jrt.the hobbit-第58章

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　〃We　are　sent　from　Dain　son　of　Nain；〃　they　said　when　questioned。　〃We　are　hastening　to　our　kinsmen　in　the　Mountain；　since　we　learn　that　the　kingdom　of　old　is　renewed。　But　who　are　you　that　sit　in　the　plain　as　foes　before　defended　walls？〃　This；　of。　course；　in　the　polite　and　rather　old…fashioned　language　of　such　occasions；　meant　simply：　〃You　have　no　business　here。　We　are　going　on；　so　make　way　or　we　shall　fight　you！〃　They　meant　to　push　on　between　the　Mountain　and　the　loop　of　the　river；　for　the　narrow　land　there　did　not　seem　to　be　strongly　guarded。
　Bard；　of　course；　refused　to　allow　the　dwarves　to　go　straight　on　to　the　Mountain。　He　was　determined　to　wait　until　the　gold　and　silver　had　been　brought　out　in　exchange　for　the　Arkenstone：　for　he　did　not　believe　that　this　would　be　done；　if　once　the　fortress　was　manned　with　so　large　and　warlike　a　pany。　　They　had　brought　with　them　a　great　store　of　supplies；　for　the　dwarves　can　carry　very　heavy　burdens；　and　nearly　all　of　Dain's　folks；　in　spite　of　their　rapid　march；　bore　huge　packs　on　their　backs　in　addition　to　their　weapons。　They　would　stand　a　siege　for　weeks；　and　by　that　time　yet　more　dwarves　might　e；　and　yet　more；　for　Thorin　had　many　relatives。　Also　they　would　be　able　to　reopen　and　guard　some　other　gate；　so　that　the　besiegers　would　have　to　encircle　the　whole　mountain；　and　for　that　they　had　not　sufficient　numbers。
　These　were；　in　fact；　precisely　their　plans　（for　the　raven…messengers　had　been　busy　between　Thorin　and　Dain）；　but　for　the　moment　the　way　was　barred；　so　after　angry　words　the　dwarf…messengers　retired　muttering　in　their　beards。　Bard　then　sent　messengers　at　once　to　the　Gate；　but　they　found　no　gold　or　payment。　　Arrows　came　forth　as　soon　as　they　were　within　shot；　and　they　hastened　back　in　dismay。　In　the　camp　all　was　now　astir；　as　if　for　battle；　for　the　dwarves　of　Dain　were　advancing　along　the　eastern　bank。
　〃Fools！〃　laughed　Bard；　〃to　e　thus　beneath　the　Mountain's　arm！　They　do　not　understand　war　above　ground；　whatever　they　may　know　of　battle　in　the　mines。　There　are　many　of　our　archers　and　spearmen　now　hidden　in　the　rocks　upon　their　right　flank。　Dwarf…mail　may　be　good；　but　they　will　soon　be　hard　put　to　it。　Let　us　set　on　them　now　from　both　sides；　before　they　are　fully　rested！〃　But　the　Elvenking　said：　〃Long　will　I　tarry；　ere　I　begin　this　war　for　gold。　The　dwarves　cannot　press　us；　unless　we　will；　or　do　anything　that　we　cannot　mark。　Let　us　hope　still　for　something　that　will　bring　reconciliation。　　Our　advantage　in　numbers　will　be　enough；　if　in　the　end　it　must　e　to　unhappy　blows。〃
　But　he　reckoned　without　the　dwarves。　The　knowledge　that　the　Arkenstone　was　in　the　hands　of　the　besiegers　burned　in　their　thoughts；　also　they　guessed　the　hesitation　of　Bard　and　his　friends；　and　resolved　to　strike　while　they　debated。
　Suddenly　without　a　signal　they　sprang　silently　forward　to　attack。　Bows　twanged　and　arrows　whistled；　battle　was　about　to　be　joined。　　Still　more　suddenly　a　darkness　came　on　with　dreadful　swiftness！　A　black　cloud　hurried　over　the　sky。　Winter　thunder　on　a　wild　wind　rolled　roaring　up　and　rumbled　in　the　Mountain；　and　lightning　lit　its　peak。　And　beneath　the　thunder　another　blackness　could　be　seen　whirling　forward；　but　it　did　not　e　with　the　wind；　it　came　from　the　North；　like　a　vast　cloud　of　birds；　so　dense　that　no　light　could　be　seen　between　their　wings。
　〃Halt！〃　cried　Gandalf；　who　appeared　suddenly；　and　stood　alone；　with　arms　uplifted；　between　the　advancing　dwarves　and　the　ranks　awaiting　them。　〃Halt！〃　he　called　in　a　voice　like　thunder；　and　his　staff　blazed　forth　with　a　flash　like　the　lightning。　〃Dread　has　e　upon　you　all！　Alas！　it　has　e　more　swiftly　than　I　guessed。　The　Goblins　are　upon　you！　Bolg　of　the　North　is　ing。　　O　Dain！　whose　father　you　slew　in　Moria。　Behold！　the　bats　are　above　his　army　like　a　sea　of　locusts。　They　ride　upon　wolves　and　Wargs　are　in　their　train！〃　Amazement　and　confusion　fell　upon　them　all。　Even　as　Gandalf　had　been　speaking　the　darkness　grew。　The　dwarves　halted　and　gazed　at　the　sky。　The　elves　cried　out　with　many　voices。
　〃e！〃　called　Gandalf。　〃There　is　yet　time　for　council。　Let　Dain　son　of　Nain　e　swiftly　to　us！〃
