　trick　of；　the　echoes　of　the　tunnel　hear　the　rustle　of　the　whispering　voices　of　the　others　just　outside。　　Then　the　hobbit　slipped　on　his　ring；　and　warned　by　the　echoes　to　take　more　than　hobbit's　care　to　make　no　sound；　he　crept　noiselessly　down；　down；　down　into　the　dark。　He　was　trembling　with　fear；　but　his　little　face　was　set　and　grim。　Already　he　was　a　very　different　hobbit　from　the　one　that　had　run　out　without　a　pocket…handkerchief　from　Bag…End　long　ago。　He　had　not　had　a　pocket…handkerchief　for　ages。　He　loosened　his　dagger　in　its　sheath；　tightened　his　belt；　and　went　on。
　〃Now　you　are　in　for　it　at　last；　Bilbo　Baggins；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃You　went　and　put　your　foot　right　in　it　that　night　of　the　party；　and　now　you　have　got　to　pull　it　out　and　pay　for　it！　Dear　me；　what　a　fool　I　was　and　am！〃　said　the　least　Tookish　part　of　him。　〃I　have　absolutely　no　use　for　dragon…guarded　treasures；　and　the　whole　lot　could　stay　here　for　ever；　if　only　I　could　wake　up　and　find　this　beastly　tunnel　was　my　own　front…hall　at　home！〃　He　did　not　wake　up　of　course；　but　went　still　on　and　on；　till　all　sign　of　the　door　behind　had　faded　away。　He　was　altogether　alone。　Soon　he　thought　it　was　beginning　to　feel　warm。　〃Is　that　a　kind　of　a　glow　I　seem　to　see　ing　right　ahead　down　there？〃　he　thought。　It　was。　As　he　went　forward　it　grew　and　grew；　till　there　was　no　doubt　about　it。　It　was　a　red　light　steadily　getting　redder　and　redder。　Also　it　was　now　undoubtedly　hot　in　the　tunnel。　Wisps　of　vapour　floated　up　and　past　him　and　he　began　to　sweat。　A　sound；　too；　began　to　throb　in　his　ears；　a　sort　of　bubbling　like　the　noise　of　a　large　pot　galloping　on　the　fire；　mixed　with　a　rumble　as　of　a　gigantic　tom…cat　purring。　This　grew　to　the　unmistakable　gurgling　noise　of　some　vast　animal　snoring　in　its　sleep　down　there　in　the　red　glow　in　front　of　him。
　It　was　at　this　point　that　Bilbo　stopped。　Going　on　from　there　was　the　bravest　thing　he　ever　did。　The　tremendous　things　that　happened　afterward　were　as　nothing　pared　to　it。　He　fought　the　real　battle　in　the　tunnel　alone；　before　he　ever　saw　the　vast　danger　that　lay　in　wait。　At　any　rate　after　a　short　halt　go　on　he　did；　and　you　can　picture　him　ing　to　the　end　of　the　tunnel；　an　opening　of　much　the　same　size　and　shape　as　the　door　above。　Through　it　peeps　the　hobbit's　little　head。　Before　him　lies　the　great　bottommost　cellar　or　dungeon…hall　of　the　ancient　dwarves　right　at　the　Mountain's　root。　It　is　almost　dark　so　that　its　vastaess　can　only　be　dimly　guessed；　but　rising　from　the　near　side　of　the　rocky　floor　there　is　a　great　glow。　The　glow　of　Smaug！　　There　he　lay；　a　vast　red…golden　dragon；　fast　asleep；　thrumming　came　from　his　jaws　and　nostrils；　and　wisps　of　smoke；　but　his　fires　were　low　in　slumber。
　Beneath　him；　under　all　his　limbs　and　his　hug