　So　began　a　battle　that　none　had　expected；　and　it　was　called　the　Battle　of　Five　Armies；　and　it　was　very　terrible。　Upon　one　side　were　the　Goblins　and　the　wild　Wolves；　and　upon　the　other　were　Elves　and　Men　and　Dwarves。　This　is　how　it　fell　out。　Ever　since　the　fall　of　the　Great　Goblin　of　the　Misty　Mountains　the　hatred　of　their　race　for　the　dwarves　had　been　rekindled　to　fury。　Messengers　had　passed　to　and　fro　between　all　their　cities；　colonies　and　strongholds；　for　they　resolved　now　to　win　the　dominion　of　the　North。　Tidings　they　had　gathered　in　secret　ways；　and　in　all　the　mountains　there　was　a　forging　and　an　arming。　　Then　they　marched　and　gathered　by　hill　and　valley；　going　ever　by　tunnel　or　under　dark；　until　around　and　beneath　the　great　mountain　Gundabad　of　the　North；　where　was　their　capital；　a　vast　host　was　assembled　ready　to　sweep　down　in　time　of　storm　unawares　upon　the　South。　Then　they　learned　of　the　death　of　Smaug；　and　joy　was　in　their　hearts：　and　they　hastened　night　after　night　through　the　mountains；　and　came　thus　at　last　on　a　sudden　from　the　North　hard　on　the　heels　of　Dain。　Not　even　the　ravens　knew　of　their　ing　until　they　came　out　in　the　broken　lands　which　divided　the　Lonely　Mountain　from　the　hills　behind。　How　much　Gandalf　knew　cannot　be　said；　but　it　is　plain　that　he　had　not　expected　this　sudden　assault。
　
This　is　the　plan　that　he　made　in　council　with　the　Elvenking　and　with　Bard；　and　with　Dain；　for　the　dwarf…lord　now　joined　them：　the　Goblins　were　the　foes　of　all；　and　at　their　ing　all　other　quarrels　were　forgotten。　Their　only　hope　was　to　lure　the　goblins　into　the　valley　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain；　and　themselves　to　man　the　great　spurs　that　struck　south　and　east。　Yet　this　would　be　perilous；　if　the　goblins　were　in　sufficient　numbers　to　overrun　the　Mountain　itself；　and　so　attack　them　also　from　behind　and　above；　but　there　was　no　time　for　make　any　other　plan；　or　to　summon　any　help。　　Soon　the　thunder　passed；　rolling　away　to　the　South…East；　but　the　bat…cloud　came；　flying　lower；　over　the　shoulder　of　the　Mountain；　and　whirled　above　them　shutting　out　the　light　and　filling　them　with　dread。　　〃To　the　Mountain！〃　called　Bard。　〃To　the　Mountain！　Let　us　take　our　places　while　there　is　yet　time！〃
　On　the　Southern　spur；　in　its　lower　slopes　and　in　the　rocks　at　its　feet；　the　Elves　were　set；　on　the　Eastern　spur　were　men　and　dwarves。　But　Bard　and　some　of　the　nimblest　of　men　and　elves　climbed　to　the　height　of　the　Eastern　shoulder　to　gain　a　view　to　the　North。　Soon　they　could　see　the　lands　before　the　Mountain's　feet　black　with　a　hurrying　multitude。　Ere　long　the　vanguard　swirled　round　the　spur's　end　and　came　rushing　into　Dale。　These　were　the　swiftest　wolf…riders；　and　already　their　cries　and　howls　rent　the　air　afar。　A　few　brave　men　were　strung　before　them　to　make　a　feint　of　resistance；　and　many　there　fell　before　the　rest　drew　back　and　fled　to　either　side。　As　Gandalf　had　hoped；　the　goblin　army　had　gathered　behind　the　resisted　vanguard；　and　poured　now　in　rage　into　the　valley；　driving　wildly　up　between　the　arms　of　the　Mountain；　seeking　for　the　foe。　Their　banners　were　countless；　black　and　red；　and　they　came　on　like　a　tide　in　fury　and　disorder。
　It　was　a　terrible　battle。　The　most　dreadful　of　all　Bilbo's　experiences；　and　the　one　which　at　the　time　he　hated　most　…　which　is　to　say　it　was　the　one　he　was　most　proud　of；　and　most　fond　of　recalling　long　afterwards；　although　he　was　quite　unimportant　in　it。　Actually　I　must　say　he　put　on　his　ring　early　in　the　business；　and　vanished　from　sight；　if　not　from　all　danger。　A　magic　ring　of　that　sort　is　not　a　plete　protection　in　a　goblin　charge；　nor　does　it　stop　flying　arrows　and　wild　spears；　but　it　does　help　in　getting　out　of　the　way；　and　it　prevents　your　head　from　being　specially　chosen　for　a　sweeping　stroke　by　a　goblin　swordsman。
　The　elves　were　the　first　to　charge。　Their　hatred　for　the　goblins　is　cold　and　bitter。　Their　spears　and　swords　shone　in　the　gloom　with　a　gleam　of　chill　flame；　so　deadly　was　the　wrath　of　the　hands　that　held　them。　As　soon　as　the　host　of　their　enemies　was　dense　in　the　valley；　they　sent　against　it　a　shower　of　arrows；　and　each　flic